Day tour of Bohol

I had too many regrets with my first trip to Bohol that I had to go again before leaving the Philippines. I started this second round in Bohol with a day tour of the main attractions of the island. For this, I hired a driver and his scooter for the day. He was really happy to get the business and I even got to meet his family as we stopped to pick up an extra helmet. We then hit the road to go to the Loboc River Cruise, the Chocolate Hills, the Butterfly Farm, the Man-made Forest and the Baclayan Church.

Whale Sharks!

One thing that I was really really really excited about was seeing whale sharks. I tried seeing them in Palawan, but I was too early. I heard you could see them in Tan-Awan, Oslob, so I made this one of my last stop in the Philippines. I was not going to miss my chance at seeing those gentle giants.

Quick side note on the subject: whale sharks have been in Oslob for a long time, the fishermen just didn't know what they were. Oslob used to be a fishing town before becoming the tourist attraction it is now.

Boat ride of Hell

Dear American woman I met in Panglao,

I don’t remember much of you, except that you were relatively young, maybe 28 years old. You were blond and had, perhaps, an American accent. You also had words tattooed on your forearm, but I did not make them out.

I am very thankful for the help you tried to provide me in the streets of Panglao. I’m also very sorry, as I must have appeared completely crazy to you that day. You most likely approached me because I looked relatively distressed as drivers were calling prices at me trying to get me to hire them to take me back to Tagbilaran. I was flustered despite the fact that the prices they were quoting were fairly regular and reasonable prices.

I will agree with you that there was apparently no reason for me to make a scene. Truth is, I wanted to be left alone. I was even considering going to the police to report a situation that had happened to me earlier. But, first and foremost, I needed a bit of time to recuperate from what I would later refer to as “The boat ride of Hell”. I was not ready to be assailed by the constant stimulation tourists experience in Filipinos streets.

I wish now that I could have formulated clearer thoughts. That I could have explained to you what was wrong. Maybe you would have taken me to a shop where we would have had a coffee and I could have gone through the events of the afternoon to make sense of them. But these events, the general cultural shock and the homesickness got the best of me at that particular moment.

You see I woke up early that morning in Cebu, grabbed my bags and happily made my way to the bus station to catch a bus that would take me to Oslob for a swim with whale sharks (after I had failed to see them in Palawan). I wanted to be on one of the higher end buses, but I got put on a regular non AC bus for almost the same price. I didn’t mind though, I was going to see whale sharks! It was so exciting!

Once it was over, I headed to the side of the street where I would catch my bus, which would take me back to Cebu in time to catch one of the ferry. I was told by one of the guys from the resort about an alternate ferry that would take me straight to the island from here. This would save me time and money. I wasn’t sure I wanted to do this… The amount of pressure the guy was putting on me should have been an indicator that something was wrong (of course, I learned later these guys get commissions anytime they bring unsuspecting tourists). I got pressured the whole time I was waiting for my bus and finally gave in. I was talked into taking the ferry, despite my gut feeling. This proved to be a horrible mistake. 

I could have comfortably made my way back to Cebu where I would have taken a comfortable ferry to Tagbilaran. It would have cost very little. Instead, I found myself pushed into a boat with a dozen other tourists. This boat was not meant to cross the channel. Within 30 minutes, we were all soaked from head to toe. By an hour into the trip, we were shivering. Full waves crashed into the boat, making it impossible for our clothes to dry. My luggage got completely soaked by seawater, which damaged and ruined quite a bit of equipment.

About three hours into the trip, the bench I was sitting on – which turned out to be rotten – gave way and one of the Danish fell in the water. He was lucky to not have hit his head on one of the bamboo floaters - his chances of drowning would have dramatically increased. We fished him out. If I hadn’t been holding on to something at the time, I would no doubt have needed to be fished out as well.

Everyone was wondering if the boat would make it to shore. We didn’t have life jackets. When I looked around, I could see the fear in other people eyes. Some of the girls were crying. One woman was sick and went through all the plastic bags we were carrying.

I spent the rest of the trip considering the situation. I evaluated the shore behind us to be about 3 to 4 kilometers away. The other shore must have been 8 or more kilometers away. Even good swimmers would not be able to make it and that was without even considering the waves. I looked at people around me, trying to figure out who would be able to remain calm if the boat did go under. Who would be good enough swimmers to stay afloat? Who would need to be towed? I tried to take notice of other boats in the distance; there was none. This route wasn’t used often it seemed. I noticed the boat wasn’t equipped with a communication device. Our odds were not great if the boat did sink. One could only hope this barge would hold. These were not nice thoughts to have.

Eventually, passengers asked the captain to stop the boat and one by one they climbed down the latter into the sea to relieve themselves. People turned their heads to give them a bit of privacy. When everyone had gone, the boat went forward once more.

Thankfully, we finally made it to Bohol. We were dropped, not at the pier, but at a random beach in Panglao. From there, I had to find my way to Tagbilaran on the opposite end of the island.

All in all, this ordeal took three times the time and cost five times the price of my intended trip through official channels. Once safe on solid ground, I was relieved and furious at the same time. I could have cried in anger, if crying was something I was prone to do. I wanted to go to the police to report this crook of a captain, but I could not find them. I was being called by taxi and tricycle drivers. I was upset and distressed, and nobody was giving me any space. 

That is when you intervened. Yet, you see, I was upset not because of what they wanted to charge me, I was upset because I needed space. I didn’t need a transport right away. What I needed was time to process what had just happened.

I am thankful for your good intentions. I am sorry that I appeared so crazy, but what I really needed at the time was to feel safe again. After this incident, I became paranoid of everyone who smiled at me or said hello. That is how I knew I had to leave soon and that I had two choice: head on or head home. 

I decided to head on. If my experience in the next country proved to be no better, I would then head home.

 

I should have trusted my instincts and I hope next time I have the wisdom to do so.

While I am thankful for your good intentions when you approached me, I wish you had said something along the lines of “It looks like you are having a bad day. Come let’s have a coffee and you can tell me all about it. Then we can figure out what your next step will be.” Then again, how could I have expected you to see past the situation to uncover to real cause of my distress?

 I am still thankful and I do sincerely wish you the best on your own journey.

A.

Baker's Hill, the Penal Farm and Baywalk

Baker's Hill

We made a quick stop by Baker's Hill and its beautiful grounds. It was a nice walk and I got to have some tasty foods from a stand. There are many tables and the place would be ideal if you have children as there are many statues geared toward children as well as a nice playground.

Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm

Iwahig, the prison without walls... Now that is a concept that really sparked my interest! This minimum and medium security prison is situated on 45,000-hectares of land nestled in between mountains and ocean. It has no walls and its boundaries are marked off by a fence. The inmates are allowed to police and govern themselves, and there families can live on the farm as well. Inmates can also opt to learn a trade while they do their time. This is a win-win situation, as while the inmate learns a trade, the government has the opportunity to recoup the money for the prisoner's upkeep. Once the government has deducted the monies owed to it, the remaining money goes back to the inmate and their family.

I will admit that from my point of view, it was strange to drive through this farm, with the inmates walking freely about. Yet, if the system does work? It sure gave me a lot to think about and I wouldn't mind seeing the Canadian government piloting such a project rather than enforcing harsher policies.

While we drove through, every single inmate we drove past saluted us. I was taken aback by this interaction. It was refreshing though, reminds you first hand that the inmate are humans. I asked my uncle about escape attempt. He says it doesn't really happen here, since life is pretty good for the inmates and they get to have their families with them while they serve their time.

Baywalk

(Tasting new foods together)

The Baywalk is a nice place to have a stroll or to bike. They have also been relocating the night market there, so it's especially lively at night. We went there, the four of us, for a night stroll. I ended up tasting some pretty sweet street food, including urchin and a delicious kind of fresh seaweed (salty beads lining a stem, not sure how it's called).

(Tasting sea urchins)

Honda Bay Island Hopping

 (That stern face I had, I blame it on the sun!)

A very popular activity in Palawan is island hopping around Honda Bay. With my cousin and his parents, we chartered a boat and headed out. It was a nice and relaxing day. We swam a bit around and enjoyed the sun before hopping to another island. Tita Carmen had brought a picnic and now I should say that Tita Carmen is quite a good cook. So I got to enjoy the beach, the sun, the sea AND good food. The water was quite clear and I enjoyed seeing the fishes and the fans. I even got bit by a territorial turtle wish when I swam too close to its house. It seems a million time more scary when you get bit by something underwater... Took me everything not to squeal. It's not that it hurt, it really didn't, it just not something you expect.

The day was quite uneventful as it should be... Except maybe for  that one time, we swam out and we were like 8 meters from the shore when Oliver turned to me and asked me if I had my shoes on. He looked horrified when I said no. In Canada, you only swim with shoes if there are a lot of pointy rocks... I guess I didn't learn my lessons in Australia where everything wants to kill you. It was my turn to be horrified to learn there are super poisonous fishes that hang on the sea floor and look like rock. Actually, they look like this:

This, my friends, is a stonefish... No, not a rockfish. A stonefish. With their spines, can deliver a painful sting that can be lethal. They are the most venomous fish in the world (by the way, did you now there are more venomous fishes than venomous snakes?). The sting causes not only excruciating pain, but also rapid and sever swelling which may result in tissue necrosis. It all depends on the depth of penetration and the number of stings. The venom can also cause vomiting, muscle weakness, temporary paralysis and shock, which may in turn result in death. Respiratory support might be necessary as a result of a sting. Scary isn't it

Now, let's play Spot the Stonefish:

I will admit I chose this particular video mostly because of the moray eel at the beginning. I do love moray eels!

Horrified yet? You can read the story of this poor guy here who had to spend 6 days in the hospital after stepping on one of these cutesie. Or you can read this cool article by the National Geographic here.

Now, upon hearing I had no shoes, Oliver proceed to tell me that there could be some of these little fellas in the water. He wanted me to return to shore and put my shoes on. I said something along the lines of "Hell, no! It's safe here, I stay here". Since I didn't want to move, he swam back to shore to get them for me.

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. Uneventful can be a good thing.

Palawan Crocodile Farm

I headed to Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Park, a.k.a. the Palawan Crocodile Farm, with tita Carmen. In the  '70s, crocodiles were hunted extensively for their skin. This resulted in a decline in crocodile population and the creation of a conservation project. Later, in light of illegal trade the mandate was widened to include other animals that have been confiscated. They also are in charge of capturing crocodile which have attacked humans. They say that a crocodile that has tasted human flesh will always attend it again, I wonder if that's true.

We were met there by one of her nephews who works for the center. You can't wander in the park on your own, so you must wait for a guided tour, which thankfully are often enough (every 30 minutes I think, but don't take my word for it on that one). The visit started in the lobby where you could see the bones of a sperm whale and of Rio, who was once the world's largest crocodile.

(Rio's bones)

Puerto Princesa's Underground River

One couldn't go to Puerto Princesa without making a stop at the Underground River, one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature since January 28, 2012. Tita Carmen arranged everything for me and I was paired with my cousin Olivier, who is a guide there.

How I Unknowingly Participated in an Official Dinner

Marilou had invited me to accompany her to an education conference, as she works for the Commission of Higher Education as assistant to a director. When I climbed into the car with them, I thought I would just wander around the grounds and make myself very small. This would explain why I had put on my plain traveler's clothes and flip-flops instead of the dress I had brought for such occasions. It's not that it was a black-tie event, but it still was more formal than what I was dressed for.

Turns out I was actually seated with them at the head table. Don't get me wrong, I have participated in official events a few times in the past, but I was always prepared for them. In that instance, I did not know what to do with myself in front of all these people - especially dressed as I was, say what you want, but wearing the right clothes can really bolster your confidence.

I also didn't know where I was supposed to sit or when I was supposed to stand. I felt quite awkward. 

Worst thing of all, the director proceeded to do me the honor of introducing me officially during her speech as "a friend from Canada". I then had to stand up and felt the eyes of the whole room turn to me. I felt really inadequate in light of this unwarranted attention. People came to see me afterward, thinking that I was an official from Canada. I had to explain to them that the help I could provide them was quite limited (I could basically only help them find public contact informations for universities, not push their projects forward).

This could really have been avoided with a few words on what to expect at the beginning of the day. If ever you do happen to pass along an impromptu invitation to a traveler, or even just a friend, for a formal event, please do advise on the type of event and formalities to be expected. It will save both you and the guest quite a headache about decorum.

This being said, I am grateful for the opportunity to assist to the conference. It was really interesting to hear about how they are implementing outcome-based education and are aiming at improving the standardization of education so that exchanges with other countries and global recognition can become possible.

Tarsier Sanctuary and Dolphin Watching in Bohol

I didn't allow enough time to spend in Bohol, mainly because I spent too much time in Manila. I really regretted this decision as Bohol had everything that was required to make me happy, including street food which will be the subject of another post.

However short my visit, I did get to see one of the things that was on the top of my to-do list and that is the Tarsier Sanctuary near the town of Corella. Sadly for me, the tarsiers had been affected quite a bit by the earthquake that had shaken up the region and had retreated further inland. Still, despite all this, I did manage to see three of them, which is much better than other travelers who came out empty handed.

The Man and his Calesa

We were in Manila, close to a park dedicated to Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines, when we were approached by a man driving a horse led carriage. I never take these sort of things, as I rather walk at my own pace. Here, everybody seems to find it outrageous when I say I wish to walk. It’s like I should wish to be driven everywhere. I hold my ground though, as I find walking helps me to see things I would overlook otherwise. Yet, my cousin who was accompanying me didn’t want to walk, I was talked into hiring this driver. As I feared, this turned out to be a mistake. Tourist traps are not called traps without reasons.

 

First, he couldn’t speak English apart from his selling pitch - normally I wouldn't mind, except if the service offered is geared at tourists. Pinky explained that this was why it was less expensive than the other carriage (mind you not that much less expensive). I would later find out that Pinky wasn’t fluent enough in English to feel comfortable translating for me. So any explanation he gave (not that he gave that many) were for her ears only.

Second he lied about his fees. He pointed to a circuit and said 250 php for 30 minutes. Well the circuit didn’t last only 30 minutes and he forgot to mention it was 250 php per person. Even worst, we were in his cart for two hours and he argued that we had been there for three. That brought the bill to 3 000 php… Almost the price for a return ticket to Palawan! It’s not just about the money though. I understand, they own less than we do and they think all foreigners are rich. In their situation, I would probably also lack the perspective to see the reality of the travelers. I wonder if they think we are all like Picsou, taking baths in pools of golden coins… 

Despite understanding their situation, I am still bothered by the whole underlying principle. As if their situations justified lying to tourists and cheating them. So I stood my ground on principle and asked that he stick with his first quoted price. I gave him a 1 000 php and refused to give him more, because I hope this will make him realize that he should be honest with other tourists and that being dishonest will not gain him anything. This time he couldn’t pretend the mistake was due to lack of understanding of English, as I had a girl with me who spoke Tagalo. I would rather they state a higher price, with no hidden trap. I would then be able to make an informed decision about hiring him or not. 

Finally, if you come to Manila and want to hire such a carriage to travel around historical landmarks, I would suggest you pay the little extra money to hire the higher end service. This should provide you with a guide who can speak English, who will fill you in with relevant facts and who will offer overall a better service. 

Also, now when you hire a driver, you know to ask if the price is inclusive of everybody or on a per person basis. You also know to ask how much time or distance the trip should take, and how much the final bill should be. You should also track time or distance to ensure the right data is used to calculate the final bill. Finally, you should ask if there are any other extras to pay for before hiring the transportation (this one I learned on another occasion).

Jose Rizal - National Hero of the Philippines

Everyone here acted as if I should know who Rizal was. The hero of the Philippines they said. Very famous.

When asked what deed he accomplished to get such a fame, nobody seemed to be able to tell me. You didn't need to know who he was or what he did. All you needed to know what that Rizal was their national hero.

It goes without saying that I wanted to know why he was considered a hero and I read up on the subject.

Avilon Zoo and Manila Ocean Park

 Avilon Zoo 
Avilon Zoo is the largest zoological institution in the Philippines and the installations spread over 7.5-hectare. An highlight for this zoo is that many animals are not caged and are rather trained to mingle with humans, like Trixie below.

My visit to Cottolengo Filipino

I accompanied Marilou for a short visit at Cottolengo Filipino. It is a non-profit religious NGO licensed and accredited by the Department of Social Welfare and Development. It is led by the Little Works of Divine Providence Congregation, which was founded by Saint Luigi Orione.

The vision of the NGO is to offer an home to persons with disabilities where they are loved and cared for. An environment that is happy, therapeutic and non-judgemental, where they feel like a family, which in turn is conducive to treatment and development. The end goal is integration, empowerment and a sense of productivity all to give these kids a chance at becoming self-reliant.

These kids are poor, abandoned, orphaned, unwanted, neglected and surrendered. They are physically and mentally impaired.

I have seen first hand the work they do and was both touched and impressed. The new priest in charge of the establishment had such love for these kids. I have seen kids with multiple illnesses, from autism to Down syndrome.

First impression of the Philippines

I was told by a Singaporean friend to avoid spending too much time in Manila. In Manila, I was met by my aunt. Marilou was a devout woman who was striving to leave a pious and simple life. She was the assistant of a director at the Commission of Higher Education. My first day, I assisted to a mass. Here, like with the sarong in Bali, you have to wear appropriate clothing. This means no tank top, no short and no slippers (their terms for flip-flops).

Manila was just as chaotic as Bali, with perhaps a more condensed population. The metro was a nightmare, with a wagon system based on gender which nobody really follows. Out of 8 wagons, 2 or 3 might be dedicated to women while the others are dedicated to men. When I inquired about this disproportionate ratio, I was explained this was because women were not as often bread-winners for their family and it was generally deemed their transportation were not as important.

Another thing the Philippines has in common with Bali is garbage burning. A lady would later explain to me that there is a garbage collection system, people just don’t always use it. Sometimes it’s more convenient to just burn certain things. She also genuinely believed that by burning the garbage under a tree, emissions were entirely absorbed by the tree. As we know CO2 is good for trees, garbage burning is also made all better when done under trees.

I did not dare tell her that’s not how it works. I didn't want to shame such a kind woman.

In Manila and in other regions, particularly around Cebu and Oslob, I could also feel desperation. I was told this was due to a decrease in tourism resulting from hurricane Yolanda and the earthquake. I felt like taxi drivers and motorbike drivers were really aggressively pursuing tourists business. They would make false promise about fares, distances, etc.