Wet 'n Wild in Cagbalete Island - Watery Wednesday

towering coconut trees

Indeed, a tropical vacation in Cagbalete Island was rejuvenating. In the afternoon and early morning, I've walked the long shoreline of sandy beach and found a gem of a beach house! It can be easily missed because of tall dense trees that almost covered the facade of the house. The beach house is owned by a retired couple...and because I was nosy, I was given a grand tour. The house was mainly made of wood and bamboo, furnished in heavy wood furniture. The bathrooms and kitchen are modern---there was even a bath tub in the upstairs bathroom. There were 3 bedrooms on the ground floor and a loft for the masters bedroom. They also have their own power generator. A few meters from the main house is a pavilion with huge molave and kamagong dining furniture. I wondered how they transferred those furniture from Baguio to the island. Oh, the house can be rented, too, according to the owner. And I have their contact details.

Lavina's Aguho Playa

The remoteness of this island is a blessing. There were no bikini open, no loud house music, and no videoke parties. We feasted on fresh sea foods, enjoyed the laid back lifestyle and passed the time by doing nothing. What a heaven!

This is our tent that we rented for 300 pesos (roughly $6.00) a night. There were two mattresses and pillows inside. Everything was cool and dandy---I even fell asleep early (which is not normal for me) until around 1:30 am when I woke up to the rain drops on my face! Yes, it was a rain storm and it really poured. Our mattresses soaked, pillows drenched, even our bags were wet! The rain water flowed into our tent, strong winds outside, it was very cold as we grappled with a flashlight and tried to salvage our bags. Who would think of bringing a rain coat in the middle of summer? It was actually hilarious! Mother Nature has ways of reminding us to be always prepared.

My friend S abandoned ship and took refuge in a small chapel with a monoblock lounge chair. The couple in the neighboring tent ran to the dining area together with the rest of the campers. Guests in the cottages continued to dream and some didn't even know we had a rain storm. While I, the girl scout, stayed inside the tent, slept on one side to avoid getting soaked from the mattress and slept through it. And I don't know how and why, but the wetness didn't bother me...nothing could ruin my vacation! I woke up happy and refreshed. S slept the whole day and complained of a headache (yes, we packed a packet of paracetamol).

sun-bathing standing up

a young surfer

a cute beach bunny

the soloist

our anchorman

the cowboy on his early morning ride

afternoon catch---for our dinner


More watery scenes at Watery Wednesday

Born to be wild

Ginger

They gallop and trot, whinny and neigh, capturing our imagination---and our hearts. Indeed, horses are said to have done more to change human history than any other domestic animal, once upon a time carrying explorers to new frontiers and mighty armies to great conquests.

Watching Howie Severino in last night’s episode of i-Witness on his quest for the wild horses in Sagada made me sit up and pay attention. My visit to Sagada a couple of years ago was one of most interesting trips I’ve made. I didn’t see any wild horses there though. When our guide mentioned wild horses roaming a remote valley in Sagada, I imagined it’s some kind of mountain legend born one night after a traveler smoked too much jutes. But true enough, there are wild horses in Sagada, running free on grassy plateaus the locals call Marlboro Country. Howie Severino documented the encounter and it was aired last night. It’s so wonderful that there’s enough open space in Sagada for the untamed to safely roam.

Sadly, the wild horses of Sagada have dwindled from more than a dozen in recent years to five. Hunting by humans and climate changes are possibly to blame. Aside from their meat, wild horses are also captured and trained for horse fights. Although horse fighting has been outlawed, there are rumors that this brutal and bloody sport is on going in some parts of Mindanao. Horse fight is showcased in Samal’s Pangapog Festival, called Patanam sa Kuda, one of the island's indigenous sports. A gathering of Bagobos, Manobos and other highland tribes is celebrated in Kalibongan Festival in Kidapawan, and highlighted by an appalling spectacle of horses kicking each other to death. The stallions are trained to kick and bite each other as they battle over a mare. And up to 100 horses die every year from this traditional-turned-money-driven sport.

Stampede from http://www.allposters.com/

The horse in the top photo is Ginger, my boss’ daughter’s pet. Ginger roams a farm in Rizal and tied only when there are visitors. She was a bit spooked when I took her photos. I grew up with a great trepidation around horses…being warned every time that they kick people to death. But I always admire this graceful and magnificent creature. As one horse owner in Baguio told me, no horsepower motor has anywhere near the personality of a real horse. I celebrated a milestone 2 years ago by riding a horse for the first time!

The horse has long been a symbol of freedom. I’m a sucker for those Marlboro ads---where horses and cowboys keep each other company. I love the solitude of places where wild horses freely roam. There is something mystical and romantic about the image of wild horses, inspiring poets and painters. As Howie Severino wrote, wild horses symbolize whatever true freedom remains in a world where everything now seems to be tethered to each other.

Smoking is definitely harmful to our health.