This blog is a long one…Sorry, I haven’t been on
line much recently as been busy and haven’t had easy access. Anyway, better
late than never….. Sit down with a nice Cappuccino and a comfortable chair and
read on….
Fri 5th Dec – Time to change country today, as I Fly to Clark
airport north of Manila in the Philippines at 15:30 aboard Air Asia flight
AK502. Check-in time 2hrs, so thought I would get to the airport early in case
of traffic delays. Time to say goodbye to Rose, who has been lovely to be with.
A very intelligent lady leading to some great conversations and learnt a lot in
the process. Second shower of the day that made no difference as roasting
outdoors.
A change of currency to the Philippine Peso, and
got 13.72 peso to the Ringgit. It is always tricky when doing currency exchange
if you have no idea of the costs when you get there. I had at least done a bit
of research to check out the transport costs, so had a fair idea.
As usual, went to the check-in area and asked
which was the one for Manila. We don't know yet, so you will have to wait until
it is announced. To one side I noticed a long queue forming at a counter which
didn't have any details displayed yet. Didn't want to stand there, but wondered
why. Turned out that was the one for Manila. So why were the locals told to
wait there but not me? Is it a foreigner thing? Anyway, I wasn't alone and got
talking to a Canadian guy about stuff, so passed the time nicely. Got talking
about people connections. Have you ever talked to someone randomly from another
part of the world, to find out that you both know the same person? I have, many
times...and it's rather eerie when it happens. I heard recently that we are all
connected by at most five people in-line, that is friend of friend of friend,
or family connection etc. Not sure about that, but interesting to know how they
arrived at that figure?
After getting through check-in and proceeding to
passport control, a pretty girl came along side of me....you going to Manila?...yes...for
how long?...I don't know, maybe a few months, but not sure...would you like to
stay at least a year, and she put her arm around me and smiled. I guess the
Philippines might live up to its reputation...they're friendly!
The flight was the fullest I have been on with
Air Asia and took off on time, with the rains just starting. So, it is goodbye
to Sabah and Malaysia. Don't know when I will return, but will some day. It has
been full of nice experiences, wonderful people, and happy memories. The Malays
are amongst the most helpful and friendly people on earth, for whom I have a
lot of respect. There are many things I haven't done here that I could have
fitted in. The Danum valley, Tabin National Park and Pulau Tiga, to name a few.
But I no longer try to do everything, and whatever I haven't done can wait for
another visit, as there definitely will be one.
Arrived at Clark airport (Diosdado Macapagal) at
17:30. Simple immigration but shocked at only getting 21 days visa, as I
thought it was going to be 2 months. She said I could extend I at their office,
no idea where that is, so will have to find out. Right outside of customs
clearance is the bus booking desk for Philtranco and cost 350 Pesos (1GBP=75
Pesos). The Bus, which is right outside of the door leaves at 6pm for Manila,
and takes 2 hours to get to the SM Megamall Terminal in Manila, and 2 1/2 hours
to get to Pasay, which is where I needed to go. The buses are timed to coincide
with the Air Asia flight schedule, so it all fits together easily. As it turned
out, a Filipino lady in the seat in front of me on the plane was going to
Cavite, and spoke good English, so decided to travel down there together.
The route leaving the airport was chaotic and
crawled at a snail’s pace for a while. I didn’t mind as I got to take in some
of my first sights of the country. Jeepneys and Tricycles everywhere. For
anyone who doesn’t know…. A Jeepney is a long four wheel vehicle with bench
seats down each side and come in many designs, each one personalized by its
owner to be, in many cases, a work of art bedecked in all manner of
decorations. Most are chromed and some look like old fashioned 1920’s style
wide wheeled pieces of history. A tricycle is a motorbike with a side-car.
Capable of seating two people (or three at a squeeze) in the side-car and one
person or more behind the driver, and generally priced upto 20 pesos in the
town, depending on the location and distance, more obviously if going beyond
the town limit.
Apart from the above mentioned, there were all
manner of transport, from busses to some that don’t fit any category. After
clearing Clark the road opens out into a toll highway and so the pace speeded
up for a while…and then we hit Manila! Of dear…Manila…it lives up to its
reputation. We almost ground to a halt and crawled in amongst the mass of
buses, Jeepneys, Tricycles, and the like. At one point we got pulled in to the
kerb by a traffic cop. For a while he paced around the bus and got his book out
as if to fine the driver for something, but didn’t actually write anything.
Turned out that this is a regular event and it is a ‘Christmas Present’ for the
cops. A bit of corruption going on in getting some pocket money from the
drivers that gets hidden!
So after what seemed like an age, the bus got
through some of the mass traffic of Manila and to our destination of Pasay. The
taxi touts descended on the bus as soon as it pulled into the bus station. Now,
being the only foreigner that I had seen since leaving the airport, made me
stand out from the crowd as usual, and got a lot more attention that anyone
else. Between the Filipino lady (Grace) and myself, we bartered a deal to take
her to her town first and then me to where I wanted to go for 1,400 Pesos. An
old guy picked up our bags and stuff and put it in the boot of the taxi, and
then held his hand out for a ‘Christmas present’ or ‘Kotong’ as it is called (a
word of Chinese origin)…I think they are cashing on Christmas a fair bit here!!
Needless to say, everyone looked at me to pay him, so I got the feeling that
they were thinking…here comes rich foreigner time! If only that was
true…Anyway, a brief stop off for a takeaway to eat in the taxi en-route and
another stall to buy a Philippines ‘Globe’ SIM card (150 Pesos for the starter
pack, plus 300 Pesos credit top-up)..cost 16 pesos a text. Then off south of
the city….On the way she told me about a problem she had at the airport. They
have a bit of a scam going between Filipinos who have a large amount of luggage
to bring through immigration. A helper finds other passengers who are not using
their full baggage limit, and they get paid a small amount to carry other
peoples goods for them. The person who owns the luggage pays less than they
would in normal airline excess baggage charges, but to be honest, with the
reputation about illegal trafficking, I wouldn’t bring anyone else’s goods in
for them. It works for them though.
In such a short space of time I went through
many styles of area and saw many sights. All too much for one evening and was
feeling very tired, as didn’t get much sleep last night and been on the road
for a while now. Had the address of the place I was aiming for in Silang Proper
(the term ‘Proper’ on the signs here just means the main town), and managed to
track down what we thought was the right place. So got out and started knocking
on the door..nobody answered. Kept on for a while and someone turned up in a
car wondering why I was knocking and who I was. Fair enough thought at
midnight…it appeared that there was two buildings with the same name in
Silang…me at the wrong one of course. Anyway, got to the right one as texted my
friend Sheira wondering what was going on and she came and found me. So all
ended well. Today was moving day for her as she was moving from a house and so
things were in a bit of turmoil. Just the right time for me to arrive then! Was
nice to catch up before crashing out after a long day.
Sat 6th Dec – Today was a ‘normal’ day, if one of those
exists? New environment and new experiences in a different country and a way of
life to explore. First off was a mission to get some food in for today, so went
off to the market. I love markets as they are everyday events for people, and
every country has its idiosyncrasies on how markets work and the range of
produce available. Sheira's parents run a stall in the market selling groceries
and stopped off to say hello and introduce myself. A lovely couple called
Napoleon and Susan, who were instantly friendly, as Asian people are. The
journey to the market was an experience in itself, as I am the only foreigner
in the area so it seemed, and therefore attracted quite a lot of attention,
especially a foreigner walking along with a Filipino lady. I love the way
people will play with you as a game of friendly interaction plays out. I was
relaxed and happy to be there, and with lovely friendly company to explain
life…the Filipino way.
Now, Silang is placed in a lovely rural part of
the country in the foothills of a mountain, and only a short ride to the small
town of Tagaytay. Ideally placed for a view of the active Taal Volcano.
Fortunately, it hasn’t erupted in a long time, and hopefully, not whilst I am
here, but will be climbing it whilst I am here. Getting about is an
introduction to transport in the Philippines, and the infamous Jeepney. Paid by
the distance and only about 20 pesos each. The front of the Jeepney has a
signboard showing its destination, and it is a hailing system. Just stand
wherever you want and put your hand out when you spot the one going where you
want. Shout ‘Para po’ or just ‘Para’ when you want it to stop. The ubiquitous
Starbucks is there plus some other nice eateries, with great view of Taal
mountain on island. It was a bit cold and windy as we are fairly high here.
Nice place for a Cappuccino and cake, and a good social atmosphere.
Dinner was an interesting concoction…the starter
was Balot…chicken embryos! 12 pesos for one egg from a street vendor, and
similar to the duck embryos that I had in northern Vietnam some months ago,
washed down with red wine and the fish we had bought in the market this morning
served with a fiery sauce and rice, finished off with ice-cream. An interesting
combination!
I fancied some dancing and so we took a tricycle
out to a resort offering dancing, Videoke/Karaoke and a swimming pool. The
singing was fun and finished off with a fun time in the swimming pool, then
caught a Jeepney back to town. Some wine
to finish off and accompanied by nice conversation talking to Sheira and her
very astute sister Kaye until 3am. Zzzzzz……
Sun 7th Dec – Early morning start…too early considering having
only gone to bed at 3am…but things to do for the girls, as they are still
sorting out the new house. I was helping clear out blocked drains at 2:30am,
which is different to normal travel experiences! They have washing machines to
connect up, broadband connections to get installed, etc, but we also want to
get out and about for them to show me the area. Today’s mission was to climb
the Taal volcano. Needed to take
walking boots for was supposed to be an hour's climb to the top, and take a
picnic for a bit of alfresco viewing. The reality was a bit different.....
Took a Jeepney to a place near to Tagaytay and
then had to negotiate with a tricycle driver to take us to Leknes, which is
where the boat transfer is to the Taal volcano island. Only cost 100 pesos for
the journey, and was amazed at how far it was and how winding the road was. The
boat or Bangkas, was a fixed price of
2000 pesos for the return trip, but that included a guide and we had as much time
as we wanted. They provided life jackets and thin disposable poncho raincoats,
which we thought we didn't need! Mistake....the boats are long and narrow with
outriggers on each side...the sea was rough, and we were lashed by the head-on
waves and got drenched. It was excellent fun, and even though we looked a mess
when we arrived, we were happy and laughing all the way. Fortunately, it was
warm and hence we weren't bothered as expected we would dry off. At the boat
landing, we had the option to take a horse up to the volcano for 500 pesos
return, but declined, as we preferred to walk. The horsemen followed us for
some time trying to sell us the horse ride, and a number of people and children
were trying to sell us face masks, claiming it to be so dusty, that they were
essential. The reality is that the walk is an easy one and soft ground makes
for comfortable walking. At one point the subterranean activity becomes
apparent as jets of steam emit from vents in the ground. There was no need for
the face masks either, as the dust was hardly noticeable. Took about 40 minutes
to walk to the top, where the view over the crater was nice. Towards the edge
of the water the colour of the ground could be seen to be interesting, and
could also see steam vents in various places. Great place to break open our al
fresco picnic, washed down by fresh coconut. Most people turn around at that
point and return to the boat, but we wanted to trek down into the crater. They
tried to charge us 2000 pesos for a guide, insisting that it was essential, but
I disagreed and wanted to do it on our own. It was actually a bit tricky due to
the dusty terrain and mixed areas of dense growth to break through, but we made
it in under an hour, to the edge of the water. Despite not paying for a guide,
we were joined at stages by guides who were interested in our safety. They
didn't come right down into the crater bottom with us, and we could understand
why...On the way, we passed a caldera filled with bubbling mud and rising
plumes of noxious Sulphurous gases. The ground was far too hot to touch in many
places, and the colour of the rocks showed the presence of Sulphur and other
minerals. The water was like hot bath water, with multi-coloured rocks around
the outside.
Didn't hand around for long other than to have a
wash in the water, and a photoshoot. We were filthy by this stage as had slid
down some of the descent, due to the steepness, so needed the wash.
Took exactly an hour to get back to the top. A
nice touch was that our guide, who didn't Come down into the crater with us,
was waiting part way back with some coconuts. Carried on back to the boat
quickly as the light was fading. Good thing we did, as got lashed again and it
went dark very rapidly. Back at Leknes and we were drenched once again and
cold. We had arranged for our tricycle driver to be there to take us back, so
got moving straight away. It was a long and winding road on the way back, and
due to the temperature drop, a very cold ride. By the time we reached the main
road in Tagaytay, we were shivering and ready for something warm, so ran across
the road and into the 'Chowking' restaurant...a chain of them throughout the
country and good value for money. Nice to wrap my hands around a mug of coffee
and a nice Lauriat dinner.
Mon 8th Dec – Have been having trouble sleeping enough
recently. Any little disturbance and I am awake, but still feeling tired. Part
of the reason for wanting to take a break from the road was to get some energy
back, as I have been feeling a bit drained lately. Problem is that I came
straight into the Philippines and not rested yet, and yesterday’s adventure to
the volcano, although great fun, was tiring, and was followed by another late
night of conversation, so still feeling drained this morning. A domestics day
today with getting laundry up to date and trying to get internet stuff done
too. The other thing is that I wasn’t sure whether Silang was going to be the
right place for me to take a break until I got here. Still not sure but coming
to the conclusion that It might not have the facilities I am after, so rather
than feeling settled, I am still concerned that I might need to move on to
somewhere else, but the other aspect was to be in a place that had some
atmosphere over the Christmas period, rather than being isolated. Stuff to
think about….
Tue 9th Dec – The day started with poetry! Yes poetry. Sheira
is a lovely girl with a passion for prose and a nice collection of poetry
books, so between us, we spent a couple of hours or so reading whilst Kaye was
embroidering. One book was by the infamous Leaonard Nimoy...of Dr. Spock fame
in the TV series Startrek. Turned out to be some thought provoking moments and
a quality time.
Later in the day needed the internet, but there
was an opportunity to go to the university to check out what courses might be
on offer. Got free use of the internet whilst there and also met some lovely
people, in a peaceful setting. Unfortunately, I didn't sort out a course as
they had nothing suitable. Not to worry as something will turn up.
Made a decision to do some travelling leaving
tomorrow to Donsol in the south of Luzon region, as this month is the beginning
of Whale Shark season...the Butanding
as it is known here.
Wed 10th Dec - The
morning was a problematic one with the old landlord, which necessitated some
involvement with the Baragay or local
arbitrator. An ongoing situation which is common in the Philippines and results
from people trying to get every centavo they can out of someone.
Even though I could have left it later to leave,
I decided to go at around 3pm, as I have to go back to Pasay in Manila and then
transfer to another bus going south, departing from a different station. Cost
50 Pesos for the bus to Manila Pasay city. So many bus stations that it is a
mess. Every company has a different location and many cover the same
destinations. I didn't want to get to Lagaspi too early in the morning, so was
happy to take a later bus and had been advised to use Philtranco. This is the
same station I had arrived at from Clark airport. When I got off the bus there
were many bodies mooching around for business. I jumped in a tricycle...the
pedal powered version. Part way along he announced it would be 150 pesos. Told
him to get stuffed and would only give him 50 pesos tops. He stopped at four
other bus stations all going to Lagaspi, but eventually ended up at Philtranco.
The others were a bit more cramped, but left earlier. I was glad I held out as
the Philtranco one was a good standard air-con for 850 Pesos, taking 11 hours
and departing at 7pm. Gave me plenty of time to eat and stuff my face with
rubbish. Not too impressed by the food available at the bus station! Some
slithering gunk described as beef, which resembled offal....and yes it really
was awful offal.
A few nice Filipinos to exchange smiles with
that warms the heart...Sweet!
It has been a tough day in Silang for Sheira.
Cannot go into detail, but suffice to say that many things get put into
perspective when someone has problems. Nice conversation with Napoleon,
Sheira's father, a very intelligent man and good English and knowledge of the
Philippines due to work he used to be involved with.
The bus from Manila departed on time, and it was
nice of them to come and get me personally at the right boarding time.
Reassuring that the driver blessed himself before he set off! I will most
probably be back here for Christmas…well...ordered to come back here!, and have
been looked after so well by the girls. Very attentive and nice to be around.
Thus 11th Dec - Arrived in Legaspi at 7:30am to what is the
usual mud bath bus station. Thought all was going well when I was pointed
towards an FX van for onwards transfer to Donsol. Time to have a coffee and
breakfast and chat with the owner and her cute nieces. She splits her time
between here and New York, where her daughters lived, and so spoke good
English. A crowd was soon building up for a photo shoot. Exciting and fun time.
Also got talking to a guy about climbing the Mount Mayon volcano, which we are
at the foot of. The problem is that the weather isn't that good and we cannot
see it today due to mist cover.
The van really needs 10 people to make it
viable, and there were presently only three of us, including two locals, so it
is a waiting game. It could turn out that the van won't run at all, and I have
to stay here anyway. The girls were singing sweetly to the music on the radio,
so didn't mind just sitting for a while. Luckily a large group of locals
arrived and so we set off with a packed vehicle to Donsol. The route is a very
beautiful one. This is an agricultural area with traditional style bamboo huts
lining the road, banana and palm trees completing the postcard scene. We had to
make a stop at the Pilar Pier to drop
off a couple of ladies. This is where I will most probably return when I take a
boat onwards to Masbate soon. The driver was excellent in giving me all the
info I needed in which boats to take and their times, and more importantly,
which ones not to take, as they occasionally sink! The sort of thing
that is really nice to know!
Got dropped in Donsol town at a busy junction
with a few home stays within easy reach. The main and most obvious one was the Santiago Inn. Looks a bit run down from
the outside, and even moreso from the inside, but it has character and soon
negotiated a reasonable rate of 300 pesos a night, room only, as no breakfast
or drinks are provided. Plenty of choice around on the streets so not bothered.
I could have looked further, but as luck happens…to me anyway….a lady was sat
in the common area who I got chatting to. She happened to be working for the
Philippines tourism and specifically to do with an eco-project connected with
the Butanding (Whale shark), the very
animal I have come here to see. The project is trying to establish within the
community a project where the locals develop a tourism attitude towards the
Butanding and are able to create a tourism approach to something that earns
them income. They currently don’t have a structured way to deal with it
apparently. I was shown some brand new tourism leaflets dedicated to the Whale
Shark (Rhincodon typus)…the world’s
largest fish, sometimes growing upto 18 metres and 40 tonnes in weight, and
living for upto 100 years. The project is also aiming at the protection of the
species as it is being hunted for export, due to the high price of its meat,
skin and fins.
I also met a guy who is part of the research
team and a diver, who confirmed that sightings of the Butanding have been made
in the area. They start to appear in December, and continue through to May,
with February being the dominant month. A festival is held in April dedicated
to the Butanding. Off to lunch in the market with Lisa to learn more about life
in Donsol. At the entrance to the café, an old man was pounding cocoa to, one
of the ingredients they use in confectionary. Pili nuts are a favourite here, so much so that Sheira had asked me
to bring some back for her. A few old ladies where gathered around a table, one
crushing Pili nuts, another assembling a mixed cocoa and nut paste into sweet
wrappers, another one wrapping Pili nut fudge sticks. Of course I had to dig
into a little free sampling. Yummee…. Lisa gave me a bag of the fudge she had
been given. Couldn’t eat too much as it is a bit high in Cholesterol as it is
made with condensed sweetened milk, but tasty.
Was slightly wiped out after a long journey, as
didn’t sleep much, in fact don’t think I slept at all, on the bus down here.
Bounced up with a shock later thinking I needed to go out and explore whilst it
was still light, so picked a random direction and set off. No maps so it
doesn’t matter. After a hundred metres or so I heard some music being played,
so went to investigate. Turned out to be a church hall where some youths were
practicing. Went in and they offered me their guitar to play, so off I went and
for an hour jamming with them. Had a great time as I was singing on the
microphone and that drew a large crowd of locals to come and listen in. The man
in charge ‘Father George’, was trying to encourage them to learn and be able to
provide better instruments for them to use.
What they had was a good start.
Lisa arrived and listened in to the
entertainment and after we had finished, suggested we went off to the market
for dinner. An interesting choice which doesn’t satisfy a healthy appetite, but
enough. Chicken cooked in spiced
chocolate was interesting, albeit not that spicy, and a pork Bicol meal was
slightly bitter and the meat was all fat, hardly any meat. At least I got a
nice cold beer to wash it down with. First since I arrived in the Philippines.
A stroke of luck then happened as we went to the
town center…well, if you can call it a center, but spotted the first foreigners
since I had arrived in Philippines. A couple form Slovenia. Turned out that
they were also here to see the Butanding and had managed to find some others to
share. Maximum of seven people on ea h boat and they had six people. Fantastic
luck then as I made up the remaining place on the boat. The price is now 3,500
pesos per boat including diving/snorkeling, so now only 500 pesos each. Agreed
to meet at 7am tomorrow morning as we have to get to the Tourist Visitor Centre
which is a short tricycle ride away, and be there by 7:30am.
Wanted to go walkabout in own on my own, which
turned out to be a great time. Stopped to talk with an old guy, who was so
pleased to welcome a tourist to their town. Met up with a bunch of guys who
were running a street-side barbeque stall, but I recognized one of them from
the church centre earlier, and he had a guitar, so spent the rest of the
evening playing together and drinking brandy and tea chasers, as they are sensible and don’t
like feeling drunk. Made some plans to gather at the beach tomorrow afternoon
for a party. Will have to see what time I get back from the Butanding trip.
Also, have been invited to a meal at a family home for a meal. Will have to
go to the market first to buy some food.
Fri 12th Dec – Almost impossible to sleep late here as the Santiago is located at a
busy traffic junction and so woke early by the sound of tricycles and the like.
Had to meet at the ‘Butanding Interaction Centre’ at 7:30am, which is part of
the Visitor Information centre, a couple of kilometers from where I am staying.
A nice ride there on a tricycle through a beautiful rural area of stilted
bamboo houses, surrounded by rice paddy fields. After a bit of confusion at the
centre, it appeared that there were now nine of us and the Batangkas only
permitted seven passengers, so the last two to arrive were disappointed and
would have to wait until tomorrow. Sharing the 3,500 Pesos between us and also
having to pay a registration fee, came to 800 pesos each. They then charged 300
Pesos to hire a snorkel and mask, which was a bit expensive. Could have bought
one for that probably. Anyway, we had the boat until around 2pm to go Butanding
spotting. After setting off, two of the passengers announced that they had to
return to land early as they had a flight to Manila to catch. So, after barely
two hours we had to go back to land to drop them off. Another of the couples
decided that, as they hadn’t seen any Butanding yet, they would also get off.
No patience some people! As it turned out, the couple who had been disappointed
earlier, were still there, and so they got to join us for the second outing.
Lucky they decided to wait around. The crazy thing was that the boat could have
held at least 12 passengers plus the five crew, so why they wouldn’t let them
on in the first place was a mystery. Apart from spotting loads of dolphins and
flying fish, which was exciting, we didn’t see any Butanding today. It is early
in the season, the main time being March and April, but they had seen five
yesterday. Later in the day we found out that another boat had managed to see
only one. The way the luck goes I guess. We did do some snorkeling though, and
so it wasn’t all wasted.
After
returning to land, a note had been left by Lisa for us to go to ‘Jack’s place’
for lunch, only a short walk away. She had laid on a superb lunch for us of
local specialties and wanted nothing in return for it.
There was
some activity on the beach as a group of fishermen had laid out a drag net from
the beach, which they were hauling in. About half a dozen puffer fish and a
grouper were trapped in the net, along with the smaller fish that they actually
wanted to keep.
Lisa has been
a superb ambassador of her country and the TV company she works for, and a joy
to be with plus the most generous of ladies.
Back in town
they were preparing for a dance show tonight. It has been a year since they
started a programme to teach the youth and adults how to dance. Tonight will be
a showcase of their achievements and also an opportunity for anyone who wants
to join in…guess who will be in the front line? Music was being played
continuously through the PA system and that got my feet itching to dance, so
cannot wait. Went for a walk around town and the very friendly Filipino girls
proved they don’t disappoint…got asked to marry one within minutes. Their
techniques are funny and direct. No wonder I was walking around the town with a
big smile on my face. Bought a bottle of iced tea at a small shop, and the
gorgeous girl behind the counter, within about 20 seconds...are you single...I
am, she said... Can I have your cellphone number?...hope you don't mind me
asking, but how old are you? 16....aahhh. I would love to marry you, but there
could be some issues to deal with....thank you for the offer though!
Had a simple
but great dinner with the lovely Sasha and Luca from Slovenia. Wonderful
people, and then time to hit the dance floor! Well, as already mentioned, this
is the culmination of a year's learning by the youth of Donsol. Father George saw me as soon as we
arrived and ushered us to some seats in front of the presentation dance. VIP
treatment....I got up to dance with one of the teachers and the crowd cheered, but then the whole crowd got up and lined up in front
of us, now that felt interesting, so I asked them if they would like to join
in. They had actually been told over the PA that the evening was about to
start, not because we were up dancing. The timing was perfect and it felt
good and relaxed. The show they presented was wonderful. It was magic to see so
many beautiful young people having a superb time. They covered the Cha-cha cha, Samba, Tango and Foxtrot
and some Hip-hop. All
had dressed their best and the girls looked stunning...shame they were only 15
to 18 years old...bad strain on the heart!
After the
show, time to get on the floor, well the town square...and then it started
raining....bloody typical! Fortunately, it didn't last and then got on with the
dancing. So much fun, I couldn't believe my luck lately. So many pretty girls
to dance with and the best range of music I heard
in a long time. They aren't too
advanced here, but it was so good to dance, I was happy as could be. Every time I got a new girl up to dance, her friends
would be cheering with encouragement, just wonderful. Got invited by the
deputy lord mayor for drinks, so joined him and some other local notaries and
got welcomed into the crowd pretty quick. Introduced to his niece to dance with
and plenty of the strong stuff flowing. Had an awesome Pasa Doble in the pouring rain with the older people around
the square. Such a hoot I loved it. The rain was heavy again and it didn't
matter...soaked to the skin and smiling from ear to ear. I have had the most
amazing day, and met fantastic people. Back up in Silang, Sheira is busy
sorting out a Christmas tree. Looking forward to this
Christmas more than last year, which will be my second away from the UK.
Sat 13th Dec – Awake early as usual. 5am this time, and today heading off to Masbate,
although I could stay here for a while. Many
connections already and could build more if I stayed. But that seems to be the
case everywhere recently. Everywhere has the potential for more connections and
possibilities for a life, and then I move on....again. Well, I could come
back...another great place to add to the list of desireables!
Jumped on a Jeepney right outside the door of
the Santiago, going to Pilar Pier for 20 pesos. Started to get concerned about
the time as he stopped for a long time to pick up some fish and wait for some
students to boars. During the journey we managed to squeeze in 26 passengers.
It was very cozy indeed. Arrived at Pilar with less than 10 minutes to spare,
and had to walk...well, run...to the pier from where we were dropped off, about
a couple of hundred metres away. Easy enough to work out what to do. Just
called out 'Masbate fast craft', and enough people pointed the way. Stopped at
a stall to get some hot beef noodles and drink for the journey and then the
ticket office. Fixed price of 396 pesos aboard the Montenegro Shipping lines
ferry 'Masbate city', which should take about 2 hours. Had to go through an
entrance where an additional 5 pesos was charged for 'Passenger Terminal fee'.
Important to get on the right boat as there were others, the 'ordinary' speed,
and from the look of it, smaller and less robust. I had been advised not to
take these boats as they often sink, mainly as they overfill them with goods
and passengers, often to double their official capacity. Our much more swish
boat departed at 8:15, after the journey was blessed by a guy that sounded like
an Irish Padre...
Over the tannoy a prayer was made in English.
Some of the lines I picked up were....Bless this journey in times of storm, and
shipwreck. Guide us in times of misfortune, that we may reach our destination
safely. I felt much more relaxed now.... A smooth and easy sailing with the
Eagles playing on DVD followed by an English movie. Arrived at 10:15 and went
straight to the Trans-Asia Shipping Lines Ferry office to check out what the
sailing time was for Cebu. The boat was to leave at 6pm and ready to board at
4pm, so that seemed ok. Bought a ticket in 'Tourist Class' for 937.80 pesos.
The alternatives were a cabin, with none available anyway, for 1434.80 pesos,
or 'Economy Class' for 527 pesos. The difference with economy is that they are
bunk beds in the open on the lower decks, whereas the tourist class are nicer
beds in an air-conditioned room.
Left baggage at the ferry office and went into
town to eat and explore. Masbate is a functional sea port town. Got an ok feel
to it. The usual markets and rustic shops everywhere. Everyone you come across
is friendly and smile easily. Many beggars, especially children approached with
their hands out asking for money. It is an obviously poor place. A nice meal at
Odi's Grill house and then further
explore before heading back to the port because it was too hot to be out in the
sun. I stopped at a small café where a group of old ladies were chatting and
saw that one was wearing a women's group T-Shirt, so enquired about it. They
met regularly to gamble. Her statement was that they were poor so had nothing to
lose in trying anything to make money. It is illegal and so she gets arrested
often. In Fact she had only just been released!
Got back to the office and was tired so
crashed out on the floor leaning against my backpack. Before I had a chance to
fall asleep, a nice lady arrived asking if I wanted a manicure and pedicure.
Too good an offer to refuse, so for 100 pesos, I got hands and feet sparkling
with toe nails that I don't hink have looked that good in a very long time. She
was soon joined by another lady who helped and a third lady who started
massaging my feet. For a good hour I had three of them cleaning, manicuring and
massaging. All for 100 pesos. How's that for great value!
Whilst killing time many locals come up to
talk and it soon builds to a crowd squatting on the floor in discussion. Went
out for a short while to see what was going on with the boat. Busy activity
everywhere with forklift trucks whizzing around. Within seconds a group of boys
appeared with their hands out begging for money. This town is the first place
in the Philippines where I have experienced begging in an open fashion.
The boat departed a little late and it was
dark. The tourist class is quiet and comfortable and has a shower which was
well appreciated after a long day, albeit a cold one. Played cards over a nice
meal, good quality although more pricey aboard a ship. The economy class was
fairly full, and to be honest a very comfortable option. They aren't provided
with sheets as we were, but the temperature was pleasant due to a gently sea
breeze flowing through. Could easily have slept there. The tourist rooms are
much cooler and a little quieter.
Sun 14th
Dec – Arrived
in Cebu Harbour at 7:30am and had decided to not stop here yet. Instead I will
go on to Bohol Island, which is a couple of hours south of here. For the first
time in a long while I saw something that made you stop and think…. As the boat
was docking, some small Bangcas pulled along side with occupants begging for
anything we could throw at them from the boat. People were throwing money,
which an old lady would catch in a makeshift catcher from tarpaulin and sticks.
Others would throw food they had left. If they missed catching it, the kids
would jump in the water to retrieve it. This became a bit of a sport for some
who deliberately threw their offerings away from them, so they had to dive in
to get it. Over half a dozen boats were vying for the offerings. Guys were
steering the boats with their feet and would also sometimes jump in if they needed
to rescue something. It was a little bit of a circus, but for these people, it
is a matter of having to do this every day of their lives probably, and they
have to beg in whatever way they need.
After arrival, off to ferry terminal 3 to buy a ticket.
Managed to get on the 9:10 sailing, which cost 500 Pesos with Weesam Express. There is also a Sea-cat
going there from another pier next to the Weesam. Both arrive in Bohol at
Tagbilaran (can also fly into the same town from other parts of the
Philippines). As it was roasting hot, needed to leave my backpack at the
terminal. To enter the terminal costs a 25 Pesos ‘Terminal Fee’. This seems to
be charged at all ports, so cannot be avoided. No set price as all are
different. Also cost to leave baggage in their store, but the price also
included them loading it onto the boat. 100 Pesos for 3 items of baggage.
Needed to have breakfast and soon realized that there wasn’t
anything much at the port itself…later learnt that there was a café inside
which we hadn’t seen. Ah well, anyway, walked towards town and gave up finding
anything decent open as it is Sunday and everything was closed. Ended up at a
street food café and had a weak fish soup. Better than nothing I guess, but
didn’t fill me up much, so was still hungry.
Back at the port and through into the waiting area, to be
greeted by a band playing Christmas music. They were blind…from the ‘Sugbuanon
Blind Masseurs-Musicians Association Inc’. Fantastic band who played a diverse
range of music, not all Christmas classics, but so good had to leave a donation
as they were collecting towards new instruments. Made the time waiting a
memorable one. One thing I noticed was that the Filipinos weren’t applauding,
but we were. Eventually they followed and started applauding when we did. Not sure
if this is a cultural thing, but anyway, it doesn’t harm to show appreciation.
The ferry left slightly late at 9:40am and managed to get
some pot noodles on board before going outside to get some sunshine. Talked to
an old lady who was living on Panglao
Island, a short taxi ride away from Tagbilaran, where we arrive. She said that
Tag wasn’t a great place to stay and so was convinced to head straight to
Panglao island instead. Almost exactly 2 hours crossing on a smooth sea, with a
lovely warm breeze all the way.
I was very impressed by the terminal at Tagbilaran. It has a
visitor information desk and gives out excellent free maps, plus can organize
accommodations, tours etc. The thing is that this place is more touristy than
other locations I have been so far…and as expected…more expensive. Had already
been told that the best place to aim for was Alona Beach. So picked up a taxi after some negotiation for 300
Pesos, which took about 25 minutes to get there. The beach is dazzling pure
white, with aquamarine sea and palm trees…just perfect. Didn’t take long to
find somewhere to stay, although it is expensive with many luxury resorts
charging many thousands of pesos for a room. I ended up in an Economy room at
the lovely Bohol Diver’s Resort, a
short walk along the beach. Only cost 500 pesos a night, and next to the beach
and private bathroom.
Had spent a long time getting here and desperate to get into
the sea, so quick change and straight out. At the bottom of the steps into the
place is the Blue Ocean dive shop,
where I stopped off to get some info and they offered me a beer and so sat with
them for a nice chat about diving in the area. This beach front is wall-to-wall
dive shops, and so it is easy to arrange an outing from here. They dispelled
some rumors that Sharks were in this area, which hasn’t been true for a very
long time, and through the conversation I had with them learnt much about the
incorrect information that seems to have spread about diving possibilities
here. Anyway, better informed now to make a choice. They do have three good
dive areas to explore from here, so that will be enough to keep me satisfied.
Finally got into the sea, and…just like a warm bath. About 28 degrees, crystal
clear and teaming with life. Bangcas bobbing around in the waters painted in
bright colours, making the place look straight out of a postcard. The dive shop
lent me some booties as there are many urchins and spiky starfish and corals in
the shallow depths, so need to be careful.
After a nice swim I also learnt from the guys that I could
extend my visa in the local town much easier than I could in Cebu, and it would
only take 10 minutes as it is a small place. It just kept getting better and
better….and then it got better again…Tonight is Christmas party night for the
hotel staff and there is a band playing, who were setting up on the beach, and
guests were invited too. Dancing on the beach until 1am or so. Fantastic! I
couldn’t have picked a better place to come, or a better time. Was on a roll
now and so had a great massage by the very capable Bawn, who works at the
hotel. 300 pesos for 90 minutes full massage and superb technique. This place
is in the slow lane and nothing happens fast, so now felt down at their
pace….slooowwww….
That is about it for now..hope you managed to hang on in
there without falling asleep!
Bye for now
