Known for it’s boast of 7107 islands or is that ferry rides!
7107 isla upang galugarin ang
one of the many boats - ferries between the many islands
We started 8 months ago in a country that started with a P (Portugal) and now 26 countries later we are finishing off with a country starting with a P (Philippines). You wouldn’t realize how much I want to make that a double ll in their name. But none of the other countries started with a P not that we used every letter of the alphabet though.
On planning the trip a year ago we aimed to finish this trip with lots of ocean and white sandy beaches, they didn’t have to be real white just nice sandy beaches before hitting the white ice cold stuff of our winter!! I do have to admit it gets hard to chill out after a while. (baugh hum bug ey!) Our first stop here after Cebu (a big city) was Sipalay with Sugar Beach, a boat ride away – a to die for area but after 4 days we were ready to move – rather than just sit on the butt or swim.
of course at the beach you have sunsets
sorry alittle slanted but really deaths do happen from falling coconuts
drying cocnut meat beside the road
one of the other hotels on Sugar Beach
Not much area to hike and therefore pretty limited in activity. We did find the riptides interesting though, floated for a couple of minute and we found ourselves 75 meters further out in the ocean, thinking our next stop would be Australia. ( this required a little bit of adrenaline rush to swim back in to shore). Next stop was Siquijor island for more beach but with the availability of a motorbike. This island didn’t even have a petrol station and only sold gas out of pop bottles. They must teach their young very early not to drink out of a coke bottle or else.
beach - sunset - what can I say - beautiful!!
This island is 72 kms circumference with a few roads crossing over through the middle. We did over 600kms and I don’t think we left a road untraveled unless it petered out to nothing but a cow track and the tires weren’t that good to risk a flat tire! Believe it or not sometimes it is good to turn back. Hard convincing Russell though ( I know you all though I was the impossible one!!) then we ferried over to another island called Bohol – certainly more touristy and more crowded. The claim to fame here are the Chocolate Hills – more so in the dry summer than the wet season (for obvious reasons).
Chocolate Hills like numerous bumps on a log
overall view of the hills
Read here we are still getting caught in the heavy downpours ( monsoons) and we thought the rainy season would be over here - WRONG. The Chocolate Hills legend has it they were caused by two giants throwing rocks at each other as they fought over a woman! Do know when we tried to climb up one it was very slippery with marble size and shaped rocks that rolled you back each step of the way. While in the hills we stopped at a Tarsier Sanctuary.
jr is only about 3-4- inches big
biggest Tarsier yet!
They are the smallest primate – up to 6 inches in length but with huge eyes as they are nocturnal. They do not do well in captivity as people end up keeping them awake all day (they are nocturnal) and they become sleep deprived and usually die within a year or so. Now I feel guilty for going to see them! The tourists we seen couldn’t stop poking them and using a flash which they were told not to do. Think of those big eyes and a flash going off right in their face. They only have one offspring a year with a 6 month pregnancy, and we only saw 3 to 4 inch ones. With doing the motorbike riding it’s a good thing we have a few months off at home and can forget all the new bad habits we have picked up. But will find it strange not to wave and say hi to all along the roadside!! It will be quite a tame ride!
these butterflies mate for 24 hours before all the eggs (100 - 150 eggs are fertilized) what do you think Viagra or Cialis
I think they might be angel wings
We have noticed that the Philippines as the Indonesians think it is good luck to have a cat in the household. They either break the tail or cut off the tail, thinking it will keep the cat around. I would have thought not likely but I am not a cat. Also we think there is even more white males with filipino girls, now I realize some are married but many are their guides (well….) but many more couples than the other S. E. Asian countries. Have also had to use more deet here than elsewhere although I don’t believe there is malaria on these 4 islands that we did, but there is dengue fever and I don’t want that either.
Jeepneys - common transport beside the tricycle
coconut transport or people
Having a tough time finding Russell a sweater here – somehow he is not quite the right size and he only has t-shirts and sandals to arrive home to -20C and snow. It may warm up a little but not that much. Although I went looking for shoes as well, thinking that my 8 ½ size isn’t that big well I was too big for ladies and not big enough for mens – another words no shoes. Thank gosh my coat from Bangkok has arrived at Suzanne’s so most of me will be warm. I do wonder where the expats go for their stuff or must do a lot of ordering through the internet.
Russell starting to do his ski patrol first aid studying = the course starts the day he arrives home
get ready mate
Well that is it for this trip going home to COLD – YUK, SNOW – YES, home cooking with lots of salads,8+ months of restaurant food where the menus start looking surprisingly similar, my own bed and pillow, visiting family and friends. I am sure there are many changes in our 5 grandchildren and all those hugs and kisses through skype just aren’t the same as real ones which will be FANTASTIC!!! Although little Sasha trying to climb through the computer to find Gramma is priceless!
cock farm for the cock fights also a A I farm
fights usually twice a week = whenever you see a large group of males look for the fight
oops! water lines in the gutter numerous and going in all directions
but it works for them
making of a cocnut Xmas tree - coconuts are good for everything - right!
couldn't believe the Xmas lights and tunes starting the beginning of November already
Thanks for following along on our quest of the Silk road and other adventures. Who knows where the next quest will be. But for now it will be home in BC Canada for 2012!!! Afterall I made Russell a promise!! Therefore no litros of beer or wine for a bit - our tans will fade quickly as the snow continues to fall, many meters worth I hope but memories will last especially if I do some scrapbooking!
Russell and Sylvia
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