Semi Retired Foamer

Roxas City Revisited

Howdee.
Back in the earliest days of this blog, which really wasn't all that long ago, we visited locales of Roxas City (Baybay Beach Sunset) and nearby Panay (an amazingly old church).
Last week, while ferreting through the ridiculously oversized photo collection, I came across a few random (very random) Roxas City shots that were taken during my first visit in 2007.
For want of anywhere else to put them, I decided to throw them up here for the world to endure.
Don't mention it, my pleasure.

Map: Google Maps. Used as per their terms and conditions.

1) The 'View Deck Inn', in lovely downtown Banica, was our choice of residence for our brief stay in Roxas.
Given it was twelve years ago, I struggle to remember much of our stay. However, I do remember there were great views to be had (though this involved climbing up onto an old rooftop deck), a rather large spider in our room, weekend fish market on the street outside (Roxas City is the seafood capital apparently) and a small internet shop downstairs where your checking email becomes the biggest attraction for the local kids. Looking at Goolgly Streetscape, it would seem that the internet shop may have closed down in the years since this visit.
The hotel is also conveniently located across the road from Banica Wharf, where one could catch a Bangka (a scarily old, but awesome sounding, large boat) to other nearby islands. For us, this was to be Jintotolo and Masbate Islands.

2: The view from the deck of the 'View Deck Inn'. This is looking southish, over a relatives house, and what I suspect is a rice plantation at the end of the side street.
The Panay River can be seen dividing the dirt side street and the rice plantation.

Masbate Islands.r view from the inn, this time looking north over Banica Wharf.
The Bangkas can be seen down the road behind the Shell service station (which is still there today). On the left are a few small sari sari stores and a larger dried fish market.

4: 'View Deck Inn' again.

5: 'View Deck Inn' yet again.

6: Older residents, and fellow railway researchers, may be aware that there was once a railway that linked Iloilo City to Roxas City on Panay Island. The main building of Roxas station still existed back in 2007, being reused as a day care centre apparently.
I could only get a couple of photos before being approached by irate locals who took it upon themselves to accuse me of being there to put the railway back. Apparently, in their view, a railway had no place being put on railway land. A view that continually gets in the way of returning a proper transportation service to the island in 2020.

Sadly, I was unable to find any trace of the building in 2020.

7: This old building in Punta Tabuc took my interest, thinking it would be perfect for a model railway (another interest of mine) layout based on the island.
Locals mentioned that it used to be a bank. However, I have not been able to find out anything more.
ADDITIONAL: According to Sir Acevedo Bobsky the bank was built around 1977.
Does anyone know when it closed, or what bank it was?

8: Cassandra Crossing.

The sari sari store in the distance marks where the Panay railway ended, part of a triangle where trains could run around, or locomotive turned. The dirt road is the old railway formation.

9: Cassandra Crossing.
Looking back down the old railway formation towards Roxas City station and eventually over to Iloilo City.

Hope these old shots are of some interest.

I returned to Roxas in 2017 and will cover 

that at another time.