Advertisement
Published: February 23rd 2006
Having a little lunch
Chillin in the afternoon at cafe del mar
Favorite part of travelling so far? For sure, without a doubt, the people. For good or bad it is what makes or breaks a trip. Today I have fully realized the other beauty- this morning I was on a beach in Boracay and hours later I am paddling on a mountain "lagoon" in Baguio. Different landscape almost entirely...and by tomorrow morning I will be in Banaue. It is safe to say I am partially more at east, though a little disappointed, we will not be traversing the death road by bus that travels from Baguio to Sagada. If we find our way there it will be on a slightly less treacherous stratch of "highway" from Banaue to Sagada via Bontoc. The one thing I remember my dad expressing fear about was hazardous highways and maniacal mountain drivers. You always hear of them falling off the edge into the ravine, he said. By the sounds of it our odds wouldn't have been good against it.
After the bitter taste that settled in my mouth regarding the majority of Filipino people we encountered on the far side of Boracay, I must say as of late I have been significantly more impressed. In
fact, besides the poor treatment they have offered Jen at times, and the notorious cab drivers, Filipinos have been fabulous. It's difficult to judge the character of culture when you are exposed to it under the veil of "vacation tourism". Most places we go we are havoked by "salesmen" on the street, desperately trying to make a buck in a rediculously competitive market. There are about twice as many sunglass salesmen on the beach as tourists. The truth of it is they can be an incredibly helpful and sacrificial community, intent on impressing you with their gratiousness and hospitality.
MC and Harvey were a blessing. Up until that point it was starting to get a little rocky. Jen's impressions were sinking and, consequently, so were mine. But, just in the nick of time, and in the perfect context, we met two of the best of the island and, after spending that whole evening with MC, I wouldn't doubt they are the best of all 7000 islands in the Philippines.
We met them sitting at the Bom Bom bar on the beach, finally able to relax under the dim rasatfari lights and soft Marley covers by local Filipino divers
The view
I don't think it is possible to describe the feeling I get even looking at these pictures...Cafe del Mar lives up to its reputation..."chill out bar" by definition turned night time crooners. In fact, I don't think it gets much more relaxed then that. But it had been a rough day, and two friendly locals have never been more welcome at our table....They were, and are, amazing. I have never met anyone so intent on showing me the good side of their culture, taking me all down the beach to try every local dish and refusing payment and he stripped his tiny earnings of the week on my full gut. In the end, I am sure he didn't get a wink of sleep before beginning an arudous day of labour the next morning, and for that I am eternally grateful.
When you find the good ones and can drop the curtain of cautiousness, the Philippines are an incredibly warm and friendly place.
Today was another serendipity. We arrived only to find the last bus to Bontoc, Banaue, and Sagada had left earlier this morning. So we got a late bus ticket and wandered right into a "Christian Singles" convention in the park. Though amuzing, this was not essentially the serendipitous event of the day. As it turns out, the little park across the street from the
Baguio- the park
We were told going up north would be boring and cold...WRONG on both counts. Hot as all hell, and there was a festival in town. SO great. bus station in what our Lonely Planet describes as "not exactly an idealic mountain town", was an absolute gem (once again, don't always listen to what you hear....damn Lonely Planet guide). being Sunday, and a beautiful one at that, people were out by the droves, happily picking at cotton candy and rowing around the lagoon in a Sunday morning haze (which, I must say, I am quite brilliant at). There are little children's playgrounds full of squeeling laughter, and vendors in every direction selling fresh fruit and flowers. But, as anything beautiful goes, there is a backdrop of poverty and siffering. Children and aging women come to our side minute by minute, ploking us and pleading for pesos. it is a battle you have with yourself over right and wrong, a battle that will no doubt colour the majority of our trip- outside the glitter of Bundang that is.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.14s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 10; qc: 75; dbt: 0.049s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
