As we approached our first destination, we were greeted with a great vista of a seaside cliff and sea road. It was romantic. Wow! And I can see easily the diver’s paradise from a distance. Anyway, our first pit stop is Oslob. Sumilon Island’s hometown.
The second to the last town in southeastern Cebu, it is rustic and surrounded by barren hills and the blue sea. Its main attraction however is the Fortress Church of Immaculada Concepcion. This massive church was most likely served also as a fortres due to its thick butresses and massive walls and tall bell tower, much similar to those back in Iloilo and Ilocos. One of the legacies of Fray Bermejo, (who is famous for creating a security network of watchtowers and fortress churches in south Cebu to protect the residents from marauding Moros of the south) it is one of the few churches that has a seal of the King of Spain.
Surrounding its vicinity is the age-old church walls and a ruin of a Spanish-era establishment. Probably a tribunal, cuartel or casa real (tribubal, prison/guardia civil HQ or town hall). Go to the beach and you’ll see a massive ruin of a bantayan sa hari or a watchtower, decayed by nature’s awesome power. Several meters away, another heritage site for the paranormals, the cemetery. It features an arch with a skull and a crossbone.
Whew! It was quite a hot morning (we arrived there by 8AM), so off we go to an eatery besides the highway and drank Sparkle lemon softdrink. The lady told us that: “Bag-o ko ra kamo kakita diri.” (Your new faces here). She gave us a cool serving of the drink and offered for us something to eat. Oslobnons are very hospitable to their weary visitors. I’m sure we’ll get back here I told the lady and thanked her.
If given time and resources, we will opt to go to the diver’s paradise of Sumilon, just 10 kilometers further south from the town proper.
So, off we waited for a Ceres Bus bound back north. Next stop, Boljo-on!
No comments:
Post a Comment