Goodbye BoHoL!

Our Bohol tour ended and we were glad that no major mishaps were encountered during trip. We were all safe and sound as we were heading back to the island of Cebu. The experience has been great as we made it to the places we wanted to visit. Memories were now stored and ready to be shared with family, friends and relatives. We reveled on shared experiences more as we can easily connect, interact and narrate to it thoroughly during our occasional reminiscence.

When we were together, it will not matter where we are. We even enjoyed the picture taking we had at the terminal. We loved the trip but we wanted more to land home safely. There is no place like home. We all missed our home very much and we were all excited to share "pasalubongs" to our dearest relatives and neighbors who were securing our home during our absence.

It took me almost two weeks to blog our experiences in Bohol while our actual stay was only around two days. We landed at Bohol on a beautiful Saturday morning and then we dropped by at the Bohol Plaza to checked in. We started our tour right away after securing our accommodations. After the tour we all swam to the swimming pool and we had our dinner served beside the pool. We listened to the music at the resto bar before we ended our longest Saturday ever. We woke up Sunday morning and took morning strolls around the resort. We took our breakfast at the resort's restaurant and then most of us dived back to the pool. We enjoyed for pool for few hours and then we packed and checked out. And here we were waiting at the Tagbilaran's terminal for the ship that will bring us back to Cebu.

Goodbye Bohol!  We may never come again but we will never forget the adventures we had on your island. The exquisite land formation, the unique tarsier and the thrill and bold undertakings we had during our stay will forever be preserve as part of our family history.

Swimming with the Family

We have been lucky because there are no other guest using the swimming pool. We had it for our exclusive use. We have been jumping in and out of the pool. We all lined up for a good jump and competed on who could get the best photo.

They were so happy swimming all over this flower shaped pool. We all acted like kids and played like we we had never been in the water before.

I hope I can find a whole photo of the pool tomorrow so that I could improve this blog. The blogger is sleepy and cannot continue anymore. I will edit this as soon as I can.

Fine Dining Experience at Bohol Plaza

Our family normally do the cooking during special occasions so fine dining was never part of our family vocabulary. Thanks that we were not able to bring our kitchen to Bohol and we end up with our first ever fine dining experience with the whole family.

We pretended to be rich that time. We cannot stop laughing at ourselves with our mascaraed. We did pay a high and painful price for we have no choice but to eat at the resort. In a way, its all worth it because for the first time we were sharing good food, stories and laughter in one table. This is a good history for the family.

Ready.... Get set........

Go!

Bohol Plaza Hotel

We chose to stay at Bohol Plaza Resort with less idea and less expectation. Initially we decided to book at the resort because we learned from a reliable source that their food and services is good and the resort itself is presentable. The accommodation and the food was not what we were up to but we all end up loving this resort.

The resort was located at the elevated part of Panglao area. During our climb up there, we were a bit disappointed feeling that we were on our way to an isolated place. We did not see any passenger vehicles and we were heading towards the top of the mountain.

We felt relief when we reached the resort. The lobby was beautiful and spacious. The sofa were quite comfortable and there were plenty of guests. The restaurant was big and the breeze was fresh and cool. Being right at the summit of the mountain was always a special feeling. And that feeling will become more special when you were staying at a resort crowned over a mountain.

And look at below, the rooms of the resort, a resto bar and a flower-shaped swimming pool lies beneath the main building of the resort. This made us realized that this resort was built right on the cliff of that mountain. The idea to build a resort like this was outstanding and out of the box. I salute the architect and the investors for making it happen. We did enjoy and appreciate the panoramic view that they were able cater and given emphasis.

The resort is a perfect place for vacation. From the top or while you are dining at the restaurant you can view the deep blue sea, the lush vegetation all over the island and the big island nearby underneath the endless sky. The view is magical during the morning while you are standing at the deck over the building. When the early morning rays of the sun strikes the building, multicolored lines of lights were imitated. That could be part of the design and it added wonders during our stay.

Baclayon Church

We also visited the Baclayon Church, used to be the oldest church in the Philippines. I am not sure about it's current condition after it was devastated by a terror earthquake last October 15, 2014. Looking back let me show you some family photos we had with this church.

The tour guide told us that just above the door is the image of Mama Mary with Baby Child Jesus. I am not sure if you can see it there. And because of that we have this photo taken right on this very spot. I was wondering that maybe the reason why they were not repainting the walls were this belief. Who will dare to cover those believe to be images with coat saver?

Another image too can be seen on the wall at our back. It shows the face of a Spanish friar "Father Pio". It's amazing how we could recognize some images on these old walls. The power of our imagination combined with our faith that this solemn place is the home of the Holy People is the reason why we can form this images in our mind and our brain will visualize it for our eyes to see. That is why all things are possible if you will just believe. It is not that I don't believe or even consider such fact but I appreciate more if each one of us can paint it in our hearts.

Of course, we got inside the church, lighted some candles and said our prayers. The church museum was close during that time. It undergone some renovations. The church was old and no wonder it was not able to contain the tremor and shaking last year.

The church was in the period of celebrating lent just like today. And that makes me realized that I am posting a blog that happens exactly two years ago. Time runs so fast while moment is too short. I am so glad that they invented the camera. At least we have a choice to preserve some precious moments and share it to others. Who invented the camera then? Let me know so that I can send him/her a thank you note.

Sandugo Monument in Bohol

We also got the chance to visit the famous monument of Miguel Lopez de Legaspi and Datu Sikatuna. The spot where the blood compact between the two leaders took place had become a landmark in Bohol. This had been the first recorded covenant of friendship between Spain and Philippines. Datu Sikatuna, the head of Bohol's tribe and Legaspi, the Spanish conqueror, poured few drops of their blood in a cup. They added wine on the cup and then they both drunk it. Weird and unhealthy but that was how they sealed and honor their friendship.

The guide also took us photos on the left side of the monument. He assured us the picturesque background should we pose on that corner as shown below. The azure sky, the turquoise sea and the verdant surroundings was perfect indeed. Not only that, the breeze too was so fresh, cool and gentle and that made the pierce heat of the summer sun bearable.

Wherever you go in Bohol, there were always "kalamay for sale". Kalamay, stored inside the coconut shell, is the famous delicacy of the island. This is the most requested pasalubong too as your friends would always asked for it when they know that you visited Bohol. As if your trip is not complete if you are not buying it as their pasalubong. That is why, we were buying plenty of it for our neighbors and relatives. Profits seems to be so easy to gain anywhere in the island. 

Preview of Panglao Beach

We were staying at Panglao Island but we were still faraway from the beach. We were all beach lovers so we paid extra just to include Panglao Beach on our tour schedule.

I could see in their eyes the desire to wade and dive into the water. But we had no enough time to stay on the beach as we had to tour a lot of areas as many as possible. The good thing was they already saw the swimming pool of the resort that we were staying. It was reasonably big and shaped beautifully. They were already looking forward to a delightful swim at the resort after the tour so they were able to resist the beach effortlessly. I even asked the youngest one of the group if he wanted to stay at the beach while we were strolling along the shore just to check if my assumptions were true. I was correct because he told me that he prefers the pool over the beach.

Panglao Beach was a good sight. The powdered and milky sand that stretches along the island's coastline lured plenty of tourist both from local and abroad. The crystal clear water under the smiling summer sun matching with the white and cottony clouds hovering over it is simply irresistible. We have plenty of beaches like this all over the country and truly it is more fun in the Philippines!!!

The Late Prony!

Prony was a giant snake weighted 280 kg. and 23 ft. long. It died last August 2013.

I insisted that visiting Prony should be part of our itenirary. Prony was the largest captured snake alive in the whole world during that time. I do not like to see snakes and in fact I am afraid of them. But my instinct told me that the boys would like to see . Boys enjoyed weird and incredible experiences and a close encounter with this monster would quench such hunger.

But to my surprise, it were the ladies who were brave enough to get inside the cage and took a closer encounter with the beast. Great risks were taken just for the sake of few shots for photos. As much as I wanted to stop them from doing that, I too admired their guts and they both gained my respect. The staff, too, convince them that it was harmless. Seeing plenty of humans got in and out from the cage safely was enough assurance on my part.

Prony has been sleeping quietly with its body forming a imperfect circle while the head was hidden somewhere. But when our ladies entered the cage, the snake started to move with it's head emerging slowly as if smelling some good food to eat. The ladies were startled and moved farther away in a corner as we, too, started to hold our breath. The staff immediately stayed closer to the snake so the ladies hurriedly requested for a quick picture taking. And then they went out of the cage cautiously but feeling victorious.

One of my nephew hurriedly get inside too and again photos were taken as swift as possible. The thought of having a picture with Prony, something that they can show off to their friends in facebook, pushed their fears to the limit.

It was a relief on our part when we were united again with the ladies. We joked that they were so yummy and fatty that they were able to awake Prony from its deep sleep. They both confessed that they were so afraid but the opportunity was there and they just have to grab it. I was so proud of their bravery. Seeing them conquering their greatest fear, fulfilling a daunting task and celebrating their victory after; lifted up my hopes too that someday they can survive the world on their own.

Tarsier, the Smallest Monkey of the World!!

It's our turn to meet the famous Tarsier, the smallest monkey of the world! Yes, the Tarsier Conservation Area was our next stop after the "man-made forest in Bohol".

We all read them in books, heard and seen them on TV.  But we never thought that we could get a change to have a personal encounter with this little creature right on their natural habitat. We have been proud that these tiny monkeys can only be seen in the Philippines. Their presence endowed us with uniqueness, identity and source of pride. Many tourists (locals and foreign) took time to reach this island just to see the Tarsier and of course, we were one of them. One of my nephew told me that this visit alone was one of his greatest adventure, his most remarkable quest and his most unforgettable experience in his lifetime. He enjoyed this more than he enjoyed the panorama view of chocolate hills. I could relate to his views as these monkeys were so lovable and adorable. One would want them in their room because they were as cute as stuff toys.

The trees that surrounds the conservation area were carefully selected. These species are those that attract insects and other organisms that tarsiers feed on. These monkeys are nocturnal so they sleep all day and hunt for food during the night. Extra lights are not good for them that is why we were not allowed to use flash on our cameras. Noise too can stress these monkeys so they were requesting us to be silent which was the hardest thing to do. How could you keep your mouth shut when  seeing these creatures filled you up with mixed emotion?

Stress could be one of the major causes of their extinction. Boholanos should take good care of their forest and should be more careful not to endanger these creatures. Tarsier is the wealth of their forest and in return they should support and protect their existence. Tourist too should wield to respect their natural habitat and abide the local laws during their visit. Can you believe that the little things that we do can be a big help to conserve our environment? Amazing and true.

Man-made Forest in Bohol

Bohol was also known for it's man-made forest that approximately stretches up to two kilometers. The road to Chocolate Hills from Tagbilaran passes inside this vast forest. So most visitors, took a stop right in the middle of the forest for picture taking. Of course, our group did not miss that opportunity and we too had our own photo taken as souvenir.

Yes, inside the forest is creepy but there were still vendors selling souvenir items inside this spooky woods. Business was still good even in this isolated and uninhabited area. Therefore, I conclude that the whole island is profitable and Boholanos are rich.

The forest was unique for the trees were in uniform. All trees were Molave I guess and these were imported from Malaysia if I am not mistaken. So we could all brag and say "Welcome to Malaysia!" and then imagine ourselves to be in that country when in reality we were still in the Philippines. 

These trees seemed to be competing with each other. They grew as tall as they could and they all forgot to extend their branches sideways. So their leaves are all up and high that you cannot glimpse the sky but you can clearly see their trunks and roots. Poor shrub cannot compete with these trees and dies. That is why erosion was still prevalent in the area.

We also noticed that no birds were jumping, singing and dancing inside this jungle. Well, obviously there are no branches for them to land on. But the real reason was that these trees were foreigners and were not part of our local ecosystem. The birds cannot find their food in here so they flew away and headed to our native trees that they were used to. The forest was so cool and beautiful to look at but not good enough for our local birds and insects to dwell on. Good thing that Pinoys realized this and right now the reforestation projects were using seedlings from our indigenous trees. These place taught us the importance of nationalism and patronizing our own, though not all were able to understand these facts.

There are endless list of reasons why we jump and this place is one of them.

Chocolate Hills

Finally, after long and weary hours of travel we had reached  the ultimate destination of our trip. The native living the area has been very lucky indeed. These beautiful hills which turned chocolate hue during summer was the reason why we had journey this far.

On our way to this breathtaking spot, the first timers of our group were so eager to see signs of these exquisite hills. Every area along the way were thoroughly scrutinized, surveyed and scanned as if they were competing on who could see it first. The sight of hills with almost perfect cones towering over the rice fields received their unexpected attention and appreciation. My role during that time was to judge if the hill that they were pointing to was part and parcel of the famous "chocolate hills".

My three-year-old niece was asleep during our trip. Her mother woke her up when we reached the destination telling her daughter that she finally saw the chocolate hills. The upset child told her mother that those were mountains and not chocolates. Her excitement at the thought of chocolates faded and she goes back to sleep. We all laughed and took turns of waking her up again.

There were 1,268 hills on these area. The first time I was there was during the rainy season. I had been so disappointed to see those green and not chocolate hills. That time around the hills were a bit brown and the group was so elated so I kept that thought to myself alone.

They were two ways of going up and down with the mountain of which top was dedicated to the viewing public. Option one was to go up via stairs. I forgot the number of steps all the way up so all I could tell was it's going to be a tough climb. Children can go up easily because they were blessed with fresh energy and stamina.  But adults should be cautious as the steps may tire them out and could end up into serious complication.

The second option to go up was through a slope circling the mountain. The path was long and time consuming but it will hurt your knees less than the stairs. What we did was we climb up using the stairs and then we go down through the slop. I suggest to do it differently. It is better to go up using the slope and then go down using the stairs. You can still feel the strain but it could be lesser. Whatever sequence you choose, as long as you can reach the top, the panorama above is worth all the pain.

Over the mountain was a deck where you could view all the chocolate hills. This was also the best place to strike a pose for picture perfect. The white clouds floating over the sea of chocolate hills was a spectacular background. The summit was a comfortable place to rest after a difficult and sore climb. The panorama plus the breeze could ease the sore and recharge your energy. The site deserves the top spot on the list of "Seven Wonders of the World". 

There are lots of poses you can try for your picture perfect moments. You can jump as high as you can. You can either jump alone or with your friends. You can fake some shape with your hands or you can portrait your best selfie. Some ride a broom and pretend to be a witch flying over these fantastic hills. Whatever you choose, the background will attract all eyes and will admire the lovely hills alone. Haha!

After getting your treasured photo or souvenir, you can toss a coin into the well, make a wish and then ring the bell three times. I am not sure if your wish will come true but it is still part of the fun while you are on top of this hill. Most visitors tried and enjoyed this trick.

My father was waiting at the foot of the hill. He had been cautious and afraid that he may not endure the summer heat. But he can still see the hills from here and he was grateful. We were all grateful that we had the opportunity to visit this grand and beautiful spot. We thank thee, Our Lord, for this enormous blessings! Amen.

Hopefully they are restoring this place. Sadly, the recent earthquake destroyed this place. 

Bohol Tour Part 3: Loboc

We arrived at Loboc River around noon. Visitors on tour will normally took their lunch at the floating restaurant along the river. The luncheon will cost us 350.00 pesos per head so we requested the tour guide to recommend a cheaper restaurant. He brought us to "Tres Hermanas" located across the Loboc Church. The place looked ordinary but it did not stop the teens from taking photos on all corners. They might be disappointed a bit for they were not able to dine at the floating restaurant but the thought that we were just an hour away from the chocolate hills had certainly appease them a little. Besides we were all aware that as much as possible we should cut the costs of this trip and lessen the burden.

The food was good and we somehow enjoy the lunch. We always had fun when we were together and the opportunity to bond and eat as a family is what matters the most. This will not happen everyday and will surely cherish this for the rest of our lives.

We exchanges jokes, stories and ideas during the lunch. Obviously, we came from different generations and we were slowly closing the gap of our ages and perspectives in life. After this trip, we will surely look back to this first lunch during our very first family trip ever.

After lunch the tour guide showed us the Loboc Church. But we were in a hurry and we only spend a short time enough for picture taking. Who would have thought that this church will fall and break into pieces? 

But it did and it's a different feeling when you actually visited it and then you will see it's destruction on TV. All things happen for the reason and we are praying for the best things to happen in God's time.

Bohol Part II "Butterfly Sanctuary"

she really loves to pose..

Our first stop was at the "Butterfly Sanctuary". I cannot remember exactly the place and there were lots of butterfly sanctuaries in the island. The place was new with on-going construction. That is why I did not like the place but the driver insisted that the place was along the way to Loboc which was our next destination. I had no choice and besides the difference may not be that significant.

I learned that tourist spots in Bohol raised entrance fees during summer. When we visited the island around September the sanctuary only cost us ten peso per head. But during that time the cost per head was thirty pesos both for children and adults. We were already there and we may not be coming again to this place together. We just had to bear the cost whether we like it or not. Let the kids and their mothers enjoy the tour as this should be a once in a lifetime experience.

The stop was worthy for the children because they could learn something about nature and their natural environment. It was essential for them to realize the importance of all fauna and flora living on our surroundings. I wanted them to appreciate nature and to inspire them to help protect and preserve the environment. But because of the butterfly incident of "Baby Gandanghari" on national TV, the kids end up teasing each other. Though the prank did not stop them from playing and touching these butterflies. These little creatures are attractive, charming and desirable enough to touch and to play with.

The sanctuary assigned staff as guides and lecturers during the tour. After the tour, it was my sisters who actually appreciates the knowledge they learned from the guide. They were delighted with the information they had just acquired. Maybe the younger ones were so busy posing and taking photos. Their concentrations were taken away by these modern gadgets. I only wish that the beauty and wonder of these places will forever be on their brains and that one day it could connect to their hearts. Once connected, their love of nature may begin to nurture, grow and develop from within.

Our First Family Trip - "Bohol" Part 1

"Peso sa Bohol" was our slogan during the initial stage of planning our first ever family trip. We have chosen Bohol as our first destination because of its famous "chocolate hills and "tarsier" the smallest monkey of the world. I first visited these places with friends when we gatecrashed a company outing. Then I visited again twice with my office mates. And each time of these visits my family will eagerly asked about these places in addition to "kalamay" as the official "pasalubong".

From those visits, I learned that the trip is affordable especially when traveled in groups. So, I convinced my nephews and nieces to save one peso each day so that by the end of the year we could save enough funds for the transportation cost. We could find some cheap accommodation in Panglao area just like what we did with my office mates. The kids were so excited and we started the project "peso sa Bohol" last December 2011. Our target date of completion was summer of 2013. That sounds like a long wait for all of us but it was good enough to inspire us. It is always better to have something to look forward to.

My brother learned this and he too was excited for the kids. He used to work in a shipping line with route from Cebu to Tagbilaran and had visited those places too for quite a number of times. He wanted these kids to see these famous places too. So when the summer of 2012 was about to start, he offered to cover some expenses so that we can have the tour that summer.

The kids and their mothers were so excited. It was the first time for them to travel together and visit these places. They used to see these places in books and the idea of getting there personally is amazingly remarkable. We never thought that we could enjoy the tour by the end of March 2012 but we made it that day.

Since this was their first travel via ship, the kids could not eat their lunch that day. The ship was scheduled to depart at 10PM but my family were on the pier at 6PM. The kids ate a little for dinner but by the time they were aboard the ship, they ate all the food we bought. They were so happy, excited and thrilled that finally they were officially on board. Apparently, their appetite too, burst rapidly.

During the trip, the first problem is the location of the comfort room. The boys thought that the comfort room are for women only because they cannot find one for men. They shared this to their uncle who was so shocked with their innocence. He guided them towards it and it was quite a relief for all of them. The next joke was when one of our nephews asked their uncle why was the helicopter keeps following the ship. He thought that the sound he heard during the trip was from a helicopter. His uncle explained that the sound was from the ship but he was not able to escape all the tease throughout the trip.

Thanks to my brother and we were given good accommodations during the trip. We all occupied the lower deck altogether. We were able to get discounts too. We were close to each other and it add more  opportunity for bonding and sharing. We could easily guard and protect each other too during the duration of the trip.

The first thing we did upon reaching Tagbilaran is of course picture taking. We searched for the word "Tagbilaran" and took some photos with it. It was still dawn when we reach the port but it did not stop us from getting off the ship. And there you go ladies and gentlemen, our first family photo in the island of Bohol.

 P.S.  San Mig is now playing so I have to end this blog...haha!