October 4-5, 2014
When the invitation to join a beach escapade from Toto came, I immediately convinced myself that October's not too late to own the year, especially in terms of travels. So I replied "count me in" then and there. Despite the threat of Typhoon Neneng during the first weekend of the month, we still trooped to meet and head off to Quezon.
Aside from our scary encounter with a parade of people in white en route Quezon at four in the morning (Four. In. The. Morning.) who were murmuring chants we couldn't make out, and carrying candles and incense along the only section of dirt road we passed through, things seem to have cooperated with us quite well. The sea was calm when we rode the boat to the island, and the rains only came when we were already settled in our hut.
The boat ride back to the town proper was more...exciting, though. The second batch was caught in the middle of the sea with strong winds and downpour. How relieved we were that they got back to the part safe and sound, a little on the wet side, but safe. :D
It was a fun and affordable get-away! Cagbalete is still an unadulterated beach island. There are resorts, to be sure, but only minimal modification in the natural condition of the island seemed to have taken place. We had electricity only during the night. It was out even before I woke up. But there wasn't much need of it. The sun was bright and the breeze was cool. We cooked up great meals (or at least my friends did haha) with just a compact butane burner and a coal stove. During the day, we wandered the coastline, attempted to collect crabs (who somehow kept managing to outwit us humans haha), lounged on the daybeds, and dipped in the sea.
The boat ride back to the town proper was more...exciting, though. The second batch was caught in the middle of the sea with strong winds and downpour. How relieved we were that they got back to the part safe and sound, a little on the wet side, but safe. :D
It was a fun and affordable get-away! Cagbalete is still an unadulterated beach island. There are resorts, to be sure, but only minimal modification in the natural condition of the island seemed to have taken place. We had electricity only during the night. It was out even before I woke up. But there wasn't much need of it. The sun was bright and the breeze was cool. We cooked up great meals (or at least my friends did haha) with just a compact butane burner and a coal stove. During the day, we wandered the coastline, attempted to collect crabs (who somehow kept managing to outwit us humans haha), lounged on the daybeds, and dipped in the sea.
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| Barangay Daungan Port |
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| Beach-bound early birds. |
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| Dark clouds looming over the island is what you get when you don't listen to weather forecasts. |
