Bumming Around Bantayan 'pa more'

Let's continue my very important itinerary in Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island - doing nothing and anything!

Hands dry after the nice scenic swim right in front of my cottage, I got to hold my camera again!

Dyan lang sa gitna ako nagtampisaw, hindi sa laot hahaha! Priceless memorable views just the same!

This was already about noontime, and it even looked like it was about to rain over at mainland Cebu.

But down here, the sun was OMG shining at its brightest and hottest, my forehead felt like being fried!

So okay.., I kept my royal sexy body mostly inside the room. But I did go and marvel at this tent again:

Hmm, no people! If early in the morning it was quiet because the occupants were probably still asleep, this time, I was sure they have gone to various parts of the island. I called out "tao po..." and "maayo..." I also knocked at the cottage beside it, no human-beings replied! I was short of ransacking that thing!

Anyway, I noticed the markings or "tatak" outside the tent, and it got me thinking. Those are three very prominent names and logos in the ST Yolanda/Haiyan aftermath, because I've seen them many times.

All the more that I got interested to be able to talk to whoever owned it. I wanted to know details!

Details like? Well, like where, how and why did they get to have that tent? Were they victims of a recent calamity, therefore recipients of that tent? Which calamity? How come it still looks very clean and very new? How did they preserve/maintain it? Is it really sturdy and long lasting? It would be great to know!

Wouldn't it be nice to share such wonderful information to the whole wide world?

Syempre gusto ko rin sana malaman ang kabaligtaran. Example: kung 'di naman pala kayo biktima, eh paano kayo nagkaroon nyan? Hindi ba binibigay yan ng Rotary International sa mga nasalanta lang ng kalamidad? Paano kayo nagkaroon nyan? Aw, taga Rotary Club, or Shelterbox, or VanGo mismo kayo? Empleyado o volunteer? Oh, so pwede nyo palang i-uwi ang mga yan? O baka kinulimbat nyo? Paano?

I had such nice questions, di ba? Malaman at maka-totohanan, di ba? Juiciness!

Special Note to my non-Filipino readers:
I won't translate that paragraph. Just think of it as "for internal communications only" hahaha!
Hah, I returned to my room frustrated I didn't get any info hehehe. Basta, those 2 tents intrigued me!

Anyway, I had another 'new discovery' if I can call it that. People are away from the resorts at noon!

That is the dining area of Budyong Beach Resort and it was exactly high noon when I entered. My first word was "is this open"? The friendly ladies in there (I'm not sure if they were staff or owners) laughed saying "yes of course, how can we help you". I said "I want to eat, pwede"? And we all laughed. Ganun!

I was given the menu and was asked to sit anywhere I liked! Eh as in I was the only customer inside!

I chose this window-side table with a 'view' of the backs of the seaside cottages (including mine), plus the beach, and the sea! Unfortunately, everything I liked in their menu was only "good for two" or more!

But crews in this restaurant were very friendly and accommodating, they just asked me what I wanted to eat and they would tell the cook to whip it up! So I said "prito isda, kanang mura'g sa balay ra, paig"!

Ah, I was further asked if I wanted it with sweet and sour sauce or this and that and this and that. But I maintained saying "asin, gamay ra tingali". And they laughed again, but I said I was serious! And the laughing cook said "okay ah"! Hmm, he sounded Ilonggo, so I asked. Aw ah, "pure nga taga-Bantayan"!

That made me remember... that the "bisaya" in Bantayan Island is a little bit different from what it is in mainland Cebu. They have a few words that are Hiligaynon, Waray and Mabateño unique only to them.

Look here... this was generally my view while waiting for the lunch of "prito isda" cooked home-style!

As I sat contentedly looking at everything and nothing, I was actually telling my self "I could live here"!

In no time, my "prito isda" came, brought by 2 waitresses whose facial expressions confused me!

Their faces looked like they felt so sorry of my situation, as if I've been restricted from eating anything else hehehe, when they asked "sir, are you sure this is all you're going to eat"? I said this was the best!

Since they were still with me anyway, and there were no other customers, I engaged them in banter as I devoured the fish, explaining that many times I crave for food similar to those that we normally have in our homes - without fancy sauces, gravies or garnishings and without difficult to pronounce names!

We had an enjoyable exchange of ideas. Like: I asked 'why restaurants do not have in their menus my daily favorites such as 'paksiw', 'adobo pusit', 'tortang talong w/ giniling', 'pritong bolinaw', 'bulad' etc.!

One of them said "sa turo-turo man nang mga pagkaon"! And I said "precisely". Why, is there a law that good restaurants cannot serve 'dili sosyal' but delectable food? Example: 'ginamos' as an appetizer, or blanched 'ganas' in lieu of salad, or 'O'Dong with sardinas' instead of pancit canton! Home-style ulam!

As they laughed I thoiught "for all we know, those resort guests are now at the palengke, having lunch at the rows of turo-turo there, feasting on yummy dishes like "ginisang upo" or "pako in coconut milk"!

I think there is also such a thing as "restaurant fatigue" - especially for those like me who don't usually cook at home. So, when on vacation at rural settings such as a beach, we do crave for 'normal' meals! That makes the vacation experience more "special" (kakaiba), since restaurant food is common to us.

Kwento kwento, istorya istorya, comparing points of view, and when I checked my plate, eto na...

That was fulfillingly good for me - though the restaurant staff doubted that hehe! I said if it was even a little more "paig" (well done), I could have devoured that fish head. It seemed to be frowning at me oh!

Just like that, we were huddled at my table, as if in a caucus, as if we were family or friends who knew one another for many many years. Kwentuhan, tawanan, comparing points-of-view, them asking me to tell more about my travel experiences around the world, me learning that resort dining areas in Sta. Fe are usually empty at lunchtime, since guests are either at specialty restaurants, silogan or on a picnic.

Hey, they even unknowingly affirmed a travel maxim that I consistently observe when they said "aside from the free breakfasts, guests, on average, eat only one meal in a resort. They eat their other meals at other places/venues". I said "eh that is exactly my principle", in order to experience more of a place!

When I next checked the time, it was already 430PM! I went out again to stroll around nearby areas.

At noontime there was nothing.., this time another kiosk (or watch tower?) was already taking shape!

And as I expected, there were already more people on the beach, since the sun was already 'in hiding'!

That is one of the most fascinating things with beaches or shorelines. Views change every hour or so!

The uneven sandy floor (sandbars) was slowly being submerged in sea water by the coming hightide.

That's what resort staff and local residents keep reminding us about - when everything is under water, some parts will be shallow, while other areas will suddenly be deep and dangerous, especially for kids who don't know how to swim. Oops, not only children, as there actually are adults who can't swim too!

Look here, when the tide is full, it's easy to think that like water, the bottom is plane and level. It's not.

But due to the strong sea current in this area (this is the southeast corner of the island), coupled with loose fine sand, the seabed is constantly shifting with the tides. Oh, let's highlight "strong sea current".

I just reiterated those "reminders and reasons why" for the benefit of you my dear readers. This time, I wasn't anymore about to swim. I enjoyed strolling on the beach, and I knew exactly where I was going!

Here! This is Yoonek Beach Resort. This was where we stayed on my first visit about a decade ago!

Nostalgia nanaman? Not really. Konti lang! Well, aside from most of the structures are now concreted, I think its look and feel has not really changed much. But I did not come here to look at their buildings!

I strolled to this place, specifically to see this front desk cum bar cum tindahan lahat lahat na hahaha!

The time of day told me it was "meryenda time na"! I knew I'd find afternoon snack here (if not beer)!

And voila! Meryenda nga! With a fantastic view!

Did I say view? Well, in the same spot (front of Yoonek) you can see pretty much the beach action!

And I did not even notice, I've been sitting there, watching things go by, until evening fell on Bantayan!

Naturally, when we talk about evenings, we cover things related to 'dinner' and/or 'the night life', right? For that, I walked to the area of MJ Square, where there are a myriad of choices, but, I ended up here:

This is diagonally across the street from MJ Square, and for whatever reason I felt like checking it out.

Honestly, I couldn't even remember its name until now as I write this, since one of my photos was this:

Now I can say with certainty, that is HR Music Bar and Native Restaurant. I just came from there now!

Oh yes, my tongue and stomach felt like feasting on shrimps for dinner, so I got it! Pasayan!

Of course I would have wanted to try other items on their extensive menu. But, as I've said in my notes of many stories ago, this is the usual issue with traveling solo, there is no one to share your "one order of food" with! No choice but to finish that single kind of dish. You get full and can't anymore try others!

Not an issue though, I loved those plump and juicy shrimps. Yes, Pasayan! And I liked where I sat!

Instead of walls or windows, the side of this restaurant is a long counter-top-style high table with high chairs. So if you sit anywhere there, you face the street which is just centimeters away hehe. And your back faces the inner tables and stage of the place. If you are want to watch the live band, you have to keep twisting and turning 180 degrees! Not an issue too, as I loved the "people-watching" opportunity!

Nice place to chill the night away. Good live band-band music, good food.

And when I felt it was time to hit the sackm I justt walked back to Budyong.

Let's see what awaits for me tomorrow and the next days...