Puerto Princesca

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Sunday July 10th

My plan was to catch the 7AM bus to Puerto Princesca. I hadn't thought of putting my alarm because I figured the roosters would wake me up way before that anyway. I guess I'm getting used to it because I woke up at the very late time of 6:45AM, so I had only 15 minutes to pack everything and run to the bus station on the other side of town. As usual when I'm last minute I'm scared to miss the bus but I should know by now that this is rarely a problem in the Philippines, even less in Palawan. I got to the bus at 7:02 but it didn't leave before past 7:30 so I hurried for no good reason.

Martin was on the bus already, reading some dutch magazine. He's a funny guy, I talked to him for a while the day before and we got along well. He work as a lawyer in Amsterdam and even though he probably have enough money not to have to rough it like I do he likes to travel like the locals.

The bus didn't seem packed at first when it left but that didn't last long. It seems every villager in El Nido wanted to stop the bus and hop on it so by the time we left the town we were so full that all the standing spots on the bus were taken and there were 10-20 people (and a few gamecocks) on top or hanging on the sides. The road from El Nido to Taytay was extremely windy, dusty and uncomfortable. Furthermore since we were so packed and I had my backpack in between my legs I couldn't move around much.

This detail might appear unimportant to those who aren't used to long bus ride but it is of vital importance and I will explain it here. On a long bus ride on a though road, your butt starts hurting fairly early. The true and tested way to alleviate the pain is to change ass position a little bit so that I guess other part of your butt takes the beating and you alternate back and forth between the various position. When you got the whole bench/seat to yourself that's no problem, you have enough positions available to keep the pain fairly low, almost at an insignificant level. But when the bench is fully packed the number of "ass position" available decreases dramatically and your pain increase substantially. This is why I love buses that aren't. I've been doing long bus rides for a month now and I thought at some point I'd develop an "ass of steel" but I guess it hasn't come yet. I'm still hoping.

Nevertheless I took the ass beating of the El Nido-Taytay road like a Victorian Englishman and we got to Taytay 2 hours later with a bit less passenger. Martin and I took turn to go eat in the turo-turo place and I had rice with something (pork?) which was good and cheap as usual. The bus took off to Roxas, 3 hours south of Taytay and the road was only slightly better. At Roxas we also took turn to go eat and I had just some chips and Coke as I didn't feel like eating rice again. The Roxas-Puerto Princesca road is paved and easy but by that time my butt had taken 5 hours of solid beating so it didn't feel much difference. Martin tried to get up on the roof but the helper wouldn't let him. He told me afterward that a tourist had died while he did that in Palawan so now they tell tourists not too.

We finally arrived to San Jose terminal in Puerto Princesca, 9 hours after leaving El Nido. It is still a few kilometers from downtown Puerto so we have to get a tricycle. We bargained the price from 60 to 15 each, we waited for another passenger and then we went downtown. He dropped the girl first then dropped us at the pension that the Lonely Planet recommend: Banwa Pension. The tricycle driver knocked on the door while we were looking in our pocket from our money, I figured later that he wanted to be seen with us so he could ask a commission for bringing us here but didn't realize it at first. We paid him and followed the girl who answered the driver's knock. She showed us the room and told us the price was 170P, 20P higher than the guidebook's price. This was probably the driver's commission.

The place is really awesome. It is an art's place as well as a pension so there is local art everywhere and everything is really stylish. There is an awesome laid back hang out spot with hamac, books, tables and chairs with CDs that you can play if you want. There is a fridge and they just tell you to have anything you like and just write down what you had in the notepad and pay them when you pay for your room. The things that hold the toilet paper is cool, it is a piece of wood with a funny curved shaped nailed to the wall. Even the Pension's rules are funny (I never read them usually but this one caught my attention), written in a witty and not-too-serious way.

We both took a shower (not at the same time) and went out to a restaurant called "The vegetarian House". Everything in the Philippines has meat in it so I was quite happy to have some local food with no meat for once. On the way a boy said: "Helllllllllllllllo! Where are you going?" and then "Okay, well see you later!" after Martin just said "This way". Even though this boy was not older than 10, his manner and way of speaking was just so stereotypically gay. Martin and I thought the same thing but he said it first: "This boy is so gay, he doesn't know it yet but he is".

I got some mango shake and stir-fried noodles at the restaurant and the food was very decent. We talked a for a long time and then decided to go buy a few beers and go in the hang-out spot at the hostel. We walked toward a cornerstore called "Seven Twelve". That name remind me of another store name, can't remember which one! We brought 2 beer each to the pension and drank while reading some stuff and listening to the music they had. It felt good to listen to music I actually like after 3 weeks of Filipino radio or Backstreet Boys discography. Although I didn't want to bring my iPod it feels nice to have good music from time to time. I was very sleepy in the hamac so at some point I just said good night and see you another time to Martin as he was heading to Manila while I was going to Sabang and the Subterranean River the next day.

Monday July 11th

I was planning to get the 7AM jeepney for Sabang. This time I woke up with enough time left. The only problem I had is that I only had 500P notes on me except for about 10P in change which isn't enough for the ride and the tricycle drivers would undoubtely tell me they had "no change". I asked the owner if she had change for 500P but she said she didn't. She just gave me a 20P and told me to repay it when I came back the next day. I was really impressed by that. I'm a total stranger and they trust me enough to give me money. Another point scored for this Guesthouse.

I got on the street, found a tricycle driver that was willing to take me for 30P and I got to the bus terminal. Of course even though I got there at 7AM, it didn't leave for another 45 minutes. There seemed to be several tourist on that jeepney even though only one was a westerner. That guy sat next to me and we talked a little bit. He is from Swiss and had a guide. At first I thought it was his wife but after looking at them for a while now I think they aren't, or at least they've been married for a *very* long time. The jeepney ride was fairly hard because the seats were uncomfortable and I hadn't fully recovered from yesterday's ride. We were dropped at the pier in the village and immediately a tout came to me telling me to go at his place. I told him I wanted something cheap and he said it was only 250P and the place was called Marry's. Great, this was the place I was planning to go and the guidebook said it the cheapest there was 350P (which is the cheapest in town). It's fairly rare that rates are lower than in the guidebook, usually it is the other way around.

The swiss and her guide asked me if I planned to go to the river so we could share a boat going there as it is 600P for the boat. I was planning to walk the 2 hours it take to get to the river since there is apparently interesting jungle fauna and flora on the path so I said no. I got my permit from the tourist office for 150P and walked to the Mary's on the other side of the Beach. I paid and took my room and just when I was about to take off for the river, it started raining. It rained fairly hard so I decided to cancel the walk and take the boat. I walked back to the pier and tried to find the swiss guy but he was nowhere to be found. I was pissed off by this point as I really didn't want to pay the whole 600P for the boat. I decided to eat at a restaurant while looking for him as his guide told me they'd eat before going.

I went to a place called Coco Grove and ordered Yakisoba noodles and fresh calamansi juice. The waitress said okay okay and went in the kitchen. A minute later I saw her run away from the restaurant. I was a bit puzzled by this until I saw her come back with 2 fruits in her hands. A few minutes later she came back with the freshly pressed juice. The noodle quickly followed but no Swiss guy. My anger had been only slightly smoothened by the good meal and it increased suddenly when I realized I had forgotten my permit in my room so I had to walk 25 minutes back and forth to my room from the town center.

I wasn't seeing anyone around so I admitted defeat and went to the tourist office to say I wanted a boat. Just as I started talking with the guy I noticed a boat that was departing with 4 people. I ran toward the boat and told the driver to wait and jumped in. Everyone was a bit puzzled but they told I could get in if I had a permit. Sometimes you just need to grab the opportunity. The boat had 3 japaneses, the guide and me. The motor sound was so loud we couldn't really speak while the boat was running. One of the japanese guy thought I looked like Harry Potter and was from Scottland. That Harry Potter thing is never gonna leave me. I think I'll start using the name. The sea was windy that day and the waves were bigger so I spent most of the time just looking at them. Fifteen minutes after we took off we reached the beach near the river.

The Japanese in the boat had some friends waiting for them and apparently I was joining the group. It was a bit akward as I was the only stranger and I sort of forced myself into the group but hey, this was way better than pay for a boat by myself. On the way to the river we met some cool lizard about a meter long that are just standing there waiting for us humans to leave things behind that they can eat. They're friendly and apparently can eat in the palm of your hand but I didn't try. At the entrance of the river we put some helmet and safety jacket and we all looked very stupid for about an hour.

The Subterranean River is the longest navigable underground river in the world with some 5km where you can navigate. Divers explored the cave up to 8km but the tourist tour only goes to 1.5km, after that you need special permission. The River was interesting but all the pictures I took inside turned out bad, my flash isn't powerful enough I guess. You hear the bats constantly in the cave and you see them sleep or fly around. The guide clearly had done all of this a thousand time and he knew the script by heart. It was really beautiful and you really feel like you're in Jules Verne novel "Journey to the Center of the Earth" in the cave. The guide's script was hilarious: "Okay sirs look on your right you will see a cucumber, that's right a cucumber. Now look on your left, what is this? A brocoli that's right. Now sirs look on your right, a beauty. Arg she's sexy. Now look on your right again there is the Holy Family, Joseph Marie and the baby Jesus" for 45 minutes. After looking at every rock formation for a few seconds you sorta see what they're talking about but I just couldn't help myself from laughing at the script. They did tell some more substantial information on the rock's nature but most time was spent reviewing the list of vegetables.

By the time we got out of the cave it was raining so we waited a little bit under the roof and then made our way toward the beach. Just before we left I saw the Swiss guy coming out of the cave. I explained him what happened and he said he saw me in the village but didn't think to come talk to me. Well at this point I didn't really care as I had found an ever cheaper way to get in but he had to pay for the whole boat. On the way to our boat we saw a monkey. The japanese guys gave him some Pringle which is really stupid in my opinion. I mean yeah it's fun and all to have the monkey eat at your feet but it is really bad for the animals and for the future tourists as they become accustomed to humans and start harrassing them for food. The guide told me that now the monkey will grab any plastic bag if you leave them unattended for even a few seconds. They know we carry food around in those bags and tourists like these japanese are more than eager to show them to ensure that they know. I talked with the guide some more and I asked her if she was a student. She told me she graduated 9 years ago from Business school which meant that she was older than 30. That really surprised me as I thought she was about 18-19 (when I said that to her, she said "I know" so I guess she gets the comment often). It's really hard to guess the age of asian girls sometimes.

We sailed back to Sabang but we were passed by the other japanese boat as well as the swiss's boat. Maybe I saved some money by hopping on that boat but I lost the race! Any thoughts of sadness about losing the race disapeared when I arrived in Sabang and the guide told me it would cost me 100P for the boat ride and that I had to pay to her and not at the tourist office. The boat should cost 600P and we were 4 in it so it should've cost me more and I think you needed to pay in the tourism bureau so I'm thinking maybe she just pocketed the money (the japanese went to pay in the office). Sometimes it's best not to ask questions so I said "thank you" and left. I was thirsty so I bought some water but while I was buying I saw a box of cookies. I hadn't had a single cookie since I left Quebec so I bought it. When I asked for it the woman said sure, took the box and scratched something on it and told me it was 45P which I paid. Just like the driver at the pension I was not quite fast enough to catch on the spot what she did but I figured it out later when I saw the box. She scratched the pricetag and told me a higher price which I paid because I'm a stupid foreigner.

I walked back to my room and ate some (too many cookies) while reading. I didn't feel like going back to the village so I just ate cookies for dinner (I know mom, it's not healthy and I won't do it again). The light wasn't working so by sunset I was getting ready to go to sleep but then the generator started so I turned the light and read some more. It was funny because the generator didn't make a constant sound and as it became less loud my light would become dimmer and if it made bigger sound my light would become brigther. At some point I fell asleep with my nose in the book.

Tuesday July 12th

Once again I was planning to take the 7AM jeepney. Like the other days I got there at 7 and it left 30 minutes later. They might not be on schedule in Palawan but at least they're always late by about the same amount of time. I got a good seat this time and the ride was a breeze. We got a flat tire at some point but it was repaired in a few minutes and everyone (except the driver) thought it was funny. At the terminal I used my sharp bargaining skills to get a ride for 15P and the driver also took 3 cute filipinas along who were also on the jeepney. They tried to initiate conversation with me but I kept my distances, I was not gonna get caught by a Palawanese again! They were girls from Puerto Princesca who went to Sabang for vacation. I managed to look like a complete idiot at the end when I dropped my coins when I was paying. We said goodbye and I entered the pension.

I said hello to everyone and got back to my bed. I paid them the money they had given me. I went to sleep for a few hours and when I woke up I took a long walk accross town. Even though Puerto is the capital of Palawan and has more than 150 000 people, it feels just like a country town. As I was walking on the main street I saw a guy I had met at Pension Natividad on my second day in the country (or more accurately, he saw me). He is working in Puerto in an NGO. We talked for 10 minutes then said goodbye. I spent the rest of the day in an Internet cafe where I caught up on the Israel crisis and other news. I ate at Slackey's (might be wrong about the name, but it is a pizza chain) and the pizza was decent. They asked me to fill a thing rating the restaurant. I signed Harry Potter and by the time I left the restaurant all the girls working there were looking at me while giggling. Oh well it looks like someone does read those things.

I found another internet cafe and spent another hour there before heading back to the pension where I went straight to bed.

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Photos

Entrance of subterrean river
And the boat we used to go in

Ocean close to the river
The boats wait for you there and bring you back to Sabang in 15 minutes.

Me
I decided to take a picture of me looking absolutely idiotic. I think I succeeded

Monitor Lizard
These lizards just like to hang out. They're so used to humans they will eat in your hand. I haven't tried that though.

Macaque and lizard
The monkey was attracted by the Pringles offered by the Japanese guy. This understandably angered the guide but the monkey loved it. The lizard was too stupid to try to grab it and stayed under the tree.

Banwa Pension
The hamac on which I spent hours.

Banwa Pension 2
Some of that stuff is for sale. All made at the Pension.

Banwa Pension 3
Even the toilet paper holder is cool! This is a 5 star bathroom for me by the way.

Comments

[Pepijn]

Great again
You've got to publish this in a book or something, it's really great to read. I subscribed to your blog so I'll be updated when you post a new one. Although I think you must have left the Philippines because of the 21 day visa permit? Or did you got another visa? Keep publishing! Thanks!

[Adriana]

GORGEOUS!!
Victor-I'm dying of jealousy, the pics you have of the lagoons and the rivers are amazing!!!!!!!