“A rich man’s body is like a premium cotton pillow, white and soft andblank. Ours are different. My father’s spine was a knotted rope, the kind that women use in villages to pull water from wells; the clavicle curved around his neck in high relief, like a dog’s collar; cuts and knicks and scars, like little whip marks in his flesh, ran down his chest and waist, reaching down below his hip bones into his buttocks. The story of a poor man’s life is written on his body, in a sharp pen.”
Arvind Adiga, The White Tiger
My recent read, The White Tiger by Arvind Adiga, really hit different. I remembered my parents, and how their bodies were beaten by too much manual labor to provide for us.
My father cleaned toilets and mopped floors on hospitals before he died of cancer in 2009. I was too young to understand his hard work. He was gone before I could even grasp the idea of employment. I was 11 when he died.
Given that our household’s only provider died at an unprecedented time, my mother had to step up and do odd jobs to survive her four stubborn kids alone. Never once I heard her complain of how tired she was.
She straightened hairs, washed and scrubbed feet, massaged backs. I was too young to understand the gravity of the work.
Today, as my mother’s day gift to her, I accompanied her to the acupuncture clinic. It was a normal day, so I thought.
The clinic was deserted. We were the first patients for the day. We underwent the usual procedure: blood pressure monitoring and sugar test. All normal.
The owner is a Korean acupuncturist. He was kind enough to discuss the procedures and the possible causes of my mom’s recurring pains. I had to accompany my mom inside the consultation room because she is not adept with English language and the doctor does not understand Tagalog. I had to translate to create a common ground.
My mom is never really bad at English. I see that she understands what the doctor asks as she reacts quickly. On the other hand, she is very timid to use the language herself which is kind of typical for the people who were born and raised from the lowest income deciles of the society like my lot: we are very inferior. This was my first gun wound.
I did not expect that the second shot would come so quickly, just few minutes after the first.
My mom was asked to lie, head down, so that the doctor could spot the areas of concern better.
Looking at her body at that level, she became and entirely different person. I had every reason to be ashamed of my ignorance of all her sacrifices.
Her scoliosis is severe. Maybe worsened by her years of working as a massage therapist.
Her legs, not any better, full of varicose veins.
Her right hand has tendonitis.
All these show the image of a woman who worked hard all her life. I am ashamed. I am guilty. I feel like I failed as a child.
To my mom, whenever this finds you, thank you for being a father and a mother to us. Even when that has taken a heavy toll on your physical and mental wellbeing.
I may be still ashamed today, but one day I hope I could make your life comfortable.
When you see these stick men, think of my father.
Arvind Adiga, The White Tiger
No. When you see these stick men, think not only of my father but my mother too.
I did not originally decide to read more books this year.
The need to read naturally came because I have nothing else to do.
I read 12 books last year. With reading time averaging 30 days per book, in hindsight, I realized there is something seriously wrong with how I spend my time.
There is this advice I heard from a podcast of Sorelle, a photographer I follow on YouTube and Instagram that woke my senses.
She said that she lessened her screen time dramatically by grabbing a book every time she is exhausted from work instead of reaching for her phone.
I have to try that technique, I said.
I read a total of five books in January. Sadly, my first book for the year from Yuval Noah Harari failed to join the group photo because I had to exchange it with the Murakami.
4/5
To lessen my carbon footprint and save money, I decided to start a monthly book exchange with a couple of my friends. With more people reading the same book, I realized that the book’s essence is better maximized.
The strategy worked at first but came unsustainable in the end since we have diverse tastes in the genre.
21 Lessons for the 21st Century, Yuval Noah Harari
Favorite excerpt: “Climate change is a present reality. Unless we cut the emission of greenhouse gases in the next 20 years, average global temperatures will increase by 3.6F resulting in expanding deserts, rising ocean, disappearing ice caps, and more extreme weather events such as typhoons and hurricanes.”
I have read Harari’s Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind last year which is a great book you should check out. With this, I have high expectations for the third installment.
In this book, the author explored more on the three leading international relations theory.
Neo-Realism on the discussion of nuclear ammunitions and the balance of power.
Liberalism on the existence and importance of free markets and multilateral cooperation in an increasingly interconnected world.
Lastly, constructivism on presenting arguments that we are part of the same family, of the same genus, and we, therefore, have to act like one.
Rather than discussing lessons using a retrospective approach, Harrari explored more on the possibilities of the future and how we could better prepare for what is coming in the increasingly digital world.
He discussed the rise of inter alia artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, biotechnology, robotics, and the threat this poses on driving humankind to irrelevance.
I have to be honest that the Sapiens remains his best work out of the two but 21 Lessons also gives plenty of arguments that are worth pondering on, not only on present realities but also that of humankind’s future problems.
It is really interesting to get to know about climate change more than the surface level. I am motivated to track my carbon footprint after reading this book.
Conversations with Myself, Nelson Mandela
Favorite excerpt: “We never really accepted multiracialism. Our demand is for a nonracial society.”
This book is another product of the book exchange I started with my friends and I am happy to finally read something about Nelson Mandela.
Growing up, I have heard the name, searched him up on Google, shared some of his quotes on social media, but never really read any of his works nor the autobiographies published.
This book gives a glimpse of NM’s pre-Robben Island life, his relationship with other prisoners and wardens during incarceration, his ideals for a nonracial South Africa. The tenacity of his resolve is one of a kind.
Conversations with Myself is true to its title: the manner in how events were portrayed is conversational, relaxed.
The content is focused more on the correspondence he made with family/friends and also some diary excerpts. This gives a good view of how Mandela is as a person: he is never judgmental and not a man of many words.
Remember Prisoner 466/64. Remember Nelson Mandela.
Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman, Haruki Murakami
Favorite excerpt:
“Can you imagine how astonished Italians would be if they knew that what they were exporting in 1971 is actually loneliness?”
Year of Spaghetti p.183
This book is a collection of Murakami’s short stories. I love him as an author of novels but I have to be perfectly honest that his short stories come in better form.
As usual, his magical realism transports readers to a new level of connection with metaphors and allegories.
I had to search analysis on the internet every time I finish a story because I would like to know how others interpret them—on whether they are different from my perspective, which is often the case, and how. To each his own.
In the excerpt, I have chosen the story of The Year of Spaghetti because the narrator in that story cooks the dish every single day—different kinds, different styles, but it is always spaghetti.
This story is about loneliness. He sees cooking spaghetti as deliverance from his loneliness, to separate himself from the pain of reality.
I can relate to this story on a personal level because I often feel lonely and I read non-stop to forget the feeling. We both do activities to conceal what we feel inside, only to be hunted in the middle of the night on how lonely we really are.
However, I will not invalidate the progress I have made vis a vis my prior statement.
“What progress have I made? I am beginning to be my own friend.”
-Hecato as quoted by Seneca, Letters from a Stoic (p.40)
And I mourn them all—all the spaghetti of the year 1971.
And I like my pasta al dente.
Researching Philippine Realities, Jose Eos Trinidad
Favorite excerpt:
“Why are they there instead of here?”
-Trinidad on transnational mothering.
It was the holiday rush. I selected a few books from the Ateneo Press and checked out my orders. I have to be honest that I did not check the description before going for the purchase. This is the kind of book that I wish I have read in college–during thesis writing, when I had no idea what was going on.
The book is intended for Senior High/Graduate students doing their dissertations. Not for me, for the time being, but I will have to keep this in my stash until I decide to go for further studies, again.
Nevertheless, the author presented valuable insights on the technical parts of research, sighted some real-world examples on how to incorporate the lessons on the actual paper. This is worth checking out if you are preparing to write your paper.
My favorite part/s are the stories on Philippine realities: the studies on Overseas Filipino Workers, the Redo culture in the Southern Philippines, the DRRM measures in Bicol Region, among others.
The Outliers – The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell
Favorite excerpt: “Smile. Sit up. Listen. Ask questions. Nod when being spoken to. Track your eyes.”
This author was recommended to me by my friend, also part of my book exchange circle, who read Tipping Point last year. He is one of the few people I could really relate with when it comes to literature reading so I trust his advice.
The Outliers shows that success is a product of accumulative advantage.
Here we see the stories of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs, scientists, athletes, and entertainers. We read about the stories of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, The Beatles, and others. (I couldn’t help but put Norwegian Wood on repeat when I read their gigs in Hamburg.)
The book presented valuable facts and research-based information that are determinants of success.
It is a short read but never short of ideas, giving a breather to mainstream literature which is sometimes all too long, all too argumentative, but is never helpful.
There goes my January read. Looking forward to updating you with my February list soon. I will try to jot down notes on the information I find valuable so I could remember them and share them with you.
“Time flows in strange ways on Sundays, and sights become mysteriously distorted.”
Of course, I am quoting my favorite author, Haruki Murakami. Scrolling through my memory, I was quite sure this was said by Kafka Tamura on Kafka on the Shore. However, I was quite surprised to see that this quote is actually from 1Q84. Was it from Tengo or Aomame? I can’t recall. I read the trilogy three years ago. But the quote remained in my head since then.
Anyway, this blog is not an analysis of Murakami’s excellent take on magical realism. Or in a way, maybe that will make a brief appearance.
It has been three weeks since I went out of the house on a weekend. There are two reasons for that.
1. The pandemic.
2. And the most important reason. I don’t want to burn cash on useless things. I know many people who spend so much the moment they step outside and I am no stranger to that. So I try to mitigate the risk. 😉
Today, I decided to go out for the reason that I have to read my book in a cool, quiet place. I find it hard to achieve my flow in reading lately not because that the plot is uninteresting but due to the noise pollution in the neighborhood. We Filipinos are fans of karaoke. My professor once said that there are three commonalities that Southeast Asians share: padi farming, durian, and karaoke. I couldn’t argue on the latter.
In today’s agenda, a deserted coffee shop is an alternative but what I have in mind was the open place I usually go to whenever I want to be alone with my thoughts and in need reconnect with nature.
It is like my secret spot in the city. It is where many homeless families take refuge from the scorching hot tropical sun. But there is none there to shield them from the rain which is kind of sad.
I decided to go instead to the coffee shop adjacent to my “secret spot” because the sun blazing at its peak. I wondered if I could wait for a little longer until the heat tames and transfer thereafter.
I was casually enjoying my Sunday noon in this place: I ordered a green tea frappe with two pumps pf sugar. I usually love my tea bitter and hot and I always carry in my bag my most-preferred variety which is dandelion chai. However, if I only ordered hot water they might resort to kick me out. The weather outside feels like summer anyway so a cold beverage might not be a bad idea.
unfiltered beauty, what is with ceiling lights?
Reading Murakami, I feel the need to listen to a jazz playlist but the shop is playing some underground music.
After an hour of reading, I decided to get a change in environment and get a pedicure for the first time. I had to double check from the lady to make sure that a “pedicure” is something that is intended for the toenails. I usually cut my nails every Sunday anyway and today is a good time to try something new. I had a good first time experience.
The ambiance is comfortable and the interior is typical of a nail salon.
I made a brief stop on my favorite thrift bookstore and this is my most-visited section.
Why cookbooks when I do not even know how to cook?
For my late lunch, I decided to go for Tteobokki. I never tried this Korean dish before and when I saw it from one of my favorite K-dramas, Reply 1988, I knew I needed to try it.
The scene was when Dukseonaaaa~ was at a Tteokbokki house with two of her best friends and suddenly bumped with three Ssamundong boys. Jung Pal paid the tab anyways! Hahaha! (COMMERCIAL BREAK: #EoNamRyu :D)
All mine
I was never experimental of the cuisine I try. As I grew older, I felt the need to try new things, including the range of tastes that I delve into. Memento mori.
I ordered one unlimited samgyeopsal promo for PhP 199 ($4) and a regular tteokbokki for PhP 89 ($2). The price point is relatively cheaper than the regular because the place is not in any way fancy. But the food tastes 8/10. Not bad, considering the price point.
I still have nearly two hours to burn before it gets dark. I finally went to the secret spot adjacent to the coffee shop I visited earlier. Alas! I was surprised to see large groups of families, friends, couples, etc. enjoying the place. The persisting pandemic has led to prolonged mobility restrictions. In turn, this led to the need to take a time off of the usual routine. This is the only decent place of an “urban getaway” that we could afford.
Luckily, I was able to find a good spot in a chopped tree trunk. I kind of feel bad for the dead tree but at least it is now serving a purpose. (Essence vs. Existence?? Now is not the time to contemplate.)
This is where I decided to read my first book for February, Haruki Murakami’s ‘Killing Commendatore’
Best spot to read
I still do not know the name of the narrator. Not that I am expecting to know it, considering Murakami’s strange style. As Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet puts it: “What’s in a name?”
“What someone or something is labeled is arbitrary to their intrinsic qualities.” Or is it? At least, in the context of Killing Commendatore, I find that true, de facto.
To wrap up, I am glad I decided to use this day to go out and read. I feel reconnected with nature and with myself.
Time flows in strange ways on Sundays. I think I now understand why.
I rarely post travel photos on my social media accounts.
I have always kept my affairs within my closest circle of family and friends. I value my privacy so much, with the principle that “what people don’t know, they can’t ruin.”
One of the most difficult decisions I considered before starting this blog is my readiness to let people have a glimpse of my life.
So I let photos of my sojourns sit on my phone storage for long. Sometimes I print them out and put them in my storage box. Sometimes they end up deleted into the void.
However, the reason why I am finally posting is that…. i’m running out of phone storage with no intention to pay monthly subscription for an additional iCloud cushion. I need a platform where I could keep the good memories. Here it goes.
We decided to have our first family air travel last September 29, 2019. We were all excited because this was my mom’s and my youngest brother’s first airplane ride. My older brother was not able to join us due to a prior commitment.
We are riding with a FOC ticket so I selected the first available flight to secure a sure spot. One tip when traveling: select the first flight of the day because it seldom gets delayed. No air traffic, no adverse weather most of the time, no loud shouts and chitchats during embarkation, and newspapers, of course!
I asked for the booking. Lucky us, there are few available seats left for the first flight of the day. We are riding a 76-seater Q400 Classic. Not my most favourite plane. (#LakingQ3 #Q3Legends #HiMaamVan)
Remember, when you are traveling to destinations with short runway, the most typical for inter-island flights, expect a propeller-type aircraft. Take off is bumpy and landing is something else. Nevertheless, they are one of the safest units because they can glide even without running engines. I read that Airbus will be making its its own hydrogen-powered version ready to fly commercial passengers by 2035. We should be expecting revolutionary changes for our turboprops in the future.
Take off was smoother than expected, thanks to early-morning winds. The sky is still clear from unwanted build-ups. It was a bright, sunny day.
We arrived ahead of schedule and our transfer service immediately greeted us upon arrival. I am glad my mom and brother had a smooth first flight.
Travel time to our accommodation: 30 minutes.
Traffic: None
Road: Smooth ride, no bumpy roads.
Scenery: Welcome to the countryside! Hillsides as your long-drive scenery? I will not take anything else.
We stayed at Luis Bay Travellers Lodge during our four days in the island. It was not the fanciest accommodation, just a place that could give us a good night’s sleep that we could afford.
Our humble home for four days
I arranged our entire itinerary with a tour operator recommended by a friend. The payment per pax is at 4,900 pesos inclusive of transfers to and from the airport, accommodation, breakfast, island hopping, and other land tours we visited.
Our original check-in time is at 12 nn, but we arrived way ahead of schedule at 8 am. The lodge’s staff are kind enough to approve our early check-in request and even provided us with a free breakfast coupon at the nearby eatery.
The breakfast is yet again, not the fanciest—just a limited selection of three silog meals and pancakes. HOWEVER, the view is a sight to behold. Imagine having a cup of tea at a balcony overlooking the waters. It’s divine! Plus, the meals taste good too, let alone free. A complimentary coffee/chocolate drink is also served.
Look at that view! Imagine having a breakfast here everyday.Panoramic view
Our day is looking good so far.
After breakfast, we decided to take some rest to store up some energy for the afternoon land tour lined-up for the day.
At lunch, we decided to buy calamares from the local market and paid the small restaurant for the paluto.
market to table, no problem
I will not put the specific places we visited here. Because, after a year, forgetting exact names is out of the question. I will just be putting daily highlights to shorten the read.
First Day Highlight:
Mt. Tapyas
I did not expect my mom to survive the 700 steps to the top, but she did! We all made it! We hiked by late afternoon, so there is not much of a problem with the heat. Also, the sunset here is the best spot in Coron. Although we did not have the time to stay until sunset due to the lined-up itinerary.
We made it to the top!
Special award for day one:
Maquinit Hotsprings
I wish we could have stayed longer. The only problem with organized tours is that you do not call the shots on how long you could stay in a place. Best way to cap off the day? Some hot, relaxing bath.
Second Day and Third Day.
The succeeding days of our tours were mostly spent on island hopping. Coron waters and biodiversity really are one of the Philippines’ treasures.
Good thing we got to spend more time in a place, giving us the opportunity for to wander off while floating in the island’s green reserves.
Main Highlight:
Wedding proposal!
Of all the events that we could have imagined to witness, a wedding proposal never crossed our minds. At lunchtime during second-day trip, all were busy eating fresh fruits-and-fish combo prepared by our kuyas. One of them, Kuya Rommel, tipped us that the Viet-Canadian guy will make a wedding proposal to his Filipina-Canadian girlfriend.
We struggled to contain our kilig so as not to sabotage the plan. We agreed that everyone in the tour group would join the same boat the next day (coz sometimes they change). As soon as we reached our lodge, we informed the front desk that we would still like to join Kuya Rommel and Happy’s tour group because of the brewing surprise. The lady is kind enough to arrange us with her close contacts, thereby securing our spot with the same circle the following day. We were all so excited.
Sadly, the video recording of the proposal is already deleted due to memory shortage. Sadness!
The next day, as soon as we have seen the guy making advances, we convinced the lady to make a “Titanic-like” pose, just for a “souvenir photo.” And yes, we were successful!!! She said yes!
We could not contain our happiness for the newly-engaged. However, as soon as we got the our destination, the Viet guy’s iPhone Xr got lost in the water. Our guides tried to find it but to no avail. He lost his iPhone but gained a fiance! Lucky him!
Special Mention:
Cold beers on green waters = deadly combo.
Beers and chips are sold by a boatman at a reasonable price. This scene reminds me of the floating markets in the Mekong River, but better. At least they have cold beers.
OVERALL HIGHLIGHTS
Three Ates
More than the beautiful places we have visited, we also developed new friendships during the tour. Special mention to Ate Jessa, Ate Cecil, and Lia! The three musketeers! Haha! The tour will never be as fun as it is without your quirks and jokes. Until today, we still keep in contact with each other. I hope that they could visit Pampanga soon!
Chismis time with our new friends. Wala kaming decent photos.
Happy and Kuya Rommy and the other Kuya (I forgot the name)
Our tour guides made our journey smooth, going out of the way to give us the utmost comfort and safety. Even at the present moment, I still wonder how they are doing. Especially now that travel and tourism are at an indefinite halt due to the pandemic. Our tour guide named “Happy” occupies a special place in our hearts. We have never seen him without a smile on his face, even at adversaries (e.g. our boat cannot dock properly, lost phones, high tides). He always kept his cool. I hope they are all doing ok at the moment.
Sino ang tinatanaw mo, Happy? Si Lia ba? 🙂 Our happy tour guide, Happy.
Closer Family Ties
Travels bring families closer together. It was not at all a smooth sailing. At one point in our stay, all was falling apart due to our different wants and likes. We were arguing over trivial matters. One thing we have learned during the trip is to talk everything out. Even within the family, conversation and connection are imperative.
I also took the opportunity to get closer to my younger brother. Lendell and I were never close before. Maybe because I enjoyed being the center of attention for long before he was born, it took me so much to finally open up my doors to my younger brother and accept him as who he is. He is a loving kid, but a pain in the arse sometimes! Haha! Ismine, vouch for me on this, please!
It was not a trouble-free first flight for my mom. On our way back home, our aircraft encountered a minor technical difficulty, which was immediately solved. I am glad we selected Coron for my mama and Lendell’s first flight. We left our hearts in Palawan and with the people who made our trip extra memorable.
Our small group from all over the world. Sad thing about the travel? We may never meet some of these people again.
I have been off the radar for a couple of weeks for varied reasons. Okay, I may always be showering you off with good-for-nothing excuses but here it goes.
Two weeks ago, I have written a rough-draft of my blog that concerns my eating habits. I thought of sharing that part of me which I have always been passionate about; health is a topic that I really love learning about and so eating healthy food is one of its facets. Yet, today, I am glad that I hadn’t posted the blog for the reason that I am struggling with what I know (self-diagnosed) as eating disorder. My uncontrollable appetite is yet again becoming greedy.
Since the beginning of time, I am always a big eater. I could knock five servings of rice in one seating– and so buffet meals are my thing. I am naturally blessed with a skinny bone structure so I did not mind at all. That was my life before.
As we age, we experience several changes in our bodies and in my case, maintaining my weight has been a struggle. I used to workout a lot to compensate for my unhealthy eating habits but that already is a thing in the past. My body had a hard time adjusting to the impacts of exercise, leading to delayed periods for several months. So I stopped exercising. I mean, I stopped high-impact exercises but I sometimes do yoga.
It is quite mentally and emotionally degrading that while I ingest too much food into my system my willpower to exercise doesn’t seem to have the same vigor. I gained so much pounds over the past months. The added pounds is not the thing that is painful. The most bothering part is that I know I want to do something but my body doesn’t seem to be willing to cooperate. It is like my mind and body are two separate entities that could never work harmoniously together. That shit is painful.
Also, the very thought that my stomach is like deciding with its own mind and I am powerless to control it is another issue. I eat often, like every hour or whenever I see food, wherever I am.
The fact of gaining pounds can be overlooked. What I cannot let past me is the fact that I feel like I no longer have a control over my body.
This is why I am no longer in social media, folks. Do not over-assume.
In between halted careers, a community service project, and long-overdue summer, we find solace in outskirts of Porac.
During the quarantine where I was given enough time to reevaluate my life and decide on the path I am taking in the next days to come, I found myself liking the concept of homesteading and being self-sufficient. Growing and raising your own source of nutrition sounds like an appealing thing to do.
When I came of age, I realized that all I wanted is a simple life. I never dreamt of a grand house. I am not familiar nor interested in luxurious items (like, one time, my friend told me that her aunt has a collection of LV, all the while I never new what she was talking about). Instead, I always imagine myself living alone in a tiny house, or a barn– with very minimal furniture and fixtures– growing plants, tending to animals, and reading. This is my dream life. I often watch Japanese videos on minimalism or homesteading and animal husbandry videos in the suburbs of the United States on Youtube.
Today, I lived the life I want to live.
After meeting with the elders of Ayta Communities for our donation drive, we decided to go to Melody’s (Lhon) house, my TOSP-R3 batchmate back in 2017. Located just a few minutes of tricycle ride from the centro, we were welcomed with rows after rows of trees, friendly farm animals, and a loving household.
Upon reaching our destination, I told myself, “Ok. Don’t wake me up. I am about to live the best day of my life.”
We went straight to their backyard planted with fruit-bearing trees such as mangga, atis, sineguelas, among others. I and Kuya Aries (the project lead) were so excited to have our individual photos taken that we have forgotten to take a group photo of us three! Haha!
Can you tell how happy I am? I FEEL GRAND!
After taking a stroll around the place, we finally felt our famished stomachs grumble and decided to eat our lunch in the kubo. Hadn’t I been reminded that we are still experiencing a long-overdue summer by my umbrella inside my backpack, I would have thought it wasn’t dry season anymore. The air is so cool, so fresh. It carries with it a homey, soothing feels.
Sweet little meh enjoying its sustenance.
As if expecting of our coming, the animals were in jubillant spirit to see us. They kept glancing over at our direction— all dogs, goats, ducks, and chickens, sometimes paying an occasional visit to the hut while we go about on our tasks.
Rubber duck-y, swimming in the pool.
I particularly have a bias on ducks. As mentioned on my previous blog (see: memento mori), I grew up tending to ducks with my Apu (Grandmother) and Ingkung (Grandfather). Not to mention, one of the specialty dishes my Apu cooks during occasions is kalderetang bibe. So we asked Lhon’s father how they cook theirs– whether kaldereta or adobo, and their goats– if they also love papaitan like we do. Surprisingly, they do not raise their animals for food. They treat them like their own family members. And lest one neighbor asks for a duck or a goat for an occasion or what not, they give them for free. We were taken aback.
Animal Farm by George Orwell. Haha!
Having quite a lot a number of animals under their care, I thought that they grow them for their monetary value. Bapa (Uncle), Lhon’s father, said that this is their way of makipag siping-bale or pakikipag kapwa-tao, or establishing and maintaining good relations with neighbors. They live a simple life, yet they still choose to give the little that they have freely to others. This is how Kapampangans in the past, especially in the rural areas were. But along with the passing of time, this custom is fading by and by. I am glad to know that there are still people practicing this culture of generosity, and happy to have encountered them today.
Native chicken with inverted feathers. First time to see this kind.
No one is too poor to help. Sometimes, it doesn’t really matter how much nor how little you have. You’ll realize that by being contented with the little, you have so much spare to share.
Just taking an afternoon siesta, folks.
I am more motivated than ever to have a self-sufficient lifestyle. Me, under the shade of trees, reading Murakami or Dostoyevsky, animals taking leisure walks past me.
And that, friends, is how I had one of the best days of my quarantine life. 😉
Before I reached 22, I made a pact with myself to try travelling solo. I was living an entirely sedentary lifestyle, absorbed in the realms of my dusty books and philosophy podcasts. I created a list and started my research on each of the places I would like to visit and named it “Places I would like to see before I become an actual grandma”. Of course, the list includes the regulars I see on the internet: Coron, San Vicente, Masbate, Bora, and Siargao. I wrote down aimlessly as I know very well that I’d rather stick my bum on the couch the entire day than go see the beach. But it does not hurt to have a backup ‘plan’, right? I thought so.
Days after writing the, say under the pseudonym ‘becoming ancient plan’, my grandfather died. I would have cancelled my sojourn if not for the reason that I was drowning from my emotions that I might have imploded at that given moment. I knew I had to go.
As I feel lost, the first thing that came into my mind is to run away and book the next available flight right after the funeral. This is what happens when people are subjected to difficult situations; either we face it or runaway from it. And a situation involving the death of a loved one is out of question— I have taken my leave and ran away.
I packed my things carelessly, carried few pieces of clean clothes and booked the next flight available. I reached the airport and sat quietly in the pre-departure area with my pink, oversized backpack— mascara still smudged from the traces of deep, long lamentation. I let fate lead me to its course and just right before sunset I landed in Siargao.
The island’s ascension to popularity is rather unprecedented. Years ago, few people in the metro would know that such place exists as it is a long travel from the center (being located in Mindanao). The vlogs with thousands of views uploaded on YouTube by international travel gurus seeking for break from their usual sweater weather, not to mention the constant IG posts by local celebs whenever on a “hibernate mode” led to Siargao’s rise.
SELECTING AN ACCOMMODATION
While the ground attendant was announcing, “your flight will be delayed due to the late arrival of your turn around aircraft” and so on of the usual delayed flight spill, it occurred to me that I still hadn’t booked for hotel accommodation. I installed an app called booking.com and scrolled through the list of available rooms.
If you’re planning on travelling to Siargao, accommodation should be the least of your concerns. From decent budget hostels offering bunk beds a.k.a dormitory type and solo room B&Bs to high-end accommodations offering grandeur and personalized service: name it, Siargao has it. If you give value to privacy and don’t mind spending thousands on accommodation, go for luxury hotels such as Nay Palad Hideaway and Bayud.
But if you are on a tight budget like myself and don’t mind sharing common bathrooms, good news because you have lots of options. For those wanting to stay in General Luna shortly-termed as “GL” where Cloud 9 is accessible by foot, go for Ocean 101 (sunset view is amazing!) I personally like to be away from all party noise at night so I booked a bunk bed in a hostel called ‘Cocopod’ which costs 585 PHP per night. Since you will be travelling for most of your days in the island, it will be best to pick a cheap yet decent place to stay. Just don’t forget to bring some dose of mosquito repellent wherever you go.
PLACES TO VISIT AROUND SIARGAO
I was travelling alone for the first time and had no idea where to go. I asked the front desk on duty named Elaine who happens to be one of the owners of the hostel for tour rates and schedules for the next day. Lucky enough, Cocopod organizes tours for its guests around the island every Tuesday for free. All I have to worry for is 1) entrance fee for the spots we will visit and 2) a motorbike for myself. I don’t know how to drive, nor do I have a driver’s license. Elaine is kind enough to ask for one of the LSGs (long staying guests), an American tourist staying at Cocopod for a couple of months already to give me a ride for the tour. He agreed.
Cloud 9, General Luna
What is a trip to Siargao without catching some waves? Best time to go surfing is right before sunrise and at sunset when waves are generally better and winds are calm. Also, this is to avoid the vast fluctuation of tourists roaming around for IG photos. At night, there are some bars you may check out if your feel like knocking a beer or two. I went to RumBar, which is a more chill option out of others— drinks are generally fair-priced and entrance fee is consumable. You may even end up sharing a table with some local Siargao-titas drinking the night off.
Cloud 9 sunset. There is no better way to end the day than to surf until the sun drops.
Pacifico, San Isidro
As most itineraries concentrate only within vicinity of General Luna, visiting Pacifico may not be in many people’s checklist. Pacifico is a surf-haven ideal for both beginner- and experienced- surfers. Unlike the crowded waters of Cloud 9, this place is deserted at least because it is a long drive away from the center. Coconut trees, big waves, fine sand, best if you could bring your own surf board with you.
View from above: Get away from the noise and revel in the beauty of Southern waves from the upped-deck view taken from the hidden lighthouse in Pacifico.
Pilar
My motorbike buddy Jeb, the American tourist I mentioned, toured me to his favorite spot in Pilar. A clean, quiet beach away from crowded ones is a sight to behold.
Bonus: kids swimming around the corner may engage a conversation with you about Ang Probinsyano and Cardo Dalisay. Save yourself some sweat by reviewing your local soap operas before engaging in the convo or else you might end up being laughed at from not knowing that Cardo is actually a famous Filipino actor named Coco Martin and not Piolo Pascual, like I did.
Siar-kids. Best smiles you could ever see. And best stories, too!
If you have been to Siargao and hadn’t had the luxury to check out Lokal snackbar, that is a big waste. Located at the heart of Burgos, Lokal Siargao is quite a long drive if you are staying in GL. Yet, long drives are divine in the island as there is no traffic to ignite your ire. You may switch on the audio some of your ‘jurassic’ playlists— from Abba, John Denver, and Starland Vocal Band (see: Afternoon Delight) to contemporary music by Neyo (aye, Miss Independent) in max volume. Imagine driving like that. Spoiler: it’s grand!
I’ve had the chance to talk to the owner who is kind enough to accommodate my questions. The business is small, yet it strives to help the local community by sourcing the ingredients in their menu from the local farmers. They also established an open market where farmers can sell their products to tourists. This place advocates for zero-waste principle along with sustainability, organic farming, and community empowerment. Therefore if you’d like to buy some goodies, keep your reusable bag handy.
All-in-one place: good and affordable food and great books too! From Dune to Hawking, they have it. Keeping it low-key but never of low-quality.Lokal’s open market: All produce are organic, homegrown, and fresh!
It is liberating to go solo at least once. It gives you a feeling of independence while having a firm grip of your affairs. In life, we don’t always need a plan; all we need is courage to book the next available flight wherever that will take you. One tweak from the plan might just be one step closer to the greatest adventure of your life.
We never get to really choose who we end up sitting next to in the plane or the weather and other arbitrary happenings that are beyond our control which may cause deviation from our original list. But, we do have some say on how these will affect our thoughts and dispositions.
While every second of my stay is worth reliving until this very day, I was left by my return flight and had to stay another night in the island. Yet, that day is when I learned surfing. Everything about my trip is a fortunate accident. Life in general is a fortunate accident.
Sojourns of Mayari 