Seductive Bohol

October Friday 13th and Saturday 14th
We had decided to stay in a quiet spot in Panglaou island linked to Bohol by 3 road bridges. We were swayed by price (£23 for 2 nights) and reviews. Ignored the advice that it was a little remote. Actually, although basic the garden area was lovely, it was clean with working air con and a shower that produced hot water.

On arrival off the ferry we manfully and politely declined the onslaught of offers for taxi and ‘countryside day’ at the port marching on determinedly to reach the other side.  That is quite difficult whilst carrying 13kg on your back in 30 degree heat and high humidity. Tim was fine, with his two pairs of pants and a pair of Crocs in a 7.5kg bag.

Prosciero hung back until we were out of the terminal before approaching us. When we said we wanted lunch and a sit down first he charmingly recommended a restaurant. Following a lovely hot grilled chicken and a cold beer he miraculously appeared as we were leaving. We were hooked and he has obviously done this before.

Somehow on the shortish journey tour accommodation Prosciero became our driver and new best friend.  We agreed to his offer of a day tour and travelled around Bohol in a scooter trike all of Saturday.

Saturday came and we acted like complete tourists – went where we were told by Prosciero and the various ticket sellers, guides and experts he handed us over to. We paid ridiculously low entrance fees for the top tourist spots.

Prosciero was born on Bohol. He is one of 8 and his parents lived up the road from his grandparents either side of the small village we were in. He remembers a quiet and  unsealed road where it is now tarmac and frantic, walking the 8-10 km to get between the 2 households. He went to Manila for some years to work, converted to a different faith and got held up at gunpoint 3 times. He says Manilla is dangerous! His wife was from Manila but they moved back to Bohol. Having the scooter bike is a step up from his parents. He works hard and looks older than his 42 years. He was entertaining although kept apologising for his English – obviously way better than my command of about 6 Tagalong words and Tim’s none.  He was proud of his children and he pointed out every school including his youngest’s classroom.

The astonishing Chocolate Hills, the Man Made forest, the endangered Tarsiers, exotic animals and a swinging bamboo bridge were on the itinerary with lunch on a floating restaurant also promised.  We both felt the guilt associated with seeing animals and native people being rolled out for ‘entertainment’ but this is a life and a way of funding it which I don’t feel qualified to comment on – and we did pay quite a lot for the floating restaurant with the Ray Charles lookalike singer.tiny

Man Made forest – every citizen of Bohol including Prosciero’s family bought a mahogany tree to plant about 40 years ago

Chocolate Hills.

Floating Resto – if you look carefully you can see the pain on Tim’s face

The vibe on Bohol is different. It is less populated and frantic and the jungle is tamed in many verges by either scythe or regular lawn mower. Incongruous to see the verges being tidied up with jungle behind. Many of the houses out of the main town are also more concrete and villa like rather than tin shacks – although those are still common. There are holiday homes as well as normal housing. There are hives of activities on the roadside. Woodchopping, hollow brick making, spreading out rice to dry on mats, hundreds of cooking stalls as well as bike repairs and vulcanising shops. Mind you a lot of sleeping middle day too, accompanied by the askals (the street dogs).

The vibe is also seductive. Nick is the partner of the owner of the property we are in. He started travelling in 2018 following a divorce. From Vietnam (highly recommended by him) he was persuaded to come to the Philippines – and has never left (except for a hernia op!). He is happy living the good life and enjoying it day by day, detached from having longer term life plans and goals.  We had better move on before we also get seduced.

Philippines – you have been wonderful. We could spend a furthr 6 weeks just travelling your islands. We leave with cheeks that ache from smiling and head to Indonesia tomorrow.

– Nikki 🙂