Wed 18th Mar - Tricycle to Naga Central Bus Terminal this morning to catch the bus to Daet in Camarines Norte province. About
90km and taking around 3 hours for 110 pesos. I prefer the local buses as the
gorgeous warm breeze through the windows at this time of year is lovely.
Most of this
area has already had its rice harvest, and so the last batches of rice lay
drying along the roads. The fields are now looking messy and await attention to
prepare for the next crop.
One point I
don't think I have mentioned before about Barangays. Each neighbourhood has
officers appointed by election and usually the welcome sign to each Barangay
has their names painted on. Their role is multipurpose; anything from problem
arbitration with communal arguments through to involvement in community
projects.
Another
common site is the inside of coconut spread out in the sun to dry. It curls up
and goes brown and is used to make coconut oil for herbal purposes.
At
the town of Sopocot this was a common sight. One thing you learn in the
Philippines is that they are great at exploiting the full use of anything they
have...animal, agricultural, material, whatever it is they will extract maximum
use from it. All part I guess of a poor country's resourcefulness.
A 'Purok' is a term you don't see everywhere;
It is a sub-division of a Barangay.
On
arrival in Daet had no idea of where to go toher than there was a beach here.
The tricycle driver took us to Pagasbas
beach, a few kilometers out of town. A flat beach with strong waves suited to
surfing, but naff accommodation options and no redeeming features, so returned
to Daet to try somewhere else. According to the map Pag-Asa beach to the north west of the town looked possible. This
meant getting a bus to Jose Panganiban,
so got taken to the bus stop and left within a few minutes. Supposed to be one
and a half hours, and maybe have to hire a banca when we get there.
Heading
out of town we passed an Ostrich farm. Another uncommon sight here.
A
funny sight on the way there was a steady stream of banners for 'Viva La
Virgin'. Could imagine a search to find the remaining virgins in the town, and
let's have a party!
The
hassle when we arrived...the first tricycle driver wanted 100 pesos to take us
to the beach, and proceeded to follow us after we refused and shout out to the
other drivers what he wanted to charge. Got fed up with him amd told him to go
away. Eventually finding a driver who would take us there for 60 pesos and
realised part way why the others wanted 100...the route is horrendous and so
bumpy it was painful. After reaching Pag-Asa it was a disaster. The worst beach
we had seen in a while and only one naff scruffy hut they wanted to charge
1,500 pesos for. There was no eating available at all, and we were in the middle
of nowhere. The most sensible thing was to get back to town and abandon the
idea of staying on the beach tonight. After checking the available hotels, none
were any good and so had to pick the least worse out of the bunch, the Victor
hotel for 500 pesos a night...best advice...don't come here!
Set
out to find somewhere to eat. Not the gastronimic centre of the Philippines!
Anyway, managed to get fed after some searching. Wandered through the market to
see what local delicacies were on offer. Shocked to find them selling baby
Whale-Sharks (Butanding). These are supposed to be protected, but here they
don't seem to care. They can be excused for catching them in their nets along
with other fish, but not excused for not throwing them back! To be fair to this
town, it is a normal small port which exists only for the locals and doesn't
set out to attract tourism, so excuse any criticism.
Thu Mar 19th - Heading north to Lucena this morning. One bus from here
run by Philtranco that goes all the way to Cubao in Manila, leaving at 7:30am.
Cost 241 pesos to Lucena. Have no idea how come they have a bus doing this
route as it seems so far out of the way with no attractions, but they msut have
their reasons. Have no idea what is in Lucena, but it is a convenient point on
the way back north to get off. It is all part of the adventure.
So
while i'm sat on the bus, some observations.....
Within
half an hour of setting off I saw five people walking along carrying a large
rolled up mattress and a large statue of Jesus. Is that what this 'Viva la
Virgin' thing is about? Either that or they have an odd business selling this
combination to passing tourists.
Over
my time here I have seen some of the most stunning women on the planet, that
would rival any of the world's top models. One sultry look can put you in
meltdown in seconds. They are everywhere and carry themselves in a confident
laidback and gracious manner. Women are highly respected by the men as is only
right. From an early age they are groomed to have children and look after them.
You see impossibly young girls carrying babies that look to be their own.
Everyone seems born to work, and noone seems afraid to work. Heavy labour
saving machinery is regularly replaced by brute force and determination and
mass work force, being that labour is cheaper than machinery. Children will be
seen cleaning the school grounds and helping out wherever they can. This is a
stark contrast to the westernised countries, where no child is expected to lift
a finger other than to operate a keyboard, a tv remote control or a games
consol. Sorry, being cynical here!
Safety
is another one of those things that is questionable, not just here, but across
many parts of Asia. You want to ride on top of the tricycle..no problem. You
want to go on the roof of the bus...no problem. You want to ride six on a
motorbike at breakneck speeds with no helmets and only flip-flops on your feet,
and balancing a pig on the back...no problem! As long as you reach the other
end in one piece, just go for it. In contrast, we sanitise, protect and remove
the risk and uncertainty as governed by so many regulations to stifle the
individual to the point of not being able to breathe. On roads where so many
risks seem to prevail, why isn't there a single speed camera? Who needs a Gatso (speed camera) database in their
navigation computer here? What is the speed limit anyway...I have no idea, as
nobody pays any attention to such a trivial matter. Do your brakes work, and
have you killed anyone today...nope...that's ok then...just get where you are
going as fast as you can! I absolutely detest that aspect of the uk and Europe,
for its seed cameras. Everyone is scared of receiving those nasty little
letters through the post that you have been fined for going a few miles over
the speed limit on a clear day with absolutely no risk to anyone. A real pain
in the arse, and one that I am glad to be rid of. I remember almost having an
accident once when I saw a camera flash go off and was so distracted by it I
took my eyes off the road in front of me. Don't think I have seen traffic
police in all the time I have been here, and have seen less accidents than I
did in the uk, for all of its measures to protect. It just works! Sorry, we did
see traffic police...in Tacloban in Leyte, where they are called 'Traffic
Enforcer' and wear red T-Shirts. But they are not to enforce speed, only to
curb a traffic overload situation at busy periods of the day.
What
else....oh yes, anything can go on the roads that serves a purpose. You see all
sorts of contraptions manufactured from spare parts and wheels. Doesn't matter
what state it is in. In the west, nothing can go on the road unless it is MOT'd
(Motor Ordinance Testing) and licenced to protect everyone. You get caught with
anything else and you stand a chance of getting fined by some snotty nosed cop
with no sense of humour. Here the cops are more than likely going to help you
get it going if it breaks down! Most imaginative transport has been assembled
by some impoverished farmer as part of his determination to eke out a living,
so why not support that ingenuity, rather than penalize it.
Buses...when
did you last see someone getting an entire set of furniture on a bus, or a load
of chickens, or their bags of rice crop to go to market. Everyday occurrence
here. The drivers and conductors aren't phased by anything, they look on it as
a challenge of where they are going to put it, and the passengers just sit
patiently whilst it gets loaded. If it means you then have to sit on to of a
load of stuff with no room to move, no problem, all in a day's travel.
In
a creative market, where opportunities are to be found everywhere, when a bus
stops it is time for the local vendors to jump on with whatever they have to
sell. Great fun and an eye opening experience of so many unrecognizable foods,
you realize how little you know about what can be made from such basic
ingredients. In a society where rice is the staple food from birth, you can
manufacture hundreds of foods from it. Add coconut to the list and the
permutations seem endless.
Arrived
in Lucena shortly after 1pm. A fairly unexciting journey and same same scenery.
Lucena proved to be another one of those cities with nothing to keep you there
for long, so hopped on a Jeepney to the bus station and then straight on a bus
to Batangas (112 pesos) taking around 90 minutes. Could have picked any random
direction from here, but made a rash decision to go to Mindoro. Had been here
just before new year and stayed on 'White beach' then. Didn't like it much and
will go to Sabang area this time.
As
expected, the bus didn't go direct to the port. The tricycle drivers wanted 120
pesos to take us there and so I refused. Got there by two Jeepneys instead for
14 pesos each. The last Bangca direct to Sabang had already left at 4:30 and so
we had no choice but to go to Puerto Galera instead. The hawkers grab you on
your way in to the entrance and try to tell you there is no option but to use
them. 200 pesos for the ticket, followed of course by the usual...terminal fee
(20 pesos) plus insurance fee (50 pesos). Chose the Golden Hawk company.
Treated to a pretty sunset on the way over, which was smooth and arrived in the
dark. Mobbed by the tricycle drivers as expected. Cost 100 pesos to get over to
Sabang beach. Had read and heard about it being a lively place, and it
certainly lives up to its reputation. Didn't take long to find somewhere, and
chose the 'Summer Breeze' at 600 including a kitchen and hot/cold shower plus
cable tv. Plenty of choice on the water front.
Out
to eat and soon realised why many places have a kitchen...this place is
expensive. Many things more than double the price of elsewhere. Crazy, and
planned to cook the rest of our time here. Another thing it is renowned for is
go-go bars and discos. It definitely lives up to that too! Girls on the prowl
everywhere. The discos are just a front for the pick-up girls, and are full of
guys and scantily clad girls dancing on the stage/bar. Very distracting..hard
to know where to look! Of course it does bring the standard topic into
discussion...foreign guys, mainly of retired age (and many seriously
overweight) everywhere, with a Filipino girl on their arm and many girls
looking for a guy that doesn't. Even if you are with someone, the other girls
still eye you up and then scrutinize the girl you are with. Makes me wonder if
they are thinking how to displace her so they can take over? It's all about
money of course, and how much they can get out of you. The more money you flash
around, the more girls will come flocking to your side and find everything you
say the funniest thing they have ever heard. If you sit and listen to their
conversations with other girls, you hear them comparing notes about who they
have seen, who they are with and what their own plans are.
Shiera
and I have regular discussions about this, as it is interesting to look at this
from all points of view. As far as
many would be concerned, we could be the same as any other. Only we know our
own situation.
Fri Mar 20th - A day doing nothing much other than explore thr area.
Sabang is wall-to-wall dive shops and restaurants/accommodation. Many Korean or
German owned places. And property prices through the roof as remaining space is
minimal.
Wherever
you go vendors hassle you to the point of annoyance. Boat hire, jewellery,
island hopping, food, fish, clothing...just about everything comes to you
rather than you having to go looking for it. Many beggars who blatantly
approach you with their hand open...adult and children alike...give me
money...sir is rich...give me money! Sitting on the veranday of our apartment
was a pain in the arse during the day, as a steady stream of vendors pester you
to the point you tell them to sod off and leave you alone....and they still
stand there and try another approach with something else.
Sat 21st Mar - Do you know...until I was writing my journal, I had no
idea it was Saturday today. One day is much like another, and no idea of time
anymore. Haven't been wearing a watch and only need to know...is it light or
dark and eat when hungry, get up when slept enough.
Further
exploration today. At the end of the beach is Tina's Restaurant, from where you can climb steps, hundreds of
them, to get to the top of the hill. A nice vantage point to see the town from
there, and then follow the winding paths and road back to town, the real
Sabang, where the locals live. Much like any other small town where they stare
at you like aliens as you walk by.
Chicken
curry tonight, so gathered the ingredients. You have to shop around as they
aren't as pleasant as other places about haggling the price...take it or leave
it!
Got
dressed up to go out for the evening and would have liked to dance. But that
isn’t possible here. There are three discos in a small area by the beach, but
the word ‘Disco’ isn’t what it would mean in other places. Here, the word Disco
means go-go bar. The only dancing is the girls performing on stage for the
guys. So, resisting as much as I could and suggesting that it wasn’t the right
environment for Shiera to go into, we ventured in to one of them. These are
confronting places, especially for a girl, as the other girls in the bar
immediately lock eyes on you, and start talking amongst themselves as they
don’t recognize as one of the crowd. I came to the opinion a long time ago that
these places are a way of emptying your wallet in a short a timescale as
possible, and the novelty soon wears off. If you scan around at the place, you
don’t see that many smiling happy faces. Most look bored or disappointed. The
girls make hardly any effort to even dance properly. Most have gorgeous bodies
and good looks to go with it, but dance like a lump of lard, with about as much
sex appeal as a daytrip down a coalmine!
So,
with a head full of attitudes and mixed emotions, we finished off the evening
back at the apartment over a glass of wine chatting about the experience.
Sun 22nd Mar – Today is mother’s day in the UK. Something else I didn’t
know until recently as my brain has become disconnected from the rest of the
world and dates and stuff. I have an organizer, but don’t look at it that
often, so the reminders slip by….whooops!!
It
is getting time to go back to Silang now, and that is another thing that is
causing a problem. It is alright setting off for an indeterminate period to go
exploring, but when it comes to going home, the reality comes flooding back
with a bang. We never set a timescale for this trip and so had no fixed date
for its end. The problem is that I get tired by the travel nowadays. Having
done it for so long, even though enjoying it still, it does take it out of me.
Every day is another case of where to go, what to do, how to get there, how
much money does it cost, planning, planning, planning, etc I would have liked
to dive here in Sabang, but haven’t got the energy or inclination, even though
it is a prime place to dive. Had set off from Silang on Sunday 15th
February, so have been traveling for 5 weeks. That time has flown by fast.
Mon 23rd Mar - Today is time to head for home. It has been a longer time
than I expected to be away, and it has taken its toll on both of us. I know
that travelling for too long is a tiring experience if you aren't up to it.
Shiera isn't a traveller and has found it draining, much the same as myself.
Getting places and not wanting to do anything, despite there being much to do,
is a waste of money and time. So, I made the decision to go back today. This
has many repercussions, as life back in Silang is empty too, with nothing to
occupy my mind after the initial few days of catching up. For Shiera, the
reality of getting back to work is a daunting prospect too.
Took
the 10:20 sailing aboard the Lady
Rhealaine. Throughout the day there are boats leaving, direct to Batangas,
with the last about 4pm. 250 pesos including the 10 peso terminal fee.
From
Batangas there are a few options for going north. I fancied a quick look at
Taal city, as it is supposed to be a historic place. The information for
getting there sounds easy, the reality less so.
You
have to get to the Jeepney area of the port, which means going into the exit
and out of the entrance! Jeepneys are shouting for business and, as we found
out, promise anything to get you on board. Most go to Lemerek after Taal, but
that depends on the number of passengers and where they want to go. Our driver
promised Taal and didn't tell us until part way there that he wasn't going
there anymore. Instead we had to get off and transfer to another Jeepney.
Anyway, got there eventually. A good decision to go, as it is a pleasant place.
The main attraction is the Basilica church, which sits on a mound in the Taal
Park. Cannot go in, so only an external look. In front of the municipal hall is
one of those statues to Jose Rizal, the national hero. I have seen a few on my
travels where they have painted on a small black moustache, Charlie Chaplin
style. Good sense of humour!
Had
lunch in the Taal Volcano Restaurant, where a group of students were playing
guitar and singing. They were happy for us to leave your luggage there whilst
we explored the town. Got some directions to other local landmarks, but most
weren't worth the effort or were closed. This town is different than others in
that it has some old building that are in good condition and worth a couple of
hours or so looking around.
Asked
around for details of a bus to Tagaytay, and told there was only vans, so got
dropped at the van terminal. 160 pesos and about an hour for the 40km trip.
Pleasant area and a surprising number of wealthy looking resorts along the way.
Another bus from there back to Silang, and the usual weird feeling of walking
back into somewhere after a while away.
As
the fridge was bare, we went to the Balinsasayaw restaurant around the corner
for dinner. We had been to their counterpart place in Palawan, but prefer this
one for its much nicer location and setting.
