Folklore

5-17-10 Me with Tarsier Monkeys in Bohol, Philippines

Friends:

On Day 3 of my Bohol Tour, Zarah Gagatiga and I visited Chocolate Hills, saw the rare Tarsier Monkeys, ate on a floating restaurant on the Loboc River, and visited the second oldest church in the Philippines. First on the day-long tour, a stop near Baranguay Corella to see the Tarsier Monkeys. They are the world’s smallest primate and reside only in Southeast Asian countries such as Sumatra, Borneo and Bohol in the Philippines. They are nocturnal animals and although their eyes are big, they are nearly blind during the day. They were very calm creatures and I was able to get really close to them! Amazing!

5-17-10 Tarsier Monkeys, the world's smallest primate, in Bohol, Philippines

Next, our guide took us to Chocolate Hills in Carmen on Bohol, Philippines. On our way to the hills, we saw a sea snake in the middle of the road. Local boys had it attached to a string on a pole and were trying to get it run over. It was sport for them. The snake was long and gray with a black patter on its body. It had a very small head and flat tale. It was quite ugly in my opinion.

5-17-10 On our way to Chocolate Hills, we see a sea snake on the road

Chocolate Hills are a geologic anomaly, named not for any relation to chocolate but because of its brown color. We had to trek up 214 stone steps to reach the top viewing deck. It felt like nothing compared to the trekking and caving I did in Sagada!

5-17-10 Chocolate Hills, Bohol Philippines

The hills dot the landscape like little drops of chocolate kisses. It was quite a sight to behold.

5-17-10 Dianne and Zarah in Chocolate Hills, Bohol, Philippines

I met the cutest little girl in Chocolate Hills. Her name is Wershi.

5-17-10 Wershi, a 4 year old native from Bohol, Philippines

Following Chocolate Hills, we stopped at a Butterfly Sanctuary in Baranguay Bilar. The butterflies were so beautiful, fed by the nectar of the beautiful Lentana flower. It is a common flower in Bohol.

5-17-10 The Lentana flower in Chocolate Hills, Philippines

There were all kinds of butterflies fluttering in the garden. Some even stopped for more important things than flying…

5-17-10 Two butterflies mating at the Butterfly Sanctuary in Bilar, Bohol, Philippines

For the first time, I willingly let an insect crawl on me!!! But at least it was a gorgeous butterfly.

5-17-10 My butterfly bracelet at the Butterfly santuary in Baranguay Bilar, Bohol, Philippines

At the Butterfly Sanctuary cafe, I saw a sight that made me laugh. It definitely represents the Philippines: a juxtaposition of modern life against a backdrop of traditional ways.

5-17-10 Traditional turon next to modern pizza rolls, Bohol, Philippines

After the Butterfly Conservation Center, we drove through a lush manmade forest. For forty years, students from the local university, Holy Name, have been planting mahogany trees in Bohol, creating a stunning forest canopy that welcomes visitors and shades them from the heat.

5-17-10 A man-made forest in Bohol, Philippines

From there, we went to the Loboc River port to eat lunch on a floating restaurant. A buffet lunch is served on a floating bamboo raft pushed down the river by a boat. There was even live music on the “Floating Resto.”

5-17-10 A snapshot of another floating resto on Loboc River, Bohol, Philippines

Zarah and I sat at a table with three other people from Korea. They were so nice. We had a language barrier but we joked and laughed anyway. I love making new friends!

5-17-10 New friends from Seoul, Korea I met on the Loboc River Floating Restaurant in Bohol, Philippines

At one point in the cruise, we were treated to a performance by local people from Baranguay Gotozon. From small children to teens to old people, everyone in the community greeted us with a welcome dance. It was a part of their effort to boost tourism and give the community a way to improve their livelihoods. The singing, guitar playing, and dancing was so beautiful! They wore traditional Patadyong costumes of the Visayas. They even danced Tinikling, an intricate and difficult dance where the dancers jumped in and out of moving bamboo. I was moved to tears.

5-17-10 Children from Baranguay Gotozon on the Loboc River dance Tinikling with bamboo sticks

I loved floating on the Loboc River. It was my favorite part of the day!

5-17-10 Small waterfalls on the Loboc River, Bohol, Philippines

What really impressed me about all the tourist destinations in Bohol was not just the friendliness of the people but they had the cleanest restrooms I have ever seen in the Philippines! When you travel abroad, the “comfort room” can be a big issue. The Bohol Tourism Department put a lot of thought into this to make visitors feel as comfortable as possible.

5-17-10 A type of Sampaguita (jasmine) in Chocolate Hills, Bohol, Philippines

Our next stop was the Immaculate Conception church in Baclayon. It is the second oldest church in the Philippines. It sits on a bay with the ocean breeze blowing through this non air-conditioned church. Zarah and I toured the church and attached museum. What concerned me was preservation of the church and its artifacts. There is no temperature control and its proximity to the sea contributes to its demise.

5-17-10 A display of feast saints next the main altar in the Baclayon Church, Bohol, Philippines

But the old Catholic church is beautiful and its antiquity gives it an air of regalness.

5-17-10 Baclayon Church, the second oldest church in the Philippines, Bohol, Philippines

Our last stop on our very full day tour of Bohol was the Blood Compact Shrine at Barangay Bool, a few kilometers from Tagbilaran City. It is said to be approximate spot where Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Rajah Sikatuna made a ritual to enter a pact of friendship and end the hostilities between them. The shrine was created by the national artist Napoleon Abueva. It overlooks breathtaking Bohol Sea.

5-17-10 The Blood Compact in Bohol, Philippines

Zarah and I had an enormously full day. Bohol is an amazing island and I loved the people and its landscape.

5-17-10 Sunset on Alona Kew White Sand Beach, Bohol, Philippines

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

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