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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Mar 05, 2008 07:00 PM Six hours in the bus to Ilo-ilo
I took a big, nice Ceres lines bus going almost every hour from Caticlan (opposite Boracay) to Iloilo - the big city on the south of the Philippines. We were crossing the big Panay island by bumpy road. But this was the best bus I used in the Philippines - they charge 244 peso. Iloilo is nicer then Cebu city. I found here few poor, colonial churches and many nice old mansions built in the gardens. They have also little but interesting museum (you will pay 15 peso entry fee). Smokey jeepneys are polutting the air in the streets but they are also the best to moove around - they charge 7 peso per ride. Another error in the Lonely Planet book: Ceres Lines terminal is located now on the outskirts of the city: you have to use two jeepneys one by one to get to the center.
I stay in the lovely Penssione del Carmen located on the bank of the river. The old, charming lady charges there 650 peso per room and you feel there like the member of the family.
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Mar 04, 2008 07:00 PM Boracay - the Grand Dame of the Philippines
I'll tell you the true: I do not like those famous beaches with the crowds of tourists. But I wanted to compare my imaginations with the reality - I spent on Boracay one day. It is on the little island. It is expensive - the last expensive beach room costs 1800 peso and they say it is still high season...
Hotels, dive shops, bars and restaurants stay one by one - wall to wall along the famous White Beach. Yes, the beach is long, very nice and clean - the fleet of little excursion boats is waiting for you... There are also hordes of sunglasses- souvenirs- and pearls-sellers. This is the front. But there is also the backyard: the narrow, smoky, crowded and noisy only road going to the ferry pier. They built a lot: more and more pensions and hotels on this little piece of ground - the landscape from this side is miserable... Sorry... I took my front pictures and I escaped by bangka to Caticlan where I stayed for 400 peso/night. I definitely prefere El Nido! But if you want sun, sand and party every evening - Boracay is a place for you, just do not go to the backyard!
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Mar 03, 2008 07:00 PM By bus through the outback... to the ferry
I want to continue my voyage from Mindoro to Panay by ferry. But the ferry departs from the other side of Mindoro Island - from Roxas! Well - every morning there is a bus - old junk without glass in the windows. The plastic-covered seats are very narrow - just enough for two kids, not for the adults.
We departed at 6.30 - the bus was full of cargo: dried fish in packages, shrimp, sweet potatoes in sacs... Good - they allowed me to take my backpack inside the vehicle - it was protected against rain and dust...
We were crossing the mountains? Gravel and stones road was climbing up the green hills covered by lush jungle. Soon we got a flat tyre... There was spare one thanks God. Again holes, stones, mud... We reached Roxas at 11.30. The friendly driver took me directly to the jetty - the ferry to Cacticlan was departing at 12 pm. Lucky me! I bought the ticket for 330 peso and jump to the ship. This was big, car ferry. But the sea today was competly different: strong wind, high waves and some rain... Thanks God yesterday on the little bangka in the Mindoro Strait I had calm weather!
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Mar 02, 2008 07:00 PM Through Mindoro Strait...
The stars were still shining when I came with my backpack to the little beach near Michelangelo Hotel. This was low tide. They took me in the little boat to the bigger pumpboat. Five local passenger were already on board. Soon we departed. They said that this little boat with outriggers departs Coron (if weather permits) every Mon and Thu at 5.30 am. They charge 500 peso per person.
I was lucky again: the sunrise was picturesque, thenn we sailed 6 hours on the calm sea in the big blue of the sea and the skies. Hard to believe... no pirates... just one ship passing by...
I was happy when in the midday I landed on the beach near the mouth of the little river in San Jose - Mindoro (San Jose is very popular name) . Tricycle took me for 6 pesos to Hotel Plaza (only 300 pesos for fan room). I did not see any other white tourist... I the evening I was celebrating my crossing of the strait. It was my new invention: papaya in rhum or rather rhum in papaya... Very tasty! Rhum is inexpensive here: 1.5 USD a bottle. I was buying less expensive rhum only in British Guyana (like 1 USD)...
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Mar 01, 2008 07:00 PM I reached Coron - the divers paradise
My boat arrived at 9 pm. I bought a ticket (850 peso - ask for discount - they have them!). When at 10 pm I boarded old junk - 20 m long they said they will sail at 12.01 am. It was hot (no breeze this evening) to wait - they sailed at 2 am. It was the luck - because this gave me opportunity to see in the daylight the most interesting islands on approach to Coron. We arrived at 11 am.
Coron has beautiful location in the bay full of green islands. I took a long stairs to the cross located on the hill overlooking the town and the bay. Not far in the blue, shallow waters are shipwrecks of the second war - they say it is one of the best places in the world to dive around. Coron is divers place - expensive, people are not as nice as in El Nido and Port Barton.
I have a problem: do not trust Lonely Planet... San Nicolas ferry to San Jose mentioned in their book do not operate since 3 years. As a alternative I have a little outrigger boat (called bangka or pumpboat) to cross quite wide Mindoro Strait. Not so safe - min. 6 hours - it is not already pleasure sailing between the islands... But I have no choice. Keep your fingers crossed, please!
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Feb 29, 2008 07:00 PM Climbing antenna tower. Why not?
There is tourist information desk in El Nido. They said that there is steep path climbing the cliff overlooking the bay. But it seems it exist only in their imagination. Who wants climb to the cliff in the high humidity and the temp. of 35 deg?...
I found the beginning off the path. It was sweaty 40-min climbing through the jungle. Then I recognized that the path dissapeared, and the expected panoramic view is poor... Back down to El Nido I decided to climb on my own the other hill - with cellphone antenna mast on the top. After sweaty 30 mionutes on tiny trail I reached the mast sourrounded by lush trees. But the gate in the fence was open. I decided to climb the mast fot the view. The pictures are good... But where is my ship? Still not here...
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Feb 28, 2008 07:00 PM El Nido. The ship didn't arrive...
It was another lovely day on the pumpboat. We were sailing to the 8-km long Matinloc Island jumping over high waves pon the open sea. I can recommend "Arman" boat - it gives little more comfort and takes up to 9 pax.
Keep in ming that thst often it is not possible to do the full program of the boat tour - we did nit enter Secret Beach - the access is through the underwater hole and the waves were too high to do that safely today.
It is time to think about going further north - to Coron. Sailing is the last expensive alternative. Twice a week (Tue, Fri) the big pumpboat do this route - but they charge hefty 2000 peso per person. There is also cargo boat once a week (850 p). It should to arrive to El Nido yesterday evening (Thu). Sorry - no boat... They say that the ship will come with 24 hours delay. 24 hours - but no more please!
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Feb 27, 2008 07:00 PM No entry to the Cathedral Cave!
El Nido, Philippines. Breakfast with a panoramic view is not expensive: egg cost 5p, loaf of bread for 3 days: 40p, banana just 2 peso. The owners of "Tandikan" supply the free thermos with hot water at every sunrise.
I spent another full day on the boat: we sailed to Snake Island, Pangalusian nad Pinnabuyatan (can you remember these names?)
Sorry - visit to the Cathedral Cave was cancelled due to the big waves (entrance to the cave is by swimming through the hole on the sea level) Sorry... Pity...
The highlight of the day was a visit to Snake Island with a great viewpoint on the hill. Tiny sandbar links Snake Island with the next one. Covered by shallow turquoise water at high tide it looks like a giant, underwater snake. I do a lot of swiming and snorkeling. But let you know: the main attraction here is the landscape. Little, sandy beaches at the bottom of the cliffs are wonderful, but snorkeling is so-so...
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Feb 26, 2008 07:00 PM By pumpboat to the lagoons...
Beautiful Bacuit Archipelago consists of about two dozens rocky and green mountains. Few people live there. The smallest island is just 100 m long rock raising from the sea. The biggest is 8 km long... They are all mountains - with wild, inhospitable shores, towering limestone karst cliffs. Below the rocks are little and empty beaches with palms.
A fleet of little pumpboats (for 4-10 pax capacity each) is waiting each morning in the El Nido Bay to take the tourists to the islands. The price for a day tour is 500 peso with lunch included. You will need 3 days to cover the most interesting places...
Today I took a boat to the Amall and Big Lagoons hidden in the coast of Miniloc Island. Then we went for enorkeling to Shimisu Rock. Great day!
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Feb 25, 2008 07:00 PM If there is paradise on earth...
...it must be El Nido - said French fellow staying in the cottage next to mine. He think about tourist paradise - of course and I think he is almost right. I know three place on earth with the similar, beautiful seascape: Rock Islands on Palau, Phang Nga Bay in Thailand and Halong Bay in Vietnam. Now I add Bacuit Archipelago near El Nido to this Magnificent Trinity.
I stay here in the Tandikan Cottages. My cottage is located on the edge of the white beach. The warm waves are splashing 10 meters away. My cottage has big verandah open to the bay. I can spend there hours wriring and enjoying the view like in the panoramic cinema: on the other side of the bay high, green rock of Cadlao Island rises from the blue sea - one of many islands of Bacuit Archipelago. This view reminds me Tahihi. But in Tahiti for the bungalow with such a view you will pay morethem 100 USD. Here we pay 20 USD per double with fan and shower. Paradise is still inexpensive. Come and jump into the warm sea!
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