Boy Palaboy: A Journal Of Journeys: Spending Time With Family

Travel Period: January 20 - 24, 2011
Destination: Cebu and Bohol

Booking Details

Surely time travels really fast, imagine it was just last June 10, 2010 when a budget airline offered a promo fares on their flights with a travel period of January 1 - March 15, 2011, which means the promo was posted seven months early prior to the travel dates. In case you come across with this scenario, then don't hesitate to book for it even if the travel period is a year after because you won't even notice that your scheduled trip is fast approaching. I have traveled before with my friends, co-workers and college schoolmates, so this time I booked for my family bound to Bohol, my mother's birth place, via Davao - Cebu flight. :D


My parents at Mactan International Airport

Greetings at Cebu Pier 3

Viva Pit Señor
When I booked the ticket, the timing was right on our travel period because it was also a month long celebration of Sto. Niño in Cebu. We arrived at Mactan International Airport on January 20 around 11AM and proceeded to SM Cebu, we took our lunch there and then off to Pier 3 where fast craft bound to Bohol are docked. We got our tickets and then boarded the fast craft, here we come Bohol!


A local church in Bohol

Ija Ija, Aho Aho
This is the common trademark of Boholanos because most words in their dialect are pronounce with letter J, I hope your familiar with it so you can relate. Anyway, we arrived at the Tagbilaran port late in the afternoon and proceeded to a local pharmacy when my Aunt (mother's sister) is working. Together, we went to her home and spent the rest of the night. And of course, having a vacation on a countryside place expects a local food for us especially a "tinolang manok", a native chicken soup served on dinner. :D


With relatives at Sagbayan Peak

Bohol Tour With Relatives
We woke up early on the second day January 21, prepared our foods and off for the tour. First stop is the Sagbayan Peak, this is the place that I wanted to visit on my first Bohol tour last October 2010 but it was not included on the package tour, luckily this time, my Uncle had a multicab that we used on our tour so we modified the trip in favor to us. :D. After Sagbayan Peak, we went to Bohol main tourist spot, the Chocolote Hills. My mother told us that even she was born on Bohol, she never had a chance to visit the place. Well, she can check her bucket list this time. We also dropped by to the famous man-made forest and proceeded in Sevilla, Bohol, a secluded place where my mother was born and raised. We trekked a narrow path downhill with pitch black around us to reach the ancestral house, we even made a torch made of coconut dried leaf or "lukay" just to light up our path. We reached the house, took our dinner, this time it's a spicy native chicken soup. Ended the night where you only just hear the gush of the wind and sound of the crickets around.

With family at Sagbayan Peak

Chocolate Hills

Recollection
Third day on Bohol January 22, woke up early and everything was clear and I recollected the memories I had when I was 8-year old. We had a vacation long time ago with my parents on December 1994 when I was still in Grade 2. I still remember the place, the house, the rice fields, the flowing water well near the house, the hanging bridge, and the river down the road. We started explore the place and I said to myself that I really remember this place. We trekked down to the river, then to the hanging bridge and spent the rest of it swimming on the river, unlike with the river here in Davao, Bohol river is still untouched and unspoiled nature. After we took our lunch, we then decided to went back to city proper because we will go to Panglao Island by the next day. Just one thing when we visited our relatives, I do the Census thing, like ask how many cousins do I have and I updated my family tree, as expected, I have more cousins on my mother's side, surely they're not busy. :D

The rice field

Unspoiled river

Swimming time

New attraction in Loboc

With family

Explore Panglao Island
Fourth and last day in Bohol January 23, we packed our bags and food and then off to Panglao Island. We proceeded to Dumaluan Beach, a long stretched white sand beach. We had our pictures taken and spent swimming. We then left past noon since we have a fast craft schedule trip to catch and we dropped to Hinagdanan Cave along the way. Arriving in the Tagbilaran port, we bought some "pasalubongs", the famous "kalamay" and peanut kisses. And finally off to Cebu, bye Bohol, I promise I shall return! :D

At Dumaluan Beach, Panglao Island

With relatives

Inside Hinagdanan Cave

At the entrance

Cebu Quick Tour
We arrived at Cebu Pier 3 around 6pm then proceeded to SM Cebu to meet my high school classmate of mine nicknamed Lovely together with her mom, Tita Jovie. Big thanks to them, they treated us a dinner and toured to different tourist spots in Cebu, although I have already toured Cebu long time ago, but this time with my family. We visited Magellan's Cross, Ayala Center Cebu, The Walk or IT Park, and Lapu-Lapu Shrine on night time, yes night time! When we arrived at the Magellan's Cross and it was already close likewise in Lapu-Lapu Shrine but we managed to request to the guard in-charge just to have a peek at the shrine, luckily for us he granted our request. Finally, we proceeded to the airport after the tour past eleven in the evening, we then spent the rest of the night in airport since we booked a first flight bound to Davao by the next day.

Me, Papa, Tita Jovie, Mama, Lovely

At Ayala Center Cebu

With family at The Walk

Proof the Dora is really an explorer. :D

Home Sweet Home
Final day of the trip January 25, we woke up an hour before the check-in time and then boarded the plane. Brought back to our home an amazing and memorable experiences with my family on our trip that will be treasured forever. :D