Apo Island Beach Resort (05 Sep)

Orange-yellow buildings.

They're probably the first structures to catch anyone's eye when on the boat approaching Apo Island.

Once you get off the boat and pay your fees at the registration office, they're not in plain sight though and you wonder how to get there.

The locals would point you to go leftward if you're facing the registration office and walk past the cliffs, which by the way would have water dripping down its rocky face all day if it had been raining the previous night. You eventually find yourself in some sort of sand pocket and think you've reached a dead end.

Look closely at one corner and you'll find a passage hewn out of the rocks.

Go through that passage and you'll find yourself in a cove where Apo Island Beach Resort is.

The resort is well known to, and caters mostly to divers. In fact, diving fees could be found at the back cover of their menu.

They serve food on shaded tables along the beach where you can watch the sea while you eat. The servings are enough for one person. The food tastes good but the menu isn't extraordinary. The choice of cold drinks are limited since electricity is still not always available.

There was one fly who kept buzzing around while we ate, prompting Bee to cover her glass of fruit juice with the water glass.

The Baluarte, or the large formation of rocks jutting out to the sky, gives the cove partial shelter, and that is why guests at the resort have an awesome view of this magnificent landmark.

The sand is white but not fine. The shore slopes slowly to the sea, inviting one to first wade into the water, and then take a swim.

The birds called Maya would be hopping along the shore, and there's this dog who decided to accompany me while I walked around taking pictures.

Kabalin-an Pond (04-Sep-2008)

Near the entrance of Balinsasayao Nature Park is a body of water that, although smaller than Lakes Balinsasayao and Danao, is no less beautiful.

Kabalin-an pond has a charm of its own with the trees growing out of the waters giving it an enchanted look.

Around the pond are small huts and picnic tables that visitors can rent.

Boulders litter the place and some have odd formations. Bee, who is proving to have more imagination than I do, calls this the rhinoceros:

This one she calls the turtle.

There is a small wharf at the edge of the pond, as one can take a boat ride around Kabalin-an.

Colorful flowers could be found growing around the place and as Bee was having fun taking pictures of them, I decided to take pictures as well.

The sun was setting as we left the Nature Park, and I think our trip back to the city was faster than our trip up the mountain. Apart from gravity, I am guessing another reason is that Mang Danny wanted to be out of the mountain road before dark as the way is not lighted at night and may be dangerous.

Lake Balinsasayao (04-Sep-2008)

It was sunny, instead of the rain one of the other guests at Harold's predicted, so Bee and I were able to spend the rest of the afternoon at Balinsasayao Nature Park.

The Nature Park is the gateway to the Twin Lakes - two small, but deep crater lakes situated between four mountains and separated by a narrow mountain ridge. Lake Balinsasayao, which is near the mountain that bears the same name, is the bigger of the two. The other lake is called Danao, a word which actually means "lake" in the local dialect.

We went through the Sibulan access road in going up to the nature park and it is tricky. I advise getting a driver who knows where the road turns, and have a vehicle that can withstand a bumpy ride. The road is paved and cemented in some places but gravelly in other places. One wonders who decided which part of the road gets cemented. If I observed it correctly, the parts of the road that turns around the hills and mountains are the cemented parts. I guess I should be thankful there is even a road that vehicles can pass. A decade or so ago, one had to trek up the mountains to get to the lakes, and that could take two days.

Upon reaching the Nature Park entrance, one pays an entrance fee per head. At this part of the mountains, getting a cellphone signal is a hit or miss thing... sometimes you get a bar or two, most times you get no signal at all.

To go to Balinsasayao Lake, one goes farther up but vehicles are only allowed up to a certain point. From there on, a boatman or boatwoman will greet you and lead you down a stone staircase going to the lake. You pay a separate fee for the boat ride, by the way.

Bee hates walking and hates stairs the most, which is why she wasn't pleased with having to go down the stone steps. You go down farther than you went up from the park entrance.

Veni, vidi, vici. I came, I saw, I conquered.

Bee in what I dub her conquistador pose as she took a short break at the part of the steps where one finally gets a glimpse of the lake.

At the perimeter of the lake are shaded picnic tables where one could eat. Moored at the edge of the lake and near the stone steps are the boats.

Our boatwoman told us to wear lifevests before assisting us into the boat we rented. Correction - the boatwoman assisted Bee and had no inkling by the way I clambered on board that I feared going into big bodies of water. I think she thought I wouldn't have a problem getting in a boat as I had no problem going down the stone steps. Bee would later comment how poles apart we are in that she loves the water but hate climbing, while I fear the any body of water larger than a small swimming pool but negotiated the stone steps like a mountain cat. Ofcourse, I think using the term mountain cat is exaggerating things as I would probably lag behind and give up earlier than a person with a fitter body.

A typical boat ride should first take you across the Balinsasayao lake to the mountain ridge. This is where you climb out of the boat and go up another set of steps to the elevated hut/tower/cottage (whatever you want to call it).

This watchtower of sorts happens to be on the mountain ridge that separates the two lakes, and therefore gives one a view of both Lake Balinsasayao and Lake Danao.

I missed going up to that watchtower as Bee was not keen on climbing up and down another set of steps. I didn't push Bee to do more climbing in much the same way that she didn't push me to swim far from shore in Dauin. Besides it was her birthday. We asked the boatwoman to just paddle us around the lake.

A forest growing on the mountainsides surround the lake. It is estimated that more than a hundred species of trees and more than a hundred species of birds could be found there. I saw a couple of very tall trees stretching out from the lower rocks and reaching a height of twice that (or more) of the trees growing on the upper rocks above it. I think those were Almagica trees - the tallest kind of tree to be found in the Philippines.

We took pictures of the scenery as the boatwoman paddled across the calm waters. The only sounds to be heard were our hushed voices, the dipping of the paddle in the water, the clicks from our cameras, and the chirping of birds.

In the 1980s, cutting of the trees threatened to lower the water level of the lakes. These days, with the trees protected within the Nature Park, water could sometimes rise so high that a few picnic tables are submerged in the lake.

Bee wanted to take a dip in the lake but the boatwoman told her she could not. I think someone drowned in the lake not long ago and the locals realized it was difficult to pull out someone from the depths of the lake. Bee had to be contented with dipping her feet in the water, which the boatwoman allowed.

I jokingly, but half-seriously told Bee that if she does anything to tip the boat and put us in the water (which she just might do to have an excuse to take a swim), I wouldn't forgive her.

We got back to where the boats were moored just before sunset. Mang Danny told us on the way to the Park that some boatmen/boatwomen don't like going into the lake after sunset because they believe in the presence of the supernatural.

Since her camera was still in the dry box being carried by the boatwoman, Bee grabbed my camera and took the picture below after we got out of the boat. I must admit, it is a postcard worthy picture.

The sun would be setting in a few hours as we climbed back up the stone steps to where the van we rented was parked. I lagged behind Bee, deciding to take a few more shots of the lake before leaving it.

Jo's By the Sea (04-Sep-2008)

Next stop after snorkeling at the Dauin Marine Sanctuary would be Twin Lakes. That would mean going to Sibulan, located north of Dumaguete. Dauin is south of Dumaguete. You're probably thinking: we had to pick a site on the opposite pole of the city? We didn't really have a map of the area so we were not able to plan our trips geographically.

When Bee and I finally got hungry, we asked Mang Danny for a good place to eat for lunch. We were already in Sibulan so he suggested we stop by Jo's by the Sea. It is a relatively new resort/restaurant located at the foot of a property with a 35-foot statue of the Virgin Mary in its large garden/grotto. That property belongs to Josephine Ng, who is also the owner of the Jo's chain of restaurants (the restaurants bear her name).

After putting on a t-shirt over our bathing suits, we walked into the sea-side restaurant.

Jo's offers a majestic view of the sea, and since it was a weekday and not that many people are in the restaurant, Bee and I took one of the fishing boat-inspired tables that is usually reserved for groups of eight. Not only is the table unique and colorful, it is nearest to the sea.

The tables nearer to the counter were smaller and also looked like small bancas, but they weren't near the sea.

Next to the counter was a long washstand where four people could wash their hands at the same time. I find it quaint that they put a lot of thought into the design of their washstands. The Silliman Avenue restaurant had faucets fashioned like bamboo poles and sinks that look like giant clams. This restaurant had big jars on top of the faucets, giving the illusion that the water came from the jars instead of the visible pipes. Once again, I found detergent bars on the soap dishes.

Their restroom is relatively clean though far from the restrooms one is used to find in decent Metro Manila restaurants/fastfood chains.

Chicken barbeque is the restaurant's specialty, so we automatically ordered one barbeque each.

Bee added prawns, sinigang na bangus, and grilled squid to our order. It was Bee's birthday so I told her I was paying for this lunch as a treat. The prawns, squid and chicken tasted great. The bangus (milkfish) however wasn't fresh and we didn't finish it as I was getting an allergic reaction. I usually start to feel itchy at the lips and tongue after eating seafood that isn't fresh ... this would be the first time that I got it after eating bangus. I don't think the restaurant has a proper freezer.

We watched fishermen doing their job as we ate lunch. First they laid out their nets, then they started pounding the water with a long piece of wood to startle the fish and drive them towards the nets. Finally, they pulled out the nets that had captured some fish.

In the middle of the place was a chicken coop. I am beginning to think that every Jo's restaurant have pet chickens on display.

Nearby is a children's playground and a snack bar. Only kids are allowed on the swings.

A path between the playground and the restaurant leads down to the shore. We went there to take some pictures.

Bee wanted to take a swim but it was not allowed.

Dumaguete Trip - Summary

(Click the links to other entries for more details)

Day 1 (03-Sep-2008) - The University Town

Bee wanted to maximize our stay in Dumaguete so we chose a 7:10AM plane trip going there.  Which meant I have to be at the NAIA Terminal 3 at around 5:00AM ... 6:00AM at the latest.  My mom was worried that leaving the house before sunrise might be dangerous, so I dragged my brother to accompany on the trip to the airport just to make her happy.

Left the house a few minutes after 4AM since I decided to unpack/pack my luggage for one last time.  The bus left after 4:30 because the driver/conductor wanted it to be at least 80% occupied.  It also picked up more passengers along the way, so the delays meant I was still checking in my bags at the Cebu Pacific counter when the boarding call came.

Despite its reputation for delayed flights, Cebu Pacific landed at Dumaguete airport on time.  The place looked like the airport in Kalibo, with no luggage carousel.  You get to watch the men bringing the luggages down from the plane and to an area at the arrival station.  Once you spot your own luggage, you only have to come forward and grab it from the staff.  You still have to show your stub at the exit though, and the guard will check if the sticker on your luggage has the same number as your claim stub.

Harold's Mansion provides free airport pick-up, and waiting for us at the airport was Mang Danny with Harold's van.  We contracted him for a day tour and after checking in, eating brunch, and changing rooms, we got back into the van and went to the following places:

• Silliman University's Anthropology Museum at Silliman Hall
  
• Silliman University (SU) Marine Lab
  
• SU's A.Y. Reyes Zoological and Botanical Garden
  
• Rizal Boulevard
  (since we got hungry and thirsty around 2PM and decided to eat at a cafe)
  
• El Campanario de Dumaguete
  
• Negros Oriental Arts and Heritage (NOAH)
  
• Panda Ice Cream Haus
  
• Jo's Chicken Inato at Silliman Avenue

That was a satisfying first day... used my camera a lot and my batteries almost ran out of charge by the time we got back to the hostel.

~*~*~*~

Day 2 (04-Sep-2008) - Bee's Birthday

The original plan last night was to see the twin lakes, then if we have time, check out Dauin and maybe snorkel.  Mang Danny thought it wasn't adviseable as we might be too tired to snorkel after the Twin Lakes visit.

When we woke up, we realized it rained while we were sleeping and that mroe rain was in the weather forecast.  It was bad news as going to Twin Lakes is not adviseable when it is raining.  I suggested to Bee that we go to Dauin first since she likes snorkeling anyway.  Then, if it looks like it will be a sunny afternoon, go to to Twin Lakes.  Which is what we did.

The day's itinerary therefore was:

• Snorkeling at one of Dauin's Marine Sanctuaries (not sure if we were at the East or West side)
  
• Jo's By the Sea Resort and Restaurant
  
• Balinsasayao Nature Park
  
  
  
  • Lake Balinsasayao
    
  • Kabalin-an Pond
  
  
• Boston Cafe

With the exception of the Boston Cafe incident, Bee had fun on her birthday.

~*~*~*~

Day 3 (05-Sep-2008) - Apo Island

There were at least 4 of us going to Apo Island today, so Harold arranged a trip for us last night.  We were at the lobby at 9AM, and found out that the other guests joining us were Tom, Jack, and Aira.  The sixth person on the team is Patro, the diving instructor.  Mang Danny drove all 6 of us to Malatapay where Patro took charge the moment we got on the pump boat.

It was raining again that morning so Patro wasn't sure if the boat could drop Bee and me off by the beach.  If the waters wouldn't allow docking, I was keen on staying on the boat and probably read a book rather than try diving. He he he!  Anyway, luck would give us sunshine by the time we approached the island and so Patro dropped us two snorklers on the beach before the rest of them headed for deeper waters for diving.

Hung around the following places on the island this day:

• Apo Island Marine Sanctuary (I chickened out of snorkeling at the last minute)
  
• Apo Village
  
• Apo Island Beach Resort

Left Apo around 4:30PM.  Harold recommended eating at Hayahay restaurant Wednesday night, which we didn't do because we ate at Jo's Chicken Inato.  Decided to try the food there tonight, but when the tricycle dropped us off at the entrance, we liked the ambiance of nearby Lab-as better and ate there instead.  The two restaurants have the same owner, by the way.

~*~*~*~

Day 4 (06-Sep-2008) - Pasalubong shopping

Sidlakang Negros Showroom - Sep. 6, 2008

Harold recommended that we check out Sidlakang Negros on our first day.  Bee and I decided to go there this day to shop for souvenirs and gifts.  Once there, we realized that only 20%-30% of the shops are open, with the remaining 80% either under construction or awaiting for the arrival of inventory for sale.  The showroom will be fully open by mid October of this year.

We enjoyed shopping and looking around the three shops that were open.

Ate lunch at nearby Nerisse afterwards.  The food there tastes good, by the way.  And Bee liked their garlic peanuts... a lot.

Aira, Bee and I had the same 4:25PM flight back to Metro Manila, so we met at the lobby around 3PM.  Danny initially told Aira we could hitch a ride back to the airport, but there were some change of plans.  We considered taking tricycles, then Harold offered to drive us there in his truck.

Cebu Pacific had a short "bring me" game during the flight.  They gave away three bag tags. 

By jingfrey, shot with SONY ERICSSON P1i

The first one to show a SMILE magazine got the first one, the person who had a 5-centavo coin got the second one, and I got the third one because I was the first to show a cellphone charger.  Bee was actually surprised I won... I think she was more surprised to find out I got the charger in my bag.

Cebu Pacific was on time again, but our brothers were both stuck in traffic so Bee and I hung around at NAIA 3.  Bee asked me to take a picture near the luggage carousel.

By jingfrey, shot with DSC-W70

Then she took this picture with my camera...

By jingfrey, shot with DSC-W70

and took a similar picture on her camera, and spent the succeeding minutes comparing the two.  She ended up deciding she wanted a new camera since her camera doesn't have some of the features like mine does (starting with ISO 1000).  That's what taking a photography class does, make a person want a newer camera - he he he!

Bee's brother arrived a few minutes before Jon.  Jon took a taxi going to the airport, but NAIA 3 is like the other terminals where taxis from the outside aren't allowed at the arrival area, so he got off at departure area, met me at the arrival area, where we took those expensive taxis to the nearby bus station.