Anaheim Posted July 18, 2004 Share Posted July 18, 2004 more travel stories SAMAR ISLAND: SERENE AND SURREAL I have seen sunsets from almost every province in the Philippines, including the famous one on Manila Bay. But nothing beats the sunset I saw during the drive from Lawaan, Eastern Samar to Marabut and Basey, Western Samar, a journey that takes about two hours, depending on your speed on the newly built concrete highway. The calm waters of San Pedro Bay, which empties out to the Leyte Gulf, reflected the violet sky that contrasted with the light orange rays of the fading sun. At the distance were several massive rock formations that stood out like geological abstractions, their size and silence completely overwhelmed those who gaze at them. If you’re a painter, you will want to have your oils and brushes ready for this scene. If you’re not, just sit back and enjoy. Historical Highlight On September 28, 1901, feast day of Saint Michael the Archangel, more than 200 men from the towns of Balangiga, Giporlos, Lawaan and Quinapondan, Eastern Samar donned women’s clothes, wore hoods, made their way to the church in Balangiga and pretended to attend a wake. The night passed uneventfully but as dawn approached and the bells rang, they silently slithered outside, shouted revolutionary slogans and completely surprised Company C of the 9th US Infantry Battalion. Using the machetes and knives they cleverly concealed in their robes, the men stabbed, slashed and slaughtered about 50 of the Americans. This event is re-enacted annually. Biggest Disappointment Samar was rather tame and quite laidback by the standards often set by repetitive reports in some publications. I did not encounter any leftist rebels torching a town and in possession of subversive documents while fleeing from soldiers, or children begging for food, for example. True, there’s not much infrastructure when compared to neighboring Leyte. But then maybe this is the secret. Having been kept backward by successive governments has made Samar the paradise it is today. And while many of its people may be poor, the smiles on their faces reflect contentment and not misery. Biggest Mistake Basey was celebrating its annual fiesta on the same day of the re-enactment in Balangiga and everyone was looking forward to the arrival of sons and daughters, some of whom had been away for decades. The whole town was partying and woe to the cows, pigs and chicken that had to be sacrificed for the occasion. Fireworks went with the festive atmosphere and rum, gin and beer were guzzled with gusto. The sudden clang of cymbals ushered a parade and street dancers from different barangays lent a carnival air. Suddenly, the lights went off. Patience first took hold but soon after everyone was cursing the local supplier of electricity. How could they do this now? Best Hotel I can’t say much about hotels in Samar…. mainly because I did not stay at any. But since Tacloban City in Leyte is the usual point of entry to this part of the archipelago, you might as well dump some of your stuff here if you don’t plan to stay overnight in Samar or don’t know anyone there in the first place. I have only one favorite, the Leyte Park Hotel, because that’s the only hotel I’ve been to in Leyte. Try to book a room on the fourth floor because it offers a great view of the San Bernardino Strait. Better still, wake up before sunrise and open the windows to let the breeze in. Then have your coffee on the veranda. The hotel had its heyday during the time of Leyte’s most famous citizen (clue: she’s also known as the iron butterfly). Today, it still stands proud, although some of the woodwok is showing signs of age. It was the ambiance, however, which I found relaxing. The other reason I stayed here is because they provide a land and boat service to rock formations off Marabut that I previously mentioned. Nicest Beach I call it the beach of petrified stumps, dozens of them lining a portion of Balangiga’s shore. The curious thing is that they all came in pairs with one remaining upright and the other lying on the white-grayish sand. They were sculptures that had been shaded and shaped by the rays of the sun and the pounding of the waves. No one had ever attempted to make it comfortable for the tourist, which is probably a good idea. There were no shops that sold, food, clothes or souvenir items. But the views were great, the shade pleasant. A lone hut on stilts was the only indication that another soul had found this patch of land. An excellent place to read a book, smoke a Cohiba, and swig a few shots of single malt. Once it takes effect, close your eyes and enjoy the world. Another Sight The savage sea rose slowly and constantly thundered against the base of jagged limestone cliffs. A shining sheet of water then clasped the rocky outcrop, a process that has been happening for ages. Not surprising then that an arch had been carved beneath a boulder that protrudes to the sea that is radiantly blue. Such scenes were uncommon; I have seen only a tiny portion of Samar and yet I was impressed. What more if one explores the Sohoton National Park, its river, caves and waterfalls? ako'y pinahanga ng iyong eloquence pareng sally bogna mathay. freelance writer ka pala. I was in L.A., Calif, Chicago and NYC last nov to dec 2003. I like the weather in LA (temperature is not too cold nor not too hot). My skin got dried (with rashes) when I was in Illinois state and new york. best places to see in LA - hollywood boulevard, disneyland, universal studios, beverly hills, california disney adventure (right in front of disneyland). best places to see in chicago - sears towers (haven't seen much of chicago, stayed there for 5 hours). best places in NY- liberty statue, the world trade center memorial site, times square. (see attached photo) best places in NJ - Atlantic city (parang las vegas) Quote Link to comment
Anaheim Posted July 18, 2004 Share Posted July 18, 2004 Here's my photo in Hollywood Boulevard with the Walk of Fame stars. Attached is a photo of myself with the star of (my favorite - IDOL ) BRUCE LEE. Quote Link to comment
Anaheim Posted July 18, 2004 Share Posted July 18, 2004 (edited) a photo of myself in New York at the site of the World Trade Center riuns - Dec 2003 Edited July 18, 2004 by Anaheim Quote Link to comment
Anaheim Posted July 18, 2004 Share Posted July 18, 2004 hope you could share your photos too mga pare ko. thanks. Quote Link to comment
sally bogna mathay Posted July 18, 2004 Share Posted July 18, 2004 salamat, pareng anaheim. well-travelled ka pala. ako hanggang southeast asia pa lamang. sayang, my photos are all in rp. hindi ko nadala dito sa bkk. will attach them pag uwi ko later this year. hope to meet you folks too, lalo na yung mga suki ng back to the 70s! yes, i will tell you more about my travels around rp. Quote Link to comment
JB Nalang Posted July 18, 2004 Share Posted July 18, 2004 Pareng Sally, Nasa Bangkok ka pala! I lived there for four years. One of my favorite things to do to relieve stress would be to hire a banca from around the Grand Palace area to take me down the Chao Phrya river, hopefully to catch Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn) around sunset time. The diffused sunlight would reflect on the temple's ceramic spires in many intesting colors. Quote Link to comment
anika Posted July 18, 2004 Share Posted July 18, 2004 Venice and Salzburg are my favorite places in Europe. Quote Link to comment
Guest ginny Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 OT: Anaheim... bat di mo pala kamukha si Bruce Lee? Wehehe.. la lang... Quote Link to comment
Anaheim Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 OT: Anaheim... bat di mo pala kamukha si Bruce Lee? Wehehe.. la lang... hello ginny, sabi nila si jinggoy daw...ngek! Quote Link to comment
Guest ginny Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 hello ginny, sabi nila si jinggoy daw...ngek! Ot ulet: Di dapat pala palitan mo avatar mo... Para di OT: Ang madalas ko lang mapuntahan eh Tagaytay.. hehehe... masarap yun mushroom burger dun eh.. Quote Link to comment
JB Nalang Posted July 20, 2004 Share Posted July 20, 2004 I'm from the Tagaytay area, actually Alfonso, Cavite where Antonio's and Sonya's Garden are. Masarap ang simoy ng hangin at malamig, but I remember the good old day's when you could see Taal lake from almost anywhere on the road. Now it's all those houses and restaurants. Yuch! Quote Link to comment
Guest YUM YUM Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 (edited) I'm from the Tagaytay area, actually Alfonso, Cavite where Antonio's and Sonya's Garden are. Masarap ang simoy ng hangin at malamig, but I remember the good old day's when you could see Taal lake from almost anywhere on the road. Now it's all those houses and restaurants. Yuch!bro have heard of these gardens ur talking about, it seems a nice place to bring my crushee can you give me direction on how to get there? thanks much!!! good morning fellow travellers! just arrived from zamboanga city! Edited July 21, 2004 by YUM YUM Quote Link to comment
Flash Sentry Posted July 21, 2004 Share Posted July 21, 2004 Would you consider road trips? I just love going around in my car. I used to take road trips to Laguna--sometimes for business, but most of the time just for the heck of it. There's something about going the way to Pagsangjan Falls that just soothes me, so I often used to go there. Too bad I haven't been there in awhile now. Quote Link to comment
JB Nalang Posted July 22, 2004 Share Posted July 22, 2004 bro have heard of these gardens ur talking about, it seems a nice place to bring my crushee can you give me direction on how to get there? thanks much!!! good morning fellow travellers! just arrived from zamboanga city! Bro, let me get back to you with directions. I'm from there kasi so I don't pay attention to landmarks. In the meantime, perhaps you'd like to try an interesting alternative to Tagaytay. Kinabuhayan Cafe Bed&Breakfast in the foothills of the mystic Mt. Banahaw is only 1.5 to 2 hours away from Manila (84 kms of good roads from the Shell Magallanes station). Good food, easy, medium and difficult treks to choose from, healing waters, magic and romance. Directions on the website: http://www.klar.us/kinabuhayan_cafe Quote Link to comment
Anaheim Posted July 22, 2004 Share Posted July 22, 2004 salamat, pareng anaheim. well-travelled ka pala. ako hanggang southeast asia pa lamang. sayang, my photos are all in rp. hindi ko nadala dito sa bkk. will attach them pag uwi ko later this year. hope to meet you folks too, lalo na yung mga suki ng back to the 70s! yes, i will tell you more about my travels around rp. pareng sally, I usually carry my camera phone during my travels....I then connect my camera phone to a built-in infra-red (or bluetooth) device computer then save the photo in jpeg, bmp, gif format. share/post more of your travel insights pareng sally Quote Link to comment
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