Old Presidencia/Signs

A sign spotted at one of the streets in Culion Island, a former leper colony (est. 1904).

I'm glad this old prison was empty and padlocked.

It reads:  

Old Presidencia

One of the old prisons of 

the colony where errant 

patients were put into jail.

Linking to Signs, Signs

Jagged/ABC Wednedsday

J is for Jagged

These are jagged granite cliffs of Coron Island, one of the 80-plus islands in the Calamianes in northern Palawan.  The craggy cliffs have been slowly shaped by the elements over millions of years, they jut out of sea like some mythical creatures.  The caves in northern Palawan are also home to balinsasayaw (Collocalia whiteheadi), a species of swift endemic to the Philippines that produces a prized saliva---bird's nest, a delicacy for Chinese diners.  Price of bird's nest is no joke---a jaw-dropping P80,000 (roughly US$2,000) a kilo.  But the jolting fact is, the bird is endangered...so please stop eating bird's nest soup even when you have the money to pay for it.

The mysterious Coron Island is an ancestral domain to the indigenous Tagbanua.  The island and the rest of the Calamianes attract thousands of nature lovers every year. There are  lakes, coral gardens, rocky coves, cave systems and sugar-white sandy beaches.  For the adventurous, there are about 12 dive sites around this area, mainly Japanese shipwrecks sunk in 1944 by US Navy action.   It was a joy visiting this slice of paradise.

Busuanga Island is the jump-off point to anywhere in the Calamianes; Coron Island is just a 20-minute boat ride across the bay.

Linking to ABC Wednesday

U/ABC Wednesday

 Undulating  hills of the Calamian Islands

Undulating, undulated [adj.] to have a wavy form or surface; with with successive curves in alternate directions.

The beautiful undulating hills of the Calamian Islands were a pleasant surprise.  The day before, there were bluffs, jagged cliffs and intimidating terrain.  But as we journeyed towards Culion Island, where we visited a former leprosarium, lush scenery broke through the gloomy morning.  I'd say these are the greenest grass I have seen in the Philippines. 

Linking to ABC Wednesday

I/ABC Wednesday

I is for Islands

My first glimpse of the Calamian group of islands in northern Palawan from the plane as we approached Busuanga Island, the largest island in the Calamian.  There are about 80 islands and islets in Calamian, most of them are uninhabited.  The islands are known for its pristine beaches, great snorkeling opportunities, wreck diving and scuba diving---rated  by Forbes Traveler's Magazine as one of the top-ten best scuba diving sites in the world.  There are 14 wrecks located around Busuanga, Coron and Culion Islands alone---mostly Japanese vessels in World War II.  Limestone cliffs, granite rock formations, fresh-water lakes, mysterious lagoons and caves can be found in the islands. The second largest island, Coron, was awarded to the indigenous Tagbanua people in 1998 as an ancestral domain.  It gives the Tagbanua the right to manage and preserve the rich marine and land resources of  the island that have sustained the community for centuries.  In 1906, a leprosarium was established in Culion Island, the third largest island, under the American Commonwealth of the Philippines.   

Linking to ABC Wednesday

Signs: In memory of the unborn

Translation:  ...Even though a mother  can forget a child she has borne, I will not forget you, I will not forsake you, your name is engraved on the palm of my hand.

I found this memorial statue beside a Catholic church in Culion Island.  The correct verse, by the way, is Isaiah 49:15-16.:p

Join Lesley at Signs, Signs

Lunch on board [Food Friday]

@ mirandablue

This was the lunch prepared for us by our guide in Busuanga---fresh mango, tomatoes and cucumber, grilled fish and steamed crabs, complete with dipping sauces.  I forgot the name of the fish but it was huge and fresh and delicious.  The crabs were filled with aligue!  

@ mirandablue

We didn't expect to have lunch on board our banca.  Our boatmen brought us to Dynamite Point in Bogor Island to snorkel, but it was already around 12 noon.  We dropped anchor near the pearl farm and we had lunch..it was a new experience for me and my sister.

@ mirandablue

Good thing the water was so calm, eating on board a banca was a breeze.

@ mirandablue

Join us at Food Friday hosted by Maiylah

Mellow Yellow Monday #38: Rowing

@ mirandablue

Some people walk in the rain, others just row.

Join us at Mellow Yellow Monday