My Vista Is Changing: from Beach to Boulevard

It wasn’t so long ago when the sight of excited children running in the sand and performing antics before taking a plunge in the cold gleaming water greeted me every sunny morning.   These children and their folks are mostly residents of the nearby shore. Not the tourist-destination kind of beach, but just the regular coastline stretching along the southern part of Albay Gulf.

Then slowly but quite steadily, progress and development caught up with the tide and ushered in changes. What was once only a figment of imagination turned into a remarkable reality. It started with Embarcadero de Legazpi. With its construction, also came endless opportunities.  And as the dream continues we see how the once far-flung and remote areas of Southern Legazpi become easily accessible.

Legazpi City Boulevard was born. For the conservatives, the project is viewed negatively as it seems to alter the course of nature. We all know however that Nature oftentimes alters itself. Change is inevitable and life on Earth is but temporary. I’ve witnessed so many changes in my entire existence from man-made alterations to Nature’s own display of destruction. So I consider these developments as nothing but mere specks from a grand design in a world too old to evolve anew but young enough to adapt.

Yes, I will miss those kids I’ve grown accustomed to seeing every morning by the shore.  But the picture replacing the scene is proving to be much more fascinating.  The sight of people from all ages suddenly embracing a healthy lifestyle is really amazing. Families and friends, tourists and vacationers together with their pets all come together to exercise, jog or simply witness the sun fold and unfold. Legazpi City Boulevard has become a great place to spend the early mornings and the late afternoons, a perfect spot to rejuvenate physically and emotionally and to while away the hours, far from the exhausting landscape of typical highways.

Just a note though, I still see kids occasionally swimming in a small area of the boulevard. I don’t know if it was designed primarily for that purpose. But I do hope the Local Government of Legazpi will designate larger and safer area for kids to mingle and play just like the old days.