Photos et lettres des Philippines, de France et d'ailleurs

My wife came for a month's vacation at the end of October and my excursions were limited during this period because she needed to have a rest after one year's work and furthermore my car was unusable for her last 2 weeks stay due to the overhaul of the engine.

(My wife resting and the house decoratted for Christmas)

1-Lake Banalan:
On 11 November we went to Lake Banalan 10 kilometers above Siaton and thus only 35 kilometers from our house.
We left at 8 am hoping to be back home for lunch.
The ride is easy and the 10 km trail to Lake Siaton are not too difficult and even a sedan car can get there. It's really a nice place to spend a day or more because there is also a new hotel where the room with balcony overlooking the lake does not exceed 2000 pesos per night,  about 30 Euros.

(Balanan lake)

After we had a walk and enjoyed the quiet of a weekday on this site we were actually back home for lunch. There is a restaurant by the lake but we have to order the meal one hour in advance and they do not serve alcohol and therefore no fresh beer for me.
We were right to have had this trip because the next day my car was at the repair shop for 15 days and I had to ask our friend Michel to send my wife off at the airport on November 23.

2 - The fiesta of Dumaguete:
On 24 and 25 November each year on the St. Catherine's day, patroness of the city and name of the Dumaguete Cathedral, it is the city's fiesta.  Two days of parades, games, musics, bands etc. while many other celebrations swing all around

(Near the cathedral)

Without a car, I could not get to Jay's invitation on the evening of the 24 when traditionally he meets all his customers around a buffet.

The next day using the public transportations I could get at the invitation of  Filipinos where I had to honor the food available each time I entered a new house.

(They enjoy the Fiesta too)

 
3-Siquijor:

I went to Siquijor on December 1 and 2, and this time I decided to stay in a guesthouse in the second city of the island, Larena. The air-conditioned room was clean and nice and only 800 pesos (13 Euros) a night.
The owners are a couple of retired Filipinos who worked 18 years in the United States before coming back home.
The first day I was invited to attend the awards by the local high school.

(Some of the award winners)

The second day I returned to Dumaguete where  after my lunch on the boulevard I had the pleasure to watch a parade performed by the students of NORSU, the University of Negros Oriental, to celebrate the anniversary of the school.

(Some students of the NORSU parade)

4 – Sipalay, December 10 and 11:
I needed to road test my Pajero which engine had just been overhauled and to this I decided to spend two days in Sipalay about 200 kilometers from home. I took the North road to go there via Mabinay and Kabankalan. For the return I intended to take the southern route via Basay and Bawayan.

(My Pajero and on the left rice drying on the road)

Sipalay is a city with many resorts popular with foreigners and Filipinos and midway between Bacolod the capital of the province of Negros Occidental and Dumaguete capital of Negros Oriental.
The resorts with white sandy beaches are plentiful and this time I stayed at Easy diving resort. It is a pleasant place, well run by Christian, a Swiss German. The beach is beautiful and the cottages comfortable, but they are built on the hillside. It costs 1600 pesos per day for a standard bungalow, about 26 Euros. The restaurant is good but can't compete with the cooking of Thalatta resort and the clientele is mainly German speaking.

(The white beach)

(A standard bungalow)

(The restaurant)

(The divers are back)

2 sunsets)

So I spent two days there and during this time I took many photos and then I hit the road  back home. It is an hour after I left that I learned that my house had been burglarized but that's another story and later I will write an article about it.

(Some of my pics)

5 - Return to France:
Christmas was approaching and I had to join my family to spend the festive season in their company.
So I took the boat to Cebu on December 18 and on December 19, I was on the plane to France where I was expecting some cold but not the polar temperatures of the beginning of January.

(Our French house under the snow)