Philippine Travel Notes

Am not a fan of coffee though I often drop by the nearest CBTL for my “Vanilla Ice Blended Regular Without Whipped Cream“ to while time away, take a breather or write something for this blog. So I wouldn’t have been attracted to this coffee shack by the beach which I thought was generally so-so. But the name and the four-legged bees and the “mug kape muna tayo” made me smile that I had to go near. As I stood outside smiling and looking at that board after taking this photo, a youngster came near and asked if I would like to have coffee, tea or any of their available snacks and drinks. Without answering her, I instead asked about all the writings, particularly how a coffee drinker has to do with their dreams. Smiling, she casually said it’s a business for poor students. Ah I dug deeper by asking more questions. I got hooked listening to her interesting story, that I had to order some sandwich and softdrinks so I could hear more of it. She obliged telling me the story even as she tended ...

Did you know there is such a thing? I didn’t! Earlier, done with my early morning walk beyond the airport and already riding a tricycle back to Sikatuna Beach Hotel, I saw this place that looked like some kind of a… well… memorial. But I did not really know what it was and the trike was speeding past it. I even really thought it was some kind of a memorial park, but I did not see tombs nor any indication that there were in the surroundings. So, at the public market, after my second beach walk, I decided to return to it. Actually, when I hailed a trike, I just said I was bound for Sikatuna Beach Resort. But while on board, I told the driver I would instead get off onwards at that monument beyond the San Jose Airport – which he readily understood and agreed after some hesitation (it’s a bit far). In fact, I myself was wondering why on earth did San Jose build this memorial far away from human civilization hehehe! It’s located in a fine lovely place across the road from the beach but...

Beach walk again? Yes, to the other side this time! Back from that long walk along Aroma Beach, I took my second shower of the day at exactly 7:50AM! Just a quick one, on this hot humid day. Summer has started, I guess! But what was I to do other than sit out at the beach-side tables of my resort? Itchy feet ruled again… I walked leftwards to town center via the beach – opposite direction of my stroll earlier on this same beach. Here we go… Getting to be nicer (clearer) views as the sun inched up... Heading leftwards this time, this view is to my right and back! There are the islands again… Illin, Ambulong and little White Island… I was still not dropping the idea… Should I see them up close or… should I?! Noticeably no people on this part of the beach. Why? It’s a cemetery up there! There’s a house on the left yes, but all others are, duuu! I walked faster hehehe! Fishing boats anchored some distance from the shore… Why so? Are they afraid of the shore? Here’s the...

Aroma? Who is it? What is it? Don’t panic kaibigan! That is just the name of the sandy stretch from Sikatuna Beach Resort all the way to 'beyond the airport vicinity'! I woke up to a wonderfully fine morning on this beach. Which, prompted my itchy feet to walk the stretch as far (and as long) as I could. To see what? Nothing really, just a walk by the water’s edge, excited to see the calm waters and feel that faint breeze from the sea. But I did encounter many curious things to fill the brain?! Here we go… 6:15AM. Mothers, fathers and children just hanging around on the beach. Some may still have been half asleep but already transplanted by their feet to this lovely place... Oh, aside from that one already wading in the water, two other kids were already wet and would keep darting to and from the shore. Can you guess which ones?! Later I saw that, eventually, all of them kids you see here went for a swim too! Ah Saturdays… When I looked to my left, this was the wonderful ...

It started with dinner of course, at my very own Sikatuna Beach Resort. No frills, I said I’d try their sizzling grilled fish. And came the grilled fish in style! How? On a tray was a red hot sizzling plate, a ceramic plate of the still smoking fish from the grill but already garnished with veggies, a cup of sauce I don’t know what, and a cup of rice. I watchfully wondered (therefore grabbed my camera) why the waiter purposely brought that tray to the next table. And the ceremony began… First he transferred the fish and garnish from the plate to that sizzling (really sizzling!) grill plate; next he poured all of the graveyish cup of sauce – and there was smoke all over; waited a few seconds for smoke to dissipate; then settled the sizzling plate on my table and placed the cup of rice beside it. The works! Seremonyas! Like!!! For a moment there I dreamed I was at some seaside resort in the Côte d'Azur. Asuu, of course I woke to reality that I was in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro...