Coron Island: Sculptures

The alluring natural beauty of Coron Island beckons everywhere you look. In the midst of this wilderness, one can sense the miracle of life---smell the green, taste the air, feel the love.  

Nature is man's teacher.  She unfolds her treasures to his search, unseals his eye, illumes his mind, and purifies his heart; an influence breathes from all the sights and sounds of her existence.  ~ Alfred Billings Street

Join us at Watery Wednesday

Calamianes: Rain-scented afternoon

We enjoyed a day of fair weather when we visited Culion Island in the Calamianes.  But as soon as we docked at the Coron pier around 4 pm, the clouds turned dark---rain was in the air.  People started to scamper for cover while the cool wind danced on the bay, sweet-smelling rain wafted through the harbor.  

These are snapshots from the Coron harbor a few minutes before the rain finally poured, and boy, it really poured!

Rain!  whose soft architectural hands have power to cut stones, and chisel to shapes of grandeur the very mountains. ~ Henry Ward Beecher

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather. ~ John Ruskin

Rain or shine, there is always Sky-watch Friday

Meatless Pancit Canton

October is a busy month in our family when it comes to birthdays.  On the first week of this month, my brother celebrated his birthday.  My grandmother threw a party on the second week for her 79th birthday---it also became a family reunion of some sort.  A cousin and an uncle also had their birthdays on the second week but both were out of the country.  By the third week, another cousin had her birthday; yesterday was my sister's birthday and this weekend, I'll be having mine.  To all celebrators this month, here's a cholesterol-free pancit canton for longer life...it has all the goodness of tofu and fresh veggies.  Don't wrinkle your nose, this tastes so good you wouldn't notice it's meatless.:p

Join us at Food Trip Friday

Coron Island: At the Twin Lagoon

It was around 2 pm when we reached the Twin Lagoon in Coron Island.  The lagoons are enclosed by giant walls of craggy rock formations of the Calis mountain.  This place made me feel like I was in a parallel universe.   The air of serenity that envelopes this place soothes the senses.

These photos were all taken at the outer lagoon where the boats were docked.  The two lagoons are separated by a wall of rock.   To see the inner lagoon, one has to pass through a narrow opening by swimming or floating.  The outriggers are too big for the entrance---and since I am not a good swimmer (and a bit claustrophobic), I opted to stay in our boat.

My sister and the rest of the boys tried to convince me to go with them, assured me the life-vest would keep me afloat but I wasn't persuaded (I must be really getting old!).  My sister reported later than a small banca was able to enter the entrance---had I known, I should have joined them.  But according to our boatman, even small bancas wouldn't fit into the entrance during high tide.  Nobody mentioned a raft.

This is how the entrance looks like.

Borrowed this photo from Christian's Lakad Pilipinas

I learned later than one of the boys was also spooked and didn't go into the lagoon.  My sister told me that the water in the inner lagoon was strange---both warm and cold, crystal clear on some parts, murky on the other.  The lagoon has brackish water, it's probably the reason of the changing temperatures.

The wooden footbridge alongside the limestone walls serves as pier for boats and people who want to swim into the inner lagoon.  Snorkeling and kayaking are allowed inside the lagoon.

I spent my time taking photos, staring at the limestone cliffs, looking out for birds, particularly balinsasayaw and just taking in the splendor of this place.  

Twin Lagoon, Coron Island

Calamian group of Islands 

Palawan, Philippines

My contribution to:

Blue Monday

NF Waters
Our World-Tuesday

High [Photo Hunt]

These are snapshots from the Calamianes, a group of over 80 islands in northern Palawan.  Perched on higher ground overlooking the bay at an 18th century fort in Culion Island is an old cannon.  This was one of the cannons used by Filipinos to defend the island from Moro raiders during the Spanish regime.

One of our destinations in Coron Island was the twin lagoon.   It's a pair of hidden salt water lagoon with remarkable warm and cold water temperatures.  High jagged bluffs surround the twin lagoon, and one couldn't help but feel small amid the magnificence of these granite mountains reflecting on the emerald green lagoon.

Mount Tapyas in Busuanga Island doesn't look that high  although the 700-plus steps I climbed  leading to a giant cross at the summit was challenging.  But the hike was equally rewarding especially when I saw the 360-degree views of Busuanga from the top--from the shimmering waters of Coron Bay, the rolling hills and mountain ranges to the distant and nearby islands of the Calamianes.

Get high at Photo Hunt