"Pa-Hayahay sa Dumaguete"

Saturday, December 10, 2011—The alarm clock woke me up at 5 am today. We agreed to meet up at 6:30 for our trip to Dumaguete, The City of Gentle People. This trip is unusual for these two reasons: first, I’ll be driving and second, I, ahhmm, er, I just made you believe that there’s a second one to make it sound more important. Ahaha! 

At around 5:30, Mica “texted” me her wish for a happy trip and it was confirmed that she will not be able to come. Also, the others will not be coming owing to personal reasons. Anyway, there’s always the next time. Let’s just have this trip an experiential one so the next trips would be easier. 

Sharply at 6:30, I stopped by Harley Davidson Drive in Alcoy, Spain, aww, Cebu rather and hailed my sole companion and partner in crimes of arson, felony and other forms of debauchery, Kebwa. 

Passing by Daanlungsod, the fresh sunrise over a few clouds above calm and balmy waters was deadly awesome. Apart from this, the morning chill heightened by the blowing cool wind made it wickedly sickeningly unbearably overpoweringly breathtaking. 

At around 7:20, we stopped by a sign of the newly built Maayo Shipping port in Liloan, Santander. This port is especially made for lighter vehicles like private cars and motorcycles. With the catchphrase, “Mas MAAYO na, mas duol pa gyud!!!,” this port brags of a less than 30 minutes travel time to Sibulan (vice versa). Their port in Bato, Samboan remained for the bigger trucks and Ceres buses. Unfortunately, the next vessel will leave for Sibulan at 9:00 am, so we proceeded to Bato; bought a round trip ticket and took the 8:00 am trip to Amlan. 

We arrived at Dumaguete City at around 9:20 am, passed by their small airport, saw men covered in soot and witnessed a little accident involving a motorcycle (this city is perhaps the motorcycle capital of the country). Near the Clay Town, we took a turn at the Capitol and headed towards Macias sports and cultural center and LTO where Kebwa’s place is located. After a few minutes, we went out the gate of the Church of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. 

From there, we swaggered in the streets and boulevards, passed by their other house in Mabini Street, and went to Robinson’s Place. Uh, by the way, we saw a huge crowd with video cameras, blaring speakers, police and traffic personnel in the boulevard, and realized they were making the “INTRO” for the TV program, SHOWTIME for a group of Dumaguete Dancers who made it to the Finals that day. 

The city is yet to gear its humdrum level of energy but it was already very hot. The mall was not yet opened when we came. The guard said, “Unya ra moabri kon mag National Anthem na.” I smirked for no reason at that. We waited, took pictures and judged we could not bear it anymore that we passed the glass door while the guard was talking in his radio. Whew! The smell of the mall and its cool air took my senses into relaxation mode (atik ay). After a few minutes inside, while watching workers preparing their places, the guards whistled, opening prayer was delivered through overhead speakers; and then, the awaited “National Anthem” was played. The mall is now open. 

We went inside shop after shop looking for something which we can use this season. Er, I’m impecunious, so it was Kebwa’s day of being a self-proclaimed millionaire. I’m just there for the sake of travel and leisure. 

After some time, I was really that hungry, I demanded we should eat. I only had a toast for breakfast (atik na sad… haha). We went to HAYAHAYYYYYY!!! 

My tour guide kept on telling me things; like Silliman’s first name which was Horace; which place many delinquents and drug addicts dwell, pointed at buildings like the one that got burned even with the fire department beside it; the one that has the best price for beer and food, which has the greatest crowd, even the place where one can buy “ice.” Imagine that!!! How informative (no sarcasm intended)!!! Hahaha!!! 

And here we are at Hayahay!!! 

Ang Bar...

Ang Treehouse na viewing deck na inomanan, kan anan ugbp...

Maong Hayahay kay daplin sa boulevard... Ahhhh!!!

Ako gyud nagpicture ani mong nindot...

Ingon's Kebwa na Tiki daw ni... Ahaha

The Mafia Boss with his Cuban cigar...

Waiting for the food, waiting for events below this treehouse...

Pizza... (next time)

Ang KH, para sa mga sosyal...

I just passed by this place the last time I went to Dumaguete last October I think. It was the season for Buglasan. It was almost midnight, and the place was like a hive. NAGBAHA ANG MGA BEER, WINE AND OTHER SPIRIT CONNOISSEURS!!! There, I decided to come back. Only this time, it was daytime. I am not after a drinking bout this time. I am after the food. 

Mga ilimnong makawala ug rationality...

This is the name of the food haven in Hayahay... (Lab-as means fresh... Live seafood can be had at this resto...)

I’ve read in a blog about Hayahay’s food. I saw some pictures. And there I was, ordering Dumaguete Express, Baked Talaba, and Calamari for appetizers; grilled blue marlin and grilled pork belly as main dish paired with rice and mango shake.

Baked Talaba

DUMAGUETE EXPRESS

Calamari

Grilled Pork Belly

Grilled Blue Marlin

GRABE KA BUSOG...

PINOY... Leave a morsel of the food lest you wanted to appear famished... Haha!

Ahaha!!! Do not drink!!!


It is very pleasant to know that they add no VAT. What you see in the menu price is what you will pay. Very honest!!!


After eating, we went to Lee Plaza, and go about tramping and wandering Perdices Street and downtown. We needed the walk to aid digestion. We were so full.

Downtown, Perdices Street...

Ped xing...

The tricycles... Haha!!!


Then we went back to Mabini; and back to Hayahay. I wanna purchase a CD of ENCHI.


We decided to leave; go toward Sibulan instead of Amlan; take the 3:00 pm trip to Liloan, and be home before sundown.

The Maayo Wharf at Sibulan...

Sleep mode...


The new Maayo Shipping port in Sibulan is quite "new" in a sense that its clean, untainted, almost immaculate. I showed the man at the gate our round trip ticket, wrote our names in the manifest, and drove toward the vessel.