Isla Gigantes

Ever the kibitzer, I did not bat an eyelash when I got the invite to join the MAPEH group on their "capability building" in Isla Gigantes. Way long before Frank or Yolanda devastated these group of islands, I've been dying to sink my feet in the much advertised ivory sand, swim in the pristine waters and eat my fill of scallops.

Jen arranged for transport and accommodation, we just had to wait and enjoy the trip. We took the last bus trip going out to catch the first vessel set for the Dumangas Port.

The morning was already frigid yet the AC dial seemed to be glued at freezing temperature. Sleep was elusive. 

The van was waiting at the port when we arrived. The 2-hour ride to Carles was uneventful owing to our sleepless night. By 8, the sun dominated the skies that having some halo-halo while waiting for the boat is imperative.

Even before parking our stuff at the inn, we stopped at a number of islets and had our photos taken. 

Our first stop was at Isla Pulupandan. Two-thirds of it is covered by sand while one side is fringed with wide boulders which became an instant favorite backdrop for photos.

Our second stop was Cabugao island, known to be the most photographed island in the group. It has a long white beach with hills on both ends. A viewing deck was under construction (obviously). Here, there was a long queue in order to take this kind (left) of shot.

The shoreline as seen below is lined with young coconut trees. They may have been planted following the devastation that Haiyan brought about years ago.

Interesting too were scores of stacked flat stones towers under the shade. But they were too many really to be amusing.


Our third stop was at the sandbar of Bantigue island which we didn't enjoy as we were still in our travel clothes at the time. We watched locals bring out loads of scallops from the deep and cooled off with a tube of ice candy which the local kids sell to tourists.

I forgot the island where our inn was in. It was a fishing village alright and the beach was not so inviting. Lunch awaited on a long table teemed with crabs, scallops, and fish. I think I finished five crabs...hihihi.

Pilgrimage Preview

            Reconnecting with Jale has stirred my adventurous soul back to life. It started with a short message he left at my inbox asking where I have been to that week. He must have been referring to the photos I posted from our trip down south.

            It was the Pasalamat weekend. On these busy days I have a penchant of removing myself from the crowd and revelry. So, when he invited me to take a hike to the boondocks, my excitement couldn’t be contained.

            Cutting through lunch and the waiting, our official climb started at Brgy. San Miguel under the blazing heat of the 2 PM sun. I know it sounded crazy. It actually felt like it.

            We timed our pace passing time reliving our Laguna adventures. He puffed stick after stick of menthol cigarettes as we go. After a few stops to get the lungs acclimatized to the abrupt change in physical activity we found ourselves at Brgy. Ara-al. As this is not a serious climb, we visited a colleague in the area to cool off. The melon shake they offered was heaven sent.

            It was dusk already when we spied the Guintubdan marker around the bend. My feet felt leaden at every step but the proximity gave me strength to hang on (aw). My sigh of relief was audible when I finally had the chance to sit at the Pavillon reception. Having originally planned not to stay the night, I texted mom not to wait for me anymore as the last thing I wanted to do at that time was to walk some more.

            Rest was short-lived. I mean who can resist the lure of the cascading waters just a hundred or so steps down below. With new-found strength, we made our way to the falls. The current of the frigid waters was so soothing, soon we found ourselves sodden from head to feet, sliding through stones to shallow pools below shrieking in delight as kids.

            We would have stayed a little longer had it not for fear of mosquito bites.

            Supper was a simple affair. We had sautéed corned beef and warmed sardines over heaps of rice.

            Darkness blanketed the place though the night was still young. We found a quiet place and stayed there a while sipping coffee watching the city lights spread before us. Of course, the night did not pass without us revealing a bit of our nerd selves. We studied the skies for a bit and were rewarded with a glimpse of a rather showy meteor that made its way across the sky with deliberate slowness.

Lantaw sa Duyan

It was meant to be. 

With everybody busy, it is a rarity that we could find a common time to get together and catch up. 

All summer, people have been trooping to Lantawan and Duyan Café in Silay. To set our curiosities to rest, we decided to join the bandwagon. As it turned out, it was also a test of Ms. Teray’s driving skills as well as Tage’s machine power to dominate the slopes.

All was well. We made it through the first incline. Midway through the second, I got worried when we changed gear while ascending. Nobody reacted so I kept my worries to myself until our driver realized that the gear shift was a wrong call. Tage descended backwards and Ms. Teray started to lose confidence, she steered Tage to the wrong side of the road. A Pajero slowed down and the driver asked if we needed help and suggested to apply the brakes. At the time, both Jen and JD were already out of the car while I was glued to my seat, unsure of what to do. Fortunately the brakes held. That was a relief.

There was no turning back so JD took the wheel on the way up. We stopped by the roadside eatery where we ordered “laswa” to go with the grilled meats. While waiting for lunch to cook, we engaged our host in a small talk. She used to work in the middle east to send her nieces and nephews to school. She decided to stay and work on the piece of land that they own growing fruit trees, vegetables and pineapples. When Lantawan and Duyan started catering to tourist, it opened an opportunity for them to market their produce as well as providing travelers a cheaper dining option.

We decided to leave Tage at the stop and rented a mini-truck to take us to Lantawan. At the back, I opted to stand so I can feel the rain-cleansed air on my face. I had no inkling that the descent was so steep and the speed-demon-of-a-driver seemingly enjoyed my deafening shrieks cared not to slow down even as we passed by the bridge which half lane sank from a recent landslide.

That was short-lived as my attention was captured by the sight before us: lush greens that glistened from the rain.