Masbate - The Simple and Laidback Way of Life in a Provincial City

After enjoying Bituon Beach in Mobo, I went back to Masbate City to see how it is to live in a provincial city. I asked the tricycle driver to bring me to the city center because I'm interested in seeing the sites, the landmarks and how is it to spend a weekend here.


My first stop was the Masbate City Park located at kilometer zero in front of the provincial capitol building. A monument of our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal greeted me as I entered the park.



Since it's a Saturday, a lot of people, especially kids are in the park. I was so amazed with how they enjoyed playing around the park. In some areas are families having a weekend picnic while on the other side were students rehearsing for a school activity.





As I exited the park, rows of stalls were lined up on the street selling different merchandise. There are dried fish, fresh coconuts, rice, furniture, fruits, vegetables, used clothes (ukay-ukay) and even live chicken.









I walked a few meters more and found Masbate City Hall and some government buildings. I like the fact that the streets are relatively clean. I felt secured as I am doing this walking tour as the locals are nice and very helpful when I ask for directions. I even had a quick chat with them.







Then I reached the imposing Masbate Provincial Capitol. Again, there were a lot of kids here. This time, they were playing football. I took some time to watch them as they showcase their skills.







Adjacent to the capitol building is the Masbate Cultural and Sports Center. There's also a tennis court beside it where I caught some kids playing. It's nice to know that Masbateño youths are quite interested in sports.



I continued walking until I reached the Masbate Rodeo Rotonda. It's a trademark of Masbate as it is known as the "Cattle Capital of the Philippines" for having a number of cattle farms and ranches in the province.

a ranch near the airport
The annual Rodeo Festival is being held here during April at the Rodeo Arena in Masbate Centennial Sports Complex. Events such as “figure of eight”, bull riding and calf wrestling are just some of the highlights of the festival.


From here, I took a tricycle (7 PHP) to get to the Masbate Cathedral along Quezon Street. Also known as St. Anthony of Padua Cathedral, it is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Masbate.


It's already getting dark, so I decided to go back to the hostel. But before getting in, I saw this sidewalk stall selling some "bibingka" or rice cake. It is so amusing that they still cook it in traditional way. I bought some and had it for dinner.



I like provincial city living too. The simple and laidback way of life. The green countryside, farm lands, ranches, huge bridges, river streams, mountains and trees. Oh, the clean surroundings as well. Truly, living in the rural Philippines can sometimes be extremely rewarding.

This is part of my Solo Weekend getaway in the province of Masbate that happened last August 13-14, 2011. Masbate is the 34th province on my list and this weekend adventure is my 8th solo trip.
Map By: Wikipedia	A Relaxing Swim at Bituon Beach in Mobo The Simple and Laidback Way of Life in a Provincial City Don't Forget to Bring Home Some Deliciously Creamy “Pasalubong” when you Visit Masbate How To Get There, Accommodations, Transportation, Itinerary, Expenses and Contact Details

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