Last month Jacky and I visited the beautiful island of Siquijor in the southern Philippines.
Due to the fact that all Filipinos associate it with Black Magic (and therefore mostly refuse to go there) it has remained very uncommercialized. Consequently exploring the island interior on a motorbike, where tarmac roads lead you up into the hills populated by remote communities, is an absolute joy.
Likewise, travelling the scenic coastal road enables you to stop off at some wonderful beachfront eateries and restaurants, such as Eric the Viking. The island as a whole has such a laid-back vibe to it that it almost feels as if time has stood still.
Hot food for sale at the roadside
Local fruits and vegetables available at the market place
A bamboo and tin hut among the palm trees in the hills
At the Butterfly Sanctuary in the middle of the island
A carabao (water buffalo) relaxing by the roadside
Swinging on the famous Tarzan Rope at Cambugahay Falls
A local about to get wet
Jacky with Eric the Viking
The CR (Comfort Room) out back
Washing clothes in the local river
The original wooden floor in one of Siquijor's oldest churches
To get there, after flying in to Dumaguete, you first have to undergo a 90-minute ferry crossing on a boat well and truly manned by a skeleton crew. Their own personnel list gives no indication that anyone more highly skilled than a quartermaster is in charge of the vessel your are sailing on!
No Master, Chief Officer, Chief Steward, Steward, Chef Cook, Chief Engineer, Second Engineer or Electrician on board our ferry the Reina Magdalena.
It's definitely more fun in the Philippines!
No comments:
Post a Comment