Exploring Sorsogon – Rompeolas (Part 3)

On 2011, I posted a couple of articles about Rompeolas, how I remembered it. After almost a decade, I am continuing the series on this article.

Compared 20 years ago, it’s now one of the favorite sites of the locals or even by tourists. The place, before the pandemic, was teeming with people especially in the evening. Initially, a strip of simple eateries were available. From the feedback and also in my opinion, the most popular was Pandora’s.

Pandora’s, Rompeolas/Baywalk back in 2015.

There are still fishing boats, but not sure if they are fewer. And when they moored, due to less space for them, they are concentrated on fewer places like the picture below.

Crowded banka parked along the pier. Circa 2019.

The structure that I thought was breakwater, is really a causeway connecting Pinaculan Island and Rompeolas. The island protects the coast of Brgy. Talisay from storm surge unlike Brgy. Sirangan (though nowadays, it is protected by the coastal road portion). The (former) island is now a favorite spot for visitors – on the other end it’s connected with a hanging bridge. There’s a lighthouse (which I am not sure if it works at all). There’s a small parking space for a couple of cars and motorcycles. People can walk around the place safely.

The sorsogon signage on the causeway connecting pier and Pinaculan Island. A favorite place for couples, hiding between those big letters of the city. Circa 2018.

A few years back, they reclaimed the reclaimed the northern side of the pier. I am not sure if it’s a 2-hectare reclamation, but there are now more (and also good) restaurants in the area compared 5 years back. There’s also the children’s playground that most likely will be dismantled when the other section of the coastal road (connecting it to Brgy. Pangpang via Brgy. Cambulaga) is completed.

Street vendors are still there, but there are food trucks joining the fray. Pandora’s still operating despite of the pandemic, but from what I heard, there’s a different owner now. There’s a Korean resto, a Japanese, a themed resto (Boardroom) and a couple of Pinoy restos. There’s also a sports bar which TV is tuned to soap of a popular TV station; I never saw it playing sports TV program. And there are small stalls that cater to students. Before the pandemic, these restos were full during Friday nights and over the weekend. Apparently, Sorsoganons now are fond of eating outside than cooking in their houses. Unfortunately, the businesses are reeling from the impact of pandemic. 

At the middle of 2020, the local city government moved the jeepney terminals from Plaza Bonifacio to Rompeolas. The LGU is constructing an elevated parking on the former. With that, Rompeolas is still crowded considering the pandemic. 

One Cloudy, Wednesday Morning

Gallery of Brgy. San Isidro, Bacon in the 70s

This must be near the elementary school looking at the jeepney stop.

The elementary school of the barangay in the 70s.

Having a well is already a luxury. Sometimes it’s shared by several households in the barrio.

The dirt road to Brgy. San Isidro in the 70s. IF the author’s memory is correct, this house is almost a kilometer away from Bisita.

Orosipon – Borrowing Books in the 80s

One day, my daughter showed her mobile to me and complained that the internet was slow. I was reading a Richard Marcinko’s Rouge Warrior – so I raised the book to show her and said, try this, you don’t need power and doesn’t slow you down. She just gave me this annoying look on her face.

But that’s how I grew up – reading books, and collecting it as well in the last 25 years. My wife has the same passion, with the likes of Nancy Drew and some English classics. There was so many that we had to ship most of it back to Sorsogon. I still have my lolo’s 1960s and 1970s issues of Reader’s Digest, and a couple of Condensed Books edition. I also found an old history books, published around 1960s – most likely used my dad in college.

Back in the 80s, if you didn’t go to Manila, you couldn’t buy the bestsellers (though not sure if you could in Legazpi City). A few who had relatives in the states would get the latest ones via courier. Majority didn’t have such luxury. But for us who love to read, we had Quinty’s and Rawit Dawit. I was lucky enough that growing up, we had encyclopedia. But getting the bestsellers was another story.

According to my wife, Quinty’s opened first. I know I read my first Tom Clancy, The Hunt for the Red October or The Red Storm Rising, from Quinty’s along Monreal Street. The owner is a friend of my mom. They had a couple of shelves with bestseller books – Clancy, Ludlum, Grisham, Sheldon…. I was very disappointed when it was time for me to return the book that I borrowed and I couldn’t afford to rent another one.  I knew the son of the owner because of common hobby – model kits. He collected 1:48 scale, fighter planes. My wife stuck with Quinty’s due to wider selection. She rented Frederick Forsythe’s, Ken Follet’s selections. Aside from book rentals, one can find clothes and other fashion stuff, if my memory serves me right. 

This stores didn’t exist back in the 80s. It’s a house (and I think still is behind the stores), and there’s a small boutique on the left corner just before the current SORECO II building. That’s where I would borrow bestseller books, especially Tom Clancy’s and Robert Ludlum’s.

Rawit Dawit was another alternative if I couldn’t find any of the titles in Quinty’s. You could also borrow English magazines. If I remember correctly, the arts community of that time would hang out on this place and not sure why.  The late Tootsie Jamoralin comes to mind. I know one of the local photographers who had a nearby studio would also hang out on the said store. 

The corner of Rizal and Monreal St. (with the yellow accordion steel door), there was a boutique called Rawit Dawit, where one can buy clothes, sandals/shoes and borrow bestsellers. It’s where the author would see the late Tootsie Jamorlin hanging out.

Some of my classmates in high school would also borrow from either or both of these boutiques. Sometimes, after school we would drop by to check if there were titles that would interest us. For some, these 2 may just be one of those stores that opened and closed in the last 30 years. But for me and my wife, it was influential for us getting exposed what we had outside the province (or even country)!

Nowadays, you simply go to the internet and you can download pirated ebooks, or if you can afford one, buy it from the likes of Amazon. But it doesn’t beat the experience of when you go to either of these shops you were excited to get your title….

Gabao – San Isidro – Buhatan Cycling Route

With the Covid, I have more time to go around the rural interior of the city. A favorite route for easy to almost medium difficulty is taking the Gabao-San Isidro-Buhatan route. For those who are not aware, the barangay road from Sitio Gabao, right after the bridge eastward is now in concrete connecting it to Brgy. Buhatan.

From Bgry. Bibincahan, one crosses the Gabao bridge entering Bacon District. Just a few meters from the bridge, turn right on the first corner, just along the edge of landing. The said road will take you bisita, Brgy. San Isidro. You know you are nearby the said sitio after passing the San Isidro National High School, which is less than 500m away from the corner. Turn right on the next corner towards bisita. This route is almost flat, with some rolling terrain; the latter portion can be difficult to a newbie but still easy compared to the portion on San Ramon/San Vicente section.

The road to the San Isidro chapel at Bisita. The road to the right goes to Brgy. San Ramon eventually to Brgy. Buhatan circa Dec’12. The building on the left is San Isidro Elementary School.

After turning right towards bisita, take approx. 400m to the next corner (near the chapel) and turn right towards Brgy. San Ramon/San Vicente. You will also pass by the San Isidro Elementary School on your left. The portion a couple of hundred meters before turning right towards San Ramon Elementary School is rolling and be difficult to a newbie cycler. This is one of those steep climbs (but the downhill is also exciting) in the route.

Karagumoy fibers being dried under the morning sun. Eventually these will become native products like, mats, boxes and the likes. The author was able to chanced this during one of his cycling along San Isidro-Buhatan route.

Normally, I take a rest on the hill top part after San Ramon Elementary School – I can still rest going downhill. And this road will take you straight to Brgy. Buhatan, just on the foot of the bridge over Buhatan River.

The rolling terrain on Brgy. San Ramon and San Vicente portion can be intimidating. But there’s a technique – try to gain more speed as you go downhill so that you use your momentum to cover more distance on the next uphill portion. The highest peak, if I am not mistaken, is on the barangay proper of San Vicente. The rest of the way is manageable, especially for a newbie.

After Brgy. San Vicente, the road is relatively flat. During a sunny ride, the tree branches cover the road so it’s not that hot. But once you hit AH26, though it’s flat going back to the city center, the heat can sap your energy especially during summer.

Depending where you are (I am from Brgy. Bibincahan), this is approx. a 24km ride via the diversion road. It’s a good cardio exercise, and a good practice run for beginners.

Some tips for a newbie:

1. If you feel tired because of the rolling terrain, get some rest for a few minutes.
2. Bring enough water and sweets. The latter can boost your energy when needed.
3. When going downhill, go slowly if you are not comfortable. It took me four times to develop my confidence of not braking when going downhill.
4. When it’s raining, the road can be slippery. Better check your brakes and tires before hitting the road.

Bike safe and enjoy!