Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur

I never thought that i can visit the place of my ancestors, the illustrious Villaluz Clan of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. My Lolo always talked about the place. I always imagined it as something mystical and their Kamayo dialect a music to hear, when relatives come visiting, with no 'rrrr's" and replaced with the 'yyyy's'. Like all small towns, everybody is a relative many times over and everybody knows everyone.
We took the 1:30 am Bachelor bus out of Butuan City and rode the dawn away, with the bumps and the invisible dusts making our hair straight stiff. We arrived at 5:30 am and people were already up and about in the streets. There was a pan-de-sal man with his 'put-put' and the 'labasera' with her fresh catch of fish from the bountiful sea of Hinatuan. The place is known for their biggest crabs, as they have fattening farms, fresh shrimps, prawns and fresh fish.

My uncle bebong served us the biggest grilled tuna belly i have ever seen. Pwerteng lami-a! We ate it in the banks of the the Enchanted River, Hinatuan's secret pride. The brackish water was very cool and clear, you can see your feet under water.

the lonely terminal

the slides with many sides

the streets of home

dutch inspired church

the clearest water ever of the Enchanted River

i can see my feet in the water

floating Uncle