Philippine Travel Notes

Being the longest shoreline in the whole island-province, San Remigio cannot not have its share of resorts, otherwise nature might have been too cruel to it, right?! Well, there are a number of reputed ones and I wanted to see them all. But time was not on my side (I stayed too long ogling at the carabao in jeans) so I chose to see the best - the San Remigio Beach Club Going there The beach club is very near to town and it lies along the almost desolate road towards the town of Tabuelan. From the municipal hall, I hopped unto a trike to the road intersection from Bogo that veers left (towards Tabuelan). My stomach was starting to grumble hehe. Looked around for a restaurant or a turo-turo… none that invited my tongue though! Ah there are a lot of stores in this area so I popped a coke 8oz as I waited. And I got entertained by an old man who seems to be between drunk and mentally ill hehe. He was not violent but so talkative and bragging that he was a multi-billionaire, reason why he

Nothing really unique about the town’s municipal hall. Going towards it however, a groovy carabao will catch your attention as it did mine! This cute little beast is a concrete statue together with its master walking behind it. Nothing unusual, right? However, the cute little beast has been painted as if it was wearing a pair of jeans and a striped shirt hehe! Yes, the “ma-ong”! It will never fail to catch anyone’s attention right at the side of the highway, on the island at center of the street that leads directly up to the municipal Hall of SanRem. I asked around as to why the pesky carabao had that fun suit! The smiling replies to my smiling question were all “I don’t know”. But am sure, shallow or not, significant or not, there must have been a reason as to why the carabao was painted so. And I like it hehe… and that is what I most remember about this quiet little town! Well alright, the SanRem Municipal Hall, small as it maybe, stands profoundly against the morning sun in its

So-so. That was my first and lingering impression of this beach. It is of white (cream) color yes, even finer than most beaches and gives a cool feel to the soles. But the water’s edge is lined with little stones, sea grass and other materials of coral or coralline nature. Hmm, it depends on the point of view though. My nature conservationist friend says THAT makes for a rich shoreline unlike the “plain and empty” strip from Boracay’s Station 1 to 3. The beach is easily accessible via vacant lots in between residential houses and resorts. Resorts? Well, yes, there are those low-end huts with tables that you can rent for the day over at one-end of the strip. Of course they provide that omnipresent videoke machine! So be prepared with your coins hehehe! Now now, the public beach is a long one, very long in fact. Mind you, this is Cebu’s longest shoreline, so they claim. At least the beach is a contiguous white strip that is breezy and a good enough place if only to breath fresh air. Yo

After that “perspiring breakfast”, I thought it was time to move on to San Remigio. Oh, the Nagano folks told me via a call that some folks have reserved my room and that I needed to move to another room of the same type. I replied that I had no issues and they could just transfer my things to that new room. So I went on. I realized most folks in the area call this town SanRem to make San Remigio shorter. My Ceres bus ride to that town was rather quick and uneventful. It is just near and next to Bogo anyway. I told the conductor, to let me off at the church or the town’s municipal hall, whichever comes first. And I was let off at the church after my twelve-peso ride. The San Juan Nepomuceno Church Oh that church! Unique! Unique in the sense that this is (I think) the first structure I have seen in this country where the architect seems to have played around with the bricks for whatever wondrous effect he might have envisioned hehe! Okay, the facade of the church faces the highway

Nothing important to do, have time, I tour! This time, my itchy feet brought me to the northern parts of Cebu Island. Yey! The Suroy Suroy Sugbo Northern Escapade seems to be long coming and I couldn’t wait anymore. So, there I went – alone (as is often the case anyway hehe). Actually, I have read about the Haladaya Festival of Daanbantayan which was supposed to occur end of August. Since they won at the Pasigarbo Sa Sugbo, I thought it might be good to watch their local festival/ And, since I was going to the far northern end of the island, I thought of seeing the other places too. Plan: See Bogo, San Remigio, Medillin, Daanbantayan, Malapascua. See other nearby towns on the way home – if possible. Rule: must be back at Cebu no later than September 3 to give myself time for laundry, download of pictures and write the experiences before departing for Ozamis. So, there I went on a weeklong trip of interesting places! (described in succeeding entries). My way: Caught a 6AM Ceres bus at C

This topic started with this article There are also two towns in the Philippines that are named San Remigio, one in Western Visayas, the other in Central Visayas. San Remigio in Antique (Region 6) is at the heart of the province. It is in the mid portion by the border with Iloilo province, landlocked and mountainous. Thus, expect a lot of caves and waterfalls. This is a cool town – even called “little baguo” by most of its residents. I envy a friend who says it is up in the mountains of this town that they went to see the biggest flower in the world. Yep, Rafflesia, that odorous thing that looks like a ‘lazy susan’ called a flower hehe! The other San Remigio is a town in the northwestern side of Cebu province (Region 7). This town boasts of having the longest shoreline in all of Cebu. That’s just it though, just the longest, not necessarily the cleanest nor the grandest hehe! Hey the San Remigio Beach Club is luxuriously good but there is really no sandy beach! The public beach is fun