The greatest gastronomic invention mankind ever built has delighted millions of taste buds since 1500 BC but I’m sorry to disappoint all bacon-lovers out there, Bacon, Sorsogon, is not a bacon-producing town nor the birthplace of the world’s favorite breakfast treat. Instead, the quaint town of Bacon comes with a different kind of flavor that would tickle cravings of saltwater-lovers who seek an escape from the rigors of daily grind. Bacon was our first stop in 3-day road trip to the southernmost end of Luzon island.
A Spanish friar on a religious mission along Bicol peninsula‘s eastern coast found a native plant called, “bacong”, abundantly growing on its shores. For some time, the town was called ‘Bacong’ until the ‘g’ was omitted for a “easier” pronunciation, and from then on, Bacon, without a ‘g’, has been used. Or would you still prefer a story where Bacon is the first town to conceive the perfect formula for thin and crispy slice of pork filled with mouthwatering goodness? That I leave to you.
Tucked deep within Bacon’s municipality lies a beach scoured in pinkish white sand sprawling with bite-sized corals, shells in various shapes, and lush mangrove forests. This quiet shore of Baranggay Sawangga also takes pride of a unique islet, forged by earthly elements and touched by Mother Nature’s artistry. This natural wonder is an off-shore islet known to Sorsogueños as Paguriran.
Jagged rocks and massive coral formations primarily made up Paguriran‘s triangular-shaped island (if seen from above), but the charm it possesses came from the lagoon. A serene sanctuary confined by natural barriers which seemingly cuts us loose from the tangles of our lives, an enclave where we could derail ourselves from the train of daily grind, and most of all, an escape from the rest of society, specifically, the unpleasant discord of videoke singers singing different melodies all at the same time.
You might find this post misleading the moment you set foot on Baranggay Sawanga’s beach. You’d probably be annoyed by videoke machines shamelessly playing uninviting clamors, but don’t leave just yet. I think everybody else have had the same unexpected encounter. Paguriran’s charm didn’t came out right away. In my case, I found what I was looking for in solitude – when I spent the last few minutes of dusk on the island, and as I strolled along the beach in the stillness of dawn. But then again, that’s just me.Yes, me, Ted Padua, already witnessed the mesmerizing view of Paguriran Lagoon and Island.
