the church was old.
its people were sleepy.
like all religious buildings built by Spaniards, it was strategically located such that in the long run, the 'municipio' or pueblo will evolve into it, thus making the church its heart --the center of each town.
the church facade was like any other, but enhanced by the statues of St.Peter and St.John the Baptist.
it can be reached by land through a Bicol-bound bus, or when coal was locally in abundance, by train.
the entrance to town was not yet a commercial center, when people commuted on horse-drawn calesa and the tricycle was being introduced as a new means of transportation which, analysts said, will make streets 'cleaner' of horse-dung.
there were several families about the place, mostly constables of camp balilo. they were resourceful enough to build huts while just seeking permission to do so from the encargado of the landowner, who spent most of his time in America.
as you go along, the town cemetery welcomed you with green ricefields on all sides extending far as the eyes can see. the graves were yet set apart.
then, you cross the railroad track, which still has a guard who blow his alarm siren, and lower protector booms stopping traffic on both sides of the road until the train's full length passed by.
the populous barrio of sta. maria nurtured most of calauagenos, their houses elbowing each other until the main thoroughfare became a narrow pasillo, just good enough for a man walking his bicycle through. there was relative peace, though. this barrio housed most of lumberyard workers, fishermen, and some school-teachers.
then past it was the train station on the left, often full of people coming or going, and the lumberyard facing it on the right, always filled with round logs ready for shipment, bustling with activity. its midday siren was found to be consistently exact to the standard Philippine time, and its long wail was made reference by the people.
the bakery come next. you can smell its tender aroma even before you see it. it was always busy on most hours of the day, its bakers molding doughs ready for its ovens, its customers queueing on the lobby.
in front of it was the carinderia (restaurants were located inside the poblacion, operated by chinese merchants). it catered mostly to waiting train passengers and lumberyard workers, attended by waiters in crisp gray uniforms.
behind the carinderia was part of the sea, with houses of fishermen sitting on stilts, interconnected by rejected woodplanks. it was protected from the swells by a long man-made seawall.
as you enter further, you now come to the elementary school grounds, wide and expansive. most of its buildings were in the west side; a new grandstand was erected on the southwest beside the industrial arts building. new buildings were also constructed in the east. it proudly housed the town's largest library with catalogued books donated by U.S. schools, or bought by the generous councilors for the use of all who wished to savor learning.
this was where some of the greatest minds were molded and nurtured by world-class teachers. from its cradle will come great leaders.
farther on its left stand the central college, its female students wearing the common maroon dress and white blouse while its males sported black slacks and white polos.
beside it was the newly-constructed St. Peter's School: the students were sons and daughters of the town's upper-middle class. of course, it was operated by the rich parishioners, who earlier saw the need for their children.
the church come next.
then, the town hall or municipio, which can be seen from above like a cross. a water fountain was in its intersection - majestic and relaxing to the eyes. its halls was mostly filled with people.
in front of the education buildings, the church and the municipio was the town plaza, occupying three blocks. it has an amphitheatre for cultural activities (dancing, mostly!), open courts for basketball and tennis for the sports-minded citizens, and a wonderfully playful echo dome, where awed children jumped contentedly, bellowed with shrieks, or just frolicked - waiting for the reverberation which was both funny and weird.
inside the poblacion were houses of its early settlers, commercial centers, a movie theater, the market and the seaport-cum-boat terminal.
this was home to noel.
