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

It is Thursday, September 18 in the evening that we arrived at the Mag-abo house and it was already dark at 6pm. It must be said that at 9'06 degrees latitude above the equator, night falls early with no more than 45 minutes difference between the June solstice and the December’s.
After a good night, the next day was spent doing errands in Dumaguete to replenish the house. We had to manage for the six of us to fit into my new five-seater SUV anytime we had to go to some place. Therefore it was two at the front and four at the back and good humor prevailed over the slight discomfort.
The next day was dedicated to rest at home, to swim and explore the surroundings.

(Sylvie and Jean-Claude)

(Christine and Bernard)

(Back from a walk along the sea)

(Jean-Claude using my 'office room')

Since the last major typhoon, there are now a lot of sea urchins in the sea in front of the house and we have either to swim at high tide as not to walk on the rocks with these little animals or to take a dip on the left or right side of the front beach. Nevertheless, several friends were treated to some sea urchin spines. The remedies are simple. To dissolve the spines we have to use vinegar, bleach or if none of that on hand, with his urine.
On Sunday we all went to lunch and spend a good part of the afternoon at Patrick and Debbie’s Thalatta Beach Resort less than 1.5 km from Mag-abo by road and 30 minutes’ walk by the beach. I have to say this place is enchanting with its sea water swimming pool and tropical garden while the French cuisine prepared by Daniel, the Swiss Chef, is probably the best of Negros. For dessert I never cannot resist the delicious Swiss chocolate mousse.

(The Thalatta restaurant)

(All of us enjoyed the resort and its swimming pool)

It is Monday that we started our first real road trip. We went first to Balanan Lake 28 kilometers to the South before the road junction and then going up a rough track a little over 10 km before arriving at our destination.

(This place is before Siaton and I always stop here for thhe view)

Anyway, by the time we parked the car and began our walk along the shore, we were surprised by a huge tropical downpour and almost no possibility to shelter us except under the trees. It didn’t matter because the rainwater was warm but I feared especially for my camera equipment which, even though inside a bag was already wet.

(Balanan Lake)

This did not prevent our tourists to go swimming in a natural pool fed the mountain stream. In fact since the last drowning in the lake a few years ago, it is now forbidden to swim in it.

(Our friends are back from the natural swimming pool)

It was around noon that we drove back toward Mag-abo but before reaching Zamboanguita I made them a surprise by taking another bumpy fifteen kilometers track up towards Antulang, the southern tip of Negros despite a threatening weather. This is there in the middle of nowhere, above the Tambobo Bay, that we reached our destination around 1:30 pm and already hungry.
After descending 107 steps ½, it was the discovery of Kookoo's Nest, an enchanting place. This is a small cove of white sand that the English owners, Nikkie and Jamie, have turned into a resort with bamboo cottages to accommodate their guests.

(Kookoo's nest white sand beach)

( A bamboo cottage)

The restaurant is very good but often it takes time to be served. In fact everything is cooked on order in the kitchen in front of us and it explains why. For my part I always take the opportunity to order a 'Fish and chips as good as or even better than in England.
Our friends were delighted by this place really off the beaten tracks and someone needs really to know the place to get there.

(The restaurant)

Tuesday, it was again some shopping in Dumaguete, including buying our Thursday tickets for Bohol. Then we all went for a massage before lunch at the Casablanca restaurant named not after the city of Morocco but after the famous movie performed by Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart.

(The Casablanca restaurant in Dumaguete)

When you stay in our region, a place that is almost mandatory to visit is the Malatapay market Malatapay held every Wednesday and it is what we did that day. It was a very hot weather and after taking a few pictures,

 (The market)

 I had the unpleasant surprise for the first time in forty years of photography to see that my zoom lens was completely fogged by condensation including inside. I panicked looking for a sheltered place to replace it with another lens but again it was the same thing. It is true that after the Banalan Lake rainstorm, I left my equipment in the wet bag without thinking of drying it. Once out of the car, the humidity and difference of temperature between the air-conditioned vehicle and the outside heat of the market heat caused this condensation. So I gave up photography for a time and put everything back in the bag. Twenty or thirty minutes later, I took out my camera again and everything was back to normal. However once back home, I left every drying overnight before leaving for Bohol.

 (Jean-Claude and Bernard enjoying it)

(Now all waiting for our roasted pork 'lechon baboy' and grilled fish)

The departure time of the fast craft bound to Tagbilaran was at 3 pm so we left home around 1 pm to get to the port of Dumaguete in two tricycles.
After two hours crossing we arrived at our destination where a van chartered by the Paragayo resort where we had booked our rooms was waiting to take us to Panglao Island and more specifically Alona Beach, 35 minutes’ drive from the port of Tagbilaran.

(Our friend aboard the fast craft to Bohol)

(And Dhana)