Philippine Travel Notes

Does this scene/place look familiar to you? It may look like part of our previous story , but it is not! This one is maybe 4kms south of the WWII US Naval Depo and the beach where I was, but they should look similar, since both are parts of the 'generally untouched' long Pacific shoreline of Calicoan Island ! I say 'generally untouched' because, although there are now 2 or 3 post-Yolanda resorts built along the strip, none of them made anything down by the water's edge - for they know, they'd be stupid to do so! In fact, that's what I'm about to tell you, the Surf Camp that I visited back in 2010. That luxurous resort (I estimate) occupied about 200 to 300 meters of shoreline starting from that photo going to the right. That sand down there continues all the way to the right too, and even beyond, but the then resort was nested atop rocks to avoid the battering waves during hightide. Yet all those were 'erased' by Yolanda. You see that bl...

Still in Guiuan, we happened to have passed by this historical spot, that is not really that popular to the younger generation of tourists, because they don't know, a natural paradise is only a few meters away! Well actually, that's all that remains of the supply depot! And at least it looks like it's been cleaned and spruced-up! I heard sometime ago, that the reason this site was 'dolled up' again, was because of the  encouragement from foreign development/aid workers, who kept passing by this place, in the course of doing their Yolanda-related activities at Sulangan or nearby areas. The place looks like a park now! Not that this corner was totally "nothing" before Yolanda. This was/is already a locally identified World War II Memorial ever since, like during my visit in 2010 . Well yes, it also got a bit damaged by Yolanda. But what can a super typhoon do to a mere flagpole planted on a painted triangular road intersection? Nothing much to worry ab...

We just passed-by earlier today, and we saw that the Guiuan Municipal Hall is still in progress... Oh eh... pasasaan ba at matatapos din yan, di ba? I am now imagining, if Yolanda did not wreck havoc on this part of earth, Guiuananons wouldn't probably have even dreamed of erecting a new munisipyo! Blessing in disguise na rin, kumbaga. Sabi nga nung isang kaklase ko "blessing in the skies"! Anyway, by anybody's account, of course it looks bigger and better than this one, that I took in 2010 : Of course everything everywhere else is better in Guiuan, than what I saw when I visited after Yolanda ! Okay okay.., blessing in the skies nga!

Primarily the views are something to savor in this place... That across, is the historic Tubabao Island. Where the "White Russians" lived for many years... If you don't know, just search google for those words. That was the reason I wanted to visit that island even earlier than my 2010 visit. But from my searches and asking around, it came out there's really no tangible memento of them left in that island. Amazingly, they did not even inter-marry with the locals. That topic was one of my papers in college. A dramatic saga of persecuted people. Pang-movie! Anyway, this boardwalk is the main draw of Tanghay View Lodge. This is your right-side view... That's the Port of Guiuan, where the ship is. A few steps from Tanghay's gate if you walk by the street. This is the left side view. That most distant roof by the water is also a restaurant called Misty Blue. Misty Blue Boathouse is after that row of boats that looks like a line extending out to the water. ...

We made a random tour of the central town area, just to see how is Guiuan now, about 8 months from Yolanda. No particular things in mind, we just ran around to see how things are, how Guiuan is coping. Let me start with this... as we re-entered the town center from Sulangan... That is what remains of the famous Surf Camp on ABC Beach, Calicoan Island which I visited in 2010 . Literally nothing is left of it. Well, for those who have not been to this resort before, you/they might not be able to relate much, as the compound was hidden from public view by tall shrubs, trees and/or the fence made of rough coco-lumber. All I could tell my companions was "that was the swimming pool". Compared to my 2010 visit, the road here is already good. Even before Yolanda, a friend told me... There's an interesting thing about this road that many don't notice. I'll tell about it if I get to shoot pics. The World War II US Naval Supply Depot. Flagpoles swayed to one side, the...

After four years, I was back in this place. No I was (still) not a pilgrim. My group stayed overnight at two nearby resorts , so I brought them here for a visit in the morning. St. Anthony De Padua yan eh! The last time I was here, that façade was still under re-construction. Now it already looks old! But the parking area, called a "pilgrimage park", remains the same brown sand. Grass does not grow. Here's a clearer view of the whole façade without that parked overloaded jeep above... Everything looks really front of the church now. This was the whole left side last 2010 , right? Many of you will remember, that the red roofed wing on the leftmost side was where their altar was situated. Interior view from the main entrance. Wow! Such a big difference from what I saw last 2010 ! That was right side of this church! And halfway up to the altar was the extension being constructed! Look look! That wall there was where the altar was located in my 2010 visit! As said ...