Destination: Bohol

I found this journal entry in my laptop. This was when our Tour 114 class went to Bohol during 2nd semester of sophomore year. Oh gosh, I dearly miss Bohol, will definitely come back!

That take off reminded me of the roller coaster rides I used to take when I was a kid. My stomach felt weird like it was about to turn upside town but it didn't. I wanted to have the window seat. I should have exchanged seats with Matt, I just wanted to have a better view of the clouds beneath us. I have never been this high up before–my first plane ride. Destination: Bohol.

Soon after we took off, we were already about to land. Flight was about an hour or so from Manila. On the way down, we passed through a billow of clouds, like pillows, but clouds. All I could see through the window was the blinding brightness of white, I narrowed my eyes for five minutes or so. Soon we were out of the billow, I could again see the clear blue sky but no more sea of clouds. Instead, the clear blue waters of Bohol came into sight, and the stretch of the white sand beaches, not as blinding as the white clouds but just as brilliant.

We landed in Tagbilaran Airport and our group was greeted by Ate Baby, a short sweet lady who had been our tour guide. We were off again by bus to Bohol Diver's Resort in Panglao Island. The resort was truly amazing, just a takes a few steps to get to the beach! Alona beach, that is, where the sexy star by the name of Alona was said to have ran along naked in this stretch of sand. 

As for the resort, our rooms were fairly decent and well-furnished. Though there were some problems with the air-conditioning and bathroom. But what's the use if staying inside our room when we could go to the beach? Go to the beach! That's what we're here for and more. And so we did, awhile after we'd unpacked. 

I actually enjoyed walking on the sand barefoot and bury my feet deep in those fine grains, kept me grounded, or I dunno, connected. And into the sea! It's amazing how many creatures can be found in the water even if it was barely waist-deep. Not far from the shore, we already spotted several starfish and sea urchins. Schools of fish passed through as we walked in the water. The waves were very calm, by the way. We swam until after sunset. 

We went outside the resort to find a place to dine on our first night in Bohol. A walk along the beach was a breath of fresh air. The sand, sea, and sky were black and countless stars flickered above us. The beachfront was lined with restaurant after restaurant with candle-lit tables and chairs set on the sand. At last, we found the restaurant with a live band.

We had, of course, only superb seafood. Almost everyone especially loved the squid and crab calamari, there seemed to be not enough serving of it for each one of us. A candle-lit dinner by the beach, with a live band playing sweet music, accompanied by the gentle blowing of winds and the sound of waves, could that get any more romantic? In our case, it was not so romantic for there were at least thirty of us there. In any case, everyone was FULLy satisfied with the way things were.

After dinner, we went back to the resort and slept, just slept. We were exhausted from the long commute from Manila to Bohol, all that swimming, and eating. But lying on my bed, I could barely sleep, couldn't wait for the next day.

In the morning of our second day in Bohol, I already wanted to swim in the beach. So I went and took a stroll on the sand, then in the water. I managed to keep myself dry, only my legs were wet because we were supposed to be going on a day tour. Then Abby called and told me that our bus was about to leave, I'm the only one that's left. They were all waiting for me in the bus, what a shame! So I hurried up and when I got in the bus, Bryan told me I look like the beach already (Mukha ka nang beach).

We first went to the Blood Compact Site. The sun was blazing with brightness when we stepped out of the bus. The statues of Datu Sikatuna and his men, and Miguel Lopez de Legaspi and his men seemed to be enjoying themselves while drinking each other's blood. So much for being blood-brothers. For me, it was merely a show, a deception for winning the Datu's favor. Nevertheless, it's a good thing that this monument is well-preserved. We also visited the Baclayon Church, and inside was a museum. It has been standing for well over 400 years and has undergone a lot of restorations, not renovations, because they want to maintain the church's natural appearance, although there have also been changes. The original materials used to build the church back in the Spanish era were imported from Spain; even the the church ornaments and figures of saints, and the Christ were from Spain dating back probably the 1600s. The museum contains the materials used in the ceremonies of the church long ago; all are antique and have very intricate designs and gold leaf embellishments.

On our last day, I went to the beach again with Trixie and Abby in the morning to have my final swim in the sea. And there I saw, which was rarely seen in beaches, a Spanish dance (it's an invertebrate that resembles the ruffles in the skirt of a Flamenco dancer). Awesome! That alone, made my whole trip to Bohol worthwhile. But I'd seen more than I have expected to see, I'd done more that I've expected to do, and experienced which made my trip to Bohol so much more than being worthwhile. Bohol, for me, is now more than just a destination, but a treasure.