Off we go again

After a lovely week and a half spent being pampered by Susan, Alastair, Veronica and some of Susan’s family, it is time to move on…

Cebu has been a great experience, and the fact that we were looked after by locals probably made it even nicer. On Easter Sunday, Susan and Co. organized a party, partly to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, and partly our visit. About 50 of their friends and relatives gathered in the district’s communal area for some typical Filippino food (including the Lechon, a whole pig roasted on a spit) and some serious ballroom dancing! Susan is an absolute dancing queen and it was great to see everyone enjoy themselves so much on the dance floor. Gary and I also had a go, assisted by some of Alastair and Susan’s friends who were brave enough to invite each of us for a dance. Let’s just say I’m glad none of you got to see it.

Last week, we took a day trip out to Bohol, an island just an hour off the coast of Cebu City. We got to see its famous chocolate hills, which formed as a result of a build up of corals (when the island was under the sea millions of years ago) and the action of the waves. It made for some spectacular landscapes.

Last week end, Alastair drove us all up to Moal Boal, on the other side of Cebu island, and we stayed overnight in a seaside resort owned by old friends of theirs. It was absolutely beautiful – very comfy bungalows in the middle of a big leafy garden, about one minute walk away from a turquoise and transparent blue sea where you only had to swim a few meters to admire beautiful corals. On the opposite coast, deep green hills raised up in the sky, topped up by giant white fluffy clouds. Paradise!

Other than that, we got to enjoy the best of Cebu City’s shopping malls and are particularly fond of the Ayala Center, which we must have visited 3 or 4 times to stock up on wine and chocolate and to sit in coffee shops using WiFi internet. Quite the backpacker’s experience…

We left Cebu this afternoon and had an uneventful journey to Palawan, an island in the South West of the Philippines. In the taxi on the way to the airport, we realized that Gary’s cousin Veronica had sneaked her cuddly puppy toy Wallee into our bag!

We were a bit worried for a minute as we wondered if we’d be fit to look after him, but then we decided it would be nice to take him along with us and take pictures of him around the world to let Veronica keep up with how he’s doing. So here he is this afternoon at Cebu airport, leaving his hometown for the very first time… I think he looks quite excited at the prospect of going half way around the globe.

Until next time,

C.