After two full days in Legazpi it was time to move on. I finally decided to stay in the Bicol region to check out some other place here. There was still enough time for the beaches later. I had put my sight on Sorsogon, which is about two hours by bus to the southeast from Legazpi City. As in many other places the bus left the station once it was full. Lucky me, I had to wait only ten minutes and we were off to Sorsogon.
Even though I knew by now how the bus system worked, I missed again my stop and drove all the way to the main bus station. Which gave me the ‘chance’ to walk back to my hotel. At least the rain brought by a typhoon had stopped, but there were still a lot of blustery clouds above.
walking back to my hotel @Sorsogon
Fernando’s hotel was my home for the next three nights. Too bad the weather wasn’t great, as I had booked it because of its pool. The room wasn’t much though, but the price unbelievable.
no loungers around the pool @Fernando’s hotel
I started my exploration of Sorsogon by walking to the cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul. It was a short walk from the hotel and stood in a residential area. The cathedral looked so much better than the ones in Legazpi. It was newly renovated, although it already leaked and creaked in some places. I liked especially how the birds were singing inside.
entrance to the Sts. Peter and Paul cathedral area @Sorsogon
Sts. Peter and Paul cathedral @Sorsogon
beautifully decorated @Sts. Peter and Paul cathedral
Right around the corner was the pier, which I had already passed on my way to the hotel. It is called Rompeolas.
Rompeolas @Sorsogon
On my first afternoon there was still way too much water on the pier, so I couldn’t explore it in detail.
still high waves at the pier @Sorsogon
a lot of water on the pier @Sorsogon
When the weather is fine, the Rompeolas are a meeting place for the locals as I could see on my second day. The pier was full of stalls selling different kinds of food and drinks. And it’s also full of people.
the pier in the late afternoon @Sorsogon
busy in the afternoon @Sorsogon
looking on to the city from the pier @Sorsogon
On my way back to Fernando’s Hotel I made a detour to the Sorsogon museum and Heritage complex. The newly renovated former court and jail house is now the center of the history of Sorsogon. For an entrance fee of 0,35 cent (20PHP) I got a personal guide as well. Who was totally necessary, because next to nothing is written in English. How you can put up a new museum and then make the whole exhibition only available in Filipino, is beyond me.
former jail and court house @Sorsogon
My guide talked me through the history of the Philippines, hundreds of years of being a Spanish colony, then 40 years of belonging to the Americans. But the museum is also about the things that are important to the Philippines, like the Pili nuts. It was disappointing that the museum didn’t have a shop, but it probably wouldn’t have had anything in English anyways. Actually the mall across the street didn’t have a bookstore either.
pili nuts @Sorsogon museum
After exiting the museum I passed the governmental building and one can see that a lot of effort has been made. It was newly renovated as well, and even had some instagramable letters in front.
not sure what love and the government have in common @Sorsogon
The market of Sorsogon is something you shouldn’t miss while there. One shop after the other and all of them busy, selling interesting things. For most things I had no clue what they were, so I didn’t shop anything. Nonetheless I found it educational.
shop at the market @Sorsogon
So far I haven’t seen any purple eggs, except for Easter here in Austria. But I don’t think this was the reason for these colored eggs. Yours, Pollybert
purple eggs @Sorsogon
