For my second solo trip .. I am bound for Tacloban City .. I purchased my ticket during some seat sale of Cebu Pacific Airlines .. I was about to leave the house when I suddenly think of cancelling my trip .. one reason is my BB phone is having a problem so i won't have connection 24/7 :( .. It was already 9:30 a.m. and still i haven't fully decided yet until when I checked for any other events for the weekend but got nothing that interest me so off I go for my trip .. I arrived at Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport of Tacloban City at around 1:10 p.m. .. And I am already set that this is going to be a less expense and fun filled trip .. :)
I took a jeepney from the airport to the budget hotel where I am booked and it cost me P50.00 compare in taking a tricycle for P150.00 or taxi for P250.00-300.00. I decided to take some minutes of rest before hitting the road. The plan was to meet Fernando Lopez of CS Tacloban and he'll accompany me for the San Juanico walk that I am planning but due to his work he can't accompany me, instead he just gave me directions and some guides .. :)
I decided to go first to Leyte Landing or the MacArthur Garden .. I rode a jeepney with Robinson in the signboard until the Coca-Cola factory which has a rotunda. And in the rotunda area I have to ride another jeepney for Campetik and alight at the what they called the "eskina campetik", the landmark is the BIR office.
** In the rotunda is where the first life size statue of a boyscout stands. :)
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| the rotunda |
From the eskina campetik I took a "trisikad" is a bicycle with a sidecar. It'll about 5 minutes to get to the MacArthur Park. Government offices are just along the way.
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| the trisikad :) |
It was 18 years ago when I first visited tacloban city .. And "I HAVE RETURNED!" :) .. Again. I am at the MacArthur Park .. :)
What's written in the marker :
"LEYTE LANDING. On this spot, Palo, Leyte, General Douglas Macarthur returned to the Philippines on 20 October 1944. And personally led the swift drive against the Japanese forces in the Philippines. Pres. Sergio Osmena and some members of the government-in-exile arrived with General Macarthur and proceeded to reorganize, restore and administer the government of the commonwealth of the Philippines."
And just beside the Macarthur Park is the Rock Garden which is a monument of peace. It is dedicated to the people who share and cherish the same ideals of freedom and democracy. There are rock tablets around that carrys the message of solidarity, friendship and goodwill.
And behind the park is the sea .. 18 years ago i remembered that it doesn't have a seawall .. It was in black fine sand ..
The boy scout statue was situated just near the area in commemorative of the 12th National Jamboree. It is a mark that the Jamboree was held in the place.
I decided to head back to the downtown area and check on Magsaysay where some historical spots are also situated. I took a jeepney back and we passed by a market that I can described as the "bagsakan" part. A different route .. and it was already dark and I somehow felt lost .. :) .. When I got to the downtown area I alight the jeepney even if I was not yet in Magsaysay .. And I was in Rizal Park .. :)
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| Dr. Jose Rizal's monument in Tacloban City |
And just across Rizal Park I saw Twirl Berry a frozen yogurt store :) ..
.. and i had Go Nuts Over Banana!
.. and as planned I had my dinner at Ocho Seafood & Grill .. They have a fresh seafood counter where in you have to pick and they'll weight it and depends on what type of cooking ..
I had SARAD cooked as mild chili adobo (it's a local shell) .. It's must have .. I love it!
.. and for fish I had a grilled Sandatan Fish ..
..and they gave me a free desert .. fresh sliced pineapples .. :)
I was already full .. And the other plan of having coffee was already out of the list for the night .. but on my way back to the hotel I passed by LIBRO .. When I saw it in the map I thought its just a bookstore . I asked the tricycle driver to drive back to Libro instead of the hotel .. Its a books and coffee shop!
books + coffee & pastries = perfect!
my cafe mocha & red velvet muffin with the books! I love the place and I want to have one :P
for my Day 2 @ Tacloban City .. click here
You certainly have returned! Ganda ng intro, very apt for the place. Nice photos of Tac. Been there when I was a kid. Your post also made me want to return. :)
ReplyDeletehi aj! .. you must return! the city has changed a lot and still one of the city that must be visited .. :)
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