This next hop was nearer, only about 5 kilometers from Valencia to Dimiao, my next destination on the southern Bohol itinerary. At midpoint of that distance is Tangohay Bridge that signifies their boundary.
Right after the bridge, there is this simple, not so 'loud' welcome signage, but it made me smile...
Wah! On the other side (left) of that road, you could already see that a few steps away is a beach with light-colored sand. Not white, but not black, and it looks already enviting! I saw at least 1 "mini-resort".
When I say "mini-resort", I mean it is the usual countryside family-owned "backyard enterprise" where owners put up a few benches and little shacks usually called 'cottage' for visitors to spend the day at.
I got engrossed looking at the beach and the nice views of the sea behind the houses, and there were big old wooden houses, then 'unexpectedly', vehicle stopped and driver said "ayan ang town hall nila"!
Lest even you Pinoys also find it hard to say, remember it should sound like "dim-yao". Not "di-meow", never also "dim-yaw" where you pronounce "yaw" the American way. Just 2 syllables "dim" and "yao".
As we moved onward on the highway, I still ogled at the building as it looked good (to me at least)!
Seriously though, driver shared his thoughts that, ever since that deadly earthquake years ago (2013) he felt like "the whole world, even the Philippine government" [that was his exact phrase] came to be more helpful to Bohol. He said his personal observation is that every sector of society in the province received some kind of help from outsiders - including municipal halls being repaired at the same time.
I think that's a nice gesture from the whole world - including "even our government" hahaha!
Then we were by a park next to the municipal hall. The vehicle stopped, so I took it that we should go down. Tama ako. Driver got off pointing to me the church next to the park, saying we can't stop there due to a lot of scaffoldings and construction debris, as the church is undergoing some rehabilitation.
We sat on those concrete benches with "kalesa motif" as he told me many more things about Dimiao. Like: all beaches in Dimiao are of white (light-colored) sand; even the soil itself (yuta) in this center of town is also of the same color; all beach resorts have or can provide karaoke rentals (argh!); same as other towns, the peaks, highlands, caves, caverns, waterfalls and springs here are also fun attractions.
But I wanted to go near the church, even if it was under renovation. Guide said just ask permission.
I was amused that the people in charge of this "build" kept checking with drawings, patterns, layouts, colors and so on. They were too meticulous than what I would usually see at many construction sites.
Guide whispered to me saying something like "wait 'til you see the next town". Hmm, exciting!
Now, here's a 'bad trait' of Filipinos that, unfortuantely, I was the one I caught who was doing it. What's the trait? Hmm, "pag ibinigay ang kamay, gusto pati braso kukunin din"! How did that happen? Ganito..
Look at the above picture again. It is easy to discern, not anybody would be allowed in the area, right? It's a construction site, delikado, yet I was allowed-in due to my 'persistent charm'! What did I do next?
I said "gusto ko makita yung loob" and I proceeded, even if my guide disagreed with me! Ang kulit ba? Ganun kayo di ba? Aminin! Good it was chaotic in there, difficult to go any further. So here's the result:
Two pictures above, do you see that main entrance? I was inside, a bit beyond that door. The foreman grabbed me away from there, to under that archway, which covered me/us from the falling debris. Da!
When that happened, all workers on the floor screamed (parang choir lang ang arrive) for the folks up the scaffoldings to stop what they were doing! We were promptly ushered out. Guide silent (natulala)!
Not that it was an accident - let's clarify that. It was a normal part of the workers' activities. They were cleaning up their construction mess to end their day. No one was supposed to be where I went, and of course, they were not expecting a pesky me would suddenly appear below where they were innocently doing their jobs. And when everyone shouted, they had to stop. So, it likely even delayed their day-end.
Da! Sabi nga ni Bunny "the moral of the lesson" (yes, the moral of the story) is, ikaw traveler (tayo pala yun hehe), 'wag makulit, 'wag sugod nang sugod, pag bawal, bawal! Wag mag-pumilit insist or persist!
When we got out of the "rubble", I overheard the engineer asked my guide if we were okay. I even also saw and overheard, that the helmets the foreman was still carrying, was for us, but a little bit late. And there was an older man, who I think was the priest, since I heard him say "maria santisima, ok ra mo"?
As if nothing happened, I still had the nerve (yes, the audacity) to take pics of the façade!
Na! My driver guide looked pale and became less talkative for some minutes there hehehe! He said he wasn't at all afraid of the falling debris. He was more worried he could lose his job, and their employer may lose its licesnce to operate, if something bad happend to one of their guests - ako yun. Imagine?
Yes imagine that? Tan-awa! I actually just laughed it off, but on hindsight, I just realized now as I write this blog, many things could have happened all because of my kakulitan! Not only my physical safety was on the line. The employment and livelihood of others could have also been compromised due to my irresponsible actions. In fact, I think the engineer might have been reprimanded for allowing me in.
Hah, lesson learned: meron hangganan ang charm, wag na makulit, pag bawal, sumunod na lang.
Anyway, we then went our way to next town in my itinerary, Lila! This was the only time I learned (from my guide - since I haven't read it anywhere), that is San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish Church of Dimiao!
Exiting Dimiao, still a bit silent, my driver made the sign of the cross, I didn't anymore ask why, hehe!
That Banban 1 Bridge, by the way, is at the water's edge. It has a wonderful view of Bohol Sea. There's even a mini-park (viewpoint) right after crossing the bridge. But that's already Lila so let's do that next.
Spoiler alert: my construction site kakulitan happened again in the next-next town! Wait for it!
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