Boracay: In Transit (1st Part of 2)

Prelude. It was already 3:00 PM when we got to the terminal for vans bound for Kalibo. I was feeling a bit concerned since Kalibo is still three hours away and then Caticlan will take another two hours from there.

There was a van about to go already when we got there but we were advised to wait for the next one so we could sit comfortably and so we did. It was just a little while before the next van came but to me, every minute that passed seemed an eternity. When the next van came, we immediately took the seat at the back of the driver. It was just perfect for all of us. It was roomy and sits the four of us and the kids quite comfortably. Then the first of a series of mishaps happened.

The van wasn’t parked correctly so the driver was advised to do so. I don’t know what was wrong with him but he certainly did seem over zealous. In his haste, he managed to get us into a ditch! Imagine that! And that was not all. When the right, front wheel fell into the ditch, the sliding door of the van also got dislodged. With the ease with which the driver returned the door to its place, I knew that that wasn’t the first time it happened. And I was like, “Oh, alright…” After that incident I finally noticed that the van’s interiors were shabby and some seats were in need of repairs.

I was never one of those travelers who is a stickler for comfort and style. A little (or more) discomfort does not disconcert me. To me, it’s part of the adventure. However, this time, I was traveling with family and their safety is what matters to me. As how it often is in traveling in the provinces, there isn’t much of an alternative and besides, that was the last trip bound for Kalibo. So we stayed with the van despite some warning bells ringing in my head. Nonetheless, I remained optimistic. And soon after we were on our way.

As if to counter my optimism, it rained along the way. And to add to my dismay, there were probably holes on the roof of the van since there were some drippings inside. I was happy to note, however, that on where we were seated, there was none. So compared to the other passengers, we were relatively dry. Or so I thought.

Somewhere a long the way the driver opened his side of the window. This, in order to make it easier for him to reach out and wipe dry his side of the windshield as the wiper wasn’t working at all. (Yes, imagine that! Wiper not working and it was raining cats and dogs at that time!) And then as I was feeling grateful for being relatively dry despite the depressing state of the van, a speeding bus from the opposite direction managed to send our way – through the opened window of our driver – quite a splash of water. And the water went straight to my face!

My reaction was immediate. I laughed out loud so suddenly that Mama looked at me in alarm. I was really finding the whole thing amusing. Mama also laughed when she finally understood why I was laughing. I mean, the whole experience was really something. To me, it felt as if it was properly staged, complete with all the works. Everything seemed a scene out of a comedy movie. And I must add -- once or twice a long the way, the door also dislodged itself after a passenger alighted from the van.

The light was starting to fade and I was also noting that there are more dark clouds across the horizon. I was fearful that it was raining hard in Caticlan too. We had booked our accommodations at Boracay for that night and the following two days. I do not fancy having to look for a place in Caticlan in case we would not be allowed to cross due to bad weather.

At Kalibo. I was glad when I started to recognize the outskirts of Kalibo. We are at last on our last leg of the trip. My gladness soon gave way to sorrow when I started to notice the state of the place. Our taxi driver in Iloilo had informed us that Kalibo was the hardest hit by the typhoon and that the devastation we saw in Jaro (which was really something) was nothing compared to Kalibo’s. So I had had my expectations. It was, however, nothing compared to what I saw. Billboards had fallen. There were full roofs stuck in the middle of electric lines. Houses and buildings alike were in a state of disarray. It was a depressing sight.

The driver of the van we were on was kind enough to take us to where there were vans bound for Caticlan even though it was still several blocks from where his stop should be. It wasn’t raining when we arrived in Kalibo but it started to rain just as we are about to board the second van. It was already dark when we started for Caticlan. I looked longingly at jeeps bearing the “New Washington” signboards. I know we were very close to the place. But that would have to wait. For now, Boracay awaits.

I was grateful to note that this part of the road network was really good. Though most part of the way was in a zig-zag, the roads were not bumpy at all. It was by far better than the roads networks of Iloilo-Roxas-Kalibo. I guess the local government really made an investment on this. Boracay, after all, is frequented by quite a number of tourists whole-year round.

We traveled in the dark with the headlights of the van only making the illumination. Thankfully, as if to make up for the previous experience, the second van was very roomy and very comfortable. The aircon was working well too. So it was really a very relaxing ride. The olds, however, are starting to show the signs of fatigue. It had been a long day. I was tired myself.

It was already 8:00 PM when we reached the jetty terminal. I was surprised to find out there were still several tourists there, also on their way to Bora. In my tiredness and confusion, I had to make several visits to the ticket booth. Things have changed. I was expecting we’ll be buying ferry tickets inside the terminal as before. This time, we had to get it from the windows outside.

Anyway, exhaustion was really starting to wear me down especially when Baby still showed signs of being in high spirits. He was running all over the place. Still, I was able to take special note of the interesting things going on in the terminal. There were several tourists there. The group was a mixture of Asian and local tourists. Most looked Oriental. There were kids too as there were several families there. I thought this was interesting especially since it’s the first week of July and school has already started. They were probably from International Schools, or from schools that observe trimesters. Or, probably, like us, they really just made time for a quick vacation. In our case, we had to talk to Janin’s teacher to excuse her for a few days from school.

We had to wait for a while for the ferry and it only underlined our weariness. I know the olds were already eager to rest. We had had little sleep the night before in order to pack and then we had to wake up real early to catch an early 6:15 AM flight. And then we had been traveling non-stop since then. We were quite a big group -- waiting for the ferry -- and everyone seemed intent to board it no matter what. Thankfully, we were still able to sit comfortably at the back. The crossing just took 15 to 20 minutes.

Bora at last. Unlike in the past wherein the ferry would make a beeline for white beach, this time, there is already a designated “pier.” So we again had to board a tricycle that would take us to our resort. To our dismay we noted that the island is enveloped in darkness. There was a brownout. That had me worried. It made me think the owner of the resort probably just reassured us that everything is well but in truth it wasn’t. The tricycle driver was reassuring, however, saying that the lights are due to be on any minute and that life in Bora had already been restored even the week before.

It took a while before a personnel from the resort we were to stay came to where we were waiting. The olds were growing fretful by the minute. It really was just exhaustion talking. An then at long last, there we were. We rented an entire house for the occasion. While there was only one bedroom, there are two big beds. The sala was spacious also that could hold another big bed. The place come with a ref too, perfect for the groceries we bought in Roxas. We knew that everything is expensive in Bora and the next day was my birthday after all. We intended to have some macaroni salad so we really had to buy groceries from Roxas.

What I appreciated most about the place was the wi-fi connection. It meant I could still do my work and email my reports on time. It also meant we could easily get in touch with Ate and the kids 24/7. Well, 24/3 that is, since we would be in Bora for 3 days only. It was the reason why, as inconvenient as it may have been, I dragged my laptop all the way there.

Andok’s. Our immediate need was food so we went out in search of restaurants. We immediately stumbled upon “Andok’s.” I was a bit surprised to have found some relatively priced resto’s in Bora. In the past, everything seemed awfully expensive. With the likes of Andok’s and Mang Inasal dotting the place, local tourists now have some cheaper alternatives.

For the second time that day, Bee and I had bangus. For that second time that day as well, the olds and Janin are having chicken. Luckily this time, the joint sell pork sinigang so they had that as well. I couldn’t resist an order of leche flan. It had been a long day, I was in need of some comfort food. After eating we went back to our cottage, washed up and slept. (To be continued...)

Roxas City Trip

For the longest time I’ve been wanting to take Mama on a trip somewhere. It’s high time that she starts enjoying the fine things in life. She’s always been hardworking, always bent on providing for and serving the people in her lives. It’s high time that someone starts thinking about giving her what is due her. Oh, I’ve always been mindful of her and all the sacrifices she did and is still doing for the family. But I never really had the chance to treat her big time. For one thing, I did not have the resources before. And when there were instances that I did have the resources, she would always decline the offer, saying it would just be a waste of money.

So this time, not to give her the time to refuse, I booked her plane ticket in advance. So I just broke it to her gently that she had to take a leave from work for two days as her ticket is non-refundable. I had booked her ticket two months in advance so she would have the time to have the whole idea sink in and well, to prepare for the trip.

For two months, there were times I would sense her excitement for the trip. But there were also times when she would express her misgivings for the whole thing, for the expense and for the time it would take her away from work. She bemoaned the fact that she would be away from her work and how the money that I would spend for her and Janin be used for a more worthwhile project. When she would get into this mood, I would immediately turn away lest we would again get into one of our arguments. In the end she lightened up especially when it was settled that Mama Fely will be joining us as well. It was one of her worries – who would be left with Mama Fely when we were away. I worried about that as well. Good thing Ate made arrangements for her to join us.

Choosing the Place. Baguio and Ilocos was one of the trip options. Actually I had a hard time deciding where to take her. But since Bolo and I had recently been to Baguio, I had certain misgivings about going there again. Ilocos is another thing though. The last time I’ve been there was some four or five years ago. So I was kind of toying with the idea. I could no longer remember how it came to be that I finally decided on Boracay. I think it had something to do with the available flights and the promo.

Boracay. I’ve never been fond of the place before. I’ve been there twice and I used to think being there once is enough. I’m fond of Panay as a whole though. I love visiting Iloilo and all its churches (especially those I have not been to yet). And I’m particularly fond of Kalibo or to be more apt, New Washington because of Sampaguita Gardens. And I had yet to visit Antique, Guimarras and Roxas City.

I’ve always been wanting to visit Roxas City. The last time I had a chance to visit Panay, I’ve been able to go to Miag-ao (one of my must-see places) despite the tight schedule I had. At that time, we were actually staying at Sampaguita Gardens for several days. Since we were real close to Boracay already, we decided to go there. But I would have rather visited Roxas City since I’ve never been there yet. Aside from the fact that I’ve always wanted to visit Pan-ay Church and its historic Bell (Biggest in Asia and third in the world). So when we finally decided on Boracay at this time, I fully intended to go Roxas City.

It was a little difficult deciding on the itinerary given the limited time we had. We only had 5 full days and I had intended we cover Roxas, Miag-ao, some other churches in Iloilo, New Washington and well, Boracay. Guimarras and nearby Bacolod sounded appealing and I know I would have squeezed them in if I only had enough time.

The trip. Landing in Iloilo on our first day, we immediately made a segue to the terminal for the bus that would take us to Roxas City. We passed by a portion of Jaro District on our way there and we saw the devastation left by Typhoon Frank. Yes, our trip was scheduled right around that time. Fortunately for us, our schedule was not on the week when the typhoon hit but around two weeks after its onslaught. Frank left such a big damage though so there were talks that Panay and Boracay would not recover in a month. Imagine that! Everything was plastered in the news and what was shown was not exactly a pretty picture. The olds were starting to voice out their concerns and so did our close friends who knew of the trip. But the owner of the resort we booked in Boracay was reassuring and so we went ahead with the trip.

It took some time before the bus left for Roxas and the ride was not exactly smooth. We arrived at Roxas at around 1 pm and we were actually starving having no decent breakfast but some packed cheese sandwiches. So we immediately hailed a cab. In Roxas, translate that to – tricycle. We headed straight to Gaisano Metro and into Mang Inasal. Ah, Mang Inasal is another story altogether. I intend to devote a separate entry just for it.

Anyway, since we intended to go around Roxas very quickly, given the limited time we had, we decided to hire the tricycle we hailed for the entire afternoon. So we practically went around Roxas city in our “tri-wheeled limousine” :)

Pan-ay Church was our objective in Roxas but since we were already close to the “Roxas Mansion” – Sen. Mar Roxas’ residence – we decided to visit is as well and take a few pictures. After which, we went straight to Pan-ay Church.

The church was located at some distance from the city proper. It took a while before we got there. I was happy to find out that the church was open. The olds and I immediately knelt down to pray. The kids however have different ideas. They were running about and shouting, much to my consternation.

I almost moaned out loud when I found out the belfry was locked. I was there for the Bell and it would certainly be a shame to miss it this time. Who knows when I’d have the time and the resources to visit again. I urged Bee to inquire at the cumvento whether we could have the belfry opened. We both did but we were informed that the caretaker left and would not be returning for some time. My heart sank but still I did not lose hope. And true enough, soon after the caretaker arrived and we were allowed entry.

The climb. It was quite a climb to the top. I got pleased and at the same time fearful when Mama displayed her enthusiasm to go up the belfry. Pleased because I was really happy for her. It also made me realize she is really hungry for such adventures and I’m glad to have been given the opportunity to give that to her. Fearful because not only was the climb long, the stairs were real steep as well. Even I had a hard time maneuvering the stairs (especially in going down!) And of course there was her hypertension to consider.

On the way up, I kept reminding her to take her time and not to rush to the top. I assured her we had all day to conquer the bell and that she should not worry about her slow ascent. Of course we did not have all day but I can’t have her sick just because I was very much a stickler for time.

And then before I knew it, we were all on the top of the belfry. The bell was huge alright and the 360 angle view of Roxas was heavenly as well. I just got a bit concerned with Baby. The place wasn’t exactly “fall-proof” and it was quite a drop from there to the ground – a no-no place for a toddler who has boundless energy. So we made sure we always had a hand on him.

On our way down, I urged Bolo to make a donation. I urged him to make a bigger donation when I saw him take a bill of low denomination. I pointed out to him that we do not know when we will be able to come and visit the church again. That could very well be the only chance we get to make a donation.

We took a few more pictures of the church when we got down. Afterwards we headed back to downtown so we could catch our ride for Caticlan. Next stop – Boracay!

Some trivia: There are several bells at the belfry aside from the big bell. If I’m not mistaken, there were 9 bells in all. The caretaker told us that during special occasions such as weddings, all 9 bells will be rang and that the sound would be heard far and wide. Hmm… talk about declaring to the world that you’ve finally tied the knot : )

Bontoc Sagada Baguio Trip 2007

This would do for now. Details and tidbits about the trip would have to follow later :)

Ivan Henares is Giving Away Free Tickets for Boracay!

Yup! you read it right. Check out Ivan's blog for details.

I think it's a good thing since the family has been thinking of going there come summer time. And I've been thinking of bringing Mama along, who I think, by the way, deserves a long overdue break. She's been teaching for almost three decades now and is about due for retirement next year. I truly hink she ought to start thinking about herself for once. In short, I'm actually trying to win the ticket for her ;)

Well, having a free ticket even for just one of us sure could come a long way hehehe. Sure hope I'd win! =) It's a promo of SEAIR (i think), that dependable airline which flies to Boracay several times a week. . So, family and friends, go check out Ivan's blog and let's hope one of us would win! ;)

Urban Warriors Adventure Race '07

Below are some of the pictures we had of the race Bolo and I participated in. For now, I'll be posting the pictures. The details will come later :)

How Much Have I Seen of the Philippines?

My Lakbayan grade is B-!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.


So how much have I seen of the Philippines? Apparently not that much yet, but not bad altogether basing on the "B-" Looking forward to improving my rating to A+ though hehehe Hopefully, soon! So how about you? How much have you seen of this beautiful country of ours? =)

Ilocandia Nostalgia

I always remember my Ilocos trip with fondness because Ilocos appeals so much to that part of me that values the past and history. I particularly liked Vigan and all of its "old" structures, museums and of course, the world renowned "Heritage Village." I was able to take lots of pictures there.

I remember taking a picture of a particular structure in one of the museums we visited. I was greatly amused when the caretaker informed us it used to be the "comfort room." However, I particularly liked the picture I took below. I was inside the Burgos Museum looking out. The calesa featured here is the one we hired for the day. It took us all over Vigan and somewhat lent "authenticity" to the entire experience. What could be more fitting than revisiting the past while riding in a calesa? =)



















Attended a training at DAP Pasig, September of 2004. Had sessions at DAP and stayed at Linden Suites for 5 days. On the weekend, Te Jean and I took advantage of our being in Luzon and decided to take a sidetrip in Ilocos.

We took the 10:00 PM bus ride for Vigan after our dinner date with our president at Greenbelt. Arrived in Vigan at around 6:00 AM. We had breakfast at their Chowking there. I must add that the architecture was great. Even their new buildings there were designed to match the "vintage" look that Vigan's Heritage Village has been known for. Check out the Mc Donald's Picture below.

We practically spent the entire morning going around Vigan. After lunch -- had an eggplant dish called "pinuque" (I know, I know, it sounds weird hehe but it was really great-tasting. Hmm.. I wonder if that's the reason how it got its name hehehe) -- we caught the bus bound for Marco's hometown in Batac. We browsed at the Marcos Museum there and queued up for a view of his remains. Hmm... how morbid could that sound -- remains. Anyway, the mausoleum where he lay was pretty morbid itself. It was dark and cold. Plus, there was a "requiemic"-sounding music in the background that only -- in my opinion -- made the atmosphere the more.. gloomy.


After that we took a tricycle ride (yup! we were that poor hehehe) to see the Malacanang of the North. They called it "Balay Ti Amianan." Then we went to see the breath-taking Paoay Church. I've always been fascinated with Churches. in my travels, I make it a point to visit renowned old churches of the place. I dream of coming up with a complete album of the churches I visited. I may post one here one day. But anyway, I'm digressing here. All I wanted to say was that of all the churches I've been to, Paoay Church simply took my breath away. It was majestic in a dramatic sort of way. Taal Church is buge and great but Paoay has a certain quality to it that is quite unique. I find it difficult to find the words to describe how majestic it was.

After Paoay, we toured a bit of Fort Ilocandia then we proceeded to Laoag. It had started to rain. I knew we could forego Laoag altogether but as usual I did my research before I went on travel. My "bible" -- 26 Days Around the Philippines -- specifically said that the Laoag Church and its sinking tower is worth seeing. So I was definitely dead-set about seeing it. Besides, we were already there and just a tricycle ride away. We practically just had to cross that great bridge to get to Laoag and so off we went.

The church was in renovation when we got there. It wasn't as "old"-looking as I would have wanted it to be. And the sinking tower was a disappointment too. It was located right-smacked in the city's busy street. And while there was a signage announcing its historical value, it was obvious that the locals did not quite regard it as such. But of course I could not pass on any judgment. I had only been there for a day.

What was great about my Laoag experience though was the night market. Ukay-ukay, plastic wares and anything saleable that one could imagine abound right on the street where the sinking tower was. It was just across the city's Chowking outlet where Ate Jean and I had our afternoon halo-halo and dinner afterwards.

I checked out the ukay-scene and came up with a real neat cardigan overcoat that was too small for me. Well it looked new and I was hoping I'd lose enough weight to finally fit it. I ended up giving it away to a cousin. Anyway, I was crazy about board shorts then too and checked out every short there was. I did not find anything worth buying though. There were a few ones that caught my fancy but they were quite pricey so..

We toured a bit of Laoag downtown and tried our best to take a decent picture of the province's capitol at night-time. I must add the attempt did not result to anything much. My digital camera konked out even before we were out of Vigan. We only had Ate Jean's camera then. That also explains why there are no more pictures here after the ones I took in Vigan. I just would have to scan most of the Ilocos pictures we had of this trip. Soon, I hope to find the time.

At around 9:00 PM, we caught the last trip bound for Manila. I was excited to find out we chance upon a "coached-type" bus. Ate Jean and I each had one "bed" to ourselves. The bus was roomy and it allows us to recline our seats so we could sleep comfortably. It was real cold though that I was glad I brought a good jacket with me. We nearly fell off our seats though when we found out how much the fare was. We paid close to 800 pesos each. And that was in 2004 yet, way before the gasoline increase chu-chu.

I thought it was worth it though. After moving around Ilocos in a humble tricycle, I think we deserve to cap the day by traveling in style =) I'm not sure about looking stylish then though. There I was, slouching in my seat in my attempt to ward off the cold while I keep a close eye on a native abacca bag I bought in Vigan. It looked stylish alright although quite misshapen by the number of little burnay jars i stuffed it with. Believe me, if only there was a way to bring with me the real big ones, I knew I would have bought one. I was that smitten by it. I don't know why =)

Below are some of the pictures I took while in Vigan. For more pictures, you can take a look at my multiply page.