Blogs from Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines, Asia - page 2

This morning at 7 am we left our big backpacks at the hostel and checked out. We ended up having to pay double what we thought we would because it turns out they charge per 12 hours, not per night. So we left, slightly enraged, to find a bus/jeepney to the pier. We first took one to Colon and then had to switch and pay again to get to the pier. 7 the first time, 7.50 the second...boo. When we walked to the pier we noticed another company, Wessam, and they had cheaper prices. Boo again. It would have been cheaper to come down to the dock to research. Walking into the pier you have to put your bags through an x-ray machine, then you go through and get a pat-down, then a dog sniffs your ... read more

Date: 6 May 2009 Venue: Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines Activity: Post-Workshop Tour, MODEL 2009 (Europe-Philippines International Workshop on Modeling, Simulation and Grid Computing), May 4 -6, 2009, Bohol, Philippines From the photo collection of Raffy Saldana (http://raffysaldana.blogspot.com) Notes: "The Sandugo is a blood compact, performed in native-Bohol style between the traveling Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna of Bohol on March 16, 1565 in the Philippines to seal their friendship as part of the native customs. The pact was entered into by López de Legazpi for the purpose of insuring friendly relations between the Spaniards and the Filipinos. This is considered as the first international treaty of friendship between two people of different races, a Filipino and a Spaniard. "Sandugo" is a Visayan amalgamation term "isang dugo" which m... read more

Of iets nauwkeuriger: 20 meter onder zee. Maar de avonturen zijn er niet minder om! Na het verlaten van ons paradijselijke eiland hebben we een binnenlandse vlucht naar Tagbilaran, de hoofdstad van het eiland Bohol, genomen. Als je in de Filippijnen ergens wil komen, moet je bijna altijd langs Manila passeren. Zo kwam het dus dat we een boot, jeepney, ferry, bus en vliegtuig later op 12 december eindelijk voet op Bohol konden zetten, een van de zuidelijke eilanden in de Visayas. 's Anderendaags zijn we naar Cabilao gegaan, een westelijk gelegen klein eilandje, waar we meteen kennis maakten met Bobet. We hadden al over hem gelezen en gehoord: als ontdekker van de pygmy seahorses op de Filippijnen geniet hij behoorlijk wat bekendheid in het onderwater-milieu. Duiken met hem was een aparte belevenis. Gewapend met een ... read more

For weeks, I have mapped out the entire vacation for Rob and I. After weeks of intensive researching, making inquiries and reserving, at last, we have arrived! It's day one today. We left Manila around 8am and arrived at Tagbilaran after an hour and a half plane ride. I swear, looking down into the islands of the country, with the lush green and blue sea, uniquely shaped islands and the cloud formation is one of a kind! Seeing the islands from the heavens are a lot more enchanting than seeing them on land. As we neared the island and began landing, and as the plane circled around, you can see Panglao Island's white beach and the contrast of the blue and green in it's waters. I was so excited... so excited I was clapping my hands ... read more