Yesterday (though by no official reckoning but our own) was snorkeling day. We chartered a boat out to two “coral gardens” just offshore from Boracay. Though the wind made for some choppy waters, we were treated to plentiful small and colorful reef fish. We also stopped for lunch at a fairly quiet private beach.
Posted are a few photographs from the day:
—Mitchell
Hegman
In the central Philippines, in the province of Aklan, lies a small island that has fully embraced all that makes tropical destinations warm to the soul. Boracay sits just off the northwest coast of Panay, a sliver of land surrounded by clear, seemingly jeweled waters. Its shoreline is famous for powder-fine white sand that feels almost like sifted flour underfoot, while turquoise waves shuffle in and out without particular hurry.
Boracay has long been a favorite destination for
tourists from the Philippines. In recent years, travelers from all corners of
the world have discovered its charms as well.
—Mitchell
Hegman
Yesterday, after a jump from one island to another by plane and then a boat ride from there, we landed on Boracay Island. A short drive by van then deposited Desiree, me, and a good chunk of her family at the beautiful Mövenpick Resort.
I will be sharing more on Boracay later. For now, here are a few pictures from the resort.
—Mitchell
Hegman
Taal Volcano, located on the island of Luzon about two hours outside Manila in the crawl of traffic, is one of the most active and complex volcanoes in the Philippines. It sits within Taal Lake, creating a picturesque yet deceptive beauty. Geologically, Taal is a caldera volcano with numerous smaller craters and a history of frequent eruptions due to its position on the Pacific Ring of Fire. Historically, Taal has erupted more than 30 times since the 16th century, causing significant loss of life and property. Interestingly, the last major eruption occurred on January 12, 2020, only one day after Desiree and her family visited Taal. That eruption led to widespread evacuations and disruption. Ash even fell on Desiree’s sister’s house in nearby Cavite.
Desiree and I visited Taal with her sister and family in 2024. We ate dinner at a lovely eatery overlooking the lake and the volcano. Yesterday, on a flight back to Manila before we hop off to Boracay today, we flew over Taal, allowing for a perfect view from above.
I am posting two photographs of Taal from 2024 and one captured from the plane yesterday.
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—Mitchell
Hegman
When it comes to affixing things to walls here on the islands, whether we are talking about works of art, wiring devices, cabinets… whatever, there seems to be little debate on keeping things plumb or in line with the nearest neighboring thing.
Here, commitment is key. Once it is decided to fasten something in place, you go for it no matter the orientation and then move on to the next task.
It’s rather weird for me to say this, especially considering my craftsman (keep things level and orderly) sensibilities, but I actually find a certain charm, at least freedom, in the island approach to this. Crooked stuff is so prevalent in some places, it becomes an order of its own.
I am posting a couple of examples from the crooked hotel in which we have been staying most recently.
—Mitchell
Hegman
Spelling is not my strong point. I would likely do better if words were spelled a bit closer to the way they sound. But the use of silent letters, and sometimes two letters together making the sound that another letter could make on its own (think “tough” versus “tuf” here), can make things get a bit hopeless for me.
When it comes right down to it, I think we throw a lot of unnecessary letters into words. Just right there “unnecessary” has two “n”s and “s”s scrunched together.
Today I’m sharing the photograph of a sign posted on the wall of the bathroom above our toilet here in the Philippines. The phrase “sewerage system” was used rather than “sewage system,” which struck me as odd coming from the U.S.
Thinking we might have some extra stuff at work here, I consulted the interweb.
It turns out that we might learn from those using English as a second or even third language. In proper English, sewage is the somewhat icky to majorly icky stuff we try to send off through the “sewerage” system, which is the actual pipes and whatnots that carry it (the sewage) away.
It is properly a sewerage system.
—Mitchell
Hegman
One of the most beautiful places I have seen in the Philippines is a small retreat owned by one of Desiree’s cousins. The retreat is very literally built on a mountaintop overlooking sugarcane fields and agricultural lands that stretch outward until they meet Bayawan City and the ocean just beyond. I also appreciate how it was constructed using a mix of new and traditional methods, including bamboo wall panels that give the place a natural warmth.
We visited the retreat yesterday evening, just as the light softened all around us.
From the top, even the sound of barking dogs and thundering lorries on the main road below eased into something near a whisper.
I’m sharing a few photographs from that visit.
—Mitchell
Hegman
