April 2, 2012 Day Tour in Bohol
My sister and my friends were really dead tired the previous day that we arrive at Cebu port by 830AM. They slept and forgot our early sched for the ferry. At the port queue, a guy approached me and asked where we were heading. I told him we were going to Tagbilaran. He asked if we already had an arrangement regarding our day tour in Bohol. I made a deal with my companions approval to a stranger. This guy called someone in Tagbilaran that will picked us up. Call it divine intervention that nothing harm was done to us in Tagbilaran. A few good men are still out there.
The ferry arrived in Tagbilaran Port closed to 12 noon. At the arrival area, a lady bearing my name on a placard was waiting. I approached her with my companions. I had a few introductions and were ushered to a van with a driver who will take us on a tour around Bohol.
From the parking lot, the driver stepped on the gas pedal and off we went. Along the way, the driver briefed us about our trip. He told us that since it was already lunch time, we head directly to the Loboc River cruise.
Buffet lunch was served while we waited for other guests mostly foreigners. Soon the resto made it ways along the lengths of Loboc river. A singer did great songs with his guitar to entertain everyone on board. The scenery was lovely as we meet other groups going the opposite direction.
From the parking lot, the driver stepped on the gas pedal and off we went. Along the way, the driver briefed us about our trip. He told us that since it was already lunch time, we head directly to the Loboc River cruise.
Buffet lunch was served while we waited for other guests mostly foreigners. Soon the resto made it ways along the lengths of Loboc river. A singer did great songs with his guitar to entertain everyone on board. The scenery was lovely as we meet other groups going the opposite direction.
We made a short stop to this tribe. I wonder if they were for real but according to our river guide, they were really part of the ethnic tribe residing in the area. Our foreigner companions went to take pictures. I found myself also leaving the boat to check them. I found a giant crab somewhere on the nipa and coconut groves.
The Hills are Alive with Green Green Grass of Home.
From the river cruise, we then head to Carmen, Bohol for the Chocolate hills. Along the way, our driver pointed other points of interest like the Baclayon church, blood compact site and the Loboc church to name a few. It started to rain along the way but it stopped after some time. The road to Carmen was a combination of smooth and rough roads since there were several road improvements that time. We even passed by a mountain side reminding me of the roads to Baguio. Soon we were back on the plain lands with rice fields and several hills on our sight. This brought us excitement that we were near our destination. Then we arrived at the gates leading to the view deck. Our driver took a parking ticket and then drove the van up around the hill until we were on a flat surface. One hill had to be flattened on top to make way for a parking area and shops. At least that made life easier in climbing the top of that hill to give a 360˚ view of the hills. I tired counting the hills in my view but I just consulted the internet for a better count. It was the start of summer so the grasses on these limestone hills were still green. But they say that they look like chocolate mounds when the grasses dry out.
After spending some time in admiring the picturesque scenery, Chocolate Hills is really a wonder of nature. We made our way to the Tarsier Conservation Area in Loboc to see the smallest primate, the tarsier. We no longer dropped by the man made mahogany forest since the rain started to pour again that afternoon. It was still drizzling when we arrived at the conservation area. We paid the entrance fees and listened to the short orientation given by the staff. The short orientation lasted for just 5 minutes and soon we were led to steps going to different stations with tarsiers. These stations come with a staff pointing the location of the sleeping creatures. We were told during the orientation that this nocturnal creatures doesn't like a noisy environment which give stress. I am pretty sure that these creatures were captured in captivity and they were not really wild. It's a good thing though for such efforts to protect and save the endangered Philippine tarsier.
Old Churches on Our Way Home
It was already past 4PM and we need to get back to Tagbilaran or else we would be missing our ferry back to Cebu. We made a quick stop by the Loboc church to take a photo and marvel its architecture. I soon found out that it's one of the oldest church in Bohol. Across the street on the right side of the church is an overpass. I wonder why it wasn't finished though considering the design seemed wrong. It leads straight to the church. Our driver told us stories of treasure hunting in the area and the construction was used to cover up such things. It was really a bad idea putting such construction with the old church directly affecting it should it had been finished. Talk about misuse of government funds.
My wrist watch tells me that it's already 5PM and we better hurry up. Last stop was the Baclayon church. It is one of the oldest churches in the country. It started to drizzle again by that time. We no longer dropped by the blood compact site since we were really out of time.
We managed to arrive at Tagbilaran port by 520PM. We paid the driver and gave our thanks to him. We queued immediately hoping to catch the 6PM ferry. The ferry back to Cebu was delayed for 30minutes allowing us to rest for a while inside the already crowded departure area. Soon the ferry arrived and two hours later we were back in Cebu City. We hailed a cab from the port and went to the nearest mall to have dinner and buy pasalubong. The following morning. I and my sister took the Manila bound flight while my friends boarded the Palawan flight.
We managed to arrive at Tagbilaran port by 520PM. We paid the driver and gave our thanks to him. We queued immediately hoping to catch the 6PM ferry. The ferry back to Cebu was delayed for 30minutes allowing us to rest for a while inside the already crowded departure area. Soon the ferry arrived and two hours later we were back in Cebu City. We hailed a cab from the port and went to the nearest mall to have dinner and buy pasalubong. The following morning. I and my sister took the Manila bound flight while my friends boarded the Palawan flight.
Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. - Izaak Walton