ASIAN TRAVELING

     We went to Boracay almost a year ago, i.e., December 2011.  It was my first time going there, and most of my companions were first-timers, too.  Well, I wanted to touch the famed fine, white sand and to see what the fuss is about Boracay.

     So, from Manila, we all boarded a Cebu Pacific plane.  However, since we were a big group (around 15), we were in 2 different flights: the super early one and the afternoon one.

     It was my first time, too, to board a plane smaller than the regular airbus, so I was kinda scared.  I asked if I could be seated in front and my request was granted.  I got seat 1, on the first row, but it was a seat facing all the other passengers!  So, I felt like a flight attendant.  It was an odd experience but a memorable one.  

     Anyway, we arrived in Caticlan where we found our transfer service awaiting for us.  So while the rest of our co-passengers scurried to get tricycles to the jetty port, we got a much better service in an air-conditioned van courtesy of The Sands Hotel.  Yay!   Moreover, when we got to the port, The Sands' own boat picked us up.  Double yay!  It was so, so convenient, specially that we didn't need to carry our bags (I had a very heavy overnight bag).

     Well, we finally reached Boracay and it proved to be what I imagined it to be: fun and full of people.  However, since I'm one of those weird people who seeks tranquility while on the beach, I find Boracay crowded.  Good thing we were booked at The Sands in Station 3 where there were fewer people, away from the unbearably crowded Station 2.

     Indeed, the sand was powdery white, but not all Stations have the same texture of sand.  Station 3 has the coarsest and it gets finer the farther you go along the beach towards Station 1.  However, I observed the sand is less smelly in Station 3 than in the other 2 Stations for some unknown reasons. And really, the liveliest and most crowded place is definitely Station 2.

     However, when we arrived in Boracay, most people were out boating, riding the paraw, taking refuge from the midday sun or sleeping in.  So Boracay was relatively serene mid-afternoon, even in Station 2.



Starting 5pm, the crowd got thicker, and by sunset, Station 2 became a party destination.  As for me, I just relished the sunset and went back to the hotel to rest, refresh myself and get ready for dinner.

     

   

     For our second day in Bataan, my family and I went to see the 00KM marker of the Bataan Death March, which is located nearby the NPC Village, before heading to the Dambana ng Kagitingan.  I wanted my nephews and nieces to see the marker for their Philippine history studies.  And seeing the marker made me sad.  Thousands of people died during the Death March so remembering the hardships of those involved was really something.

     Then we're off  to Mt. Samat!  Remember, it was a stormy day but since it was a long weekend, like the one we have now, there were still a lot of people going to the mountain.  The teens and some mid-20s peeps were hiking toward the Dambana ng Kagitingan but every now and then, heavy rains would disrupt their journey.  Well, there are no public transportation to the Dambana ng Kagitingan so its either hiking or driving your private car.  But man, Mt. Samat is dense, a little eerie.  Nonetheless, the roads are in good condition, except for some fallen leaves and branches here and there.

     Finally, we reached the Dambana ng Kagitingan!  There's a minimal entrance fee to be paid and you'll be given tickets with the AFP logo if I am  not mistaken.  Kids and senior citizens are discounted, just don't know how much.  I just hope that the tickets will bear some mark that it is for the Dambana ng Kagitingan, you know, not just a generic paper ticket because tickets are souvenirs, too.  Oh, well, that is what you get for paying a minimal sum to enjoy a historic site.  

 And this is a colossal marble edifice.  

     To get into the cross itself, you may use the stone-paved, ascending zig-zag walkway, or better yet, get your car and drive up on the mountain.  It is, of course, I've said, the better option.  Why?  Well, I'm semi-afraid of heights so the only way to go down, if you didn't bring your car, is through the stone-paved, zigzag walkway.  It's slippery when wet, and if you're a klutz like me, you'll probably have a hard time descending.

     Now, to get inside the cross, you have to ride a very small and narrow elevator.  Since it was a holiday, there were a lot of tourists and the storm didn't deter any of us to visit the Dambana ng Kagitingan.  Lots of tourists mean you have to wait for your turn to use the elevator and go up to the viewing area which is the horizontal part of the cross.  It couldn't accommodate much, the elevator and the viewing area both.  In our case, we didn't wait that long.  And we learned the reason why once we got to the viewing area.  The winds were freaking scary!  They were whistling!  And you'll feel the cross swaying!  It was pretty fun, though, to have the winds and drizzle slap on your face.  And the view is amazing, and so is the viewing deck itself!  You're literally in the clouds, too!  Anyway, there's nothing to worry about since there are guides and some will go up and down with the tourists in the elevator in case it halts for whatever reason.

          If you want to know more about the Dambana ng Kagitingan (Shrine of Valor), you may visit the official website of the Province of Bataan, here:

  http://www.bataan.gov.ph/index.php/DAMBANA-NG-KAGITINGAN.html