Sights of the Last Frontier

A rather late post :)

Last February my restless feet has taken me to the country's last Frontier: Palawan. With the limited time off from work I got, we only zeroed in on Puerto Princesa. Coron/El Nido will NEED a separate week (uhm, make that two!) of their own. For those who have not heard anything about Palawan, or better yet to entice you more and decide to hop on a plane that will take you to Palawan, here's a short but very inviting video.

 Video credit here

The itinerary for trip was rather a bit more relaxed compared to my last one. Also, the fact that the Underground River tour was sold out weeks before, we had to move the activities. We arrived there Monday morning and spent the day roaming around PPC. On our first night, we stayed at the very tropical Puerto Pension since the original hotel we wanted for this trip was sold out on the first night.

The hotel staff fetched us from the airport with their very gregarious chauffeur/tour guide. He was a healthy knowledgeable fellow, and as soon as he started the vehicle's engine he then happily blabbered about Palawan. Proud Palaweno, I said to myself, we need more people with this outlook. In the wise words of the current Department of Tourism secretary, Mon Jimenez, Tourism is everybody's business. I couldn't agree more. The hotel is a mere 10 minute ride from the airport, but the traffic seemed slow as the streets were flooded with trikes. Better than the sea of vehicles in EDSA :)

The hotel really felt very tropical, built in an elevated area overlooking the sea boulevard. A lot of wood, very Filipino. On the top of the hotel building is their restaurant/roof deck facility: The Tribu Roof Deck Restaurant.

The roof deck offers a full view of the bay. We had this view while having our lunch. Sea breeze, I welcome you!!

Blue, Blue, Blue all around!!!

After lunch, we went around the area looking for a place to buy pasalubong. My pre trip research got me a name but I do not know exactly where it is. We ended up walking from the hotel to where the tiangge is! And it was scorching hot that day! Oh well, it was fun. After 30 minutes of walking and asking for directions, we got to the place. But it was a disappointment. I didn't get to buy stuff as planned, except for some beaded bracelets for me. (We got to a better tiangge).

Dinner on our first night brought us to the famous Kalui Seafood Restuarant. Pre trip research told me to reserve a slot for dinner and boy was I glad that I did just that. When we arrived, it was a full night! There was a whole group of students (probably a whole section or two of Tourism students) from FEU.

Welcome to Kalui!!

This sign was placed on a desk right before you get ushered to your table but people don't seem to notice it. Or maybe they're just hopeful that there's an open table haha

Before entering the restaurant area, we were asked to remove our shoes. Magpapaa po tayo, Ma'am/Sir. The shoes were placed inside a shoe basket/cabinet for safe keeping, the floor area is made entirely of shiny wood. It must be hard to clean them off of mud and dirt :)

It's a seafood feast!! Although I wasn't all too happy about the way the shrimp was cooked. Tasted bland for a garlic shrimp recipe.

We got free dessert!! Mixed fresh fruits with Muscovado sugar in a coconut shell .

We went back to the hotel happy, full and sleepy. Aahh... vacation. 

The next morning, we had our breakfast at the roof deck restaurant. We checked out at noon since we will be transferring to another property.

Welcome to Marianne Inn. We booked our accommodations with them plus the tours. Again, the river tour was full booked so we settled with the itinerary below: Tuesday - City Tour; Wednesday - Honda Bay. 

Tuesday was when we checked in at this property. By noon, Palawan was blessed and it started to rain. Drat! Oh well. We will survive. 

The property is fairly new, built last March 2011. The clean interiors would tell you this, brightly colored walls and it smelled clean, too. It was quite small, an inn in fact but very comfortable. And affordable too!

Second morning in Palawan, we had the city tour scheduled but my heart sank as it was a very gloomy day. It rained on our way to the Crocodile Farm. Here are some photos:


Even if this was a baby crocodile, I was really scared! Notice that I was only holding the tail of the little fella. If he bites, he ain't cute and little anymore! Surprisingly, the skin felt really smooth and un-crocodile like hahah! This is the reason why some people really pursue to buy bags or purses made of crocodile leather. Nooooo! Not good, these fellas were not created for that purpose. (You can hold the crocodile and have your photo taken by paying Php30 each, photo gets printed too!)

Piercing eyes. Ulk! Reminds me of Dolores Umbridge of Hogwarts. See the resemblance? Beady eyes ain't shy!

As if the lone crocodile was not enough, we went inside a crocodile nursery and saw loads of them. My imagination ran wild and thought a little one will jump off its container and attack me!!

Nope, they are NOT cute.

 Sorry chicken, you were the ultimate sacrifice!

Hello there bear cats! They are a sleepy bunch :)

 And the tamed one. Cute, furry little fella :)

And he posed!!

After the farm, we went to the Iwahig Penal Farm and stopped by very briefly. It was interesting to note that every item in their shop were made by prisoners, you can see them working and minding their own business.

Some creations:

We also got to visit the Mitra Ranch. It was overlooking the Honda Bay, I'd love to own a property similar to that. *day dream mode*

Bakers Hill!! At last, food!

Inside the quaint little restaurant. 

 
Photo op: the plump sexy maiden and the little baker edition!




The house inside the Bakers Hill compound. 

On the way back to town, we stopped by a much better tiangge. And this is where I got my underground shirt!! 

That's my shirt alright! You can even have your name on it too, free of charge. Good quality shirt printing :)

Bugoy's shirt: Keep Exploring Palawan!

Last full day in Palawan was spent island hopping in Honda bay. But it was raining really hard that time thus I wasn't able to take a lot of decent photos. I was busy hiding my face, my camera and holding on to dear life so we will not go overboard as the waves are going crazy. Sharing some photos below. These are from my personal file:

The day started out warm and Mr Sun was in his gregarious form. Didn't last long though.

Set sail!!

the lone sea cucumber. where are your other friends, buddy? :)

sand bar, wet from the rain

it ain't easy being an actress I had to pretend being stepped on hahaha!

looking cool when it's really cold hehehe

Happy campers!!Will do this again :)

Even if I left Palawan feeling sad, I boarded the plan with a renewed zest to travel and see my own country. 

Next on my Palawan list: El Nido and Coron.

What's in store for Summer 2012?

It's summer, alright. But what are your plans? Mine? A planned trip to Baler next month with the beckies (should be fun! Please let it push through) and a late summer pahabol: a trip to Zambales with my college buddies -- a reunion of sort actually. I'm crossing all my fingers that both plans will push through and probably something in between them, too. You see, as a kid I used to frequent the beach with the company outings (from where my father works) during summer months and the annual trip to the province and island hopping with the relatives. But now, I don't have the childhood excuse of 'summer vacation' school declaration. Unfortunately for us, the corporate world doesn't have a scheduled summer break. Life would be grand if we have it right? Downside, no sweldo! Ay wag nalang uy! 

So I wish you reader (yeah you, who happen to blog hop and unfortunately, wasted your time here haha!) a blissful and memorable summer ahead! Share your plans! 

As for me, let me daydream and get back to doing stomach crunches and dispel the fats lurking. May abs naman ako, este, AB!! Isa lang e! :)

The Trip that TS Falcon threatened - Part II

This post summarizes day 2 of our trip. If you haven't yet, you may read through part 1 here. 


The following day, we continued our trip at 1PM - this was the other half of the tour. Too bad (tropical storm) Falcon was nearing Ilocos that time so it was raining harder than ever. But no amount of rain can dampen my spirits that time as today's agenda: the southern part of Pagudpud!!

Day 2, first stop: the much awaited Bangui Windmills! Soooo majestic!! and not to mention huge!!!! I was really in awe, hindi ako nakapagsalita when I got off the trike and saw them for the first time. Nakanganga lang ata ako, I'm sure sabi ng isa sa mga windmills: "eng eng ata tong babaeng to!!!" 

Who would not be amazed at this?? (it was really cloudy that day, as you can see in the photos but my heart was jumping for joy for my prayers were answered: the rain really stopped every time we arrive at our destination!)

even with dark clouds looming over it, the windmills still look majestic as ever.

I had one wish that time: to go inside one of the windmills and go up and see the whole area! You see, at the foot of the structure, there's a heavy duty door that takes one inside the tube and up. Although I am not sure if civilians are allowed to go in but I was desperate and I was ready to beg so I can go in. desperada lang! 

Funny thing is, when I went near one structure, I had a sudden flashback of several gory scenes from the FINAL DESTINATION series. Why, you say? The wind was so strong that time that the sound emitted by the blades were stronger than ever. My imagination was acting up that time and I was anticipating that the blades may come off the hinge and go straight to my neck!! Jusme!!! Perfect, would definitely make it to FINAL DESTINATION part.. err 15. 

black sand

wind was soo strong that day

Near the structures, there are little nipa houses that sell souvenirs: little wood replicas of the windmills, keychain, ref magnets. We got some for pasalubong, we didn't really haggle so we can help out with the local livelihood. Plus I know that they make it on site because we saw some raw materials. They gave us free paper weights with the Bangui Windmills lettering on on them. Good job!

Up next, we went to a rather odd natural structure but very beautiful: the Kapurpurawan Rocks. In the local dialect this means whiteness (kaputian). And literally the structure really screamed Mestiza ako!!

To reach the rocks, from the jump off point, we had to go down a long concrete stairs and pass through a natural vegetation.

 

photo taken from the bottom of the stairs

beautiful vegetation, everything spells GREEN! If I'm not mistaken, I saw some bonsai plants scattered in the area.

Isn't it beeyyoootiful? I feel like I'm in the middle of a huge water basin with this mountain ranges around me

looking so small compared to my surroundings (well, I am really small even on normal circumstances haha!)

Bugoy happily standing in the midst of all whiteness

waves crashing at the bottom of the rocks

These are hardened sand, it may not look that white here due to the rains. It actually looks like a hardened chalk!

The uneven patters are due to the constant exposure to the sea water (erosion too) and the wind.

The large head, for me it looked it like merlion hahah! But the head really commanded presence while it faced the waters.

the waves

Us in the massive rock. Thank you Kuya Arnel!

Last stop of the day was another famous landmark: the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse or the Burgos Lighthouse. This lighthouse is now a protected cultural structure in Ilocos which was build during the Spanish period in the Philippines. Now why is it called Cape Bojeador? Simply because the structure is perched on top of a hill overlooking Cape Bojeador where the old Spanish galleons used to set sail. 

from the parking lot, visitors have to endure climbing up a flight of concrete stairs to reach the main courtyard. I decided to count it but when I reach mid 20 steps, I lost count and I didn't have the heart to go back and start from 1. 

few steps. rest. repeat 20X

Once you get into the courtyard, you need to go up a few steps before you get to the foot of the lighthouse. Once there you will notice that the while courtyard and structure itself is made of red bricks that have aged gracefully and naturally. Its main enemies: time, hard winds and rains. As this structure was first lit March 1892, this has been standing for more than a century. And its original mechanism has sadly been damaged when a massive earthquake hit the area in 1990. Right now the area is being closely guarded and preserved as it was a National Historical Landmark last August 2004 and a National Treasure on June 2005.


Entrance to the foot of the lighthouse requires one to walk by a short hallway (left picture below). On the left side is a door leading to a museum that showcases the history of the lighthouse. Passing through the museum felt creepy, fortunately it was closed when we visited. After the hallway, you then need to go up a few steps (right photo, below) to really reach a main entrance of the lighthouse itself. I was really looking forward to going up and see the view from the top but it was closed to visitors that time plus it was anticipating a storm.

CREEPY

Even if I wasn't able to go up, I took all the beauty in. No matter how tiring it was to climb it, the view from the top is just awweeesome! Worth every single step!

Kebs sa dark clouds!!

Cape Bojeador in the horizon

emote

I bet this will not be our last time to visit Pagudpud. I really would love to visit the windmills again when Mr Sun is all out. And probably climb up, too? :)