Philippine Travel Notes

Exit time! Time to leave the Pacific towns of Northern Samar. I wish I had more days. In fact, I even wish I could live in this place, at least for a few months, years, or kahit forever! Anyway, leave I must ! Now, this was a trip full of learnings - I dedicate to you, fellow commuting roamers! Planned itinerary for this day was: 1] walk to the highway in Potong (~100 meters) ; 2] hop on a vacant 'anything' going to Lapinig town proper (~3kms) ; 3] roam around Lapinig town proper; 4] take a bus or van going to Oras (~65kms) ; 5] stay overnight. There were other alternatives I considered - like going via Catarman, then Calbayog, down to Catbalogan and finally Tacloban. But I remembered: avoid the ' holy roads '! Flying out of Catarman, Calbayog or even Borongan were also options, but I already had a ticket out of Tacloban. So, reversing how I came was the best option this time. However... (eto nanaman ako) things do change. What actually happen...

A wonderful encounter.., in one of my morning-walks, I found a beautiful new friend. Can you see her in this picture? Wheh, malayo pa lang I already noticed her alindog! At 6:26AM, I was walking to a sari-sari store (upper left corner of pic, beside red gate, sarado pa kasi ang sa Momoy), and there she was on a sidewalk, confidently seated. She knew I was there though she was busier looking at a cat by the opposite house. But I just said "Good Morning Mingming" once, and she immediately walked to me! First it was curious about my phone. Maybe she thought I was giving it to her as my hands were outstretched. When I said no, she sat by my feet. I said now what? hehe! Oh eh, di tumambay kami sa gitna ng kalsada. Baka magalit pag iniwan hahaha! At nag-usap kami. OMG kinausap ko! I talked, she wagged her tail or bunt my feet! My most important question was "mingming, bakit naman white ang eyeliner mo, 'di ba pwede violet or green man lang"? Hahaha, wal...

This is a beautiful beach, still a daily tableau of the "rural life-and-recreation"! Potong Beach , is not (yet) that much publicized, thus, not in the bucket-list of many a traveler, and I think I like it that way (greedy ba?) , but by-and-by, it is getting 'found'! If not yet widely-known, how did I know about this place? Ah eh, I have my ways, let me count the ways... hehehe! Honestly, I saw this last year, while at Sunrise Resort. By my guesstimate , Sunrise Resort will probably be somewhere at that yellow arrow, or probably even nearer. My green arrow points to Momoy and Sinulog resorts area. Learning about Momoy and Sinulog, I bucket-listed them. After a year, here na me ! Oy it looks like, and very similar to other beaches, like Binogawan for one. The sand here is just lighter in color. But another place, another experience - that's the essence! The essence of "travel pa more", di ba?! Oh, what I loved about this visit was the reali...

Potong, Lapinig, Northern Samar . This was my next destination on this 'tour' of Northern Samar's Pacific Towns . And I stayed at this barangay's busier place (dadalawa lang naman sila!) - Momoy's Resort ! Not sure about the "correct nomenclature"! That billboard says Momoy Beach. Then I heard some friends call it "Sinulog Beach". But, the only two resorts in this location are beside each other - they are "Momoy Resort" and "Sinulog Resort". Ta, nga linop! Nano ngaran san beach?! Pending any "official clarification" (why do I sound so legal-minded today), why don't I just call this Potong Beach , since this is at Brgy. Potong, Lapinig, Northern Samar ! That way, in this story, I can say Momoy Beach Resort and Sinulog Beach Resort at Potong Beach . But I stayed at Momoy's, so my stories will mostly revolve around it. Fact check: that is Momoy's Resort behind the signage. Sinulog Resort is to ...

Lapinig is the southern-most town of Northern Samar province in its pacific coast. Going there was a kind of "bonus" destination during this joyride to the northern towns of Eastern Samar. Why? Because I didn't intend to go there, but it was just nearby from Arteche . So I said, why not and to Lapinig I went! As you would remember from the previous story, I already excitedly crossed the boundary of the two provinces of Eastern and Northern Samar. Thus, I was already in Lapinig. But it still takes about half an hour to the town center, passing by a number of barrios, which, made this ride more educational! There was "May-igot", the first barangay of Lapinig that sits in the boundary. Then there was "Mabini", a barangay with a stretch of beach that looks so inviting and has picturesque view of the pacific. Then there is Brgy. Palanas that has an intersection with a road that "should" lead to Jipapad.., Why did I say "should"? Ah...