Southern trip

I’ve been to the South lately, after a long, long time. It’s funny living in this small island of ours, and not being able to see certain places say, for 10 years, or even for a lifetime.

I still even have to go see Bantayan Island. The farthest I’ve gone north is Medellin town when 12 years ago I was invited by some friends to a fiesta there. It was one unforgettable experience - the one that stays etched in one’s mind, fresh even long after it happened.

I have no relatives in the North that I’m acquainted with. Although my Lola said they used to go to Carmen and get their share of the harvest from their grandfather’s hacienda there. But that was before the Second World War. Even if I bump to my relatives there, I won’t even recognize them.

I’ve always considered myself a Southern guy. I live in Minglanilla and my mother hails from Malabuyoc. My father traces his roots to Parian in the city though.

Years ago, when some of my friends suggested I consider buying some real property in Liloan, and settling there for good, I simply declined saying, "I’m a Southern guy. I’m not sure if I’d feel at home in the North."

So when I saw again the South recently, it was quite a nostalgic experience for me. I took a Ceres bus for Dumaguete City, and saw the Southern towns of Sibonga, Alcoy, Boljoon, and Oslob after some 10 years.

A lot of things have changed. For one, the road is pothole-free. That, and the aircon bus ride provide for a comfortable traveling experience.

The road traversed near the Southern coastline of Cebu. Various resorts dot the beaches along the road that you would want to get off the bus and frolic in the sea and stay in one of the cottages for the night.

I found most interesting the one near the Boljoon Church. I’ve always wanted to visit the Church, and the resort near it, is a good place to stay while one checks the town, its museum and its old religious artifacts for a day or two.

I arrived in Bato, Oslob by 9:30 a.m. after leaving Cebu City at around 6:00 a.m. I was in Bato some 20 years ago, also for a ferry ride to Dumaguete City. I got off the bus before boarding the ferryboat and suck in the fresh breeze from the sea. It was drizzling that Sunday morning. The sky was overcast and the sea was rough.

My city-weary bones felt relaxed. The South always gives me that stress-free feeling. It’s a perfect antidote to the city’s frenzied pace. For a brief moment there, I felt at home, my soul resting, basking in the serene beauty and calm of nature.