malatan-og falls

what can rival this scenic toilet stop? five years of taking the don salvador route from bacolod to cebu and back, i finally had my chance of capturing the Malatan-og waterfalls (a cigarette falls) from the Viewing Deck or Lantawan.

the breathtaking view makes a happy disposition of a mere mortal despite a sleepless night, a challenging day break, and a long, tiring trip from bacolod to cebu.

my "tales in two cities"

Over the weekend, i explored bits of two Davao del Norte Cities, Davao and Tagum.

24 May 2008 - after 6 hrs of rejuvenating sleep, i woke up when the alarm rang at 2:30 AM. better early than sorry. it's this money making scheme practised by cebu pacific where they give away slots of those passenger who failed to check in 45 minutes before boarding. if a passenger happens to get into an unexpected glitch on the way going to the airport, not only will the reservation be cancelled but the passenger will be considered a "no show" and will have to pay a no show fee, fare difference and a rebooking fee. no, i didn't want to be in that place (again) so by 3:30 AM, i was already waiting for raqs and maddie to pick me up at 626 tapsilogan.

minutes past 6 in the morning and we had our first picture of the trip at the parking lot where our hostess waited to shuttle us from the airport to their apartelle to have breakfast and wait until it's time to check in at Sychar hotel.

two hours later, with a tote in tow, i walked on what i thought was the way towards JP Laurel where, according to research, I could get a ride to calinan. 30 minutes and many wrong turns later, i found myself in the middle of a parade of uniformed men and women (it was only later that night on my way to the ecoland terminal from the hotel when i learned from the taxi driver that those were members of MNLF who were in Davao City for the 2nd Mindanao Leadership Peace Summit that was graced by MNLF chair Nur Misuari.
so i was lost and decided that i should retrace my steps. that i did. but i only went as far as the nearest sari-sari store and asked for directions. from there, the rest went by in a breeze. well, except for the maddening stops made by the PUJ to take on passengers. the trip to calinan took more than an hour with major stops at bangkerohan where the traffic situation was next to nothing and "ulas" which is the last city limit stop.

from calinan, the "konduktor" informed that i still need to take a cab going to malagos where the philippine eagle center is located. at the curb where the puj dropped me off was another store. sensing my need for direction, one of the men resting neath the shade asked where i was going. after the briefest of negotiations, we both hopped on his bike and off we went to malagos which is around 7 km uphill ride from calinan for php 30. that was my first habal-habal ride. along the way, i spied the dole pineapple plantation and the puentespina orchid farm.

i must be the first out-of-towner to arrive for that day. i didn't think that 10 a.m. would be too early for a nature appreciation activity. with the raptors center back at los baños in mind, i bought a liter of bottled water thinking that i will have a great deal of walking to do .

anyways, the birds have just been fed and must have gone grooming somewhere so i just looked around for a bit. then i saw this giant reptile. at first, i thought this might have been just an exoskeleton until it opened its wide mouth as if stretching after a nap.

when i went back to check on the center's most popular denizen, PAG-ASA, there she was in all her glory; hopping from one branch to the next; gliding from the highest perch to a roosting beam, diplaying her regal wings, wowing the crowd that started to gather.

two hours went by so fast and it was time to leave for my next appointment. before leaving, i bought glory and dad each a shirt with a black and white print of an eagle bust on the chest.

past the hour of 12 noon, i was still at the malagos market waiting for the puj to fill. thankfully, it finally did. and even a miracle happened. the trip back only took 35 min. by that time the group i was with has already checked in at sychar hotel. hungry already, i grabbed a quick bite at mcdo near victoria park before joining the rest of the group at the hotel.

after an express bath that i am an expert of, off we went to the Redemptorist church to witness the exchange of vows between Clint and Mabaj and arrived there with plenty of time to spare before a heavy spell of rain fell.

Reception followed at the top floor of Mandaya Hotel. when the sun has finally set, the drapes were drawn apart to reveal the cityscape bathe in a myriad of night lights. i especially liked the brownies which i ate with gusto. well, i paid equal attention to the soup, "lechon", seafood curry, stemed rice, fried rice, unknown chicken dish...etc. before the best man made a toast, the hotel waiters did what they called a wine parade.

after bingeing (there is no other word for it), what better way to appease that niggling guilt with a slow walk around the place. as the people's park was nearby, we took a brief detour before going back to the hotel to change, pack my stuff and leave for tagum (where i arrived at 10:04 pm fighting bouts of extreme sleepiness while in transit).

25 May 2008 - morning dawned bright but i didn't notice. i was sleeping blissfully until my tummy protested. outside the guest room, nobody was there so i went about my morning routine. i ate by myself as they all have long digested what they had earlier. there was so much to do (there are table and chairs to arrange, pancit to cook and the celebrant to bathe) but cheche and myself just sat at the terrace (i was sipping coffee while she was minding nikki), catching up with what we have been up to in the last year until a throng of their relatives came to give a hand.

my latest inaanak: Caitlin Dominique

the morning's activities left me with very little energy, i took a much needed nap. david cook's numbers in my shuffle managed to drown the ruckus outside, it was already 4 pm when i woke up. debating whether to leave for davao or stay in another night (the sison boys doing karaoke injustice), i decided to explore the city on my own. after taking a green cab which passed downtown tagum which was quite busy with church goers, i found myself inside the NCCC mall by the highway. i bought stuff for the folks at home and had to make a second trip after realizing that i missed to buy durian candies for the swee toothed kids back at the workplace.

26 May 2008 - my batteries failed right after the ceremonies the other day, i wasnt able to take shots of the reportedly guiness record holder rosary (for bead size?) at the christ the king cathedral courtyard in tagum (where i also found a bundle of cash) that i purposedly went back before i took a bus back to davao city for my flight going to cebu.

in a hurry to get the airport on time and still get some good pictures, i waited until after checking-in before i took my first meal of the day. i chose karl's kafe just outside the spacious waiting lounge. finishing off the ham and mushroom omelette was quite a challenge but i did it. but the alaska in my capuccino did me in.

whoa!!! what a weekend that was...

revisiting sta. fe, bantayan island

this is what you call a vacation. no need to qeueu to pee. no need to cook to eat. no fuss about sleeping on sans matress floor. the only thing to worry about is where to go and what to do.
unlike my first trip to bantayan, we tried a lot of new things.

1. we took a "rela" (a cross between a tricycle and a puj; it is run by a motorbike but it's body looks like that of a puj's) that accommodated all eight of us ex, soon to be ex, and presently imds girls; pats and myself on each side of the driver and the other six (rubai, cele, verna, lotte, ace and rhea) on the "trailer" behind us. whoops! more picture of the riders than the vehicle) from the pier going to mercado where we had our first meal on the island. fare for that very short ride was Php 10.00 per head. it would have cost us double if we took a "trisikad" instead.

2. we dispensed with the idea of backpacking and booked 2 rooms for the eight of us at Yooneek Inn. the accommodation is basic. a porch led to the room which is provided with a double bed, a side table with a native lampshade, a wall fan, a table, 2 chairs, and a rack to hang clothes on. on one side is the toilet and bath. another door opens to the back of the room for laundry equipped with a clothesline as long as the depth of the room. i especially liked the french windows that occupied one side of the room, adjacent to the main door. it has no beach vista but it offered peace and quiet...and shelter from the rain. bye tents for now.
3. our ignorance cheated us out of experiencing what dining could be at "balikbayan" restaurant and therefore lost the chance of sampling their most advertised specialty "kinunot" (devilfish??? simmered in coconut milk). nevertheless, we all enjoyed eating dinner (on our first evening) to our heart's delight at Marisquiera o Portuguese bar and restaurant. though they didn't have the hospitality of the d' jungle restaurant just across the street (whose chef cum owner, garbed in white cotton shirt and pants welcomed all who happened to pass by with his heavily accented English...50% of which sounded slurred to me),

the moment my eyes strayed on the buffet table and on a plateful of baked scallops, i was glued to the spot. on top of that we were able to avail of a Php 45 discount for being the first group to sit down and eat for the evening. while the other girls hit the billiard table, i was busy nibbling away cubes and cubes of maja blanca ( a dessert i'm not particularly fond of and was even surprised to have enjoyed the resto's recipe), wedges of watermelon, glass after glass of instant iced tea. i went slow with the scallops though having had an uncomfortable episode with its relative (baked oysters) the day after we celebrated cece's birthday at tong's.
another favorite hangout of ours (to grab something to eat) was Yooneek Beach Restaurant. it was a short walk from the room but offers a variety of dishes. as if the brunch we had back at virgin island wasn't enough, we still had club house sandwiches and mojo potatoes at around two in the afternoon. dinner which we wolfed down at an alcove shaped like a banca (where there is very little light and nobody can witness how depraved we looked like for food)near the bar was a healthy serving of seafood chopsuey paired with the cholesterol laden lechon kawali (i had mine with draft beer; burp!!!).

4. the best way to get around the town is biking. besides being a much cheaper alternative than availing public transport, it also allows one to stop at whim and enjoy a certain spot. the house next to Yooneek Inn (actually owned by the inn's caretaker - who, btw also can provide a thermos of hot water for Php 30 by request and cook food at a quite steep rate. we paid Php 40 to have a kilo of rice cooked including a loan of plates and 'silverware') rents out mountain bikes. I had this yellow beauty for Php 25 an hour. it has been three or fours years since i last got on one, but the traffic around sta. fe quelled my queasy stomach. we started way before dark in an attempt to find a place where we could have our next meal.

5. nothing beats leaving the rat race and going back to the basics...provided that somebody else has to do the basics...hehehe. lazing on a hammock at the virgin island (a small island northeast of Bantayan isaland which can be reached on a motorboat in 30 minutes) after a hearty meal which manong bangkero prepared...sounds inviting eh. the beach here was superb...well, until almost noon when more and more pumpboats occupied the swimming areas. it is best to start early, like we did so that by the time the beach gets crowded and peace and quiet ceased to be, you are ready to go home...without feeling shortchanged.

basdaku, moalboal

respite from wrestling with huge mid morning surf

what arielle has become...for unrequited love

destressing after such a dreamless, sleepless night

Going South

Dining
While eating home cooked food remains the best option, dining out is still the most practical alternative for a day or two trip out of town to relax and unwind. Be prepared though, especially in an unchartered territory. Surprises are good but they don’t bide well with an empty stomach. If possible, play safe in making choices, or forever hold your peace. Alex Kafe was published many times over as the place to eat when in Argao. That must be the reason why the food doesn’t come cheap. Main dishes start at Php 40.00 and its good for one person only. Most of the items on the menu are not available (like fish stew and fruit shakes) so make do with a substitute. Beware of Chicken/Beef Mami. It looks and tastes like Lucky Me instant noodles (with one whole egg added).
Never underestimate the power of suggestion. After devouring enormous information about Argao’s “torta” as a “must eat”, a stop at Chitang’s store was necessitated. As publicized, it was a cupcake version, about 6-in in diameter, topped with raisins, grated cheese and a dusting of refined sugar granules. At 30 apiece, it is a filling “merienda” (took me three sittings to finish one) .

Sleeping
Abella’s pension house is a steal at Php 1200 a night. The two-bedroom apartment is fully furnished. The bedrooms are air-conditioned and come with a king-sized bed and a closet. The living area has a television, a mini-refrigerator, a stove, dining and cooking utensils. For a big group, it is best to stake a claim early on for a comfortable space on the bed for catching zzzzs at the end of the day.

Swimming

The beach is only a ride away from the pueblo. The narrow strip has black and white pebbles of assorted sizes lining its bottom (therapeutic to the athritic feet) and the sun-warmed water is so clear that it's impossible not to be tempted to get in even for an hour or two. Regretfully, by sundown, the beach was deserted; pitch dark and nary a star lit the moonless sky. A handful of locals skim board nearby while fishermen cast their nets the last time before calling it a day.

Trekking
There is only one way to Bugasok Falls, apparently designed for “habal-habal’ to pass through. It is less challenging for an experienced hiker but it proved tough for a non-four wheel drive vehicle and its driver. The hike trail to the falls was not well trodden. It looks like only a few wanderers have visited the place. But it’s well worth the time and the exertion seeing the silent waters drop through a gap on the stone gorge which is said to serve as port to a magical golden ship that visit the place on occasions. The locals are accommodating and “taking advantage of the clueless tourists” must be unheard of in the place. Buko, freshly picked sold at Php 5.00 apiece, was a fitting thirst quencher to cap the adventure.

Visiting the Past
San Miguel Arcangel is said to be the second oldest church in Cebu. It also houses one of the 14 pipe organs in the country. A feeling of being back in time is almost real especially sitting on old carved wooden pews near the altar. You could almost imagine señoritas batting their eyelashes to the young friars beneath their fans. What they did to the altar images was an eyesore to say the least. The priest, apparently, has a completely different notion of preservation or rehabilitation. It’s a good thing the façade looked untouched.

Side Trip

Marian Monastery, Simala, Sibonga

Bas Relief on Argao Church facade

Calm before the rush, Bugasok Falls (atop the stone gorge)

Boljoon...where the mountain meets the sea
centuries old Boljoon Church

Bohol again...

from coastal moalboal to the mountain springs of kawasan

The downside of going with a big group is the seemingly endless waiting. We (Pats, Ems, Pacer and myself) were already at the Citilink bright and early but it took 2 doughnuts, a chocodrink and half a liter of water to pacify our stomachs before the rest of the gang (Tokiwa boys and girls) turned up. All fourteen of us crammed inside the van that ply the area with one pair of sweethearts sharing one seat for the roughly two-hour trip to Moalboal. Despite the inconvenience, we still paid Php 80.00 each.

When you come to think of it, it is better to be packed with somebody you know rather than sit on a bus next to some shady character.
We were met by Opao at the highway while Evs got busy with lunch which justified the relative difficulty of our trip. The meal consisted of chicharong bulaklak, tinolang manok, rice, cola and bananas as big as my arm. The Abangans were also instrumental in our availing a sizable discount at Clarita's Lodge. All fourteen of us were allowed to share the twin sharing room for the night. The inn was located at the end of a long stretch of beach resorts and can be accessed from Moalboal market via a tricycle that charged Php 6.00 per head.It has a pugon where we prepared our meals and a veranda overlooking a small patch of sand and swimming area where we enjoyed our food.
Next to it was a discohouse but that was out of our schedule which consisted mainly of swimming until we're wiped out. When we're out of the water, we walked around the area and looked into what other resorts had to offer.
There's a countless number of accommodation to choose from and most are dirt cheap given the extent of the amenities they offered.
One signage in particular caught my eye and it said "He who all here enter abandon all hope (to walk out sober)."
In the morning, when the tide is low, a completely different and astounding sight greeted the early birds; like corals of all shape and color, sea urchins and starfish.
High tide was slow to come so we said goodbye to the innkeeper and jumped into the PUJ we hired (Php 10.00 per head) that dropped us in Badian, at the jump-off point to an uphill hike to the Kawasan Falls. The trail to the three major falls were all navigable but we chose to frolic in the frigid waters of the second falls. We rented out a bamboo raft for Php 90.00 which took us to and through the cascading waters. Something drew out the kids in us that had us dare jumping off from one of the smaller cascades and into the swimming basin. But afternoon came too soon and we had to leave. We all slept on the bus ride back to Cebu.