Negros

Holy week…vacation..up to Negros. We left Thursday in the early morning (6am). After a 5 to 6 hour boat trip we arrived in Dumaguete a.k.a. city of the gentle people. Dumaguete is a big city but it feels very small and its less dirty, less polluted and quieter then Cebu-city. There is a nice atmosphere. Yes I love this university town. And also here there we cannot escape the prossesions for the holy week (good friday, black saturday and easter)!


As Thursday we were all quite tired of the trip, we went to relax in a resort, called forest camp. However this was not just a beach resort, but a very nice place in the mountains where you could swim in and hang around the river. Relaxing!




The next day we went to twin lakes. About 20 km from Dumaguete. To get there: bus and the beloved hobble hobble. The hobble hobble drive took about an hour, on rocky and sandy roads. Great…hair in the wind and again exceptional views! Suddenly our hobble hobble stopped…no more gasoline…luckily there are little shops along the road selling gasoline (in bottles of coca cola).


The twin lakes are beautiful: on top of a mountain and surrounded by green hills. Normally you can walk from one lake to the other, but as there had been lots of rainfall, the path was flooded. No problem…there is always a boat that can bring us to the other lake. Ah it was wonderful to be on the lake! Enjoying every minute!



As the drive back with the hobble hobble was downhill the driver could just let the motorcycle go without using the engine…very ecological and economical :)



At night we went for a little walk along the Rizal boulevard, a promenade along the sea. A very charming place. You could just sit here and enjoy the view or just watch people wandering around. In the beginning (or end) of the boulevard you can eat fish on sticks…yummy, delicious!




Saturday…time for some snorkeling. We wanted to go to Apo Island, a beautiful volcanic island and known for its marine sanctuary and thus one of the best diving spots. We joined the divers of the dive shop next to our hostel. They dropped us at the beach of Apo Island (with somebody to guide us through the sanctuary). Time for some snorkeling. It was different from last time. A lot more to see. Beautiful corals and lots, lots, lots of fishes and….big sea turtles!!!!! Yes and I almost touched it. Beautiful to see…so gracious! Waw! A wonderful in the water day! Felt like a fish in the sea! :)




At night the divers invited us to join them in a club called Hayahay. A alternative place next to the sea with reggae and ska music playing. Everybody having a good time…cocktails, dancing, laughing, …just partying! :) What a pleasant day and night!






Sunday..time to return back to Cebu-city…with some heartache we left Dumaguete, but this wasn’t that easy… as Monday everybody has to go back work, everybody want to get back home…fighting to get on the bus, even older women and children aren’t spared. So we took an alternative road to get home. After a little boat trip we found a bus who was going to Cebu-city. We still had some time left so we decided to get off in a town called Argoa. Nice fisher town, where we met a Belgian and Dutch man. The typical older, fat, white men you see here a lot. They love young Filipino girls…and yes this 71 one year old Belgian is together with an 24 year old girl. I really don’t like the view of it. But here you see it so often. To bad the Philippines are also known for this... Anyways we were invited in their place, where the man explained us what he is doing in the Philippines. At least trying to do some good work and he had some good information for Sarah. After a while we thought it would be better to head back to the bus stop to catch another bus. Easier said than done…Lots of other people waiting to get on the bus…so again alternative option…stopping empty cars…and yes we were lucky. A young man was willing to bring us to Cebu-city! All end well and on time for work on Monday! :)