Boracay 2011

This post has been in the "baul" for a very long time already and it is but timely that I finally take it out from there and let it be on its rightful spot in this blog. 

Boracay is the most generic and talk-of-the-mouth summer destination not only by Filipinos but of foreigners who enjoy basking themselves in the sun, frolicking in the water, soaking their feet in the sands and be one with nature, be in connection with themselves and escape from the hustle and bustle of their metropolitan lives and get zoned out from the stress of work and responsibilities. Summer is that season of the year that serves as a good excuse to bum and get lazy and take advantage of that excuse to go a little outside of the limits and enjoy the extreme and extensive possibilities the season has to offer.

It was another of my rebellious and unwarranted trips, May 22, 2011 Nelson and I whisked ourselves to this crowded yet definitely lively place of Boracay. The white sand and cool blue waters toying in my imagination skyrocketed the anticipation of finally stepping into the island. We just couldn't wait to get there. The trip was quite long but bearably uncomfortable, the excitement just kept on growing in our hearts.

(It strikes me that while writing this post, the feelings of excitement are as high and as fresh as how it was going there. That trip must be really remarkable and unforgettable.)

What makes a trip remarkable and unforgettable?

The sceneries

Boracay has preserved its breathtaking sunsets. The only natural feature that has remained untainted and unharmed by human hands, unfortunately. It's sad that the waters are now reported to be very unsanitary because of the mixing of toilet wastes due to improper waste management and control of waste excretions. The sands are also threatened by people who take home some for souvenirs. The virginity of the island has been destroyed and the foliage, replaced by concrete structures that masks the careless lifestyle of the inhabitants. Nevertheless, though in its thriving survival, Boracay still offers its majestic sceneries that breathes life to the tired and perished souls of the travelers.

The blue and white "paraws" bends well with the skies and waters.

I caught this sight of a couple taking a picture by the majestic sunset.
It could be their first honeymoon, or maybe second, or third, who knows.

Skim boarders lined the shores late in the afternoon, exhibiting their skills,
but this chick really awed me. 

The serene and less crowded side of the island.

A wedding about to take place by the beach. I've always dreamed of one.

The Activities and Adventures


Boredom is never a word in this island with the many activities that are available to tourists, from island hopping, helmet diving, snorkeling, parasailing, banana boat ride, fly fish, wall climbing, to shopping and partying, the island never runs out. All you have to have is enough money to be able to try all these, and as for me, well I tried to enjoy myself with the free and affordable ones to extend the life of my money during my stay. Maybe when I come back next time, I'd be able to try everything until I turn my intestines inside out.

World class fire dancers igniting the night and keeping the audience on fire. 

Of course, the endless swimming.

Been dying to do wall climbing as inspired by my cousin Dan.

See how happy I am to make it to the bottom alive?

Those beautifully made sand sculptures are done by these kids. Talent and creativity. :)
So next time you see one, don't be a scrooge, give a little extra. 

And for a change, I paid them and I carved their names on the sand instead.

The Accommodation


If there is one word that will best describe us during our stay, it would be lucky. We were lucky to be accommodated by my mom's friend in this classy and expensive hotel, that I swear I would not be able to afford. The place had a minimalist and modern take on its facade, and the neutral colors made it so cozy and homy, plus the people there were very friendly, nice and accommodating, giving service with a smile. Their staff and crew were very warm and I commend them for doing their jobs with enthusiasm.

The inviting beds of our room at Astoria Boracay.

I want my house to look as simple and as sleek as this.

Spent mos of the afternoons here, lazing around if not walking.

The Food

A trip wouldn't be complete with an empty stomach, and to be able to store energy for the activities that awaits every journey, one has to stock on food to keep going, and what better thing to do during a trip is to scour for places that serve good food, for a very cheap price, and of course to treat yourself with yourself a happy food or pick-me-upper food after a looong day. Though I still wish to eat at those expensive restaurants, here were some of the places I settled for while on a budget. 

CREPES! Need I say more? 

Who's hungry now?

Pancake House's menu list made me feel like a giddy kid again.

I forgot the name of this place with a very interesting wall. :)

This is a hidden place that has the best lechon kawali. 

Happy food. :))

More happy food.

My every Bora trip staple food, Isaw. :))

The People


In every trip, there will always be people you come across and get engaged with, whether in a small conversation during a ride, a friendly staff, a funny waiter, a kind vendor that lets you haggle to the extreme, or that annoyingly charming kid you won't be able to resist, or that stranger who smiles at you, accompanies you for a walk and will be your friend forever, or maybe you'll bump into a famous artist, who knows who you meet? and of course that one person who tolerates your craziness and shares with you every laughter of the trip, walks with you until you tire your feet and takes snaps of you while you enjoy every single moment.

The unprecedented moments that you share with these people make a lot of difference in your trip. These people are the ones you will forever have a memory with, though you may not know their name nor hear anything about them in the future, one thing's for sure, they made your trip memorable.

PBA players and their coach. Geez... I forgot their names.

Whitney. :)

Our hands wrinkled after soaking in the pool. 

Gian, one of the young sand artists.

Sheryl.

Reggie, me, Nelson, Sheryl, Mike.

This douche made my Bora 2011. 

This could pass for a sumer fling. lol

And that goodbye...

And of course... Thank you to my twin, Nelson for making this trip unforgettable. This surely goes down the books.

Forgive my vanity, but I want to post some of my snaps during the trip.

Long gown ang ganap.

Mabenta ang hang loose.

Next year, it'll be another adventure.

Losing and Finding

Born to be alone. I am a subliminal introvert. I always have that point of limit that once exceeded pushes me off the crowd. A recent introspection of myself deciphered that apart from being a pronounced limelight seeker, there's always a part in me that shrinks into that insecure person when I can no longer find a space to expand, resorting to isolating myself from the crowd, distancing myself from my closest ties and living like a hermit and sometimes even disgusted by some people. Receding from my flamboyant personality allows me to get in touch with myself, because I tend to lose it when I am overwhelmed with so much attention, I get to lose contact with who I really am and I lose track of where I want to find myself. Easily persuaded and dissuaded, my earnest trust in people often makes me an easy prey to gullibility, not because I have a poor kind of judgment but because I am not fond of judging people and jumping into conclusions. I am not the type that jumps into untested water, I'd rather walk in it slowly and make my feet grope into the uncertain depths of it. This I tend to lose when I surround myself with people who think that they can easily tell what a person is all about at first look. Yes, I am guilty of this sometimes, and I hate it when I do that. This makes me resent myself. I am lost, and I have to find myself again, I have lost myself, I have lost my drive to live life, I have lost my optimism, I have lost my trust, I have lost my reason to love, I have lost hope that things will soon look up, I have lost everything that used to make me a person that others admire.

does anybody know?

does anybody know how many times your tears trickle on your face at night... how many times you had to comfort yourself because no one's there... does anybody know how much you hate yourself for being what you are and what you have become... that in every smile that lights up another person's day masks the sadness that tears you up inside... do they know that you want to be listened to, that you want your every word to matter... do they know that your insecurity belittles yourself and that you've wished to be someone else even for a day... does anybody know that your dreams, they may be weird and beyond other people's leagues and understanding, but these are the only reason that keeps you living... do they know that your dreams are made of and for the people you love, and the people you love are the people who hate you... do they know the things you went through, the things you compromised and sacrificed... do they know that in your isolation you feel you are the biggest and the best, that detached from the world you become your you... do they know that sometimes to find the answers to this, all you want to know is if someone really cares... if someone really loves you.

It has hurt so bad that I could no longer feel anything nor does it affect me. LIE.

It will be a big hypocrisy if I pretend that everything's fine. Same old things happen, same old reasons revolve around same issues, same arguments transpire, same fights that never get resolved, and of course same old feelings keep on betraying me no matter how much I try to numb and ignore them. 

I stood still, I took everything, fathomed every hateful word. You have your side, your own reason and justification for your actions, but how about me? Don't I deserve the right to question why you abhor me so much? Why you have to be physical on me? Did it ever cross your mind that your word torture me more than anything else? I don't want to think that your being selfish, I always convince myself that it is your responsibility, but I guess you've crossed the line. I never doubted your support, I will be forever grateful for it, but I never expected that it comes for a price, and it's just too much to settle. 

Going home has never felt so comforting since we sparked another futile argument. I'm always on my toes, always conscious and scared of my every action. We never spoke, we never bothered to speak to each other, but that night when you crossed the line again, as I stood still, enduring every single hit. It was not enough for you. I kept quiet, and cried myself to sleep. I know I caused you to be that mad, and I'm sorry. But do you really have to hit me every time? Your stare, it bores through me and in it I lost you, and in it I saw your love for me consumed by hate. I'm sorry. I wanna go home to your arms again, the way it welcomed and wrapped me in the warmth of your love, where I feel my safest.