Bohol

Woke up at 4:30 am for yet another fun-filled day! Myra's friend, Anna, had arranged a ferry to the neighboring island of Bohol. It's famous for it's chocolate hills and one of the smallest mammals in the world. After about 3 hours on the boat, we landed on Bohol. Our personal driver was already there waiting for us. He chauffeured us all around the island with dozens of stops at different points of interest. ALthough it was clearly designed for the typical tourist route, I didn't see many westerners on the journey.

One of the first stops was at a tarsier conservation area that was newly built to help sustain these little primates. It was spectacular! We were able to walk through the forest and spot them all on our own. Although, we were not allowed to touch or hold them, we were able to get up close and personal with these adorable nocturnal beings. As you see, Lefty found a girlfriend there:)

One of the next breaks on the tour was at a butterfly sanctuary. The guide there knew a lot about them and was very enthusiastic about showing and teaching us as much as he could in the brief time with him. The entire time I was thinking, second grade science curriculum:)

The famous chocolate hills were actually green this time of year due to the excessive rainfall, but still fabulous. After reading the information plaque at the entrance, I realized how they formed thousands of years ago. And that story did not match what our driver said. He claimed that long, long ago, two massive giants got into a conflict and began throwing rocks at one another, creating over 1,500 one-hundred feet high mounds scattered uniformly around the surrounding area that resemble Hershey's kisses.


Although no one knows for certain how the Chocolate Hills were formed, some scientists believe they were created when volcanic activity caused upheaval in the sea bed which the underwater currents then formed into the conical shapes we see today. Through years and years of erosion (4th grade science:)), they transformed into what we see today.

Further down the road, we stopped at a man-made forest. In efforts to prevent further erosion, the government planted these mahogany trees over 50 years ago and now they stand towering over the lone road creating a comfortable canopy.

By this time, our bellies are rumbling and we are sauntered off to the river. We walk across a long, bamboo swinging bridge and enjoy fresh coconut. Apparently there is a man there who can open a coconut with only his teeth, but we missed that:( We then boarded a riverboat for a traditional filipino buffet lunch. We were sat at the front of the boat adjacent to the singer. After we indulged in all of the delights, the captain set off for a cruise down the Rio Verde river. Ahhh....fresh air and lively music. The singer was great, but I kept looking for the television screen with the bouncing ball that drops over the words to each song, like in karaoke.

We stopped at a "native" tribe halfway down the river. It was comical. Reminded me of the Sapa rice fields tour I did in Vietnam. I told Myra that after our boat leaves, they drop their bows and arrows and return to their satellite television just beyond their "village." But she insisted that it was legit.

A few more stops and it is almost time to catch our returning ferry to Cebu. We raced through the downtown streets passing about 500 little tricycles along the way in order to get to the port in time. Each of these 3-wheeled taxis had a religious quote on the back of them, so I felt blessed the entire journey. Whew! We made it there just in time and were the last passengers to board the high-speed ferry.

Anna's husband was waiting for us at the dock. He shuttled us to a mall for dinner. We ordered the spread....fried pork intestines, oxtail and tripe soup, fresh lumpia, and all sorts of vegetables. By this time it is very late and my eyes are drooping. Back to the comfort of my hotel for a night's rest.

Today we are getting massages and rest. I leave for Palawan in the morning. Sad to say goodbye to Myra and her cousins, but eager for another leg of the trip.

Cheers!