Sunday, June 14, 2009

Going Back Home (Part 4)

The next day, they sent us off at the airport for our flight home. Boracay was not supposed to be in our agenda. You see, I let my wife chose which place we’re going to visit, Cebu or Boracay? Since we’ve been to Boracay a lot of times, she opted for Cebu. But as our plane landed in Caticlan, nagkayaya-an bigla. So we spent an overnight in Boracay.

Boracay
A lot of things have change since I last came here (about 6 years ago). They already have an airport and seaport in Caticlan and the boats going to Boracay are well organized. There’s only one disembarking/embarking point in the island and you have to rent a tricycle (P100.00 fee) to go to the resorts. These island of 3 barangays have blossomed into a semblance of a town and I won’t be surprised if someday it will be declared a town or perhaps even a city, just like Olongapo. By the way, if your in the town proper and needed a ride, don’t take tricycles parking in some areas. Instead, flag down those that are plying along the road. Taking tricycles on “standby” is equivalent to renting it. It will cost you P100 while those that you flag downed only cost P7 per person. I got this tip from the receptionist of the hotel we checked-in to.

Inns and hotel room fees varies, depending on the amenities and its proximity from the beach. Price ranges from P1500 for a room with a fan to P140000 per night for a suite complete with amenities you could think of, including a swimming pool and jacuzzi (it sound silly, what the hell do you need a pool or a jacuzzi for in Boracay?). We got ours for P2500, discounted to P2000, because my wife’s nephew’s friend knows the guy who runs the place. It includes an AC, a big flat TV screen which we never use, a ref and a fancy bathroom.

After we checked-in and settled down, we immediately went to the beach to look for a place to have dinner. The place is like a big, long stripped of carnival along the seashore. A lot of “happenings” going on everywhere you go. A nice candle light dinner with jazz music here, a live band performing there, disco music blaring somewhere else. Kulang na lang may kumaka-in ng apoy at buhay na manok at kumpleto na ang circus.

From our vantage point, this is what Boracay looks like after sun down.

Ayaw pa-awat ni Bea. She likes to play on the sand even as the night grows older. We have to literally drag her away to get some rest so will have more stamina in the morning.

Seven o’clock in the morning, and we're already in the waters.

My wife didn’t wear her bathing suit. She got intimidated by those skinny girls roaming around wearing nothing but teeny weenie bikinis. I took some pictures (secretly of course) but I won’t post it here. Wholesome ‘tong blog ko no!

Boracay in daytime is just as active as I witnessed last night. Besides the fancy restos and fastfoods, souvenir shops are open as well and hawkers plying their trade everywhere. You want fake watches and fake pearl necklaces? They got it. You want a partial or whole body massage? They’ll rub it. You want real tattoos or fake ones (henna)? They’ll paint it. You want your hair braided like Carmelo Anthony? You got it. You want your hair to look like a floor mop? They’ll gladly do it for you. You want all kind of souvenir, from t-shirts to little things you stick on your refrigerator door? They have a whole bunch of it.

If you want excitement, they have all kind of rides, from jet ski, para-gliding, sailing, banana rides and even a helicopter ride around the island. The only ride we took is a tourist bus going homeward bound before sunset.

Manila
We spent four days in Manila prior to our flight back here. We do this every year to buy the thinks we need, especially Bea’s clothing. You see, although Riyadh got a lot of malls, your choices, particularly in clothes, are limited, unlike malls in the Philippines where you can find all you need and different selection to choose from.

But of course we also treat our daughter by going to Ocean Park and Star City. I won’t post any pictures because everybody knows where it is. Besides, Ocean Park is not as fancy as advertised in TFC. The only place Bea did enjoy was in Star City. Not the rides but the playground where other children her age play.

So, there you are folks, a blow-by-blow account of our vacation. Will resume our regular programming in my next post.

20 comments:

  1. Nakakatuwa naman nagkayayaan lang bigla sa Boracay, sabagay nasa Caticlan na eh. Pero sulit naman yung overnight stay nyo, see Bea's super happy face. She's huggable. =) The P100 trike ride is so expensive. I remember in June 2007 parang mura lang yata yung nasakyan ko. They're really economizing on a lot of things. I don't know why but even if Bora is alreay too commercialized and already went there thrice, I still want to return. By the way, I also took photos of the bikini beauties. Heehee.

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  2. Nice descriptions! Ang galing, nai-imagine ko po talaga.

    Huhmn, parang maganda ngang magbakasyon sa Boracay. Sayang hindi kami natuloy last April. Target ko itong puntahan next year, kung papalarin pa rito sa Au.

    Kahit po ako, sa Pilipinas rin namili ng mga damit, better pa rin ang mga malls sa Philippines pagdating sa mga clothing.

    I was expecting na maikwento niyong nagkita kayo ni Abou (Basta), di ba nasa Boracay po siya?

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  3. Ms.Jo, yung P100 is for the whole trike. Kahit ilan kayo (max. of 5 persons) basta kaya nung motor. re: bikini beauties - I know what I'll do with mine. what are you going to do with yours? : )

    RJ, sigurohin mong summer ka pumunta para sulit. re: "abou" - his from the town of new washington. tingnan mo ang blog nya. papano mo hagilapin ang isang taong kahit sa blog nya ay nawawala? better yet, ask madjik, magbarkada ang dalawang yan.

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  4. Mabigat din ang travel budget mo kung taon-taon ay umuuwi kayong mag-anak sa atin. OK lang ang pamasahe, pero yung pasalubong ang magastos at may samaan pa ng loob pag may nakalimutan kang kamag-anak o kaibigan LOL.

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  5. wow naman hehehe...
    inabot ng part 4 ang vacation stories..
    I took some pictures (secretly of course) but I won’t post it here. Wholesome ‘tong blog ko no!
    --natawa namna poh ako jan hehehehe

    You see, although Riyadh got a lot of malls, your choices, particularly in clothes, are limited, unlike malls in the Philippines where you can find all you need and different selection to choose from.

    ----kase sabi nga poh ng SM malls..weve got it all for you! hahahaha

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  6. Kakainggit naman sa Boracay parang gusto ko uling bumalik, mukhang marami na ngang changes. Naloko nga rin kami sa tricycle fee na yan binayad nga namin 150 pesos yata e yun pala mura lang ang lapit pa ng binabaan namin. Mukhang nag enjoy ang anak mo, kakatuwa naman siya.

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  7. I was with Lolo and children year 2006 in bora and we took an apartment sa angol point, with kitchen na kaya hataw kami kain ng seafoods!

    true, we dotn need jacuzzi, what for, and swimming pool? nah, sarap ata ng tubig dagat ng bora, puting puti ang sands and blue warm water pa,

    teka me entry ka ba sa peba? sali mo to, mga bakasyunistang ofw, hehe

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  8. haha, natawa ako, light ang post mo ngayon ah! Magaling! natawa ako dun sa "wholesome tong blog na to!"

    Natawa din ako sa comment ni Ate Francesca, kung may PEBA entry ka ba. hmmmn, next year pa seguro. katatapos lang manalo ni Blogusvox eh, ayan ate oh, Nasa Magic 3 hahaha.

    (Ate Francesca, magpalakas ka na dito sa SANDBOX, isa siya sa mga magjujudge ng mga entries, nyehehe)

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  9. bertN, oo, malupit sa bulsa. Fortunately, I don't have to bring a lot of "pasalubong". Johnny Walker lang for my Dad. Kasi my siblings and friends are well established. They don't expect anything but our presence.

    yanah, hehe, oo nga, sarap mag shopping no?

    Sardz, mabuti nga sinabihan ako nung receptionist. Kung hindi, nadenggoy din kami.

    Francesca, yes, kung marami kayo, its better to rent an apartment na lang. Hindi ako pwedeng sumali sa peba because I joined last year.

    Kenjie, kung palaging seryoso ang post ko, baka madaling kumulobot ang mukha ko. : )

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  10. Would you believe it if I said I have not been to Boracay or even Palawan? Yup, that's a sad fact but I seem to always be left behind when friends and family go there. Like this summer, the whole family, except me, went on a Palawan holiday. Sayang at me trabaho ako.

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  11. sarap talaga at maganda ang pakiramdam pag kasamang mamasyal ang pamilya..tabebot si bea..cute!


    p.s.
    send mo na lang pards sakin in private yung pix na nakuhanan mo na ayaw mong i publish,..he he he.(joke)

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  12. I love the white sand, the clear blue waters of Boracay and the vivid image of your daughter, its full of colors and life.

    There's no place like home talaga.

    A blessed Monday to you and your family.

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  13. looks like you really made the best out of your short vacation. you hopped from one place to another and even made sure to drop by boracay.
    i like the new transport system there

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  14. Ka Rolly, ha? naikot nyo na ata ang ASEAN countries pero dayuhan pa rin kayo sa sariling bayan. Makakarating ka rin dyan.

    ever, salamat, si Bea tabebot? Makulit kamo!

    Pope, sa susunod mong uwi, yayain mo si mrs dyan for your second honeymoon.

    donG, yes, spontaneous nga eh.

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  15. Boy, Boracay has gone long ways hasn't it ? I hope the commercialism doesn't supress its beauty, that of a faraway beach where people want to enjoy nature's best offering.

    7am at the beach na ? Wow. awesome. Looks like your little one had a whale of a time indeed :)

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  16. bw, well, as far as the beach is concerned, okay pa naman kahit maraming "establishment" sa baybayin. We're early para magsawa si Bea since we're going home in the afternoo. : )

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  17. Good you paid 100, we paid 150, darn! but we enjoyed yes.

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  18. wow, ang saya naman ng naging bakasyon mo ;-) i'm sure your family enjoyed it too ;-)

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  19. sheng, sobra naman yan. Some drivers tells you like its the rate. Parang mga taxi sa maynila.

    caryn, oo, masaya pero masakit din sa bulsa. : )

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