Camiguin: Simple Paradise

My intentions were to post yesterday to my blog, but unfortunately the internet here at my "resort" was down for more than 24 hours.  A storm had moved through the area and apparently interfered with the WiFi.  But that's life here in paradise.  In my last post I wrote that I was up very early in the morning. Around 7:00 that morning the storm came through. I still had electricity but the internet connection was gone.  So I worked for a while on one of my writing assignments and enjoyed the morning shower.  I had already taken a quick dip in the swimming pool.  The water was at just the right temperature -- warm enough to be relaxing but cool enough to keep you moving.  I met Nemesio for breakfast -- rice (of course), scrambled eggs with some sauteed tomato,  a slice of ham, and bottomless coffee.

The view of Camiguin from the side of Hibok-Hibok volcano

From there we headed out to the port where we dropped off Nemesio's two daughters, Rachel and Love, who were headed back to Ubay on Bohol to get the school ready to open on Monday.  We picked up the co-pastor of the church here in Camiguin along with his wife and proceeded on a "praying" tour of the island.  Every Saturday, the two pastors and their wives drive around the island.  They stop at each of the five towns here and pray for the people and for guidance from God as they plan on establishing a church in each of those towns.  We would just park along the roadside, sing a song or two and then pray around for the community we were in.  (I don't think we've done that in Albuquerque lately - hmmm.)

We visited some of the more popular tourist sites, including an old church and its cemetery which were damaged in the eruption of one of the islands five volcanoes back in the 18th century.  The grounds changed so much in the process that the cemetery is now submerged, with only a large cross visible as it protrudes up from the water.  We did not venture out to White Island, which is just a large sand bar at the northern end of Camiguin -- the weather remained  questionable all day, with periods of rain and strong winds.  We went up to the government offices which monitor the volcanoes for possible eruption.  One in particular was active in the late 1990s and could start up again at any time.

One of the tourist sites on Camiguin

As we drove around the island, my travel companions chatted on about the island and its history.  I had my nose out the window, just soaking in all of the views along the way and waving at some of the locals who were curious about the 'kano' who was visiting their island.  We stopped at a local "eatery" for lunch -- fish and rice, along with a few other meaty products (pork mostly) along with a soup with vegetables and pig "parts" -- kind of like the US military's "don't ask don't tell" program.  It was all very good and I was full and satisfied.  The meal for five people came to 230 pesos (less than $8.00).

Typical house of bamboo walls and metal roof

In general, Camiguin is a very poor island.  There are a few foreigners and some well-to-do Filipinos who have built some large and impressive homes here, but most people live in either simple bamboo houses with galvanized steel roofs or in concrete block houses also with corrugated steel roofing material.  The doors to most of the houses were standing wide open, even in the rain and wind.  Clothes remained on the clothesline to dry -- again. Dogs roamed around the streets where chickens and roosters were tethered to stakes to keep them from going onto the road.  Motorcycles, tricycles, vans and jeepneys eased back and forth along the roadways.  Being a weekend, school children were out playing along the roadsides or at the local basketball court.  Others were in town hanging around the marketplace, visiting with their friends or just watching the world go by.  Many of the adults were doing the same thing.  Some were working, some were not.  I saw people swimming in the sea, gathering various sea foods, either to sell or for their own consumption.  A group of men were harvesting coconuts.  Others were busy tending to the whims of some tourists who were willing to venture out in boats or jet skies.

Harvesting coconuts

What I was taken with mostly with the general peacefulness of the island.  Unlike my visit in Manila, life here in Camiguin was decidedly slower.  Although some people have obvious goals or destinations for the day, the  frantic pace noted in Manila was quite absent.  If there was a line for something (which seemed rare), everyone just remained calm and patient.  The same with traffic on the roads.  Several tree branches had come down in the storm that had passed through earlier.  While I was surprised that no one took the initiative to clear the roadside (the branches were  not that big), they just took turns going around the obstacles.

Volcano observatory on Camiguin

I was back to my room by 4:00 in the afternoon -- the internet was still not up, so I did the most sensible thing I could think of . . . I took a nap.  I had dinner at Nemesio's house around 6:00 and visited for an hour or so before returning "home".  Dinner was rice, a dish with cooked vegetables and some pork, and a piece of dried fish.  The fish was prepared more for me to sample than as an integral part of the meal.  I have heard that most Americans don't handle it too well . . . even the smell is a little strong.  For me it was just fine -- a little salty, but then I've reduced my salt intake significantly as part of a healthy-heart diet, so anything with salt is "salty" to me.  The internet was still off when I return to my room, so I prepared a few notes on my lesson for church the next morning and the quickly fell asleep.  At 5:00 this morning I woke and checked the internet -- two bars!

I have some video of Camuguin that I need to "process" as well as some footage from Manila. I hope to work with that on Monday afternoon (Philippines time) and post it as soon as I can.  I also intend on taking a few more photos of Camguin today (Sunday) and get them posted as well.  Time for a dip in the pool and then breakfast at the "open" restaurant.

Tomorrow -- Camiguin, part 2?  It all depends on what tomorrow brings.