My father traces his roots to this small Visayan Island, a 45 minute Ocean Jet Ferry ride southeast of Cebu City. I was 10 years old the first time I set foot in Bohol. I remember taking a boat ride, Sweetheart Lines it was called, with my family, from Cebu to Tagbilaran City. It was a boat ride that, in 1979, took close to 4 hours and to a 10 year old, that took forever!!! I don't remember much about that trip except that it was hot and dusty, there were not so many people, a glimpse of a dusty and barren street named after my Great Grandfather, a flowing river behind my second cousin's house where we swam together with their askal dog, Tokey, my dad's ancestral house, and the famed chocolate hills which were not so famous back then. My 10 year old mind thought of the hills as big clumps of brown earth spread across the hot land.
Seeing Bohol again with friends after 26 years was quite an experience!! For one thing, the Ocean Jet ride from the Cebu pier to Tagbilaran City went by so fast, the vehicle was literally jumping over the water. Ever experienced turbulence on an airplane? Exactly.
Another thing was the island itself. Tagbilaran City was bustling with people and there were a lot of commercial establishments lining the streets. From the pier, we went straight to see the Chocolate Hills. The view of the rolling hills from the observation point was fantastic!! There was a cool breeze blowing which made the climb up to the observation points quite comfortable. Spread evenly over the land, the hills were alternatingly chocolate brown and green in color. A faded gray Marker said that thousands of years ago, the hills were limestone formations under the sea which in time, rose above sea level due to the constant pushing and pulling of the earth's crust.
Next stop was the man-made forest in Bilar. The driver of our van said that the trees lining the road were planted in 1965 by virtue of an executive order. There was nothing spectacular about the place, except that it was very pretty.
The Tarsiers are the wierdest looking mammals I've seen so far. No bigger that your mouse (as in Computer Mouse), these brown, nocturnal animals have huge round eyes that covers 50% of their small faces. They cling onto trees similar to how a koala bear would cling to a eucalyptus tree.
The Loboc River cruise is the usual rustic scene. It was kinda romantic actually, riding a boat along its banks, nothing but lush vegetation on both sides with the occasional local kids, naked as naked can be, laughing and playing in the water while their mothers were doing about their laundry, whacking the clothes with a patpat (a wooden paddle). Hehe!! Throughout the cruise, we were serenaded by a Boholana with a really good voice. Her rendition of Chiqui Pineda's "How Did You Know" really moved me. I tipped her P50.00 via a small basket being passed around after the cruise ended. I felt that P50.00 was not enough as she sang really well. The other passengers, who mostly dropped coins in the basket, gave me a disapproving look. They believe I tipped quite handsomely. Kawawa naman the Boholana. I hope someone discovers her and convince her to sing in the big city.
I enjoyed the visit to the Baclayon Church as well. I particularly liked their museum (an old Convento adjacent to the Church) where old vestments, bells, various statues of the Sagrada Familia (Holy Family), chairs where the priests used to sit (those friars really had big-behinds), and big, old Latin Church Hymnals written in cow-hide sitting atop an old organ, were all housed. The Convento is still used today by the present cura paroco (the parish priest) together with the convento household ( I wandered off and saw a nun washing dishes). One room also serves as a library.
The Resort that we stayed in is called the Alona Kew Resort, located in Panglao Island. It had a good beach front and a mid-sized pool where I enjoyed doing some laps before filling myself with grilled seafood 2 nights in a row. My hair got really unmanageable due to the salty air-hot sun and chlorine combination, but I didn't mind. I had a good time and that's what counts.
Include Bohol in your travel plans for the summer. It's worth every penny!!