so here are my photos instead. hope they impress upon you that the place is really beautiful. God bless my homeland!
much has been said about sambawan. for one, it is still in maripipi island of biliran province. for two, it still an awesome destination in the world. the island is serene and pristine. would i rather be somewhere else in the world? so here are my photos instead. hope they impress upon you that the place is really beautiful. God bless my homeland! Few weeks ago, the couple - TS Glenda and TS Henry - was confirmed to have a lover’s quarrel which led to TS Glenda running away. Days later, TS Henry followed her either to declare more war or to win her back – that I couldn’t say. I think they haven’t returned home yet since this week, Inday, a household member, is looking after them. The three of them passed by Biliran and they changed the landscape of my homeland. In fact, they changed the landscape of Higatangan Island. The island, which actually comprises 2 barangays of Naval, the commercial capital of Biliran, prides itself with this sandbar which shifts with the tide, and shifts big with storms. The recent typhoon moved the sandbar to a different shape. And that exactly what makes the sandbar invitingly unique. You don’t get to see it in one same form. When I had my time in the sandbar, I wondered what shape had it been a day before. The sandbar stretches by 200 meters, more or less. I was told the highest “high tide” never totally submerges the bar. One can enjoy swimming anytime, any tide, and it is safe. Water is crystal clear to turquoise blue. Sandbar is more of crushed corals than sand. We went there on a gloomy day, what with the war going on in the household of Henry, Glenda and Inday. The organization which invited me to join this island visit paid around P3,500 for the boat ride - to and back and around the island. Officials in Barangay Libertad welcomed us like good old friends. We feasted on shells, crabs, grilled fish, fried fish, oven-baked chicken, boiled rootcrops prepared for us in Hagdan Resort located on the other side of the island.. We were unfazed of the weather war. There were laughter and stories and goodwill shared even if the seas were a bit rough. On regular days, the island can be reached from Naval by public motor boat. Fare is 45 pesos in 45 minutes. Boat leaves the port of Naval at noontime, and returns the next day.
Come to think of it, Biliran has always been teeming with natural resources. If not an island, you explore the mountain. Or simply sit idly in pantalan to watch the sunset. or the sunrise. Let me, in the quietness of this place, thank God for such natural bounty. So God bless my homeland. Dinig ko no'ng high school pa ako na wala raw yan sa dami ng panahon na nadapa ka, nasa dami raw yan ng pagkakataon na bumangon ka. Magaling ang nagsabi nito. Nagbibigay lakas-loob sa mga taong nagkakamali rin sa pagharap sa pagsubok ng buhay habang pilit na inaabot ang pangarap. Pero di yan totoo sa kaso ng kahoy na ito. Matatagpuan sa tabing-dagat ng Barangay Pinamihagan, Culaba, Biliran. Eto talaga hometown ko. Sa katandaan at sa dami ng unos na dumaan, di na nito nakayanang tumayo pa at ito’y bumigay na. Hinayaan ng tao na ganito na lamang ito, nalagas ang mga dahon, natuyo ang mga balat, iniwan na parang nakatihaya na lamang sa tabi-tabi. Nasayang ba ang pagkakataon ng kahoy na ito? Nadapa, di na nakabangon. Pero di d'yan nagtatapos ang kwento nito. Kung nagsara man ang pinto ng kahoy na ito na magbigay lilim sa mga naliligo, bumukas naman ang isang bintana ng ibang pagkakataon. Pagkakataon na makapagbigay sigla sa taong pagod at naghanap ng mauupuan. At kung dati, lublob agad ang mga taong naliligo sa dagat dito, ngayon ang tumbang-kahoy na 'to sa tabing-dagat ay naging photoshoot location, obstacle race, jumping board, scenery enhancer, landmark. Ewan ko ba, ganito lang talaga siguro ako. Pag di pinapansin, napapansin ko. Ang eyesore sa iba, eyewitness sa kin. Nabibigyan ko ng kulay ang mga patay na kahoy. Kaya ang lugar na to ay naging paborito naming beach resort.
Saan to banda? Mula Naval, ang capital town ng Biliran, mga 40 minutes lang sa motorsiklo, daan ng crosscountry, papuntang Culaba. Kahit di summer, safe na maligo dito. Plantation Bay Resort in Mactan Cebu was not named plantation for nothing. The place lives up to its name. It is really a plantation of upsized pools with green vegetation. Cebu has proven herself to be the vacation capital for Koreans. And maybe has proven herself to me. And so it came to pass that boris, that’s me, had his opportunity to live the Plantation way! I heard beforehand that plantation bay has all manmade its pools. Anything manmade I have concluded would never be at par with anything natural. The way God designs the earth is par excellence – walang katulad. Anything created by the mere created would look like ukay ukay items on sale. But I got myself wrong. The pools look like natural lagoons. Not that it would be comparable with the natural, but the ingenuity of man to design the plantation bay the way it is led me to thank God for the wisdom of nature and for that wisdom of nature imparted to mankind. When man learns from nature and adapts, we got plantation. Plantation Bay has many pools – lagoon like. Your choice of fresh water or salt water. It has other amenities like tennis court, billiard, archery, firing, dart, biking, tartanilla, videoke bar, spa, carts and many more. Some are free as part of the package, some are for a fee. Of course, you don't go there with only 5 pesos in your pocket. Daytrip package is available for 2,000 pesos inclusive of lunch. But i suggest you stay overnight or 1 week. And you pay. Breakfast buffet costs around 950 pesos in one of the restaurants. The resort is located in Mactan Island. Taxi from downtown Cebu City charges about 400 to 500 pesos. If you opt to have your vacation in plantation bay, you don't ride a jeepney to go there. Though you can save around 300 pesos if you take the jeepney and tricycle, but you will spend $180 dollars minimum for your room overnight plus 2,500 for your food per day. But as they said, plantation bay is not just a resort, it is an experience. Whether it is a resort or an experience, the costs won't matter anyway to those who have the capacity to make choices. Ok, boris, back to your wish list. |
boris p pascubillohe writes to affirm desiderata's with all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. he makes photographs to shoutout that when God created this homeland, He saw that it was good. Archives
March 2016
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