A typical day in Baclayon

Continuing my account of our stay in Baclayon, while memories are still fresh in my mind …

Our homestay, owned by Trini and Dan Dawson, has a beautiful garden. What a surprise when Maylene came into the kitchen with bunches of bananas and a pineapple - all from the garden! Trevor spotted a beetle, a very small one so it was quite difficult to take a photo (above). I must say that it is probably the most colorful beetle I’ve ever seen.

One evening, I managed to take another photo of the tuko (spotted gecko). This one probably measures at least a foot long. Trevor and I happen to like house lizards a lot and we really love the sounds that they make, for example the “tu-tu-tu-tu — tuko, tuko, tuko…” of the tuko and the “tsk-tsk-tsk-tsk-tsk-tsk” of the smaller house lizard, so we don’t really mind having them around.

Here is the Baclayon Municipal Hall which we pass each day when we go to the baluarte. It is quite a lovely little building. Behind it is the health center, a small DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) building, and the municipal hall extension further back. There are also rest houses being constructed in the area. According to our friend Kimo from Pamilacan Island, the rest houses are especially for children from Pamilacan Island who go to the mainland (Baclayon town) school and get stranded on the mainland in the event of typhoon or other causes.

Morning of Baclayon Market Day (Wednesday), the quiet market is transformed into a lively atmosphere where all sorts of goods are sold - from vegetables, fish and meat, to clothes, jewelry and shoes. Outside near the creek are people buying and selling piglets and chickens.


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