Like a slowly fading dream, my short-lived beachside hiatus becomes yet another pleasant memory. Alas, I was too preoccupied with the sound of gentle waves lapping the shore, the feel of sand (so much sand) between my toes, and the din of laughter and giggling of two very enthusiastic and happy children to even think of snapping a picture. No delicious seafood fare immortalized, nor any scenic images of hammocks on coconut trees with the wistful bokeh of the crystalline ocean and the azure sky behind it. The next thing I knew, like my typical self waking from a much needed nap, we were again packing our bags and getting ready for another adventure.

We crammed ourselves and our luggage into a not-very-roomy-at-all vehicle to be driven to the pier where we boarded a ferry to cross back to Cebu. From there, we split our group in two and took separate cabs to our hotel. Familial affection be damned, one can only suffer being stuffed like sardines in a cramped car on a sweltering day for so long.

I purposefully chose our hotel accommodations for this leg of our trip. It’s swanky by local standards: indoor pool, fitness center, shops in the hotel lobby, a casino… More importantly, this place had a backstory in my life. My mother and I occasionally recall it with much laughter. After getting settled in our rooms, a quick take-away dinner later, we snoozed off. We had more adventures in the morning.

We left Kuya Kim behind in the other island and piled into a different van this time. Our first stop was a fulfillment of a promised ukelele to a very eager young girl who is so much better at playing guitar than I can ever hope to be. The guitar factory was rather low key for a classic tourist stop. It was a single level home with an airy looking hut next to it where men were busy crafting amazing musical works of art.

After we had bought our stuff, we went off to go looking for famous monuments. There was quite the historical battle in this here island hundreds of years ago. One side was fighting for their freedom and right to their ancestral lands, the other side fighting for the belief that the crown they served pretty much owned everything they saw.

Our next stop was rather confusing. Apparently it has quickly become a tourist attraction since it was built. A “temple” built to celebrate a family matriarch seemed noble enough. The obviously fake and cheesily Romanesque frescoes and “sculptures” left me with a bad taste in my mouth. Personally, I found it very ostentatious. Everyone else in my party was having a good time, however. I resigned myself to averting my eyes from the garishness and was rewarded with one of the most amazing views of the city.

The next temple we visited was a real one, this time. It was a tranquil spot among the city’s hustle and bustle. I also had the chance to ask favors of the temple deity. Hopefully I came away as blessed as I felt. At any rate, the peace and tranquility was very welcome at this point in the day.

Our last stop for the day was a church built in the early 1700’s. A lot of parishioners still worship there. Also, being smack in the middle of the city, it is a hub of activity. I left the rest of my party to pay their respects inside the church and went to explore around.

After a late lunch at the local fried chicken chain across the street, we headed back to our hotel for some much needed rest and relaxation. We had souvenirs to pack and there was a pool somewhere in the building whispering my name.

From Taiwan, I flew to the Philippines, eventually making my way to Cebu to meet up with my family. The plan was: meet at the Cebu International Airport and check into a hotel for the night, get some rest, wake up early morning the next day, and take the ferry to Tagbilaran. My travel buddies comprised of my mom, my aunts, my sister-in-law, my niece, and nephew. We booked a van to show us around Bohol and take in the sights all day before getting dropped off in Panglao to spend a couple of nights by the beach.

Thankfully, after an entire day of sitting in planes, sitting in airports, and sitting in cabs, we finally made it to our hotel late in the evening. We had just enough energy to grab a quick bite and wash the grime of travel off before settling in for bed. The next morning, we woke up, grabbed a quick breakfast, and headed to the ferry station. After about 2 hours on the ferry, we made it across the water to Tagbilaran island, our gateway to Bohol. We were met by “Kuya Kim” who was to be our driver/tour guide /fixer /finder of amazing food for the day.

Our first stop was the Sandugo statue. It commemorates the blood compact made between the Filipino natives and the Spanish conquistadores in 1565. Being a healthcare worker, quite frankly, I found the concept quite unnerving. Clearly, hepatitis, HIV, and many other blood-borne diseases weren’t a thing back in the day.

We also visited what was left of the old churches built during the Spanish era. Unfortunately, most of the stately stone churches have been reduced to rubble by the recent big earthquake that hit the island a few months before. Most of the churches have been rebuilt since then and you can clearly see the difference between the old stone and the new one. I was happy to see that the ornate altars I remember from childhood Sunday mass of yore are still as beautiful as ever.

Kuya Kim drove us through one of the largest man-made forests in the country. According to him, this was the result of years of tree-planting ceremonies that were all the rage back then. Being the selfie-rabid group that they are, the family couldn’t resist making a quick stop for a photo op.

Our next stop was a Philippine Tarsier sanctuary. These teeny-weeny little primates are considered an endangered species. We had to be quiet while tiptoeing in the woods since they nap during the day. Disturbing them puts the primates under stress and they have been known to kill themselves when under too much strain. If only there was such a thing as a Tarsier Therapist.

Finally, it was lunch time. I had heard of this river cruise lunch thing for a while and I thought it would be a great treat for the family. I arranged for Kuya Kim to set us up for lunch in the river and he was more than happy to oblige. Aside from the standard lunch fare, there was a local delicacy called “humba na nangka” which translates to “braised jackfruit”. I found it so intriguing that I became too busy consuming as much as I could to take a photo. The ambiance certainly helped the appetite. We were floated down the river and serenaded by a group of folks singing the typical karaoke songs. Along the way, there was also a side-show where the locals sang songs, played ukelele, and did native dances for us. Overall, not a bad way to lunch.

After lunch, we headed to one of the iconic attractions that Bohol is famous for: The Chocolate Hills. Sadly, these are not hills made of chocolate but natural geological lumps spread over acres of land. Some of them are not even brown, but are covered by lush forests and vegetation. The best way to see them is to take the stairs all the way to the top of an overlook. If only stairmasters had the same awesome view, I would probably work out more often.

Our last stop for the day was a butterfly farm. Captain Jack and Binky were delighted to see all the butterflies and I got to play with some caterpillars. I used to be scared of those things. Creepy crawlies with way too many legs always give me the willies. We also stopped at a “zoo” of sorts that had an enormous snake I was allowed to pet, and a rescued monkey that Captain Jack seemed to take a shine to.

At the end of the day, Kuya Kim dropped us off at Panglao Beach and we made our way to the resort for some much needed rest and relaxation.