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nunuuuThis week, my friends and I flew to Bohol to unwind and let loose. Bohol is an island province south of Manila that's an hour and a half away via plane, and god, every peso for the airfare was so fucking worth it. It was my first time there, and I was just blown away by everything; the scenery kind of just literally takes your breath away, clichéd as that phrase might be may be. It reminds me of how beautiful the Philippines really is, and how lucky I am to live in a country where paradise is just a short plane ride away! (Boracay doesn't count, that's kind of like Manila aka party central only with a beach as a background. Bohol is the real thing.)
We stayed in Panglao, which is frequently listed as one of the top diving spots in the world, boasting of crystal clear waters, white sand, and rich marine biodiversity. And when I say rich, I mean rich: just dig a little bit into the sand and there are different types of shells, clams, starfishes, sea slugs, everything! And there are dolphins! One moment that made a huge impression on me was when we went diving. After about a mile from the shore, the sea floor suddenly dips 30-40 feet, then, a mirage: amazing sea corals and sponges, tropical fishes and creatures of all sizes and looks (some look downright extraterrestrial), all set against a background of clear blue, and really, the reef seemed like it went on and on and on. I felt nothing but awe, humbled by the vitality of life in the reef and the surreality of witnessing such beauty in profound silence.
I THINK I MIGHT TAKE UP DIVING SERIOUSLY, FOR REAL.
Anyway, the view that greeted us every day:
First, before heading to Panglao where we would stay, we toured the main island of Bohol. I'm telling you, hardcore bucolic beauty, seriously.
We had lunch on Loboc River, on one of the simplest and most rugged cruises I've ever been on. That's the awesome thing about it
Lunch is served
Of course, I had Coke! Coke anywhere, any time. On my plate, I have seaweed, kuchinta (a brown sort of steamed rice cake), squid, tuna belly, green mango, puso ng saging (banana blossom) and my favorite, palitaw (also a rice cake, but flat) with sugar! Can't get any more perfect than this!
Busay Falls. Tiny yet charming
We lucked on being able to watch a group of local kids singing Boholano songs, in native costumes to boot. I asked our tour guide if they weren't being exploited/over-worked, and he said that the kids only sing at certain times of the day and in conditions that were children-friendly. Also, they had compensation. So I guess, all is good. Their smiles were so genuine and warm it's hard to believe otherwise, anyway
After the cruise we went to a sanctuary for tarsiers, which are the world's second smallest primate. And man, they are tiny! They could cosily fit in the palm of my hand
Have a sleeping one
The whole troop
We also went to the famed and fabled Chocolate Hills, an unusual yet natural geological formation that's unique to Bohol. "They are covered in green grass that turns brown during the dry season, hence the name."
And there are hundreds of hills. Hundreds
Ice-cream and fooling around after a considerable hike
After that, we stayed in Panglao and the nearby islets. Nothing but fun under the sun! On our second day, we went out early to catch sight of some dolphins
YES, THIS IS A TESTAMENT TO MY LAME PHOTOGRAPHY SKILLS! WE SAW QUITE A NUMBER OF THEM BUT I ONLY MANAGED TO TAKE A PICTURE OF A SINGLE DOLPHIN'S FIN, NOTHING MORE. LOL
(Yes it's that gray thing on the left.)
Before midday, we headed to a virgin sand bar
There were locals selling fresh uni. They cut it in half, place the oozing thing in your hand, add suka (vinegar), then you slurp it like crazy. I had about 8, seriously one of the best things I've ever tasted in my life! Also, for dirt-cheap. Uni costs a bomb in Japanese restaurants, and they're not even half as fresh as the ones we had in the sand bar. They were literally plucked from the sea floor just hours, possibly minutes, before they served it to us. I wanna have it again!
Requisite silliness
I swear, that sandbar was made solely of starfish. All you had to do was stick your hand in the sand for a second and you could grab five of them at a time
After the sandbar, we went snorkeling and diving. It was exhausting. The next two days, we just lazed around in front of our resort. Happiness!
The boys couldn't stop playing frisbee
It's the beach. Of course someone has to be buried!
A rather grotesque merman
Sisig, which everybody should have once in their lifetimes. Anthony Bourdain was absolutely tickled by this sizzling, pig-face dish. Yes, pig-face. Yes, extremely delicious.
Camaron rebosado, which I had three times on this trip. It's my favorite. It's similar to tempura, only, the way of cooking is adopted from the Chinese. Crispy, scrumptious, and heavenly!
Playing patintero during low-tide
I'd explain the mechanics of patintero, but it'd take too much time. But it's one of those Pinoy childhood games that are still a blast to play even as adults
Patintero = serious business
A glorious summer morning on our last day
We caught or own uni/sea urchin!
There was a jellyfish on our frisbee :|
A never-ending love affair with buko/coconut juice!
Coconut shake. Mmmmmmm
:-)
NOW THAT, WAS AN AMAZING TRIP.
Bohol, I'll be back soon!
We stayed in Panglao, which is frequently listed as one of the top diving spots in the world, boasting of crystal clear waters, white sand, and rich marine biodiversity. And when I say rich, I mean rich: just dig a little bit into the sand and there are different types of shells, clams, starfishes, sea slugs, everything! And there are dolphins! One moment that made a huge impression on me was when we went diving. After about a mile from the shore, the sea floor suddenly dips 30-40 feet, then, a mirage: amazing sea corals and sponges, tropical fishes and creatures of all sizes and looks (some look downright extraterrestrial), all set against a background of clear blue, and really, the reef seemed like it went on and on and on. I felt nothing but awe, humbled by the vitality of life in the reef and the surreality of witnessing such beauty in profound silence.
I THINK I MIGHT TAKE UP DIVING SERIOUSLY, FOR REAL.
Anyway, the view that greeted us every day:
First, before heading to Panglao where we would stay, we toured the main island of Bohol. I'm telling you, hardcore bucolic beauty, seriously.
We had lunch on Loboc River, on one of the simplest and most rugged cruises I've ever been on. That's the awesome thing about it
Lunch is served
Of course, I had Coke! Coke anywhere, any time. On my plate, I have seaweed, kuchinta (a brown sort of steamed rice cake), squid, tuna belly, green mango, puso ng saging (banana blossom) and my favorite, palitaw (also a rice cake, but flat) with sugar! Can't get any more perfect than this!
Busay Falls. Tiny yet charming
We lucked on being able to watch a group of local kids singing Boholano songs, in native costumes to boot. I asked our tour guide if they weren't being exploited/over-worked, and he said that the kids only sing at certain times of the day and in conditions that were children-friendly. Also, they had compensation. So I guess, all is good. Their smiles were so genuine and warm it's hard to believe otherwise, anyway
After the cruise we went to a sanctuary for tarsiers, which are the world's second smallest primate. And man, they are tiny! They could cosily fit in the palm of my hand
Have a sleeping one
The whole troop
We also went to the famed and fabled Chocolate Hills, an unusual yet natural geological formation that's unique to Bohol. "They are covered in green grass that turns brown during the dry season, hence the name."
And there are hundreds of hills. Hundreds
Ice-cream and fooling around after a considerable hike
After that, we stayed in Panglao and the nearby islets. Nothing but fun under the sun! On our second day, we went out early to catch sight of some dolphins
YES, THIS IS A TESTAMENT TO MY LAME PHOTOGRAPHY SKILLS! WE SAW QUITE A NUMBER OF THEM BUT I ONLY MANAGED TO TAKE A PICTURE OF A SINGLE DOLPHIN'S FIN, NOTHING MORE. LOL
(Yes it's that gray thing on the left.)
Before midday, we headed to a virgin sand bar
There were locals selling fresh uni. They cut it in half, place the oozing thing in your hand, add suka (vinegar), then you slurp it like crazy. I had about 8, seriously one of the best things I've ever tasted in my life! Also, for dirt-cheap. Uni costs a bomb in Japanese restaurants, and they're not even half as fresh as the ones we had in the sand bar. They were literally plucked from the sea floor just hours, possibly minutes, before they served it to us. I wanna have it again!
Requisite silliness
I swear, that sandbar was made solely of starfish. All you had to do was stick your hand in the sand for a second and you could grab five of them at a time
After the sandbar, we went snorkeling and diving. It was exhausting. The next two days, we just lazed around in front of our resort. Happiness!
The boys couldn't stop playing frisbee
It's the beach. Of course someone has to be buried!
A rather grotesque merman
Sisig, which everybody should have once in their lifetimes. Anthony Bourdain was absolutely tickled by this sizzling, pig-face dish. Yes, pig-face. Yes, extremely delicious.
Camaron rebosado, which I had three times on this trip. It's my favorite. It's similar to tempura, only, the way of cooking is adopted from the Chinese. Crispy, scrumptious, and heavenly!
Playing patintero during low-tide
I'd explain the mechanics of patintero, but it'd take too much time. But it's one of those Pinoy childhood games that are still a blast to play even as adults
Patintero = serious business
A glorious summer morning on our last day
We caught or own uni/sea urchin!
There was a jellyfish on our frisbee :|
A never-ending love affair with buko/coconut juice!
Coconut shake. Mmmmmmm
:-)
NOW THAT, WAS AN AMAZING TRIP.
Bohol, I'll be back soon!
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no subject
Date: 2011-06-04 06:20 pm (UTC)THAT BEACH. The white sand, blue water...
It looks so heavenly.
You are always traveling! I'm sort of jealous.
One of these days I will write my own travel post, for reals.
In the meantime, I'll look forward to your next one XD
no subject
Date: 2011-06-06 06:45 am (UTC)It only looks like I'm always traveling because I've been on my year-off from "real life" after graduating, haha. This might be my last hurrah for a bit because I'm going to start working soon. :) But definitely, I have endless wanderlust! Looking forward to your travel posts!
no subject
Date: 2011-06-04 06:22 pm (UTC)looks like hot summer holidays :)))
and I actually like your photos, they're very nice! especially where your friend is doing something strange in mid-pose, standing on his hands XDD
and the sea looks gorgeous!!!
I checked, but I still don't get the Patintero game XD
no subject
Date: 2011-06-06 06:47 am (UTC)Lol, my friend was trying to catch the frisbee and I caught him in mid-pose, diving. :D
It's kind of hard to explain, really. Haha. But it's fun and physical! ♥
no subject
Date: 2011-06-04 07:31 pm (UTC)I can't go anywhere without having a Coke either :)
no subject
Date: 2011-06-06 06:48 am (UTC)Coke is my H20! Totally not healthy, but it's just so damn yummy and refreshing. Especially when it's ice-cold! Heaven.
no subject
Date: 2011-06-05 10:08 am (UTC)I've been wanting to go to Bohol for ages now; the only time I ever went south of Luzon I went to Cagayan de Oro and Camiguin (my definition of paradise); I would've gone on to Bohol and Cebu (of particular interest, as I am half Cebuana) but had to go back because my cousin was getting married and I was maid of honour. The person who took us to Mindanao is now stationed in Siargao so I cannot wait to go there.
Unfortunately, I never learned how to surf, despite going to school in two big surfer towns, because I am nearsightedIronically, I once went to the Hundred Islands, which is basically the Chocolate Hills in water XD...Sisig, which everybody should have once in their lifetimes. Anthony Bourdain was absolutely tickled by this sizzling, pig-face dish.
As a Pampangueña, this sentence makes me extremely proud
although I prefer fish sisig, myself. I loved that episode of "No Reservations" because I knew exactly where all the Pampanga footage was shot XDAlso, word on Boracay. It's too much like Cancun, which isn't the classiest thing ever for us North Americans... haha. I've never been to either, but just from the rep Boracay's got I'm not sure it'd be my thing. I've already lived in a beach party town, after all, albeit with less tourists lol.
And finally, can I just say OMG TARSIERS AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ♥
...seriously though, can I hang out with you? Your trips always sound like the funnest things ever. I'm working on getting plane fare, like, right now ahahahaha
going home for grandparents' wedding anniversary round Christmastimeno subject
Date: 2011-06-06 06:55 am (UTC)Oh gosh, I want to go to Camiguin and Siargao as well! Only, like you, I don't know how to surf. I don't know why I have no issue with diving in open water but get intense cold feet at the thought of surfing. Blue Crush may or may not have contributed to this phobia, head smashing into the corals and all, yikes. And ooh, you're half-Cebuana! I love Cebu. I was there last January, with friends too, and we partied the heck out in Sinulog. You should totally visit, it's a beautiful place. :D
That No Reservations episode got me so hungry, it was unreal. Pinoy food is love!
Yeah Boracay does feel like Cancun, lol. But it's still fun though. It's like a small, hedonistic city, but it's on the beach haha. Not my thing either, but when you're with the right people, anything can be fun.
AREN'T TARSIERS THE CUTEST THINGS? ♥
Game, lets hang out when you get here! Christmas in the Philippines is always merry and fattening, as you probably know :DDD
no subject
Date: 2011-06-05 10:29 am (UTC)o
w
*_____________________________* that place looks beautiful *_________________*
this makes me just want to go on a trip as well (;
no subject
Date: 2011-06-06 06:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-06-05 03:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-06-06 06:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-06-06 12:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-06-06 01:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-06-05 06:30 pm (UTC)I've been in bohol years back. it's nice to see that it's still as delightful as it was. :)
no subject
Date: 2011-06-06 07:02 am (UTC)Yes, it's still as pretty as ever ♥
no subject
Date: 2011-06-06 12:32 am (UTC)The beach. The sea. I'll never see such a beautiful sea in my life ! The beach in Egypt was lovely and wondeeeeerful but this beats it, hands down.
You already know I'm a food lover so I'll skip the usual part where I drool over your pics ahah.
And btw, are all the guys over there so fitted ? 8D
Now that was a nice view, lucky girl ;D
Btw, you wearing a long long floral dress on the boat ? Loving them this summer! ♥
no subject
Date: 2011-06-06 07:13 am (UTC)Lol @ you noticing my guy friends haha :D Well, it's not like everyone is buff and all here, it just so happens my friends are kind of sporty (and if a little bit, vain, haha.) But I've been friends with most of them since high school so I don't really notice it anymore, or like, I've never noticed for real haha.
Yup, was wearing a long floral dress on the boat. Glad you noticed ♥ I love them too, this summer!
literaryidiot
Date: 2011-06-06 02:12 pm (UTC)Re: literaryidiot
Date: 2011-06-07 03:30 pm (UTC)Интересно почитать
Date: 2011-07-10 07:59 pm (UTC)