Jenny's Island Adventures: Road Trip to the other side of Negros

Summer is never complete without a visit to the

other side of Negros Island!

The month of May is the best time of the year, school is out-kids are at home, the summer festival in Negros Occidental just ended and most of us are in vacation mode.

with CBRT participants in Calatrava

butong, anyone?

Normel

It was just a couple of weeks ago when I flew to Surigao on an all expense paid trip this summer and take part as a judge in the beauty pageant for the fairest in the province of Surigao del Norte. Then, the following week when I had the chance to attend a two-day workshop on cultural writing at the museum, an invitation came for me to speak on Community Based Rural Tourism in the town with the friendliest monkeys in the country-Calatrava. So off we went early one morning along the eco-tourism highway passing through the town of DS Benedicto, the view was great, no bumps at all-thanks to Mayor Araceli's driver for the smooth drive . it is a passion of mine to speak in the native tongue with locals, brgy. captains esp. on TOURISM

with SINATO

at Go Hotel with SINATO

sunrise at the boulevard

I checked in at the municipal guest house with friend and office mate Normel, the air conditioned room had three double deck beds, a bathroom and comfort room -so clean and cozy. We walked around the town wearing our 'I LOVE NEGROS' t-shirts , people then would stare at us obviously as we looked like tourist carrying with us our cameras.

Saint Peter Apostle Parish

diversion road

We visited the church by the beach. It was 3 am the next day when we were brought back to San Carlos City, at the terminal we were able to take the regular bus to Dumaguete, we left at 4am, and took the left side window seats- for a better view of the sunrise and the sea as we were passing through the coastal route. Indeed it was a refreshing and beautiful site that made me sing 'morning has broken , like the first morning...blackbird has spoken, like the first bird-Praise for the singing, Praise for the morning...' .

We arrived in the City of Dumaguete at around 9 in the morning, took a pedicab to Go Hotel, just at the back of Robinson's Place. The rest of the tourism officers from Siquijor, and towns and cities in Negros Oriental were also billeted in the same hotel.

with Dumaguete City Mayor Sagarbarria

It was bonding time with SINATO the tourism officers association of Negros Oriental...i always feel at home with them, they are like family to me on this side of Negros. We came to Dumaguete to support the SantaCruzan Summer Festival with Dumaguete Tourism Officer RR Maquiling. Joe of San Carlos also came with the whole Pintaflores Festival contingent as guest performer. It was indeed fun here in Dumaguete, as we joined the parade walking along the main streets with Mayor Chiquiting Sagarbarria and the other officials. Surprisingly, i never saw a body guard tagging along, indeed i can say Dumaguete is the City of Gentle People.

Dinner at El Camino on a Saturday night was fun, it was by the beach and a stretch of bars along- so memorable, when i was young we called this place piapi beach, we would walk from grandmas house to swim early morning or late in the afternoon.

So many friends to meet and so little time, thats what i can say for this trip- but when in the city I always drop by my close friends house even for an hour or two...there we bonded with Stella and Ariel, she gave me two strawberries to grow and her latest berry tomatoes fresh from the garden- my next project for an organic garden at home.

Never leave Dumaguete without a visit to Sans Rival for the famous sansrival cake and the sweet, cold and chewy sylvanas- it comes in butter and chocolate flavor and very affordable.

A few days from now, my girl will be back in school ---and surely, i can say Summer 2012 was fun and complete.