Side Trip to ViSCA (Baybay)

[BayouPinoy]

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SuperCat terminal, waiting for my 11AM trip to Ormoc.

[img width=500 height=375]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b279/BayouPinoy/neworleans/scat2.jpg[/img]
I only had this in my backpack---and didn't feel like ordering from the lunch menu (I tried the cheeseburger on my return trip---tasted like cardboard).

It took us exactly two hours to reach Ormoc. I took an airconditioned minibus to ViSCA. This photo was taken near the main entrance, looking east into Mt. Pangasugan, at this time partly hidden by low lying rain clouds.


View from the hilltop university administration building, looking west into Camotes Sea. The Camotes islands can be seen in the horizon.

[img width=500 height=375]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b279/BayouPinoy/neworleans/baybay4.jpg[/img]
The university administration building.

[img width=500 height=375]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b279/BayouPinoy/neworleans/baybay6.jpg[/img]
The beach on the college campus.

[img width=375 height=500]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b279/BayouPinoy/neworleans/baybay3.jpg[/img]
What's a trip to Baybay without sampling the fare at the "pantalan." When I took this photo, one of the "chicken barbecue" sticks fell to the ground. This "cook" at first put it back along with the rest ; when he noticed our disapproving looks, he took it and gave it to the ladies in the kitchen. Note: when you find yourself in the area, ask the cook if any of the fish, chicken, and pork jumped off the side...


On the following day, it was back to Ormoc again, for the 6 PM SuperCat trip back to Cebu. Sidebar: I was really impressed with my first SuperCat trip. The departure(s) were on time, the vessel was pretty clean, and the cabin crew was as professional as airline crew members. Of course this is from one round trip---there might be days when the crew will have bad days or other situations. The seas were moderate so all in all I had a pleasant trip.


Ormoc pier at dusk, prior to the twin-hulled boat's departure...


Update: this was how this little side-trip shaped up. The Cebu-Ormoc SuperCat route is an approximation---for the exact nautical route you'll have to contact the captain! The land route to ViSCA and Baybay is pretty much a coast-hugging affair, the number of rivers that you have to cross is between 35 to 45! There was a time, before the concrete bridges were built, before the road was paved, that jeepneys and buses had to ford swollen rivers and people actually walked several kilometers when it was imposible to cross swollen rivers because of storms.

[arkdave]

^nice pic

[omad]

BayouPinoy

bro, are you from Baybay? Sogod? Maasin? I used to frequent that place at the pier in Baybay to have lunch once a month when I was assigned in Leyte eons ago.. used to frequent VISCA coop just right across the school.. I still reminisce the fun we all had travelling that part of Leyte.. nicely paved roads, scenic route, friendly locals, good food.. what else could you ask for?

I missed those times.

'twas one of those days.. :mrgreen:

[botyok]

nice pics bro....

[BayouPinoy]

BayouPinoy

bro, are you from Baybay? Sogod? Maasin? I used to frequent that place at the pier in Baybay to have lunch once a month when I was assigned in Leyte eons ago.. used to frequent VISCA coop just right across the school.. I still reminisce the fun we all had travelling that part of Leyte.. nicely paved roads, scenic route, friendly locals, good food.. what else could you ask for...

Bai,

Not from Leyte, but I was based in Baybay for several years, and have been to Maasin and Sogod and a lot of other locations in Leyte. My best trip was to San Juan/Cabalian (So. Leyte), an idyllic town that faces Cabalian Bay and is dominated by Mt. Cabalian. I remember walking around the town and being able to get from point A to point B on foot, without the associated traffic and added stress. I would hasten to add that my best beach trip was to Canigao---we in fact made two trips to the island. Of course there are other beautiful beaches in So. Leyte---unfortunately, I was unable to visit these seaside gems.

[kalinaw]

oh yhaa Mt. Cabalian, a shot somewhere in Pana-on Island

[img width=500 height=375]http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d168/kalinaw/Caligangan23.jpg[/img]


Imo pud untang gi apil ang Biliran Is. sa imong side trip, ingon sila daghan kunong ika offer ang Biliran Is. comparo sa So. West/East section sa Leyte. with regards pud sa Canigao Is. i prefer Cuatros Islas of Inopacan mas chada comparo sa Canigao.

[kalinaw]

Check-out these pix's, you'll never know what you captured. A pix's captured somewhere in Hilongos high-lands.

an intense light in a circle form behind the clouds.
[img width=500 height=375]http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d168/kalinaw/CopyofP1011164.jpg[/img]

oh yha she's moving this time below the crescent moon. Tag-ana kung unsa kaha na?
[img width=500 height=375]http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d168/kalinaw/CopyofMarangob.jpg[/img]

[BayouPinoy]

oh yhaa Mt. Cabalian, a shot somewhere in Pana-on Island

[img width=500 height=375]http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d168/kalinaw/Caligangan23.jpg[/img]


Imo pud untang gi apil ang Biliran Is. sa imong side trip, ingon sila daghan kunong ika offer ang Biliran Is. comparo sa So. West/East section sa Leyte. with regards pud sa Canigao Is. i prefer Cuatros Islas of Inopacan mas chada comparo sa Canigao.

Thanks for the response! That is a pretty picture indeed! From what I remember, this mountain gently rises from the eastern edge of town, and its presence dominates and frames the whole town! There is also a lake located on the summit (or thereabouts) of the mountain. This mountain is also said to be a long extinct volcano. I apologize if I excluded other sites----of all the years I spent traipsing around Leyte, I was never able to visit Biliran. Again, there are wonderful beaches in Leyte/So. Leyte that begs to be visited---my experience is a little sampling of what's there to be seen and experienced!

[kalinaw]

same here.... wala pa pud ko ka adto sa Biliran Is. naka dungog lang ko nga good place to unwind raw.

I used too travel (2X/year - long drive) going down to south as far as Northern Mindanao & i was astound what Inang Bayan can offer. Mag hinaut lang ko nga madajun akong plano nga long drive tranvesing PI Western Corridor.

[BayouPinoy]

I have been on a bus that took me from Pasay to Ormoc. I think I have gone that route about 2x---but that was a long time ago. I remember the long wait for the ferry that crosses from Matnog to Samar. Going the other way, I have been on that Pasay to Baguio trip. I have also been able to go on a land trip from Baybay to Davao, so that counts for most of the (mostly) western corridor? There is also that interminable wait at the Lililo-an (So. Leyte) - Lipata (Surigao) ferry link. I came across this link that pretty much summarizes the Lilo-an Ferry terminal experience: http://www.batch2006.com/visit_2_fer...-minddanao.htm. There are some really nice travel photos from that website: http://www.batch2006.com. (not my website, but I enjoyed looking at the pictures!).