Is it okay if I call you mine?

"Just for the time

And I will be just fine..."

Yeah, just like the lyrics above, I want to call Cagbalete Island my own, my private island, mine. But, I am just a guest who enjoyed the sand and can only shout to the world that it's mine no more than the hours that i walked, sit, swam and shoot on its creamy fine white sand and clear water. My shout maybe loud but it will only be eaten by the wind, my footprints maybe deep but it will be buried by the waves. I can never make it mine, but i can have it forever etched in my mind.

After a very hot 10 minute walk on a pathway that penetrates the small community of the island, after the curious stares thrown our way, after the friendly exchanges of "magandang araw po" to the locals (and they returned it with a smile), after the little confusion with the right way and finding ourselves walking on the shore, we arrived sweating in Pensacola Resort (042-7840158, look for Fe) just in time for lunch. After the initial introductions with Mang Rommel (the owner), we were lead to the tree house that I reserved the previous day. And whoa! aside from it being too big for two persons, the tree house - the only one in Cagbalete, by the way - is open, save for pieces of woods hammered together, it has no walls! Later on, we find it a unique experience, and the air can freely come and pass by from all sides.

Since we availed of the meal package, P700.00 per head that covers lunch, dinner and breakfast plus two snacks, our lunch was served in no time. And man, the serving was huuuge! And i love the crispy pata and leche flan!

Lyn rested on the hammock under our tree house while I take a few steps towards the beach, low tide!!! The low tide in Cagbalete starts at around 9 in the morning and continue until 2 in the afternoon. During those times, if you are brave enough to challenge the scourging heat of the sun, you need to walk around 400 meters from the shore for you to reach a waist-deep water and maybe a few more if you want chest-deep. The water is very warm and clear but the walking is just not fair hehehe.

We observed that there's a group of yuppies doing a team building on the other cottage and it's fun watching them, we even complimented that they're behaved compared to other people of their age (not that we're that old). We just let the time pass by talking about sensible things like "kung isa kang ulam, ano ka?" hehehe. And the two of us were just laughing, unmindful of the other group that's now starting to get noisy.

The water started to return at around 2, and before we can change into our swimming gears, turon with langka and buko juice were served as our snacks. yay!

Since it's still very hot to go swimming, we just explored the area, and walk further on the other side, challenging ourselves if we can get into the other resort, we almost made it but we returned after we saw a cemetery by the shore. natakot?! hehe.

The resort is not very ideal if you're looking for a nice sunset shot, you need to walk to Sabang for a perfect view of it. I did not walk towards Sabang, but a nice opportunity with a docking boat gave me a shot of the sun that's starting to hide.

Dinner time. The generator is now running, lights are now flooding the cottages like there's electricity. The noise of the yuppies are now starting to accelerate to the level that later on will reach the annoying part. I really did not enjoy the fish as it tastes so...fishy, malansa! Yeah, it's fresh but I am not really a fan of fish, except when fried.

We slept early, but the yuppie groups are now alcohol-glazed and were laughing like they're the only one there. It's really annoying, the noise that they are making, plus the music from their gadgets does not actually blend with the surrounding, the owner should have banned loud music! but maybe they won't as they're also discreetly singing in the videoke! hehehe. I don't know, maybe we're just tired, but we dooze off and woke up the next day with some birds chirping on the tree.

After having breakfast, we had another round of photo-ops that we enjoyed so much, it took almost the entire morning and the moment we decided to swim the water is already running away from us hehehe.

Walking very far and swimming on knee-deep water is not really my idea of fun so we give up and just had pancit habhab and cake for snacks. yum!

By the way, the resort (and all island occupants) is relying on deep well, so the water you'll be using for taking a bath, to rinse off the salt water, is clean but has the deep well quality we all know, from the smell to the taste, but who are we to complain? A lot of people are using that everyday and they're still alive, besides it is logical that we already prepared ourselves for that di ba? So, if someone is sensitive to these kind of set-up, well, just don't go there and just check in to a 5-star hotel. :)

We boarded the 12:30 pm trip of the passenger boat, and the people we saw the other day were the same people we're with in the boat. And after the exchange of pleasantries, we talked like they already know us (I've learned from them that majority of Mauban folks haven't been to Cagbalete). We thought that our boat ride going here with everyone and everything was already a learning experience, going back to the town proper offered an even more surprising twist: the passenger boat has just boarded a fully grown carabao!

If Cagbalete was not an awesome experience, I don't know what is.

"It sets off something I can't explain

And I can't wait to see you again."

We'll be going back on May 1-3. :)

Cagbalete Island: How to go there

I teased you with pictures of Cagbalete Island, then you excitedly packed your bag with your swimsuits and sunblock, your shades and that book that takes you forever to finish, you already planned what you'll do on the island, that you'll swim to your heart's content, that you'll do this pose, that you'll shoot this and take picture of that, BUT, do you know how to go there?

The internet is laden with all the informations you need, but you don't have to go far as you can get them from here, and for me, getting to Cagbalete Island is not rocket science, it's as easy as 1-2-3.

1. Go to Lucena. Ideally at 3:30 am, take the Jac Liner or Lucena Liner bus in the corner of Buendia and Taft Avenue, very near the LRT Buendia station. There is also Jam Liner but the first two are better as they go inside the Grand Central Terminal in Lucena while Jam do not. Ask the bus conductor to drop you off in the Grand Terminal. Fare is P187.00 (air-conditioned) and travel time from Manila is only three hours.

2. In Lucena terminal, take the Mauban mini-bus that can be found on the left side of the terminal, which is just a few steps from where the bus will drop you. If you leave Manila by 3:30 am, you will be in Lucena by 6:30 am, you can have your breakfast at the terminal and board on the bus that leave for Mauban either at 7:30 am or 8:00 am (there's a trip every 30 minutes, earliest at 5:00 am). This is an ordinary bus but the morning breeze is refreshing as you will be travelling on a mountainous area. Travel time is approximately 45 minutes to one hour, fare is P50.00.

For those who prefer air-conditioned buses, sorry, there's none. But there are air-conditioned FX/Vans in SM City Lucena that can take you to Mauban. Fare is P60.00 and travel time is faster at 30 minutes, but the waiting period (both for passengers and available vans coming from Mauban) is both longer and crucial. From the Grand terminal, just wait for a jeep with SM Lucena as sign board.

3. By 9:00 am, you're already in the small town of Mauban. You can walk (around 7 minutes) or you can take a tricycle and ask the driver to take you to Pantalan (small port) and tell him to bring you near the passenger boat going to Cagbalete, tricyle fare is P7.00 per head.

The passenger boat has two trips everyday, 10:30 am and 4:00 pm. Fare is only P30.00 and you will be sharing the boat with everyone and everything from hundreds of kilo of rice, flour, breads, vegetables and other necessities. You can observe that everyone in the boat knows everybody, except for you, of course. And can you take note of tagalog words that you did not understand? That would be quite a lot hehe.

At 9:00 am, you also have the option to pass by the public market and get your provisions from there. I assure you that you can get there the freshest catch and vegetables, you can also buy your drinking water and some more chichirya.

The water can be rough as the boat will go against the wave, so better secure your belongings and yourselves (don't worry, there's a vest).

There. Before noon, you'll be in Sabang, you'll be in Cagbalete island. Though the "welcoming sight" may not be very ideal (there are informal settlers in the area), you can already sense in the water that the fun and enjoyment and relaxation is about to start.

Whether you'll stay in Pensacola resort (0427840158) - which we did - or in Villa Cleofas (our next destination), you'll be walking for about 10-15 minutes. You can ask around if you're going the right way. The island occupants may appear to be a bit intimated by your presence and all of them will look and/or stare at you, but they are friendly and you have to understand and expect such reaction because it is only know that tourists (like you and i) are starting to flock to their once secret place.

Being the guests, we have to be humble and friendly, and not the loud type that's usually associated with Manila people (which is bad). In other words, once there, we are the ones who will make the adjustment and not the other way around. I should know, as I grow up in the province. :)

But, is the almost five hours of travel by land and sea worth all the trouble?

to be continued...

teaser...

where is this place?

no, it's not boracay or palawan, not even cebu or davao. forget about puerto galera and even zambales. pagudpud is quite far.

so where is it? sirit? in my beloved province, Quezon.

believe it.

more later...

for one week

i'll be in Quezon.

for one week

i'll be away.

for one week

i'll miss posting here.

and, for one week

i'll miss you all.

(taken using a camera phone)

May we all have a meaningful Holy Week. :)

how was your Holy week?

mine was quite productive. aside from the Maundy Thursday reflections (!!!) and the Good Friday procession with the family (my dad opted to stay in the house, walking around the town non-stop is quite tiring), it was an unusually fruitful loooong weekend for me.

here's how the week goes:


WEDNESDAY: braving the storm

a little past 4 pm, that's how EDSA Guadalupe (southbound) looks like, it's still moderate, a few more hours and then it's chaos! i didn't rush to the bus terminal, instead i went to SM Makati to buy some pasalubong and some gifts for my nephew who graduated red honor (valedictorian ata katumbas nun) from nursery and for another inaaanak for his birthday (malaki utang ko dito, 3 yrs ko nang di nakikita hehe). as i thought it was still early and if i go to the bus terminal right away, rush hour might just catch me and the oh-so-heavy alabang-slex-sto.tomas batangas combined traffic at this time of the year might send me to boiling point, i decided to watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle (hehee) and though it was just okey and visually appealling, it was a nostalgic ride down the memory lane for me (and how i was hooked on the cartoon series in the early 90's). at 10 pm, i was already in the Lucena bound bus terminal and after 30 minutes and eight buses full of passengers, i was sitting inside the 9th bus with Hed Kandi's Beachhouse playing on my phone and despite the late night and/or early morning traffic, i reached Lucena 3:30 am and hopped into the next bus and it's another two hours of travel (one hour standing, one hour sitting uncomfortably next to a snoring guy haha).

on glorietta with the moon

THURSDAY: just stayed in the house, played with my nephews, do some errands, a few moments of reflections and then i sleep.

FRIDAY: it was such a quiet day. quite right for the mood that Good Friday should be, and it suites the moment as we reflect that Jesus died on the cross for the salvation of mankind.

SATURDAY: the second batch of palay (about 6 sacks) just arrived and it only mean i need to stretch my bones and be ready para magbilad ng palay.

when i was still in the province, summer means palay-drying. we used to harvest the palay ourselves (at ilang beses ko rin nahiwa ang mga daliri ko ng karet, aray!) but since we all became busy, we let the caretaker to do it for us.

the sky was not consistently clear, but it was a hot day and we manage to dry up three of the six sacks.

at around 3 pm, a little rain fell and it's a good thing that we already put the palay inside the house. i also need to prepare as i have to attend a children's party with my nephew.

i was supposed to attend the Salubong later in the night but the palay drying and the children's party gave me a little headache so was on bed early (was 9:30 pm early?).

SUNDAY: Easter sunday! ang pasko ng pagkabuhay. i don't know, but i have so much energy to start my day by, well, unloading the yet to be dried 3 more sacks of palay (i am wise enough to put them one by one on a trolley, papahirapan ko ba sarili ko? hehe).

the whole day was like that, and while drying the palay, i managed to do the laundry and get some mangoes at the backyard, the green apple mango's just right with sweet and spicy alamang (naglalaway nako hehe).

it was a tiring day but nevertheless a productive one. and i am glad i get to do again the things i used to do when life was still simple...

MONDAY: went back to Manila and the supposedly five hours of travel to Alabang was unfornately became seven hours thanks to a barangay fiesta in Sto. Tomas, Batangas, haay (ranting, ranting...)

how was your loooong weekend? :D

it's raining!

at least here in Quezon.

and i am surprised that it's still cold here, and raining! quite opposite with the hotness that we call Manila. oh wait, and it's also windy, ansarap naman!

hmm, medyo hassle lang ang dial up, took forever to access this site and maybe another lifetime for this to be posted. hehehe. ansama ko, nakigamit na nga lang ako ng PC ng sis ko, nagreklamo pa.

i have nothing to do except to wash the dishes, play with my nephews, watch tv, more playing time, sleep and eat and then wash the dishes again. i am supposed to do my laundry here pero yun nga, umuulan kaya dala ko ulit pabalik yung labahan ko (na para namang andami, eh yun lang namang suot ko kahapon hehe). napansin ko rin sa sarili ko na everytime umuuwi ako rito, the moment na pumasok na ko ng bahay, ibang iba yung pakiramdam, relax na relax at parang di ako umalis, na-time warp kumbaga kasi the house is still the same as it was at least for the last five years (me konting renovation pero the homey ambience that i grow up with is still as fresh as the air here).

nagpapaka-senti pero parang routine na sa akin na tingnan parati yung pictures ng kabataan namin, and how i laugh at myself kung gaano ako kapayat nung high school at kung gaano na kataba ang mga batch mates ko ngayon (hmm, hindi isinama ang sarili? hehe).

i had my medals framed (medals talaga ha) and my junior tennis racket on the wall (yep, once upon a time, nag-tennis ako and once na lang yun , di na nasustain kasi lagi akong talo hehe). my mom loves to hang our pictures around the house, pero ngayon sa tabi na lang kaming magkakapatid kasi ang kanyang mga apo na ang bida! na okey lang naman at least di ko na pagtatawanan ang sarili ko hehehe.

andaming changes sa buhay pero everytime i go back here, i also go back to the old me, simple ang buhay, promding promdi. wala halos stress at walang kuplikasyon ng buhay lungsod.

hay. bukas balik ulit sa dati.

ekskyus lang, gawa daw ako ng garahe para sa ga-bundok na mga kotse ng 2 tsikiting. hehe.