Unexpected destination/Watery World Wednesday

Expect nothing.

Live frugally on surprise.

~ Alice Walker

Linking to Watery World Wednesday

Journey/Watery World Wednesday

The best journeys in life are those that answer questions you never thought to ask.  ~ Rich Ridgeway

Linking to Watery World Wednesday

Island life/OWT and WWW

One of the 80 plus islands in the Calamian Islands, northen Palawan.

“It is true that I miss intelligent companionship, but there are so few with whom I can share the things that mean so much to me that I have learned to contain myself. It is enough that I am surrounded with beauty...”
― Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild 

Tangab or fish trap is a type of fishing done during calm seas, weak winds, and no-storm season. Fishermen work from dusk till dawn--they drop the tangab net at low tide and haul the nets up at high tide to harvest the catch. 

Linking to Our World Tuesday
 Water World Wednesday

Adventure/Blue Monday

An outrigger approaching the shores of Coron Island as we were leaving for another island adventure.

The core of man's spirit comes from new experiences. ~ Into the Wild

Linking to Sally's Blue Monday

Misty/Sky-Watch

A misty morning does not signify a cloudy day.

 Coron Island, Calamian Group of Islands
Palawan

Linking to Sky-Watch Friday

Coron Island: Lush/Water World Wednesday

Try and penetrate with our limited means the secrets of nature  and you will find that, behind all the discernible concatenations, there remains something subtle, intangible and inexplicable,  Veneration for this force beyond anything that we can comprehend  is my religion.  To that extent I am, in point of fact, religious. ~ Albert Einstein

Coron Island, Calamianes, northen Palawan

Linking to Watery Wednesday and Water World Wednesday

Calamianes: Pearl Farm [Watery Wednesday]

Somewhere between the islands of Busuanga and Culion, I noticed this floating hut near the shores of a deserted island.  I wondered why someone would like to stay in a floating hut in the middle of nowhere.  Then I saw lots and lots of floating black balls, so I asked our boatman about it.  He told us the area is a pearl farm.  The huts are for security personnel and they are armed with automatic weapons!

I have not seen a pearl farm before.  I knew about pearl farms in Mindanao but didn't know there are pearl farms in Palawan.  Turned out, pearl farming in the region began in the early 1900's.  The clean waters of Palawan have attracted investors to engage in pearl farming, particularly in the island municipalities.  A total of more than 44,000 hectares are under lease for pearl farming, and the lease period is generally 25 years.

Pearls are cultured by transplanting a tiny piece of mantle tissue of an oyster shell into the shell of a young oyster.  This graft forms a pearl sac and precipitate calcium carbonate into this pocket.  Over time, this grows into a pearl.  It takes 2-5 years for a pearl to mature. Source

The world's largest pearl, the 9.45-inch Pearl of Lao Tzu, was found by a diver in Palawan in 1934 and is now valued at US$42 million. Source

Get virtually wet @ Watery Wednesday

Coron Island: Mangroves

I have posted about mangrove forests before.  I find mangrove trees beautiful, the roots sculptural.  The Philippines has around 47 "true mangrove" out of 54 species around the world.  Mangroves are salt-tolerant trees that have adapted to living in salt and brackish water conditions. Mangroves are extraordinary rich habitats that serve as life support system to fish, shrimps and other marine life, birds, reptiles, and some species of mammals (monkeys, rats, etc.).  They also protect the coastline from onslaught of storms and wave surges. 

Coron Island has a healthy mangrove forests---it's one of the remaining old growth forests in the country.  The province of Palawan where Coron Island is located has the longest coastline with the largest remaining stand of mangrove forest (40,000 hectares approximately).  Source

The most dominant mangrove trees here are the Rhizophora species locally known as "Bacauan".  

Get virtually wet at Watery Wednesday

Culion Island [Our World-Tuesday]

Culion Island was not a part of our itinerary but I asked our guide to arrange a visit to this island.   My mother told me that her father who died during WW II, taught English in this remote, sleepy seaside town in the 1920's.  We chartered a banca and started early on our hour and a half journey to Culion.   

Culion is one of the bigger islands in the Calamianes group--it's a historic island where the Spanish built strategic fortifications to protect the island from Moro raiders.  It is also a place wrought in pain and despair. This island once housed the world's largest leper colony established by the Americans in 1901.

Agila View Deck - approaching the island, we were greeted by a huge image of an eagle set in stone at the top of the mountain.  I later learned that it is a testament to the resilience and gratitude of the island's patients, who made the giant replica of the Philippine Health Service seal in 1929.  There is also a Christ the Redeemer statue near the seal.

Culion was called an "island of no return", and home to thousands of Filipinos segregated and isolated in one of the country's most remote islands due to leprosy.  Leprosy has affected humanity for over 4,000 years, and was once believed to be highly contagious.  It is primarily characterized by skin lesions; left untreated, it can be progressive, causing permanent damage to the skin, nerves, limbs and eyes.  An effective treatment for leprosy was finally introduced in the early 1980's.  Now, Culion is leprosy-free.

Aside from its poignant past, Culion Island has an unassuming beauty.  It is blessed with warm, gentle people, pristine marine treasures, a beautiful church, a fascinating museum and captivating scenery.


The red-roofed church is one of the island's attractions.  

We docked near this house and walked the streets of Culion.  We would soon discover how the original settlers overcame their darkest years and built the foundation of this community.  

To reach Culion island, you can charter an outrigger boat at Coron harbor.  Average boat rental is P2,500 (about $60.00) for 6-8 persons; P1,500 (about $35.00) to 2-4 persons (smaller boat).  There are commuter boats available from 12 noon to 2 pm at P180 (about $5.00) per person.  There is also a passenger ship from Manila that docks in Culion Island once a week.

Share your world at Our World - Tuesday and NF Waters

Calamianes: Views from the top [SWF]

@ mirandablue

These were the first photos I took of the Calamian group of islands as the plane began its descent towards Busuanga Island, the largest island in the northwest part of Palawan province.  

@ mirandablue 

The Calamian Islands, also called the Calamianes, consist of four larger islands and approximately over 80 islands and islets, some of them are uninhabited.

@ mirandablue

The airport is located in Busuanga Island, 45 minutes by plane from Manila.

@ mirandablue

  More photos of the Calamianes soon.

Beautiful sky photos from around the world at Sky-Watch Friday

Photo-Hunter: hat

This is my friend, Petra, wearing a raffia hat when we visited Luli Island in Honda Bay,Palawan. It was a hot summer day and I brought the hat for protection. Petra wore it as a fashion accessory.:D

These make me look forward to summer!

More photo-hunters here.

Ruby Tuesday: bougainvillea

Bougainvillea in bloom
Taken in Mitra Farm, Puerto Princesa, Palawan

Bougainvillea is a tropical and sub-tropical ornamental flower which belongs to the family Nyctaginaceae. This tropical trailing plant can be grown in containers and is perfect for hanging baskets. Bougainvillea has established itself around the world as one of the most often used ornamental plant. Since its discovery in the 18th century in Brazil, it has become popular around the globe because of its beauty and grace. This plant is named after A. Louis de Bougainvillea who located the impressive plant that has turned out to be one of the most famous plants in the world. The plant brings a myriad of colors and life in its leaves and flowers. The plant exhibits versatility which allows it to blossom all throughout the year. (Source: www.amazines.com)

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Photo-Hunter: Dark

This gnarled tree evokes “dark” images in my head. I’m a Tim Burton fan, and it’s probably the reason why this photo reminds me of Sleepy Hollow and the Headless Horseman.

This "dark" cavern is near the entrance of the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Palawan. This is one of the longest in the world, with an 8.2 kilometers navigable underground river.

To read more about the subterranean river, you can check out my Palawan post.

The Plaza Cuartel in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, has a “dark” past. This was a Japanese garrison during World War II where 143 American POW’s were burned alive by the Japanese Kempetai in December 1944. The ruins of this old garrison are a grim reminder of the atrocities of war.

More Photo-Hunters in TN Chick.

Palawan, more than the usual beach

illegal parking

Enough has been said about the natural beauty of Palawan---it is said to be the Philippines’ last frontier and has been declared as a nature sanctuary of the world. Who has never heard or seen the astounding natural beauty of El Nido, Calauit, Coron, Tubbattaha Reefs, the outstanding dive sites, rainforests, primeval caves, and pristine beaches? I’ve been saving for an El Nido vacation but blame it on the never-ending ‘Sale’ at the malls, food trips, and other pocket-draining activities, I still couldn’t afford a trip to El Nido. To satisfy a long-time dream of setting foot in Palawan, I spent my 6-day vacation in Puerto Princesa with my friend Cecille last summer.

a young adventurer looking for star fish

Luli Island (lulubog-lilitaw)

Framing the intriguing and rugged coastline of Puerto Princesa is Honda Bay. Islets with white sand beaches dot the crystalline blue waters. Snorkeled in Snake island and fed the fish---I've never seen such explosion of colors underwater before in my life! Schools of fish are everywhere...in various shapes and colors. I can say now that I've swum with the fishes. :D We island-hopped to 2 other islets, the Starfish Island and the Lu-Li Island (as in lulubog-lilitaw...the island disappears at high tide during the rainy months of June to September).

cecille with our tour group

after lunch at snake island

what creature is this?
star fish island
die-t another day

The best part of my Palawan vacation is the food! Fresh seafoods were so inexpensive. We tried the best restaurants in town--Kalui, Bilao at Palayok, Kinabuchs...they are all value for money. But we missed having dinner at Badjao Seafront Restaurant---we fell asleep after a whole day at Honda Bay and woke up around 10pm. Badjao was already close when we got there.

posing at bahile beach

boat-ride to underground river

A two and a half-hour drive from Puerto Princesa and a 20-minute boat ride from Sabang brought us to the Subterranean River National Park in Bahile. It takes the first time visitor like me into the breathtakingly rugged beauty of Ulugan Bay. Limestone cliffs standing guard over crystal waters, most of them uninhabited. Millions of years of wave action have carved and shaped these rocks into something awesome and majestic.

puerto princesa subterranean river, a world heritage site

Canoeing into the subterranean river was a mixture of excitement and fear of the unknown. With only a small spotlight lighting our way, our boatman/guide told us that the underground river has a total length of 8.2 km but we're only allowed to navigate 2.3 km. It’s one of the world's wonders and reputed to be the world's longest underground river. Inside the cave are various shapes of stalagmite and stalactite pillars---some in shapes of corn, puso ng saging, mushroom, a melted candle ( a guy in front of me said it looks like a rotten tooth ); there are even formations that resemble the Holy Family and Jesus' face! There were bats, a shy snake, marble cliffs and the highest cavern reaches up to the 65 meters. There were some marks on the walls of the cave...one was "1937", perhaps made by some explorer.

At the camp site, the monitor lizards were walking around, curious of visitors invading their neighborhood. The monkeys were also quite sociable...they even grabbed some bananas and watermelon from the picnic table!

one of the world's wonders

Somebody said that like clouds, the limestone formations in Palawan are subject to interpretation---like these jagged marble pillars pointing to the heavens.

limestone cliffs at ulugan bay

ulugan bay

We hired a tricycle and visited Iwahig Penal Colony, the butterfly farm, Mitra's Farm and the WW II American cuartel near the cathedral. We walked the streets after dinner, had coffee at Itoy's (Puerto's version of Starbucks), cooled down at the fountain in front of of the capitol. We ate halo-halo at Chowking every afternoon and had a massage. Life's great! I wished I'd never go back to Manila!

iwahig penal colony

cecille at the butterfly farm

It was Holy Week so on Viernes Santo, I followed the faithful climb the Calvary Mountain. The innkeeper told me that there's a Sinakulo with 'real' crucifixion. We waited and waited---no crucifixion. The Dutch guy, the German with his Filipina girlfriend, the married couple from England, the two Filipino guys from Singapore and myself walked back to the city, disappointed. Good thing the German guy bought mango shake for everybody! :D

calvary mountain

The Plaza Cuartel was a Japanese garrison during World War II where 143 American soldiers were burned alive.

plaza cuartel

with a dark past

snake island, honda bay

Palawan has indeed extraordinary scenic wonders. But don't just take my word for it---go and see for yourself.