Happy Friday Hivers!

Since I arrived in Bohol, I have usually spent my Saturdays exploring less touristy places on the island. Bohol has many underrated tourist spots that need to be explored. The reason I like to explore such places is to escape the large crowds that flock to the well-known tourist spots here on weekends. Furthermore, I desire to visit areas in Bohol that I have yet to explore.

A week ago, I met a young, friendly Boholana who told me about Calape town and its island that doesn't require traveling by boat. She showed me the photos, including the grand gothic-inspired church. As a solo traveler, it's not easy for me to go to an island alone unless I'm willing to pay for the entire boat, which can be quite expensive. However, upon learning that there's an island accessible without the need for a boat, I immediately decided to visit Calape.

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Pangangan Island

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Although I had already seen the gothic-inspired church when I arrived in Calape, I didn't go there first. My first stop was Pangangan Island.

I didn't have a hard time finding the tricycle terminal for Pangangan Island because it was conveniently situated near the bus drop-off area.

It only takes 5 minutes to travel and reach the island's causeway, which is estimated to be 4 kilometres long. This is very convenient for both travelers and locals, as there's no need to travel by boat.

This small bridge was built to connect the two causeways. When I went there, there were children enjoying diving in the bridge area. Since it was the weekend and the seawater was very enticing, there were also a few people who enjoyed swimming and stayed in a cottage that is built on the seawater.

After we crossed the small bridge, we passed another causeway bordered by mangroves. Oh, how I love the quietness of the place. There's no traffic, and only a few vehicles passed by.

We enjoyed this kind of scenery a few minutes before we reached a residential area.

The island is composed of 6 barangays. It is neither too small nor too big. Additionally, there are a few beach resorts and hotels, so if one wanted to stay overnight, it is not a problem.

I asked the driver to take me to JAV Resort, and in a few minutes, I finally arrived at the resort.

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JAV BEACH RESORT

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Do not expect to find a luxury hotel on Pangangan Island. Although they may not be as fancy as the hotels in the city or on the well-known islands in the Philippines, they are still decent options to accommodate foreign and local tourists. The place is not very touristy, so I am glad that I chose JAV.

Right in front of the hotel was their beach resort before. I was intrigued why there were many guests at the resort next to JAV resort but they don't have one, except for me. A teenage boy who is the son of the owner explained to me that due to the pandemic, his parents decided to sell some of their property, including the JAV resort. As of now, the transition period was still ongoing.

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Fortunately, this still allowed me to dine at the resort and enjoy the tranquility of the place. The teenage boy told me that there's a shoreline right in front of the resort, but due to the high tide, it's not visible.

He also explained to me that due to the transition period, the new owner wasn't able to maintain the resort yet. As you can see, the seawater close to the resort was full of flotsam but most of them were seagrasses.

While enjoying the fresh air and the stillness of the sea, my lunch was served. I ordered a glass of mago shake, canton guisado, and rice. I hadn't eaten rice for a few days already, so when I went there, I consumed a lot of carbohydrates.

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I found solitude in the place. Although I was somewhat distracted by the flotsam, I was still able to enjoy my time there. I headed back to Calape proper after spending a few hours on Pangangan Island. A gothic-inspired church was my next stop.

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A Gothic-inspired Church

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Looking from a distance, one can easily assume that this church is newly built. However, upon closer inspection, it becomes apparent that it is actually old. I had no reason to doubt this when I asked a young woman in her early 20s if the church was newly built, and she confidently replied, 'Yes,' because it truly looks new from afar.This church is located in Calape proper. Since it is right along the national road, one won't have difficulty finding it.

I was astonished reading the history posted in front of the church. The construction of this church started in 1933 and was completed in the year 1954, meaning this church is close to 90 years old.

Can you believe that? I'd like to take you inside the church so that you can see if it's truly an old one. Let's go.

The church was beautifully decorated because a wedding would be held there in a few hours. As I entered, I was mesmerized by its interior design. This was my first time entering this grandeur gothic-inspired church.

The pointed arches of the church, along with its beautiful posts, display a sense of grandeur.

While my eyes were busy appreciating its beauty, an old man who was silently sitting and wearing a barong tagalog caught my attention. I was confident that he was a local, so without hesitation, I went closer to him and asked about the church.

He was very friendly and kind, answering my questions about the church. He told me that, as far as he could remember, this church had already been erected in this town. He really admired its durability because when the strong earthquake hit Bohol in 2013, this church remained standing and was never damaged.

The church has been recently painted, which is why it looks new, but upon inspecting the interior, it becomes evident that it is actually ancient. The door was already old; they didn't replace it with a new one.

In ancient Catholic churches, you will find the choir loft above the main door. That is also what I will look at when I get inside these ancient churches. As I looked up, I saw the choir loft. Although it had been newly painted, it couldn't be denied that it is already old.

This is what we call a confession booth. I remember when I was a child, I was able to experience confession in a confession booth. I was confident to confess because the priest couldn't clearly see my face, unlike nowadays when we rarely use this during confession.

After I toured inside, I also took a look at the outer part. I saw these large windows with intricate stained glass designs. I have already featured a few ancient churches on Hive, but this is the first grandeur gothic-inspired church I have ever featured.

Since the church had gradually filled with people attending the wedding, I slowly left. I remained mesmerized by its wonderful architectural style when I saw the church with my own eyes, even though I had already seen it once in the photo shown by the young Boholana.

Calape is just a small town in Bohol. Despite its small size, you should not underestimate the gems of this town and the creativity of the locals. The creative minds and united citizens have made this town a precious one—something the locals can be proud of. I left the place filled with amazement and admiration for the locals.

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How To Get There

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From Tagbilaran City, you may take a tricycle to the DAO terminal where you can find buses and vans heading to various routes. Simply take a bus bound for Tubigon. Inform the driver or bus collector to drop you off in Calape proper. The fare is PHP80.00 for a non-airconditioned bus.

That was my great experience during my Calape trip, Hivers. I hope you enjoyed the virtual tour. See you on my next blog. Cheers!

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Watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places.

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