Cebu I: Gentle Giants, Tumalog Falls, Chicharon

Once January commenced, I hadn't expected my life to be a whirlwind.  In effect, I was pretty much unprepared to face my hectic Monday-Saturday schedule that I barely even remember whatever happened on Sundays.  Thankfully, my schedule has allowed me this super rare calm (before the storm) and I am taking advantage of it by posting about Cebu!  Because I finally have the time, and I finally have my own laptop again (Carbon, meet my blog.  Blog, meet Carbon).  Now that the niceties are done...

Heavy hearts, heavy bags -- this was how the trip started.  A dampened mood couldn't stop us though (but initially, and mostly because  everything was already ready to go).  And so, we went.  Our first trip, just the four of t us.

The year's final destination: Cebu City, Philippines.

This time, we traveled with the sea.  It was an interesting companion, the world laid out to you without the exhilaration of seeing through clouds but with the calm and gentle horizon.  We booked a cruise with 2Go Travel. It was a 24-hour voyage weaving through the Philippine islands, originally planned on the 28th of December but unavoidably moved to the next day due to a typhoon.

The ship's reception area.

Our room was located right at the front of the ship.  

I spent the 24 hours awake -- lingering in corridors, and ship decks, observing people asleep and eating and talking.  There really wasn't much we could do except to eat and sleep.  On board was a karaoke machine, but singing publicly really isn't our thing.

We arrived while the city was on the brink of waking up and only had time to say a quick hello to it before we had to leave for our next (and first) destination:  Oslob.

Oslob is a 2-3 hour ride away (depending on how fast the driver is)  from the city.  You may ride a bus or rent a van.  I decided to avail of a travel package from Cebu Trip Tours and save the more adventurous bus ride when I'm with friends.    

We left Cebu at around 5 AM, the day still not showing itself.  The route was scenic, but can't be entirely appreciated in the dark of a provincial road.  I was able to catch little glimpses of the province though after sunrise.  We arrived at Tan-Awan, Oslob a little past 7 and proceeded to breakfast (included in the tour) of Puto Maya, mango and Hot Tsokolate.

Being the carnivores that they are, my siblings ordered inihaw for breakfast.  

After a quick orientation on how to conduct ourselves during the whaleshark watching, we proceeded to the bangka.  

Sorry for my face.  

Apparently, these fishermen began feeding these creatures awhile back and it has become a habit for the butanding to come every morning.   The water actually smells (and tastes!!) like bagoong.  Of course there are some issues surrounding this practice but...

How to describe the experience?  It was.. surreal.  Exhilarating, heart-stopping, overwhelming!  I can't even begin to describe how I felt when it swam right beside me and hit me with its fin.  I was both scared and amazed.  Easily one of the best experiences in my life.  I mostly forget the 'gentle' part in 'gentle giants,' especially when I felt the length of it!   Excuse me Mr. Whaleshark Sir (or Ma'am??), but I was swimming there!

After our 20 minutes, we went to Tumalog Falls.

I had delayed telling my siblings and dad about the little trek to Tumalog Falls in fear of an unfavorable response.  I had left it to our tour guide, Mon, to break the good/bad news.

The trek was nothing exciting, just a long and winding concrete road that suddenly becomes quite steep.  I am not one for heights, so it wasn't exactly "fun" for me.  Plus, the view to the side:

Pictures I've seen from my trip research didn't quite compare to seeing the falls up close.  I underestimated its scale.  It was absolutely magnificent -- water was cascading into a jagged rock formation creating dreamy umbrellas.

The hike up wasn't fun at all.  But Mon (our tour guide and the one in front) just breezed through the hill like he was walking on flat land.  

For Php100, you can hitch a ride instead.  (Which my dad and sister did) 

After Tumalog Falls, we went back to the site where we did our whaleshark watching for the included lunch. And after lunch was a long day ahead of us!

From Tan-Awan, Oslob, we went to the town's Church. It was kind of a funny story actually because our tour guide didn't have any clue as to what I was referring to when I asked to see the "Baluarte" and the "Cuartel."  Thankfully, he was able to ask around and got back to me with a "gusto mo pa lang makita yung mga sira-sira!"

Baluarte is Spanish for bulwark or stronghold.  This particular watchtower is made from corals and seashells.

The 182 year old Church of Immaculate Conception is opposite the Baluarte. 

Inside the Church complex is also the Cuartel -- an unfinished army barracks. 

From Oslob, we passed by the city of Carcar for a much important stopover.  Chicharon!!  Sadly, I was too distracted to take a picture while we were buying.  Here's one as we are pulling away:  

After around an hour and a half, we finally arrived in our hotel room.  Since we had lost a day and we were just practically staying overnight, we didn't quite wrap up our adventure yet.  (But that's for another entry)