Philippine Travel Notes

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...

Again, San Jose Occidental Mindoro, aight? Okay, clear! I actually just dropped my backpack and headed out of Sikatuna Beach Resort. I wanted to immediately see the town center, at least for the rest of the afternoon. Wouldn’t it have been nicer easier if I stayed at their downtown hotel? No, and you’ll see later, why not! Okay, out of ‘Sikatuna Beach’ (that’s how they refer to this resort), this is what I saw… One of my choices, actually just across the little concrete path from Sikatuna Beach! Looking to my left… the beach and the sea! Inviting, but I controlled my royal self! And to my right… the highway (airport to town center) there at the end of this path... Reaching the highway, I hailed a trike going downtown. When driver asked 'where to', I casually said “simbahan”! Feeling local ba! Views along the way… And the church… Rizal Park. Nice cozy gardens... Would you believe there are 10 people in this picture?! Yeah, folks of all ages! And Rizal Monument.....