Philippine Travel Notes

Beachology ? Is there such a word? There is, NOW - I declare, as I do hereby declare! That, is irrevocable and immutable! Thus, let it be known by all ye my royal subjects! My royal subjects lang, hindi predicate! Walang kokontra! Ang kumontra papangit! Game na. Let's talk about some 'lessons'! This beach may not be for you my dear reader, if you are the type who likes to romp or laze on a beach ' to see and be seen ' . This is NOT the place. Why? No human eyes! No humans to ogle at, and/or salivate, over your make-believe-alindog hahaha! Aside from a few farmers tending to their coconuts, or other planted eatables under those foresty trees, no humans around. Di bebenta ang rampa mo dito Mana Maura! And I love it that way! Look, this was a Friday afternoon, and I was literally alone! That is about 3 kilometers of nothingness on a white sand beach, all the way to that headland at the end of this cove - and, OMG it continues that way on the other side! ...

Done at Mapanas, it was time to head to my final destination of the day - the Sun! Do you know where that is? That is Araw Beach , Brgy. San Antonio, Gamay Northern Samar! Its in Gamay, but feels nearer to Mapanas. Maybe it's midway between them. Yep, it is named Araw Beach, that's why I jokingly refer to it as "the sun"! And don't get eggzoiteeed ! That photo was my first click, upon arrival this afternoon. There will (aw there shall ) be more of that later! For now, be informed, that is one of the best 'still fresh and unadulterated' among white-sand beaches on Samar Island! Note, I said " one of the best". Playing safe tayo dyan, kasi baka meron pa tayo hindi nakikita in these pacific-facing towns! Samar is big, hidden gems may still be hidin ' ! But as I always do, let's start from the very beginning... I was in Mapanas, and then? My Ride (Mapanas to Araw) And then Buyungaw offered to drive me from Mapanas to Araw at n...

I am not really sure if what I heard was "kayas" or "kayab" or "kayag", but I know this activity - WINNOWING in English. PAGTATAHIP in Tagalog? Not sure about that too! The act: separating the rice hull or husk (chaff and other impurities) from the 'usable grains' by making them fly away, when poured from a "nigo" (big bilao) at head level ! Ang hirap pala i-describe nyan mapa-english o tagalog! Good that I have that photo! But many Pinoys know 'winnowing', for I recall that word was in a gradeschool song! If you're Pinoy, I'm sure you will agree, what many of us remember, is the very same "activity" in the picture without those electric fans, right? Only with wind and gravity. Well, farming methods have apparently (or is it obviously?) been upgraded! At akala natin mga cellphone lang ang nagle-level up? Meron din pala sa palay harvest time! And it can now be done just in front of your very own house...

Two blocks away from the municipal hall , I chanced upon the 'also fairly young' Our Lady of the Angels Parish Church of Mapanas , commonly called Mapanas Church . I hope you get the drift of these "fairly young" pronouncements that I keep saying. It is because this town was created from 7 barangays of Gamay only in 1966, and this church was created as a parish only in 1975. So it's rather young compared to many! So I did not expect to find historic things here, like I did at Palapag . It was closed (churches are like that now) . But to my left, there was an open gate. Beautiful new fence & gate. Mala-eskwelahan ang arrive! Thank you sa mga donors! Syempre, enter da dragon na agad - baka mag-automatic close pa yan - malay natin! Like at many churches, I suspected I'd find an ajar side door. Ay, just as I said above, nowadays churches normally close their many entrances, leaving just 1 open or ajar . We already know the rationale behind that, r...

From the Guinpandayan View Deck , I went straight to poblacion Mapanas, skipping the Pinusilan Rocks as I've been there last year. I realized I was running out of time! First I saw was the municipal hall, since it's just along the highway. And this was it? My scooter driver said matter of factly that that is really it. Honga naman ano? Ayan nakasulat na eh! Yet based on my roaming experiences, it can't be the real frontage. I told him to stay where he was, and I went around via the street at right. O eto... That is their municipal hall compound. And the building at left edge of that photo, is what faces the highway. Well, the compound is still or 'already small' for a town hall. Aw, Mapanas is a small town, even by today's standards. Maybe what they have still properly fits all their municipal employees! They only have 13 barangays now, which grew from the original 7 barrios during creation in 1966 - a fairly young municipality. I stood in front of the...

My roam of the northeastern towns of Samar Island continued. After the Rakitdakit Rock at Palapag, my scooter ambled the southward run to the next town, Mapanas. It is just about 9 or so kilometers. But there are always things-to-see along the way, right? Right. And I didn't anymore check my list - my driver knows them - plus more! As I marveled at the seemingly serpentine form of this coastal highway, Buyungaw (yes my driver!) was telling me about a waterfall just on the roadside, but "dry" now. But that waterfall topic was quickly 'shelved' (because it has no water now anyway), when we again saw, a number of rocks and boulders on the pacific side of the road! Plus, where there are no fallen boulders, the snake-like road really got my attention! Do roads really have to sway like that? Am just curious. I don't despise them. In fact, as passenger, I like invariably curving roads (when the pavement is smooth lang ha?) . Every ride is more exciting ...

What is it? A rock! That's it! But it's nice to see from a distance, and all the more wondrous when you go near it! It could be anything to any visitor, but one thing was for sure this time - I didn't want to go any nearer, even if my scooter driver was with me and urging me to go further ! I said "nebir butig", at humalakhak ang insik! Yep, Tsinoy ang driver ko, sociel ako! Let's start from the very beginning... 3 minutes after the fallen rocks , driver swerved left and entered a private property. He was telling me about the owner of this place, I heard everything but wasn't, at all, listening. Well I think I remember him saying 'lawyer' and/or 'councilor', I'm not sure. Anyway, he said there is always a woman-caretaker, who works on this farm, mostly alone, that's why we couldn't see anyone who'd collect our fees. We entered anyway. It's a short walk to the beach (around 50 meters). Oh we saw the manang a...

After the Galleon Port visit, it was time to finally say goodbye to Palapag, and hop to Mapanas. Is this far? Not really. Just a little above 20 kilometers. 20 minutes or so? But I had planned stops here-and-there ! This was actually one compelling reason why I hired a habal-habal (aw scooter pala) - as I can't do that with 'regular' vans or buses ! And on a habal-habal, it's slower so you get to see more! Hmm, let's expound a bit about Traveling in The Provinces ... bow! Why not rent a car? (which I didn't mention in my Out Of Palapag story) Mind you, I asked around if there was a real rent-a-car service here arounds. When I say "real" , I mean a true business of renting out cars like that of Haven's in Tacloban. Or Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Budget, etc., etc.! None . I think it is only Tacloban that has, in the likes of Haven's nga - they may not be the best (yet), but I tried & tested them! Rent-A-Car . Not the car ...