On the 4th, Isa, Chelong, Lucia and I took a plane to Bohol, (island number two) one of the Visayan Islands. For three days we stayed at a smaller adjacent island, Panglao, (island number three) at the lovely Bohol Beach Club.
The guests came from all over the world. There were Italians, Canadians, Germans, Taiwanese, Japanese and Korean. It was beautiful. The beach was so alive with starfish everywhere! We took a glass-bottom boat and snorkeled to see the enormous variety of coral, sea anemones, starfish and sea urchins which were bigger than my head. We named the corals.
We also went to the Chocolate Hills (a geological phenomena) and Antiquera (a wholesale basket market that happens on Sundays only). It was quite fun basket shopping. We got carried away with the bargains and bought six BIG baskets. Where were we going to put them, how were we going to carry them?
Trains, Planes and Automobiles
For us, it was a shuttle, ferry, automobile, plane, bus and bangka. We left Bohol by ferry to island number four ;Cebu. This is where Magellan was defeated by Lapu-Lapu, the Muslim Chieftain from Mactan Island. We visited with my youngest cousin, Joey, who lives there with his wife and two girls. This was our stopover and departure point to Kalibo, a town in Aklan province on the Island of Panay -island number five.
We took a bus to Caticlan on the other end of the island to embark on a large bangka for the 30 minute ride to Boracay; island number six. The tide was high, there was no dock so we waded in waist deep water (totally unexpected), but, oh well, we were going to the beach anyway. It was quite fun!
We stayed at a lush resort called Lorenzo Main. Lorenzo's was in the center of the resort area.
Years ago, I was told, Boracay was a paradise. Now it is still a charming international oasis. It is reminiscent of a scene from the movie "Gidget"- a 50's beach haven. The restaurants were named The Swiss Inn, Real Coffee, (owned by a San Mateo woman), The English Baker, Capanini's, etc.; you get the picture? There is a sand walkway all through the western side of the island. The sand is like fine powdered sugar, and as white.
We took bangkas to an island with sea caves and went snorkeling a couple of times. Every spot was different. We saw fish of all kinds and gorgeous live corals! Boracay marked the winding down point of our vacation. We were sad to leave. Especially because the following day, was the official start of the Ati-Atihan, feast of the Santo Nino (baby Jesus) and it was the Filipino version of Mardi-Gras. (It goes back from the 1500s when the Spanish brought the Baby Jesus as a protector in their galleons). We still experienced a small taste of Ati-atihan. A marching band headed by about twenty small children and multiple drums came by, practicing for the next day's parade. People were waving palms and leaves and drinking tequila. (I'm sure it the old days they used to drink some palm brew). We soaked in our last sunset because we knew we wouldn't see it again through the polluted skies of Manila.
We were wished good-bye by my family the night before we left with a going away party attended by dozens of cousins, nieces, friends and nephews.
Lush colors, unforgettable sunsets, once-in-a-lifetime sights, sounds and smells, historic and natural beauty, loving and generous hospitality by Chelong and Joseton, we will never forget the wonderfiul 30-day visit to this country of my roots.
All in all, we went to six of the 7,107 islands in the Philippines. Thanks again to my sister and her family who put up with us for a month.