Dumaguete City: City of Gentle People!

After four hours of ferry ride from Cebu via  Tagbilaran, we finally reached Dumaguete.  There was a van that we commissioned to take us to the hotel and tour us around so it was a pretty comfortable trip.  We made sure that we visit Dumaguete’s most prominent landmarks.

Silliman University - According to Wikipedia, it is the first American private school founded in the Philippines.  Named after Horace Brinsmade Silliman, a retired businessman and philanthropist from New York.

St. Catherine of Alexandria Cathedral - said to be the oldest stone church in Negros.  Originally built in 1754-1776, reconstructed in 1885 extended with present facade in 1936.

El Campanario – The Campanario de Dumaguete is said to be built upon one of the four original massive watchtowers by parish priest Don Jose Manuel Fernandez de Septien to discourage moros from looting the town.  The two layers which are now known as the belltower or the campanario were added during the administration of Fray Juan Felix de la Encarnacion in 1867.

Rizal Boulevard

– The city’s favorite promenade where we feasted on balot and isaw (that we bought from Aling Sioning’s store one block away) with ice-cold coke in bottles.  We also chanced upon local celebrity, Gigit, from the first Survivor Philippines.

Public Market – Our search for cheap lansones brought us to the public market.  The tindera was so nice, I think she gave us 2 kilos of lansones as patikim. J  I was also able to buy pure sea salt here…which was almost confiscated at the airport.  I was giggling because of all the fuzz about P15 worth of sea salt.  I just didn’t know that it cannot be hand-carried. 

Hotel Palwa – Hotel is under renovation when we stayed there.  Rooms are fine but they should improve on their breakfast offerin