I tried to peek out from our hotel window and the sky was frowning. It was drizzling and the heavens was painted in a dark shade of grey. Taking my chances, as I really have no other to catch a sunrise in Dumaguete City, I packed my cameras and went down the desolate streets.
Named after the country’s National Hero, it was said that Jose Rizal briefly visited the shoreline of Dumaguete before proceeding to his exile in Dapitan. The stretch has now become a favorite hang-out of locals, especially since its proximity to the food places in the city. At night, a portion of the boulevard transforms into a streetfood mecca of sorts complete with chairs and tables.

A few blocks away from the hotel, the scene was the same; gray, gray, gray. The orange lamps of Rizal Boulevard tried its mighty best to bring a bit of warmth into the long stretch of the city’s famed promenade but it was really not enough.

Morning runners were undaunted with the weather though; heavily clad in their waterproof jackets, they continue to plow through the chilly wind as small drops of precipitation swing from the heavens.

I walked further, passing a sculpture of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres, a group of multi-cultural nuns that arrived in Dumaguete City in 1904 to help in the education of the children of Negros Island. They were dressed in the old-school style of curling headdresses that looked really cool.

Taking shelter in the broad Acacia trees when the drizzle transforms into real rain, I walked on ‘til the end of the boulevard and proceeded down to its pebbly shoreline facing Tañon Strait.
Rows of colorful fishing boats line the water’s edge. On some parts algae-like flora cling to the gray rocks and I saw a few locals scraping them off; they are surprisingly edible.

The light changed from somber gray to a somewhat lighter tone; I knew the golden hour I was looking for happened some kilometers away from the thick blanket of clouds overhead. It was unfortunate that I was unable to witness even a speck of it but it was still a nice walk through the rainy boulevard of Dumaguete City.

Rizal Boulevard
Address: Rizal Boulevard, Dumaguete City
Entrance Fee: None
Hours: Open 24 Hours

GPS Coordinates: 9.307259,123.309823
Click to view location on Google Maps