Me and my family just arrived yesterday from a week's worth of vacation and a week's load of rest and relaxation. :D
21 May 2012, Monday
Road trip from Iloilo to Capiz to Aklan + Boat ride to Boracay Island! :)
La Carmela de Boracay
La Carmela de Boracay
It was an early start of the day for us since we had a 6-hour long road trip and boat ride combined to Boracay Island! :) Yesss, butt sore! Haha! But it was nice because we got to see a little bit of Capiz and Aklan. :) Before anything else, we stopped by and prayed at our grandfather's grave. It would be his first year death anniversary by July 1st. Since my brothers would be back to school by that month, we decided to visit him a month advance. Pano ba yan Lolo, talo Lakers. Hehe.
By lunch time, we were in Aklan already. We stopped by at Ramboy's Lechonan and Restaurant for lunch. OMG, they have the most delicious liempo I have ever tasted by far!!! With every bite, you can feel and taste the juices coming out. The right mixture of the smoked/grilled, salty and lemon-ish taste is what makes it really delicious. Their liempo is really a MUST-TRY when you visit Aklan or Iloilo. :D
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| Affordable, isn't it? |
Inside the Oyster Ferry
Boracay, we have finally met!
We took another ride to our last stop for that day, La Carmela de Boracay, the hotel we stayed in for four days and three nights. :)
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| La Carmela de Boracay at night |
Actually, La Carmela's okay. The hotel's structure is nice. The services, the ambiance can be rated average. The food is so-so; not so bad but not that good either. They have beautiful rooms, too. Unfortunately though, we didn't get the rooms we actually wanted. We had no choice but to take the available executive deluxe rooms which we didn't like. Hahaha. It's also summer time, a peak season, and I know there are a lot of people, especially on the part of the island where we stayed in, which is Station 2. I don't like crowded or seemingly crowded beaches but this is the only time that we can all go together. It makes me wonder though how it looks like on a regular season. Will I be able to appreciate it better?
But hey, I must applaud the white sands and the clear blue/blue-green waters. True, it's nice to beach stroll and to take a dip on any given time of the day kasi hindi mainit sa paa or sa balat ang sand or water. Minus points for some dirt on the water. Some dried leaves and tiny branches are forgivable but candy wrappers? EIW.
22 May 2012, Tuesday
Even if Boracay did not meet our expectations, we still have to make the most of it, right? So off we went to do island hopping! :) This is one of the highlights of our trip, I must say!
First island stop: Crystal Cove! :)
I just fell in love at first sight with the place!!! It feels like we were in Bali, although we really haven't gone to Bali (so my statement basis are magazines and TV. Hahaha!).
I love the nipa huts and cottages...
The hidden coves where you can go into and swim...
Going inside Cove 1
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| Cove 1 |
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| Cove 2 |
I even saw a Philippine eagle at the island! Hee.
Next island on the list: I don't know the name (Hahaha!) but we snorkeled there! :) It was our first time to do snorkeling and it was fun!
For our third island stop, we didn't get the chance to go there. Our trip was timed and we would have to pay additional fee if we would go beyond our scheduled time. To reach that island, it would take another an hour and a half so the adults decided to just go around the island.
There were a lot of interesting architectural figures around the island.
We saw Manny Pacquiao's beach house (Or was that his resort? I don't know.)
Since I drank a whole buco and it is known for its diuretic effect, I expected to have a full bladder. What I didn't expect was my bladder would blast sooner than I thought! I tried holding on till we get back to our hotel but it was too painful already! Disgusting as it sounds but I did try urinating on the spot, as in right where I am seated but I failed. I tried sitting at the far end of the boat to do my thing but it still won't flow! I asked my mom to ask the boatman if we can stop by somewhere, some beach because I would just resort to do the classic gross thing kids (and some adults?) do in the pool or ocean. We stopped right then and there, in what seemed to be the middle of the ocean. The boatman loosened the wooden ladder and told me to sit there and do my thing. It took me a minute or two to relax my bladder. I swear, it's probably the best comfort room moment I ever have! So yeah, I did it in the middle of the ocean, whaddup! Hahaha!
23 May 2012, Wednesday
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| Photo effect courtesy of my moistened lenses due to the wind |
We woke up around 6 in the morning to take a swim.
After breakfast, while waiting for our uncle to finish his detox session, my brothers and I had a foot massage.
We went helmet diving as well! :) This is definitely one of my favorite things and another highlight during the vacation. :) I believe anyone going to Boracay should do this. Or you should have done this, if you've been to Boracay.
24 May 2012, Thursday
It was our last day in Boracay! :( My uncle and I took one last swim before breakfast. While waiting for check-out time, my brothers and I took more photos by the beach.
I also bought pasalubong for my workmates.
It rained when we were about to take a ride going to the port. It seemed like the weather was symphatizing with us as we go back to reality. Haha!
Yesterday, we took our flight back to Manila. :( It was a fun week, indeed. It was a form of de-stressing that I needed. Two more days and I'll be back to work where judgment awaits for me. Aaaah. Haha! Oh I can't wait for another vacation trip! Anyway, I hope your week was as fabulous as mine! :)