One of the Coolest Experiences of My Life

Those of you who know me may not believe this, but I swear it is true, I have risen early every day since we have been in the Philippines; most days before 6:00am.  This morning we are sitting on the balcony, the sun has risen and we are deciding on our activities over the next couple of days.  Mr. Man wants to relax—interpretation: sit on the beach and do nothing—and I want to snorkel, island hop, hike, snorkel some more… you get the picture.  We compromise by making sure there is plenty of relaxation time in-between activities.  I happen to look back toward the beach hoping to spot a small egret that has been fishing in the shallow water the last couple of mornings, when I see a couple of monkeys—yep, your read that right, monkeys—on the beach!  I rush to grab my camera and take a couple quick shots before heading out for a closer look.



This guy parked himself between me and the females/babies
and I thought, "No problem dude, message received."

After breakfast we snorkel at MIR and watch the Jack Fish being fed from underwater.  I bought a disposable underwater camera yesterday afternoon, but won’t be able to post those pictures until after having them developed—does anyone still develop film anymore?  There are plankton in the water this morning, which sting my arms (and even my ears) slightly.  We hang out at the beach and then at 1:00pm we take a boat over to Lagen (another El Nido Resort) for a late lunch and hike. 


Lagen Island Resort

Lagen is beautiful, shaded, tropical, and lush; it is much newer than Miniloc and has a pool, but little beach and the view is nowhere near as awe inspiring. The lunch buffet is the same: some sort of sushi, soup (today Hot and Sour), salad, build your own stir-fry, grill (hot dogs and hamburgers), rice, etc. After lunch we go on the nature hike that begins behind the resort, up, down, up again, then down, to the beach on the other side of this small island.


Banana Palm

Thankfully there is a rope railing the entire trail as some areas are pretty steep and the rope is useful for hoisting yourself up or steadying yourself when going down—did I mention that I am doing this in flip flops?— we have hopes of seeing some wildlife along the way.  The thing of most interest are the Ceiba Pentandra (sometimes called Silk Cotton Tree) trees.  The roots of these trees are huge and flat rather than round.



Ceiba Pentandra

I know this picture is horribly out-of-focus, but I wanted to
show the height of the roots of this tree

There is not much wildlife, although something runs down the mountain in front of us, a monitor lizard perhaps. This begins to seem like our only “near” sighting when I happen to look up and see a monkey in a tree over our heads. I’m equally excited about this “natural” sighting as I was at seeing the monkeys on the beach this morning, who were looking for food—one of the MIR staff members told us that sometimes the monkeys will jump on your table looking for a handout.

Long-tailed Macaque Monkey
(Lagen Nature Trail)

The trail ends at a private paradise…there is no one else there except a Filipino whose job it is to radio Lagen that we are ready to be picked up by boat and transported back to the resort. We take a quick dip to refresh ourselves. There are two turtle nests on this beach which are being monitored and are covered with chicken wire cages to keep the monitor lizards from digging up and eating the eggs.

From here to eternity...



We take a quick dip in the pool at Lagen Resort and enjoy a beer before being picked up and taken back to Miniloc.

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Swimming with Jack Fish

It is 6am, and we are sitting on the balcony watching the sky change colors as the sun rises.  There is a delicious breeze that rustles through the straw of the thatched roof, which combined with the gentle lapping of waves and the piping of birds, creates an early morning symphony.  It is a wonderful start to the day.



Sunrise at Miniloc

After breakfast I went snorkeling at the reef in front of MIR.  They feed a school of Jack Fish here each day at 8:45am.  I am snorkeling along the rim of the reef when the first of these big fish (approximately 2’) swims passed me, followed closely by another, and another, and another; all heading for the feeding area.  They swim around me close enough to touch. I can only describe it as awesome.  Bob, Mari and the kids join me just before the feeding starts.   Once the feeding starts I back away a little so as not to be in the middle of the frenzy—they rush to get to the fish heads and pieces first, sometimes jumping slightly out of the water. 


Male Jack Fish



Yesterday when Zoe swam with the Jacks, she got out of the water with this incredible smile on her face and was literally speechless for a few minutes, only nodding her head and grinning ear-to-ear when asked if she liked it.  Bob's face had the same expression when he got out of the water this morning.

Bob after swimming with Jack Fish

Bob, Mari and the kids are leaving today—Mr. Man and I have extended our stay until Wednesday afternoon—so we just enjoy hanging out on the beach with them.

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Surely This Must Be Heaven

We rose early this morning and spent time on the balcony before joining the fray of vacationers.  The Stephenses went scuba diving and we were hanging out with Zoe on the beach in front of Miniloc Island Resort (MIR), when Zoe shouts “lizard!”  We turn to see a water monitor lizard about 3’ long head-to-tail (they can get as big as 8’).  I quickly grabbed my camera and ran down the beach to get a couple of shots of him.


Water Monitor Lizard

 Mr. Man took Zoe kayaking in front of the resort and then we just lazed about the beach.  Later, we will head over to Entalula for a picnic lunch and some alone time.


Zoe and David kayaking

Later…

A warm breeze dances over my skin as I sleepily sway back and forth in a straw hammock.  We have finished our lunch of smoked tuna, salad, and grilled pork, squid, and shrimp (apparently, Filipinos do not believe in vegetables), as well as fruit for desert, and are now napping in the shade—to be honest, Mr. Man is lying on a lounger in the sun, but I am more concerned with the long-term effects of the sun on my skin.

Picnic lunch at Entalula

The water here is achingly beautiful; clean, crystal clear, turquoise in the shallows meeting the sapphire blue of deeper waters... surely this must be heaven. 
 

At 2:00pm we are back on the boat and headed for “small lagoon” for kayaking and snorkeling.  Once we are in the water Mr. Man informs me that this is his first time kayaking—this is soon apparent and I think to myself “he is going to capsize us.”  We don’t take our camera, so no pictures; we enter the small lagoon through a narrow opening in the cliff wall; it is quiet and we take a moment to just soak it in.  The water is turquoise green and clear, and we are surrounded by shear limestone cliffs where vegetation grows from crevices in the limestone.

On our way back to the boat to retrieve our snorkeling gear, I ask Mr. Man to try and keep his body centered in the boat as I can feel him leaning… can you see where I’m going with this? We almost make it back to the boat when I feel us begin to tip, I try to correct us by leaning in the opposite direction, but to no avail, we are over—thank God I left the camera in the boat!

The snorkeling is good; MIR even had a magnification mask for Mr. Man.  We saw several species of fish—parrot fish and clown fish nestled in the waving anemone—and coral, large blue starfish and long-spine sea urchins.

From here we went on a quick tour of “big lagoon” and spotted a White-Breasted Sea Eagle on our way back to the resort.


Entering Big Lagoon

Big Lagoon

200,000,000 year old limestone

Exiting Big Lagoon

 
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Palawan: A Study in Beauty, Relaxation* and Preservation

Four-thirty in the morning comes very, very early.  We are off to El Nido on the island of Palawan and have an early morning flight, and have to leave the house by 5:30am.  When we get to the hanger, Zoe and I go immediately to check out the plane; there is a technician turning the propeller and I joke with Zoe that he is winding up the rubberband (remember those rubberband airplanes from when we were kids?).

Our plane to El Nido

It is a 75 minute flight to El Nido.  We land on a hard dirt runway and are greeted by singing when we step off the plane.  After a brief introduction to Palawan, we are loaded into a Jeepnee and head to the port—via El Nido Town. 


Welcoming Committee

El Nido Airport

El Nido Town

El Nido Town (love the chicken crossing
the road in the background)

We take a large outrigger to El Nido and again are greeted by singing at the dock of Miniloc Island Resort, and are treated to a wonderful fruit drink.


Miniloc Island Resort

MIR Welcome Committee



It is incredibly beautiful here; we have a cottage on stilts over the water with a small balcony equipped with daybed.  The view is to die for.


Our home for the next three days



Ecology is very important to Palawan; they ask that you leave nothing other than your foot prints and take nothing (no coral or shells) other than pictures and memories, which we are happy to oblige. Ecology awareness is at a high.  To protect the megadiversity of this beautiful island, only eco-friendly programs are allowed by tourist establishments.  Serious efforts are undertaken to preserve this last ecological frontier, with more protected areas than any other province in the Philipines.  The entire province was declared a Fish and Wildlife Sanctuary in 1967. At El Nido, their motto is G.R.E.E.N. Guard, Respect, Educate, El Nido.  Each guest is given an eco-bag, and are asked to place in it anything they find on their excursions that isn't biodegradable. 
 
On the boat ride over our Activities Coordinator, Grace told us about the various activities of the resort, but today is all about relaxing, and we lay on loungers under cabanas. We have scheduled spa treatments for later in the day.

Later...
(*warning: this post contains descriptions of embarrassing self-indulgence)

My spa treatment begins with a Balinese Foot Bath.  Sitting on the balcony, my feet are submerged in warm water in a large wooden bowl to which is added rose oil and rose pedals that are rubbed over the legs and feet, followed by a wash with rose soap and rinsed. Following this is a salt scrub. The only time I have felt more decadent was when I had a body polish in Napa.

Next I lay face-down on a mylar sheet and am slathered with water lily gel, I roll-over, which is tricky with the sticky gel on my backside, and am slathered again, before being wrapped in the mylar and covered with a large, thick towel. Almost immediately your body heat creates a warm cocoon. After 15 minutes, I’m requested to shower before my aromatherapy massage, which is just the right pressure, and I am soon in a semi-conscious state.

At the end of the massage is a honey-cucumber facial which is lovely; until the end when they place thinly-sliced, ice-cold cucumber slices over your entire face and neck, including your eyes. I thought my eyeballs would freeze they were so cold—not that I am complaining, this was without a doubt two-and-a-half hours of pure indulgence.

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Shopping

Up early this morning for a buffet breakfast before heading back to Manila. The hotel (Taal Vista Hotel) serves just about anything you can want: garlic rice, tiny fried fish, conchee (porridge), chicken sausage, salad, meat & cheeses, as well as more traditional (by American standards) foods such as cereal, fruit, yogurt, omelets made to order, bacon, and pancakes.

We stop off for fresh pineapple and corn along our route to Manila, before joining the morning commuters in the city.


Mari shops for pineapple

Jackfruit & pineapples

Local bananas

Later in the day Bob drives Mr. Man and I to the Shangri-la Mall; I am sunburned—I know, I know, sunscreen—from our hike yesterday and need to find a light-weight, long-sleeved shirt for our weekend at El Nido.  On our way into the mall we are stopped by security and have to open the trunk for the bomb-sniffing dog.  There are police everywhere here; on the streets with what look to my inexperienced eyes like assault rifles, in the malls—you must open your purse/bag to a quick look-see before entering each store and sometimes have a wand passed over your body—always at parking garages or on your way into a residential community—where they walk around your vehicle with a mirror to look under your car—it is somewhat unnerving.

The mall is huge, five stories, and a bit overwhelming.  Really, you need a map to negotiate your way around.  There are clothing stores, of course, but also medical/dental practices, furniture and electronics, and a super-sized supermarket; the epitome of one-stop shopping.

Susan makes us curry for dinner, which is delicious.  Then, Mr. Man and I have another massage scheduled—you can get a massage here for around $16 per person for one-and-a-half hours, so we are determined to get several—this time deep tissue.  I am sure I will be sore tomorrow.

Taal Volcano

Pineapple fields, Batangas, Philippines

We got up early this morning and headed to Tagaytay and Taal Volcano.  It was great to get out of Manila—away from the traffic—and to breathe some fresh air.  We took an outrigger from Taal Yacht Club (I am laughing as I type this because a Yacht Club by American standards it is not) across Taal Lake.  On the way over Mr. Man turned to me and said "I was picturing a much bigger boat." I admit I too was thinking the boat would be along the lines of a ferry.  We are such Americans. 



Our transportation to Taal Volcano

The lake was very choppy and by the time we reached the island my shorts were soaked.  We were met by villagers wanting to sell us water, hats, masks and/or horse rides up to the crater.   We opted to hike the one-and-a-half miles.   It was very dusty (especially on the way back down, and I had to turn my back into the wind several times to avoid getting sand in my eyes—even so, I felt like my teeth had been sandblasted), and I regretted not buying a mask.

 

For at least half of the way we were followed by “guides” on horses who took every opportunity to make sure we didn’t want to ride up; they were very annoying and we were grateful when they finally turned around and left us in peace.  While permanent residence on the island is prohibited, poor families have settled there, living in huts with no electricity or running water.



Our Entourage

View from Taal Volcano

The views from the top were breathtaking.  The crater is large with a green sulfuric lake and in several areas you can see the steam being released.  Taal Volcano is famous for having an island in a lake, on an island in a lake, on an island in the Pacific Ocean.  The island was evacuated in August 2008 due to volcanic earthquakes accompanied by rumbling sounds; the last eruption was in 1977.



Taal Lake and dormant volcano

On the rim of Taal Volcano

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