Bohol

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After a plane, bus, ship and boat Erica and I made it to Bohol! We had no plans at all so after getting some assistance we found ourselves the cheapest joint in the city and headed over to Casa Juana. After checking in we headed out to explore the town.



It isn't exactly the prettiest of town, but strolling through the city our main focus became food and food we did find. There were little eateries everywhere that you could choose several different option for just 10 pesos each! This was great for me, but unfortunately it's not so great for vegetarians. Turns out pretty much every dish seems to have some meat in it making it hard for Erica to find anything.



Despite that we found a place and grabbed some food and the headed out to the beach. There was a beach on our map in town but when we got there beach was a loose term for what was there. Still the water was AMAZING. It was so refreshing after a few days of travel and just being constantly sweaty.



We hung out in the water until we were warned about sea urchins. That got Erica out pretty quickly so we relaxed on the shore line watching the kids play. We chatted it up with a young guy who came on by, but when these little sand crabby guys started biting our booties which got us up once more.



Off we went to head back to our hotel for dinner and drinks. We grabbed the greatest street snack I have ever eaten in my life. It was like a pancake made with cheesy dough topped with cheese and sugar and was seriously a piece of deliciousness.



Not yet satisfied we hopped into the mall to find halo halo which we paid way to much for and didn't get what we expected. It was so disappointing because I had been dying to find some halo halo. I will definitely have to give it another go at another city.



Back at our hotel we drank some rum while getting ready to go out. When party time finally rolled around we hopped right next door to the ultimate party experience at Atmosphere. Apparently nobody else got the memo about the party or rather they all got the memo that the club isn't even open on Monday. Oops. Finding that out, we drank our San Miguel and then hit the sack.



Our second day in Bohol started early with us moving from one hotel over to Nisas Travelers Inn. This place was way cuter, staff friendlier AND included breakfast all for the same price. We drank our free coffee and then decided to venture out to the beach.



We struggled in vain to find ourselves bicycles to rent and then choose to just walk from Tagbilaran to Alona Beach on Panglao Island. The map made the island look so small. In fact using the scale it should have been less than ten Kilometers. Being ambitious and wanting to check off a bit of exercise off we went.



After nearly two hours we learned we had about 12 more kilometers to go. I'm by sure how that is even possibly but realizing we wanted to make it to the beach some time this day we decided public transportation was necessary.



A few motorbikes stopped but it was so expensive. A tricycle was even more expensive and being the cheapos we are we contemplated what exactly what we should do. We chartted with a fellow who mentioned a bus that may or may not come when something magical could be seen on the horizon, a jeepney!



Hopping in was interesting. It was already packed so they threw in a janky wooden bench into the middle and there I sat. Each bump nearly made the sucker and myself tip but it was actually pretty fun. As we drove all we could say is, we really thought we could walk this? And then some great 90s song would start blasting and we would laugh. The smole things in life like hearing English songs while jammed into a jeepney on the way to a gorgeous beach.



We made it for 25 pesos each, much better than the 100 pesos each the motorbike wanted to charge. Hungry like usual we grabbed a veggie kebab and made our peanut butter paiyas which is always tasty.



On the beach we bumped into Marco, the German fellow we had sat next to on the way to Bohol. We chatted it up with him and relaxed in the ocean which felt AMAZING. Tr beach reminded me a bit like Koh Phi Phi where the ocean was lined with boats to take you out on different excursions, but the water was beautiful and the white sands gorgeous.



Relaxing on the beach was fabulous, but we had to leave at 4 to catch the last jeepney... Unless we wanted to walk. We actually got quite lucky because a cab headed into the city gave us a life for 10 pesos more than the jeepney but we saved a good hour by doing this.



Back at Nisas we went for a nice relaxing evening. It is hard work hanging out on a beach! We chatted it up with the staff and eventually grabbed some veggies from the market downstairs as well as a few little dishes. I got to try the chicken adobo which the sauce was very tasty but the chicken was more bone than meat. The second dish remains nameless to be but again the chicken small and mostly bone and the sauce it was in tasty. They told me it would be spicy, but that was far from the case. Either way e two dishes were quite good.



Wednesday morning we woke up and grabbed some breakfast. Eggs, toast, banana and coffee makes me happy. With the extra bread we made peanut butter sandwiches and then found our way to the bus station to get to the Chocolate Hills. On our way to the bus station we hopped on our first tricycle which was actually quite fun. On the local bus we talked to the fellow next to us and he gave us ideas of what to do while in Bohol.



Of course on the way it began raining and I got nervous simply because I had my nice camera. But as luck would have it the rain stopped and allowed us to head on up the mountain. The walk is short but steep and Erica and I couldn't help but laugh at those at got driven up the short 5 minute walk. Snapping a bunch of photos we continued to the top to overlook the entire is,and which was quite pretty. The hills weren't very chocolatey, but rather quite lush and green but it was very pretty.



Down the hill we went after tossing a Baht into the wishing well and what did we do at the bottom? We ate! I got pancit and a strange green vegetable mixed with egg. The pancit, a noodle dish, was quite good. The mystery vegetable was a bit stranger. Combined the two and it wasn't half bad.



Full we waited for a van to come and pick us up. There we're things we could have done on the way back, most popular being the tarsiers, the smallest monkey in the area, but we chose not because A) we are cheap and B) the idea of seeing them in a cage didn't appeal to us. S home we headed and it was a good thing too because it poured! I sat on the ground rather uncomfortably but the van was thankfully quicker than the bus so it wasn't too bad.



Back at Nisas once more people were literally shocked we skipped the tarsiers. I was okay missing it, even better when we decided to go for a run instead. But it was to hot to go for a run as soon as we got back so instead we grabbed some baked goods at Julie's and indulged in some free coffee and free wifi. We tried the Buko pie, which is young coconut pie Andover heard has some serious buko pie wars going on, as well as three other tasty little treats.



After several days without a run this one went great! People shouted out to us, as with Thailand there aren't a whole lot of white people running around but it was great! On the way back we wanted to pick up an empanadas but the place we went was all out! Disappointed we moved on and found an egg dish that was a bit like an omelet with an eggplant, a whole eggplant, just stuck in the middle of it. It was delicious. More veggies to be steamed And mongo which is an awesome mung bean dish. YUM! To top it off I grabbed a piece of sisig which is fried up leftover parts of pork. I think it was intestines but lets face it anything and emerging fried is off the chain!



A hearty dinner in our belly it was time for more fun. We knew the club was going to be open today so we dolled ourselves up and cracked open our bottle of rum. Still early we chilled in the dining hall enjoying our peach and rum and rocking to some music. We eventually made our way back to Atmosphere where we were refused entry! Why? Despite our adorable dresses and ballet make up we were wearing flip flops.



Confused we just stood outside the club complaining and trying to concoct a plan as everyone kept telling us to come in. Finally our saviors arrived in the form of two fabulous gentlemen who took us up to their room and allowed us to wear their loafers. Yes, Erica had red and I had purple oversized men loafers and these shoes were approved but our flip flops were a no go.



We danced the night away... And the morning... And at 4 am just 2 hours before we would have to get up to eat and make it to our next boat.

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