Skywatch#72 May Peace Prevail

"May peace prevail." and I wish the same.

This was taken at the Carmen Hill, Chocolate Hills, Bohol.

It was raining when we reached Carmen Hill of Chocolate Hills, Bohol. I knew it would be  slippery going up the steep stairs but when my mother said that she wanted to go up, we slowly made our way as the wind and rain swirled around us. Slow going but we made it to the top to see the more than a thousand hills scattered around several barangays in the central part of Bohol island.

They looked like they were part of the skies as most of them were shrouded in fog and rain but the ones we can see nearby more than made up for the trip. After taking photos, we slowly made our way down the walkway instead of the stairs and we had another surprise here.

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Skywatch# 70 Bohol Dolphin Watching

My mother thought I was joking when I said we could watch dolphins in the wild while we were in Bohol. She realized I was serious when I hired a boatman to take us to where the dolphins were. The dolphins mostly swam around the waters of Pamilacan and Balicasag Islands.



The day started with drizzling rain and I prayed that the skies would clear and the waters would be relatively calm as we do our dolphin watching.  Years ago, when I first did the dolphin watching, it only took us less than an hour to get to where the dolphins converged. Plus, there were fewer boat rentals wandering around looking for the dolphins.



This time, the number of boat rentals increased by threefold. They were about thirty dolphin watching boats carrying excited dolphin watchers that day.

As the minutes ticked by without so much a ripple from any dolphins' flippers, I was getting apprehensive. I wanted my mother to see the dolphins in the wild before we leave Bohol.  Thankfully, the rain stopped, the skies cleared and the waters were calm which somehow eased her nerves being in the boat for awhile. While some watchers were excitedly waiting ready with their camera, I saw this boatman calmly waiting on his boat.



Finally, a ripple on the waters got the boats scrambling after it. I strained my eyes and just in time saw flippers gently bobbing in and out of the waters. Dolphins!! My mother saw them too and was happily amazed.



Mission accomplished even if I didn't get better photos of the Bohol dolphins.

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Bohol Tour Contact Numbers

Friends and acquaintances have been asking about the contact numbers of our Bohol Tour Van driver, our Bohol rental boat and the Bohol beach resort accomodations. So, I've decided to just post these numbers in case somebody needs them for their Bohol vacation. Here they are:

Bohol tour van (Ritchie) - 09154486772, 09197654571
Panglao rental boat (Dodong) for dolphin watching - 09081534117 rental rate: P1,500-P2,000 a day
Dumaluan Beach Resort, Panglao, Bohol - 09178834888, (038) 5029092
email address: resort@dumaluanbeach.com
website: www.dumaluanbeach.com

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My World#110 Hanging Bridge, Sevilla, Bohol

It used to be just the locals and occasional curious-seekers who dared cross the hanging bridge at Sevilla, Bohol. The first time I got there ages ago, the interwoven bamboos were really old and weathered while the steel cables holding the bridge were rusty, aged in need of replacement that I dared to cross only a few steps into the hanging bridge. The combination of feeling the fear that the hanging bridge might give out and the swaying motion while walking on it did me in.

Fast forward to present-day...I resolved to cross the hanging bridge until I reach the other side. I told my mother that we would be doing it together and she seemed excited about the prospect.

Oops..was I wrong. The moment she saw the hanging bamboo bridge which by the way has grown wider (I think) and sporting a twin bridge with newer interwoven bamboo floors with better-looking steel cables, she withdrew her consent. No can do, girl. You are on your own, she said. Since I didn't want to leave her alone while people were jostling to line up to walk the bridge, I decided to just take some photos of those who conquered the Hanging Bridge of Bohol.

P.S. Tourism also caught up with the hanging bridge. There are more people (more tourists) who dared cross it that the entrance is now P10 per person. (I should've  crossed that bridge when it was just free!) Some ambulant vendors, public toilet and a parking space were already added nearby since the last time I've been there. Ah....progress! even as quaint as crossing the hanging bridge of Bohol is now making money!

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Skywatch#21 Loboc River, Bohol

The skies were cloudy but sunny when I returned to Loboc River after several years. It used to be that this river named Luay-Loboc River in Bohol has only the locals who used it for transportation, fishing, laundry and bathing. But now, Loboc River has become one of the must-see tourist destinations in the island of Bohol.

Years ago, there was just one floating restaurant that ply along the winding river. The town of Loboc itself was a sleepy town more known for its centuries-old Loboc Church and its priceless ancient religious artifacts and for the locals, for its inland market village.

However, tourists started coming in droves and the one floating restaurant increased in numbers along with the number of tourists that came from all over the country and the world. Seeing them in droves actually took me by surprise.

The Loboc Children's Choir as well as the singers of the Loboc floating restaurants added more popularity to the town.

My only hope and prayer that the river will stay as clean as it was years ago inspite of the tourist influx. In that way, people can still see the local kids who like to jump ala-Tarzan from the tall coconut trees to the river.


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Dolphins!!

The first time I have seen dolphins in the wild I was ecstatic. I was vacationing in Bohol with a friend and one of the must-do things I have in mind was to see the dolphins of Bohol Sea. Never mind if I have to get up early as long as I get to see them, throw in a whale or two and I would be delirious. They did not disappoint even if the whales were not there. We got late because our hired tricycle driver came up late but still, we got to see some dolphins. They even seem to play hide and seek with us, disappearing suddenly and then suddenly jumping up in the air, flipping in pairs or groups. I was so in heaven, I could not operate my camera properly. That’s my one big regret.

Now, imagine seeing those dolphins like they were in a stampede at sea!! I have seen this video in photobucket and it was just so amazing I need to share it here. Look!!



Funny..I was thinking, if I was the guy on the boat, I would’ve flipped overboard to the waters and might have gotten really “stampeded” on by those dolphins.

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