Summer would not just be complete without having to go embrace yourself with sun and sand. It has actually been two years since the last time I've spent summer in my hometown or in Mindanao. For the past summers, I had been quite busy making my own life in other cities like Cebu and Manila.
This year, I was lucky enough to join the XUHS faculty with their trip to Dapitan. If it weren't for them I must have been stuck at home bored the whole time this summer. Finally, I had a chance to make the scorching sun kiss me again and it was also a chance for me to reconnect with nature and history.
 |
| inside the barge going to Ozamis |
For this trip, we had Fantasyland Travel and Tours arrange everything for us. At 2 in the morning, we were all packed up inside a 50-seater tour bus. From Cagayan de Oro, it took about 3 hours to reach the port wherein we would have to ride a barge to reach Ozamis City.
 |
| A breathtaking view of the sunrise while on the barge |
From Ozamis, more or less 4 hours will it take one to reach Dapitan. Upon arriving, a tour guide went inside our bus and warmly welcomed us. She definitely hyped up everyone from the exhausting 7 hour trip by energetically giving out plenty of historical information about the places which our bus passed through.
 |
| Our helpful and friendly tour guide |
FYI, Dapitan was the place where our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal was exiled for four years. So basically, much of the historical tour revolves around the life story of our hero and the places which he himself has devoted to develop. Almost every place in the city just has a mark of ancestry and Rizal all around it.
 |
| During the tour, we were given an ample amount of time to get off the bus to take pictures of beautiful historical sites such as this one. This was the exact place where Dr. Jose Rizal first set foot of the place. |
We were also given the chance to visit Rizal's place during the tour. It was the place where he actually stayed during his exile in the small town. There was also a mini museum where other things of his were kept and are on display.
 |
| Casa Residencia - The house that sheltered Rizal while he was in Dapitan (now a replica) |
The images above would be the entire view of Casa Residencia and the wooden bed frame of Rizal with his picture on it. Kinda eerie and creepy inside, btw.
 |
| A beautiful view of the Dapitan Bay just outside Rizal's place. So calm and serene. |
After some strolls and reconnecting with nature inside the Rizal Shrine, it was time to check out some historical items inside the mini museum. There weren't much good finds inside actually, but it was alright besides it was just a mini museum.
 |
| Portraits of Rizal and replicas of his works, books, etc. |
After the tour around the shrine, we felt our stomachs grumbling already and were lead inside the bus which then took us to a popular restaurant in the city -- Inato Lang.
 |
| Inato Lang Restaurant |
We had a scrumptious lunch here and the best thing was it was a buffet meal. It definitely filled us up like fueling a car, ready for the next adventures we are about to encounter in this small town.
We were also informed that our lunch for the following day upon departure would still be in the same restaurant except in another branch. Either of the branches mentioned were actually located along the river bank. Thus, expect that fresh air will breeze you while you are taking your meals.
After eating at Inato Lang, we were taken to the Dapitan City Hall to take pictures. Only a number of us dared to go outside the bus and take pictures since we got there around 1 in the afternoon with the temperature around 32 degrees Celsius.
 |
| Dapitan City Hall. The roofs of the building were actually inspired by the design of the soldiers' hats during the days. |
Such a long post right? I would have to cut right here for a while. Wait for my next post which continues the story of our Dapitan tour.
To be continued....
No comments:
Post a Comment