Philippine Travel Notes

In an earlier post , I said "I will see you later" when we passed by this place going to Rawis Laoang. So, after that uneventful ride back from Rawis, here I was to fulfill my promise, to see this place! Curious. Mikomiko Resort, Mondragon, Northern Samar, Philippines! Yehey! You see this to your left when approaching the little native hut that says "reception"... At first glance, I thought this was a poolside shower hehe! But, no it is not! Look closely, there is no shower. This is some kind of a posterity corner for those of us who are fond of taking pictures! Much like an "event wall", reason why the resort's name is somewhere near the top of those bamboo poles! From the above corner, you see this... the café, cum restaurant, cum information desk, etc., etc! Would probably be more memorable if that corner above had this gigantic nipa hut as background! Oh the café has its own identity - The Blucharm Café. The reception hut is below this, to

Another short run. It took me about 20 or more minutes from Mondragon town proper to San Roque. It's only a 15km drive, but we stopped (driver's BRB and yosi break for me) somewhere on this scenic road. That, made the trip longer, but enjoyable nonetheless! Let's start at the Bugko Junction (Brgy. Bugko, Mondragon) 4kms out from town center. This is a very noteworthy signage located about 500 meters from an important corner - because there are no other signs at the junction itself! The first 3 names are Mondragon barangays, while the last one, 29kms from that junction, is the poor town - Silvino Lobos. Poor town? Poorest in all of Eastern Visayas, in fact! And we all know that Region VIII (Eastern Visayas) is 2nd-to-last (just ahead of ARMM) among the poorest regions in PHL. And you may say "but it's only 29kms from this highway so it's not too remote to become the poorest"! Well, it's not that simple. My sources tell me that: the 29kms is not

Entering the Mondragon town center, from the bridge we turned left at what looked like a busy street corner with lots of tricycles (pedicabs and centercabs) waiting to be hailed. Driver and I were surprised to see this 'unique' welcome arch! We found it funny weird that the sides and base of this arch looks like a gate to the "poblacion" of Mondragon. Is there something like that? A gate so you can enter a town? Look, there's even a guard house! Sarcastically, I asked "ano ito, exclusive subdivision?! Anyway, btw, that "yellow-greenish" fence at right is that of Mondragon 1 Central School. Driver moved onwards, turned left, and easily found the church and the municipal hall. This is the St. Anthony of Padua Parish Church of Mondragon Northern Samar... I may have been "over-watching" NatGeo and Discovery TV Channels, because, what came to mind when I was taking this photo was... that thing is an F-15E standing on its tail! Maybe the

This was a short hop, but with interesting views too. Actually, the tip of UEP White Beach Resort is already the town of Mondragon, in its western-most barangay, Doña Lucia. But to the middle of Mondragon town proper, that would be some 9 or 10 kilometers more. Like I was admiring the greens of where we were passing and my driver seemed to be having a hard time overtaking that multicab... I stared at it... OMG, it is not a multicab! Its a trike called "center car" or " center cab " in Calbayog! No wonder it was way too slow. My driver did not (of course) like being "delayed", but what can we do?! In fact, I noticed the reason this "center cab" was not veering right to let us thru was: it was in itself also trying to overtake another 'vehicle' - a pedicab, the original "traysikul" of Samar - you can see it at right, ahead of this center cab! What a cute chain of slow moving "conveyances"! I said "okay ang colo