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The Drifter Journals

Drifter Journal - What's in GUIUAN, Eastern Samar, Philippines? History, Culture & Surf!

2/3/2013

22 Comments

 
PLEASE NOTE: On NOvember 8, 2013, Guiuan Town was the first area where Typhoon Haiyan-Yolanda made landfall, thereby sustaining the maximum amount of winds in the country. This beautiful town was 90% destroyed, leaving many dead and the survivors homeless and with no source of income. We lost all contact with my friends there once the storm made landfall. After 5 days of distressful thoughts, I finally managed to get word about my friends, and now we are in full contact again. They have all made it out safely, and are now relocated in area hundreds of kilometers away in the northwestern part of Samar Island. Their lives are changed forever, but at least they are alive. Please remember the victims of Typhoon Haiyan-Yolanda, and continue to help them in whatever way you can.
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It's 12:20 am, February 2, and I sit here at Gate A7 in Taoyuan International Airport waiting for my 1:25 am flight to Manila, Philippines. It's strange. I'm surrounded by the familiar chatter of Westerners and Filipinos conversing in ENGLISH. I'm not sure what to make of it. After 3 years of living and traveling in strictly Chinese speaking countries, this return to the familiar helps me to understand what the "reverse culture-shock" hype is all about. But of course, it's not THAT big a deal., after all, I'm still in Asia.
"But wait!" you must be wondering, "didn't you JUST GET BACK from Manila a few months ago?!" Yes, as some of you have pointed out to me after I posted my countdown on Facebook this morning, I have just recently gotten back from The Philippines, but as I mentioned in my recent posts, there was something about the country that grabbed me by the heart and pulled me back. 

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There's no other way to explain it but to say one word: Obsessed. For those of you who are my real time friends in Taiwan, you can attest to the fact that I've been smitten by this oft-forgotten gem of a country tucked away on the eastern edges of South East Asia. I unashamedly own up to that fact. 

Smitten, obsessed, freakishly in love...I don't care what you call it, I'm going back!

But Wait, Where is Guiuan?

When people first hear the name Philippines, they will usually think of the white sand beaches in Boracay,  The Chocolate Hills on Bohol, the rice terraces of Mountain Province, maybe even the hidden beach paradise of El Nido in northern Palawan. 

But when I tell people I'm going to  a town called Guiuan in the province of Eastern Samar, their first question is: Where is that?


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Above is a map of the general area that is referred to politically as Eastern Samar. As you can see, Guiuan is on the south eastern shore of this far flung province, 30 hours away from the capital by bus, or 4.5 hours away by plane/van. 

It is known by most to be one of the least developed areas in the Philippines. The way of life there is slow, unhurried and laid-back...just my vibe.

Here are four little known facts about this little known place.

Fact 1: They Were Occupied by the Yanks in WWII

Okay, maybe not "occupied", but stories are told of how the locals of Guiuan had never seen an airplane until 1944, when the skies turned black with the wings of fighter planes and American Forces. Throughout the course of World War II, Guiuan served as a US base. 

Today, there is not much left of the American occupation, except for concrete slabs and two former airstrips, one of which now serves as the town's own airport, the other of which has been built up as a residential street.

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Fact 2: Tagalog is Not Commonly Spoken Here, and Neither is Cebuano

Although Tagalog is the national language of the Philippines, it is not the language of choice in this south eastern province. And although Cebuano is the most commonly used language throughout the Visayan Islands, it is not as popular here. In actuality, less than 3% speak Cebuano or Tagalog. The majority of Guiuananons speak a language known as Waray-Waray.

The Waray people were some of the first Filipinos to convert to Christianity and ironically enough are also among the last to retain traditional pagan practices, conveniently mixing these customs with their practice of Roman Catholicism. 

Throughout the history of The Philippines, the Waray people have been considered the underdogs of Filipino ethnicities.

The people are referred to as "Waray', the language called "Waray-Waray" and interestingly, the Waray-Waray word for 'nothing' is "waray."

Fact 3: Guiuan is the Entry Point to Calicoan Island, Home to ABCD Surf Break

Although surfers are just now beginning to discover the surf potential found in the Philippines, the surf has always pounded in Guiuan. 

ABCD surf break, found on the island of Calicoan, is a sweet surf spot with consistent waves throughout the year. Even during the off-season, there are rarely any flat-spells. And seeing as it's still a lesser known spot, there is basically no crowding going on, unlike Philippines' most popular surf break, Crowd 9. Oops! I mean Cloud 9. 

(Vague) Fact 4: The First Europeans to Discover Philippines Landed There

In the 1500's, a European explorer name Ferdinand Magellan 'discovered' the Philippines. Many believe that he first landed on an island called Homonhon, which is part of present day Guiuan. Even today, the majority of people in the town are Catholics, and the town's church, the Church of the Immaculate Conception, is one of the oldest churches in the country.

The Master Plan (At Least For the Next Two Weeks)

My flight departs in a little over an hour. We should land in Manila by 3:55 am. I will layover in Manila for 12 hours (intentionally), and catch the 2:15 pm flight south to Tacloban City on the island of Leyte, the nearest city to Guiuan. From there I will take a van, either VanVans or Duptours, west to Guiuan, where we will cross the San Juanico Bridge that connects the Visayan islands of Samar and Leyte. I should arrive in Guiuan by 7 pm the latest.

To see more on how I plan on getting there and getting around, check out this website here.

For a general overview of what awaits me in Guiuan, go here.

The rest of my time spent in Guiuan is completely unplanned, uncharted. You'll just have to wait and see what happens next!

Guiuan is known for it's surf break on Calicoan Island! Gear up here:


If you would like to know more background information about this and future posts, please be sure to SUBSCRIBE to our weekly newsletter. And stay tuned for more of our adventures from around the globe!

And now we'd like to ask you: What are your next travel plans? What is it like there?

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22 Comments
Jackie
2/4/2013 10:58:31 am

Yeah Samar is very pretty. We went there last time but at the opposite side of the place where you at right now. And we are going back there next month coz my friend was invited to give a public talk on memorial. I'm so excited for that. I love fishing, catching squid is fun!

Hey! Don't you know that Ferdinand Magellan was my great grand Dad? Hehehe. That's why i use his last name, but we use the spanish word. Magellan is english.

Enjoy your vacation!

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JR@TheDriftersBlog link
2/7/2013 07:59:00 pm

I didn't know you came here to Samar before. It's an amazing place here! You need to visit the eastern part of Samar when you have time. I didn't realize that about your Spanish name. That's very interesting.

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Jackie
2/9/2013 02:56:27 pm

I'd love that but it's too far from the place that we're going. It's an island somewhere in Western Samar. I remember Kuya Raymond told me that it''s 10 hours travel from his place. And the island that we're visiting is 3 hours by boat from Catbalugan City.

JR@TheDriftersBlog link
2/12/2013 04:48:21 pm

You're right, one of the hard parts about travel within the Philippines is the long commute times. But the country is so beautiful, it's worth the wait!

Alysia
2/5/2013 06:55:06 am

I always think of you as a man with a gypsy's soul, Jr. Enjoy this new adventure, my friend, and thank you for letting me enjoy it with you.

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JR@TheDriftersBlog link
2/7/2013 08:00:19 pm

That's an interesting way to put it. I've always been fascinated with the Gypsies of Europe and their place in modern day society. I guess you're right!

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Estefanía G.
2/7/2013 04:39:41 am

sounds like an adventure...Duh of course! have fun!

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JR@TheDriftersBlog link
2/7/2013 09:17:29 pm

Oh man, it really is an adventure here. Life is very simple, and the people are so hospitable and share whatever they have.

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Kalei
2/7/2013 01:57:43 pm

Drifting back to your inner adobo. =)

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JR@TheDriftersBlog link
2/7/2013 09:19:34 pm

Totally! There are so many similarities here it's unbelievable. I've only been here for a week and it feels like I've seen and done so much already!

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Molokai Mom
2/23/2013 11:21:48 pm

JR..........Your description of Guiuan's way life.....slow, unhurried, laid back.....reminds me so much of where your roots are.....MOLOKAI!!! :)

I always said, "No matter where you go Molokai will always be your home."

No matter how far you go, Molokai runs in your blood and deep in your soul. While you may not be here physically you seem to be drawn to place with that important element. And, why not!?!?

M - O - L - O - K - A - I

That's where you were born...That's where you grew up...The good times and bad made you the person you are today...It loved and nurtured you, gave you comfort & hope, and gave you strength to endure whatever may come your way...It gave you wings to travel the world and quench your thirst (for a time) for adventure...

That's where your spiritual seeds were planted and its roots began to flourish.....

Most importantly, that's where mom and dad first laid eyes upon our third born blessing...Where I first held you in my arms and gave you your first kiss...Yes, that's where you were loved first...

No matter where you go......I loved you first! And, that will always hold a special place in my heart as you continue travelling the world.

Thank you for sharing your adventures with us. You take us to places we will never see or ever heard about before. We feel like we're right there besides you! Thank you for taking us along for the ride!!!!

We miss that boy who would stare out of his bedroom window and watch a spider as it gently went back and forth weaving its delicate web...Or, the boy who would lie on the rooftop of our Manae house watching the clouds roll gently across the sky...

He did a lot of daydreaming at that time...I'm glad that little boy's daydreams are now becoming a reality...

ENJOY and BE HAPPY!!! That's all dad and mom ever wanted for you.....

At the same time, use soundness of mind as you travel the world and......BE SAFE.....

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JR@TheDriftersBlog link
3/5/2013 02:43:26 am

Okay, Mom, that's enough! Haha, just kidding. But don't worry, you know I'll never forget where I come from.

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Jackie
3/3/2013 10:23:13 am

wow, you're MOM is sooo sweet. Her message is so touching.

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JR@TheDriftersBlog link
3/5/2013 02:44:37 am

Yeah, my mom is sweet. She can get a little mushy though. But I guess that's where I get my emo writing skills from anyway, so I should be thankful. ;-)

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She
3/8/2013 12:29:51 am

Thanks for touring me around!I heard a lot about Samar a good friend of mined has a way of bragging her place!seems I went there as well...

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JR@TheDriftersBlog link
3/11/2013 03:38:55 am

Great, I'm glad you enjoyed the post, She! And yes, I don't blame your friend for bragging so much about Samar, she has a lot to be proud of. Hopefully you get to visit there yourself one day.

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She
3/19/2013 02:25:38 am

Yah!i want to see by myself how beautiful it is!Besides the place reminds me of my childhood life.growing up in an island so simple & yet fulfilling!

JR Riel link
3/19/2013 08:25:22 pm

You should! I hope you get to go there someday.

Victoria Woo link
8/1/2013 04:24:57 am

I just stumbled on your blog and love it! I'm a local girl, living in Seattle, currently obsessed with the Philippines. I would love to read your PI archives! I'll be heading to PI again in 2014 (not soon enough). Any recommendations? Keep up the good work. You're truly an inspiration!

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JR Riel link
8/15/2013 11:22:44 pm

Hi Victoria. I'm so glad you found this site. It's rare to find other locals out there into travelling, and to the Philippines no less! What makes you so obsessed about it there? And don't feel too bad, because I am pretty obsessed with the Philippines myself. Email me through the contact form if you have any specific questions and I'll try to help you out.

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gri
8/12/2013 12:46:08 am

hi man, glad to read your blog, thanks for it! so i plan same trip on january. i've heard there is too rainy in winter, don't u know? also i would try some surf spots there, didn't u? there's ABCD's on calicoan, had u been der?

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JR Riel link
8/15/2013 11:20:37 pm

Hey Gri! Nice to hear from you. I know I went there in February and the weather was perfect! Well, at least compared to hot Manila it was nice. Breezy and sunny, rainy in the mornings and afternoons but sunny through the middle of the day. There was definitely some surf breaks there, I didn't get as far as ABCDs but stopped at a few spots before that. There was no one else there, just me and my friends. Hire a bike for the day and you'll have an awesome time!

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    I'm JR. I come from a long line of adventurers, some were nomadic explorers of the sea and others wandering cultivators of the earth. Ultimately, this legacy of drifters has deeply affected my view of travel. Read more... 

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