Come along for the ride n read, view Yvonne's pics, as we explore the Philippines and its approx 7000+ islands for the next 2 months.
On a map, the Philippines look as if someone took a chocolate chip cookie and gave it a whack on the table. The bits and pieces, all shapes and sizes, with chunks of chocolate are scattered over a wide expanse of this corner of the world..
... Won't get to them all, but we hope to taste a few crumbs of this mysterious region....
Starting our trip, we arrive at the airport in Vancouver late one Monday night and touch down in Manila around noon on a Wednesday.... felt like years later....surprisingly, still the same week!
We treat ourselves to an airport lounge for the 5 hr layover in Taipei, Taiwan...then head out to Manila.
Arriving in Manila was easy, trying to depart from Manila to the island of Panay proved to be a practice in patience...
After delays from 2:30pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10:30pm..we finally manage to escape Manila and land at midnight in Panay...
...As usual, of course, it is dark and in a strange land, and with no idea of where we need to go...except for some vague directions that don't seem to help much in the dark...
...we walk out of the Kalibo airport, grab a tricycle (a motorcycle with an attached sidecar) ...much like a tuk tuk, and roar off in the blackness sounding like an angry hornet, for another 30 minute journey to the neighbouring village, trying to find our Airbnb room for the next few days...
...finally, after this long journey into the night and nearing 1am, along with a few wrong turns in dim headlights, we find a house with lights still on. "Hello...we are lost!" we yell out. A lady opens her door and instantly knows who we are and where we need to go.
So, she hops...(squeezes.. might be more accurate) in with us..(as we are now 5...driver, his friend - somehow he's ridden with us from the airport, why?, 2 Canadians and our new found guide) and takes us to our AirBnB room. The caretaker is patiently waiting for his Canadian guests and welcomes us in.
At last, into our room and sleep!! What a beautiful home owned by a Filipino doctor who lives most of the year in LA. Amazing what is listed for about $60 Can (about 3x the price due to festival time)! The entire town of Kalibo is fully booked out, for weeks, if not months due to the festival. We are lucky to find this gem spot still open.
We have arrived in Kalibo to see the people-friendly, raucous street party that runs for 5 days or so. The festival is called Ati-Atihan and is a religious celebration in recognition of Santo Niño or Baby Jesus...that really is just an excuse to dance, drink, paint your body, wear costumes and make music.
Part drum-off, mardi-gras, MayDay/workers parade, even Halloween, the festival draws hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people, for chaos, noise, fireworks and a chance to drink on the streets or in front of the police station!
.....Testing local drinking laws.....
We get invited to join the festivities...with the blue-shirt team..
....and, somehow make a good enough impression (hey, Canadians were recently voted as "the nicest people", by a traveling magazine) to have lunch and wine with the ex-mayor of Kalibo and congressman Alan Quimpo and family...
...Best view in the house of the maddening crowds below..
...Oh, and for dessert or an appetizer???...eat wood worms...yum, yum...just another fun start to a great trip.
Seems this (eating word worms) is a bit of a delicacy and claimed to be aphrodisiac... Shhh! We'll never tell. Locals buy chunks of mangrove wood (30 - 60cm long), take it home and chop it open, much like we'd split open a watermelon or firewood.
Then they scoop out the worms, squeeze out the dirt, cellulose, worm poop, rinse them all in water....there can be quite a few of the wiggly guys in a chunk....and marinate in vinegar. Then pop in your mouth!
In between the noise and crowds, we visit a mangrove restoration project with a one km boardwalk to the ocean and viewpoint.
This bridge is totally built out of bamboo... As is much of their furniture, buildings, fences etc... so strong!
...hike a small mountain lined with the Stations of the Cross in Banga...
and wander the small village and market of Banga, where we are staying.
Dried local fish...
With the festival wrapping up, we travel 2 hrs north by van to visit the next party stop for some sun and fun...
After taking a 10 min ferry from Panay, we arrive at the bustling port of Boracay... A 7 km long, 800m wide island that is a happening place!
Once voted ..."one of the world's most beautiful beaches (White Beach)"...stretches of it seem to have grown bloated, now well past its prime, and, as they say, a victim of its own success.
Traffic is non stop...tricycles run amok, as they seem to do everywhere we've been so far...Crazy construction, growth and crowds.
However, when you get down to the water's edge with the powdery white sand, the setting sun backdropping the sails of the many Island boats...you see the magic that constantly draws people here...
Once our tricycle drops us off in the centre of town we start the hunt for a room. Walk in, ask what is included with the price and view the room. After about the third one, Shayne manages a close encounter with an AC...they make them low here....the crack Filipino first aid team from the hotel jumps into action. Several minutes later, disinfected, pressure treated, washed, wiped and bandaged, the head is good to go.
Our Air bnb room on Boracay is kind of a dump...so, we will look for better digs, let the head wound heal, settle in by the water and explore the quieter parts that Boracay has to offer.
Filipinos have been unfailingly polite, warm, friendly and helpful so far. We've felt safe, even in the mad house crush of the thousands of spectators at the festival.
Traffic was in gridlock in Kalibo...with tricycles, motorcycles, vans, buses, jeepneys etc all competing for road space. Think tricycle marathon without the road rage.
As usual, it all works!
Until next time!
Enjoy some additional photos...
Cheers!
