The rain, I thought, would ruin my chance of finally witnessing the whispered beauty of a bridge down in Southern Leyte. The province of Southern Leyte, a one-hour flight from Metro Manila, is the lower half of the Leyte Island. (And if you think that the other half is called Northern Leyte, which is but logical considering that the lower half is Southern Leyte, you’re wrong. The northern province is simply called Leyte, which is unique, I believe.) The province is a vital link between Luzon and Mindanao, part of the national road network in an archipelagic country composed of more than 7,100 islands. It’s also accessible by ship from many points, including direct trips from Metro Manila or Metro Cebu. Read the rest of this entry »