My Beloved Wife Lei planned on preparing our favorite Graham cake and then going to my parents to welcome the new year. But these plans were foiled by the coming of our bundle of joy: Little Ahab.
Lei had a hard time during labor. She struggled for more than 24 hours before our Ob/Gyne decided to do a Caesarean operation. Lei and our baby are fine. Our God kept them safe and healthy.
I couldn’t explain the happiness when I saw my child for the first time. My heart jumped when I heard his first cry. I will surely treasure that moment for the rest of my life.
2014 was an exceptional year for me and Lei because it is the year when we opened a new chapter of our life as husband and wife. We didn’t had a hard time adjusting but there were moments when my personality clashed with hers. Thank God that we overcame our differences and made everything work in our first months of marriage.
The change in my personal life affected my blogs negatively. 2014 is the year when I contracted the much dreaded Writer’s Block. I had to take a month off blogging just to recuperate and regain my “voice”.
Finally, I posted about our honeymoon trip to Puerto Princesa. We truly enjoyed our first trip as husband and wife because of the pristine beach and clean seas of Palawan. That island is truly the last frontier of the Philippines. Aside from the beaches of Honda Bay, we also experienced a breathtaking trip to the world-famous Puerto Princesa Underground River.
It is quite obvious that my blog posts are very few this year. Only three blog series peppered with other blog posts. I have plenty of delayed posts. I’m yet to finish posting about my trip around Thailand. I also have pending posts for my trip to Guimaras, Northern Samar, Cebu, Subic, and Davao. My latest trip to Kuala Lumpur was also added to the queue.
My New Year’s resolution for my blog is to finish all of my pending posts. I also hope to post more on my other blogs. I also wish that I will be able to balance my daily life and blogging. And of course, I hope (and pray) that my income from blogging increase and more opportunity will come to me.
So, expect more travel posts on this blog. I will take you to interesting places around the Philippines and beyond.
To all of the readers of BTES, especially my suki, I greet all of you a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. May the Lord shower you and your family with great blessings.
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Christmas is the most festive season in the Philippines. In fact, our country is popular for having the longest Christmas Season in the world. As the much awaited season, every town in the country have their own ways of celebrating it.
Last year, we visited the Kahayag Festival of the town of Carmen in Davao del Norte that features giant Christmas trees and belen (nativity scenes). Many people from Carmen and other towns flock the town plaza to see lights and feel the beauty of Christmas.
This year, we went to the Christmas Light and Sound Show at the Aguinaldo Shrine.
I visited Aguinaldo Shrine three years ago. It was an edifying experience because I finally saw the house that had an important role in our history. This white house was the residence of the first president Emilio Aguinaldo and this where he declared our country’s independence from Spain.
Colorful lights danced on the walls of Aguinaldo Shrine in tune to Christmas songs. Christmas lights abound the plaza but I believe that the Kahayag Festival has better decorations.
My sister-in-law informed me that last year’s decorations were more grand. I guess the local government is trying to save money this year.
Many people visit Aguinaldo Shrine not only for the light and sound show but also for the Christmas bazaar. There are shops for toys, clothes, bags, and other items straight from Divisoria.
The Christmas Light and Sound Show is the best place for kids. My Beloved Wife Lei’s pamangkins enjoyed the place especially that they have a wide space to run around.
Christmas Light and Sound Show at Aguinaldo Shrine is still open until January 4 so you can still come even if Christmas Day is over. Read this schedule for more info:
Our fun in Puerto Princesa is over. It was the third day of our vacation in the island paradise and we didn’t want to leave. But we didn’t have a choice but to return to our normal lives in Metro Manila. So we packed our bags and pasalubongs and left Marianne Home Inn to go to the airport for our flight back home.
Our trip to Puerto Princesa Airport was hassle-free because our hotel provided us free transfer. The driver was courteous. Too bad that I forgot to give a tip for his good service. *sigh* I really am scatterbrained.
Puerto Princesa Airport was simple compared to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). It doesn’t have a jet bridge so we had to walk to aircraft. This was not a problem for us because the weather was fair. We even used this opportunity to take our selfies.
One thing that I envy with the residents of Palawan is their fresh seafood (which is fresh as in freshly harvested from the sea and not the other “fresh” that means freshly picked from the cold storage of supermarkets).
Palawan still has clean seas that’s why this province is a source of seafood for Metro Manila. My Beloved Wife Lei knows this that’s why she made sure to go to the local palengke to buy some dried danggit.
Danggit is the Visayan (or Cebuano) name for the rabbitfish or spinefoot.1 It is usually dried and then fried. It’s crispy-salty goodness will make you want for more.
Dried danggit is one of Lei’s favorite that why I always buy some of it whenever I visit Cebu.
The Puerto Princesa Public Market is conveniently located near our hotel thus we didn’t had a hard time going to it. It looks the same as the palengke in other towns because it has the wet section for fishes and other seafood, the meat section, and other areas where veggies and other dry goods are sold. The unique area in Puerto Princesa’s palengke is the presence of shops that sell dried seafood, nuts, and other food souvenir items. I guess this area of the palengke reflects the touristy side of Puerto Princesa.
I enjoyed watching Lei as she haggled with the vendor. The stubbornness of the vendor won so we bought a kilo of danggit for 240 pesos. I know it looks expensive but this can be considered a bargain since dried danggit is twice or thrice more expensive in Metro Manila.
Danggit is not the only dried seafood that is for sale. There’s dried squid, dried anchovies, the common tuyo, the common daing, and many more. There are nuts too. Of course, sweets are also available.
We checked out other food items in the palengke but we just bought the dried danggit. Well, I guess Lei is already contented with the dried danggit.
War brings the best and worst in people. A few people rose up to become heroes and served as beacons of hope in the midst of suffering and darkness. On the other hand, there were people who used the war to unleash their evil side. This evil side of humanity was what I discovered during our visit to Plaza Cuartel in Puerto Princesa.
Plaza Cuartel is just a normal park at first glance but in the middle of it is a marker that reminds every visitors of its gruesome past. The marker showing an emaciated man tied by a barbed wire and burned from below. This marker is the grim reminder of the event that took place on December 15, 1944.
1944 is the year when the Allied Forces started the campaign to retake the Philippines from the Japanese. General Douglas MacArthur successfully landed in Leyte in October.3 Due to their impending defeat, the Japanese soldiers in Puerto Princesa decided to kill all prisoners. So on the 14th day of December 1944, they ordered all POWs to go inside the air-raid tunnel. They then poured aviation fuel into the tunnels and set them afire. They also threw grenades to surely kill the POWs. Any prisoner who went out of the tunnel were killed by machine guns.1
Those who managed to escape the massacre were hunted down by the Japs. Of the 154 American POWs in Plaza Cuartel, Only 11 lived to tell the tale.
Near the entrance of the Plaza Cuartel is a small gate to a room which seems to have nothing important. I peeked through the gate and I discovered the entrance to the tunnels where the prisoners were burned alive.
It was a horrifying experience for me because I imagined what happened (and I know my imagination is less gruesome than what truly happened). I asked how a human being can do such inhumane act to another human being. Such acts are more of devil’s work and I believe that the devil was present during that day, cheering for the Japanese soldiers.
Our visit to Plaza Cuartel was a little depressing but it was worth it. I learned a little history and saw how war promotes atrocities such the one that happened in Plaza Cuartel.
Plaza Cuartel is just few steps away from the Immaculate Conception Cathedral. It can easily be reached by riding a tricycle anywhere in Puerto Princesa. Just tell the driver that you’re going to the cathedral. There’s no entrance fee so you don’t have to pay anything.
Any one who is doing the Puerto Princesa City Tour should never miss Plaza Cuartel. The place is unique in Puerto Princesa because it is the best relic of the Second World War because of the barbarity that happened in that place.
We have a few hours left before our afternoon flight back to Manila, so, on our third (and last) day in Puerto Princesa we decided to do our own city tour. We did our Internet research the night before and we chose to visit only two spots, namely, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral and Plaza Cuartel. We also planned on going to Baker’s Hill but we weren’t able to do so because we had little time.
Puerto Princesa City doesn’t have plenty of historical sites like Cebu or Manila. The reason for this is that Palawan is one of last islands colonized by the Spaniards. In fact, the Spanish colonial government was just established in 1871 or almost at the end of Spanish rule in the Philippines.
The Bishop of Jaro appointed Father Ezekiel Moreno (now a saint) as the military chaplain of Puerto Princesa in 1872. An expedition of 272 people went to Puerto Princesa and celebrated the first mass there.1 They chose Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception as the patroness of the new colony.
The Immaculate Conception Cathedral is impressive. I guess that it is the biggest church in the whole island of Palawan. Its blue color matched the color of Mama Mary the Patroness of Puerto Princesa.
The current semi-Gothic cathedral was built in 1965 during the reign of Bishop Gregorio Espiga. It was designed by Architect Mañalac and constructed under the supervision of Engineer Florencio Llacuna. The wooden elements of the church like the door, pews, and carvings were made by the Iwahig inmates.2
We were welcomed by the words “Haec Est Domus Dei” as we enter the cathedral. It means “This is the house of God”.
Our visit to the Puerto Princesa Cathedral has two purposes. The first is to see the cathedral as a tourist and the second is to pray to God. Lei and I thanked God for blessing us during our wedding day. We asked Him to help us in our new journey as husband and wife.
The whole cathedral was deserted during our visit. This was an advantage because I can take photos without interference.
The cathedral’s altar is simple but elegant. The best part is that the tabernacle is located at the center, which is its proper place. Just above the tabernacle is the image of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception.
Some of you are possibly asking who is this lady and why we Catholics call her immaculate. Well, Our Lady of Immaculate Conception is the title of the Mary (the mother Christs) that signifies her being free from original sin during her conception. Her immaculate conception stems from the fact that Jesus is totally incompatible with sin. Thus, it is impossible for Him to be borne by a woman who is infected with original sin or made an actual sin.3
The two towers at the sides of Puerto Princesa Cathedral bear 8 bells which are dedicated to San Nicolas de Tolentino, St. Ezekiel Moreno, San Fernando Rey de España, San Jose, Maria Consolatrix Afflictorum, and Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception.2
Our visit to Puerto Princesa Cathedral was short but meaningful. We’re glad that we managed to visit Him in His house in Puerto Princesa. This completes our trip to Puerto Princesa.
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Information included post came from the following sources:
Traveling to other places is a short and (usually) sweet experience. There are beautiful places to see, unique food to taste, and the moments outside of the usual daily routine. It is a rare experience that’s why I made it a habit to buy souvenirs during my travels.
Our trip to Puerto Princesa earlier this year was not different. Me and My Beloved Wife Lei made it sure that we get some souvenirs and pasalubong for the people waiting for us in Manila. So, before the end of our awesome Puerto Princesa Underground River tour we asked our tour guide to drop us to the best place where we can shop for souvenirs.
Our tour guide brought us to LRC Market Mall.
LRC Market Mall doesn’t appear impressive because it looks more of a flea market than a mall. It actually looks like the uncrowded (and smaller) version of Chatuchak Weekend Market in Bangkok. The place is hot and may make you sweaty all over.
But don’t let the appearance deceive you because LRC Market Mall is filled to the gills with souvenir items from all over Palawan.
This is where I found my favorite souvenir items: key chains and ref magnets. We also looked at interesting items made of shells, wood carvings, bags, t-shirt and more. I was contented with key chains and magnets but Lei was searching for pearl earrings.
Puerto Princesa is a good place to buy pearls because it is located near Sulu Sea and the Sulu Archipelago which are the source of the famed pearls. In fact, this part of the country is so popular for pearls that pearl farms sprouted off the seas of Coron, Busuanga, Dumaran, and Balabac. The beautiful pearls coming from these farms costs hundreds of dollars a piece.
Of course, Lei didn’t buy the expensive pearls. She’s OK with the pearls in LRC mall.
We were satisfied with our shopping in LRC Market Mall. We managed to get bargains for our purchases and the vendors are easy to talk with. The market is not that crowded and very easy to navigate.
If you’re a tourist looking for a good place to buy souvenirs and pasalubong, I suggest that you go to LRC Market Mall. It is located along Puerto Princesa North Road, Barangay San Miguel. Any tricycle or taxi cab can easily bring you to this market.
Look at the Google Map below for directions to LRC Market Mall.
I interrupt my regular blogging schedule with a very important post. I’m referring, of course, to super-typhoon Ruby (international name Hagupit) which about to hit Samar Island on Saturday.
Track of Typhoon Ruby from PAGASA.
It is sad that the provinces hit by Typhoon Yolanda last year will be hit by Typhoon Ruby. My kababayan who suffered the loss of family and friends might suffer the same horror this year.
It is easy to lose hope in the face of the calamity that is about to happen. But hopelessness will bring us nothing but despair. So, instead of hopelessness I suggest that we rouse ourselves and face Ruby. We should call on to God for protection and we should do this as a nation. Typhoon Ruby is nothing but a raging wind and it is nothing compared to our Creator.
Aside from calling to our God, we should also prepare for the coming typhoon. Those who live along the typhoon track must do the necessary precautions. Houses must be strengthened and those who are near the sea must go to higher grounds.
For us who are spared from being hit directly by Typhoon Ruby should not wait idly for the calamity to happen. We must prepare the food, clothing, medicines, and other relief items. Our unfortunate kababayan who will experience the brunt of Ruby will surely need these things.
Typhoon Ruby is truly scary but there is something that we can do: Pray – Prepare – Help of our kababayan.
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Are you having difficulties in arranging your trip to Puerto Princesa Underground River? Or are you worried because you don’t know what to expect during the tour? Is the tour already fully booked? – These questions and more popped in our minds when we decided to go to the world famous underground river/cave of Palawan Island.
We had these questions because we didn’t book the Underground River ahead of time. In fact, we made the decision to go when were already in Palawan.
I bet that you have the same questions if you’re planning to visit the Puerto Princesa Underground River (also known as St. Paul Cave).
I will try to answer some of your questions. So read (and follow) this list of 7 important things that will surely give you hassle-free tour in Puerto Princesa Underground River:
1. Book the Tour before Going to Palawan
Due to being recognized as one of the New 7 Wonders, Puerto Princesa Underground River was placed to international attention. Hordes of tourists descend to Palawan to visit this river. Thus, it is advisable to book your Underground River Tour before going to Palawan.
There’s no online booking for the tour. The official website of the Underground River only provides info and nothing else. The best way to have an advance booking is through the hotel where you’ll stay. Hotels in Puerto Princesa usually are connected with travel agencies.
However, if you found yourself in the same situation as us then you will have to go to a more tricky process. But don’t despair because there’s hope (especially if it is not the peak season). Read my post on how we obtained the entry permit walk-in visitors to know the trick in joining a tour to the Underground River.
2. Be Mindful of the Weather
Visitors to the Underground River have to ride an outrigger boat. This means that Underground River tour is very much dependent on the prevailing weather. Expect tours to be cancelled during inclement weather. I read of sad stories of tourists who waited in vain for the good weather. Many of them had no choice but to leave Palawan because of their tight schedule.
Take note that June to October is the typhoon season in the Philippines so it would be good to go to Palawan in the months of November to May.
3. Never Forget: Patience is a Virtue
It took us more than an hour of waiting at Sabang Wharf and the entrance to cave. I read that other tourists waited much longer. With the great number of visitors to the Underground River, you should expect to wait. I guess your Underground River tour would be the best opportunity to test your patience.
4. Beware of the Monkeys Thieves
Monkeys inhabiting the forest around the Underground River are no longer afraid of humans. In fact, they consider humans as source of food. These monkeys are attracted to sound of plastic bags because they think there’s food inside. So, hold your bags and gadgets tightly unless you want to give them away to the monkey thieves.
5. Bring Powerful Flash for Better Photos
St. Paul Cave is very dark and the light used during the tour is not bright enough for good photos. So it is advisable that you bring a camera that has flash. I used a Lumix point-and-shoot camera which, unfortunately, is not enough to brighten the rock formations that I was photographing. A camera with a powerful flash will surely give you beautiful shots of the stalactites, stalagmites, and columns.
6. You May Need an Audio Tour
Boatmen/cave guides can speak English but there were times that they speak in Filipino. You will not understand the jokes and other things that he is saying. If your very particular in understanding the wonders of Underground River then you must get an Audio Tour.
The Audio Tour is available at a booth before you enter the forest trail. IWelshCo at TripAdvisor said that you should listen to the audio tour before entering the cave because the voice of the boatman and the echo will make it difficult for you to listen to the audio tour.
7. Don’t open your mouth
Make sure to keep your mouth shut especially when looking up. St. Paul Cave is inhabited by bats and some of their poo might drop into your mouth. Bat boo will surely ruin your tour (and may make you hate bats, Batman, Dracula, and all other thing related to bats).
Bonus Tip. Give Your Boatman a Tip
A boatman/cave guide paddles the 1.5 kilometer length of cave for 8 times a day. Their income is barely enough to support their daily needs. If you’re satisfied with their performance then giving them a tip is a great way of showing your appreciation.
The Park Management allows tourists to give tips to their boatmen. The only requirement is that you give the tip to a boatman/cave guide that performed well. This will make sure that the boatmen/ cave guides will do their best to please park visitors.
Puerto Princesa Underground River is a truly wonderful place. And every one must visit it. So drop your hesitations. Book a tour and book a flight and go to Palawan!
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Read more of our adventure in Puerto Princesa Underground River:
“There’s nothing to see in the Underground River. It’s just rocks and darkness. BORING” – This is what I said before me and My Beloved Wife Lei went to Puerto Princesa.
So instead of booking a tour to the world famous underground river, I decided to get the Honda Bay tour. Going to the islands was fun but I realized that our Puerto Princesa trip will be incomplete if we never go to the Underground River.
Welcome to Puerto Princesa Underground River! (Note: that's not me)
Fortunately, we found a tour agency that helped us book a tour to the Underground River. They helped us get the entry permits and arranged our land travel to Sabang Wharf, then boat trip to the underground river, and even the buffet lunch. They got everything covered.
After three-and-a-half hours of travelling and waiting, we finally reached the beach of the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park.
We were amazed by the clear seas and cliffs, which is a fine example of karst topography.
I read that Palawan was not originally part of the Philippine archipelago. About 30 million years ago, the island (together with Calamianes Group and Mindoro) is still part of the Eurasian Continental Plate (this is the land mass of mainland Asia and Europe). It just drifted away from the mainland and collided with the Philippine Mobile Belt 15 million years ago. That collision uplifted Palawan into its current form.1
Tectonic movement of Palawan Island.2
The uplifted limestone mountains of Palawan, which includes Mount St. Paul, were eroded and its rocks dissolved by rainwater and rivers forming the amazing karst topography that we see today.
These scientific data about Puerto Princesa Underground River blew my mind. The beauty that we admire today took millions of years to form.
A Walk through the Forest Trail
The entrance to the Underground River is at the foot of Mount St. Paul Range. The mountain is still wooded and located in the remote area of Palawan. That’s why we had to pass through the forest just to reach the entrance.
Our journey through the forest was not scary because there’s a cleared path between the trees.
Our tour guide warned us about the monkeys in the National Park. She said that the monkeys are no longer scared of humans. These monkeys are attracted to the sound of plastic bags because they associate it with food.
I was not daunted with those warnings so when I saw a monkey I took a close up shot...
...which elicited an angry response. The monkey tried to steal my camera. Vicious sneaky animal! Good thing that it didn’t succeed. So, since that incident, I made sure to hold our bags tightly. Other park visitors were unfortunate because the monkeys stole their things.
This behavioural change for the monkey population in the National Park worried the environmentalists. The government even considered a closed season for the park to lessen the tourism’s impact to the environment.
After a short walk through the forest, we finally saw it: the entrance to the Puerto Princesa Underground River.
The Puerto Princesa Underground River flows out of the St. Paul Cave. The cave and the river go together because it is the river that created the cave for thousands of years.
The place is beautiful. The water is of blue-green tint. It’s no wonder that the early inhabitants of Palawan considered the underground river as the home of the spirits. They didn’t enter the cave out of respect (or fear) to the diwatas.
We had to wait for our turn to ride the paddle boat to the Underground River. The waiting area is filled with tourists while the monkeys prowled around.
Good thing that trees shaded us from the sun. Lei took the opportunity to take her selfie while I roamed around the place.
I discovered that the underground river is connected to the sea.
Finally! Our Journey Inside the St. Paul Cave
The Puerto Princesa Underground River flows throughout the length of the St. Paul Cave, which is located under Mt. St. Paul. According to our tour guide, Mount St. Paul was so named because it looked like London’s St. Paul Cathedral.
Diagram of St. Paul Cave.1
About 21 kilometers of the cave was explored. The diagram above shows that the cave almost covered the whole length of Mount St. Paul. Of course, there are still unexplored areas in the cave.
A little Google search revealed that the cave is well visited by foreign scientists. The first documented exploration was done by Balasz in 1973; then by Australians in 1980, Americans in 1982, and Italians in 1989.3 The latest exploration was done by Italians in 2011 which yielded the discovery of 20 million years old fossil of a sea cow.4
Our turn to ride the paddle boat came after 30 minutes of waiting. We finally met our boatman/cave guide:
I forgot his name but he told me that he once lived in Metro Manila. He returned to Palawan when he got tired of the city life.
Watch the video of our entry to St. Paul Cave:
We were awed the moment we entered the cave. It was awesome that the stalactites, stalagmites, columns, and all other rock formations inside the cave took hundreds of years to form.
Our boatman knew that we were so awed by what we’re seeing that he warned us to never open our mouth very wide because we could catch either the cold cave water or the hot bat shit. What he said is funny but is also true. Up the cave’s ceiling we saw hundreds (or even thousands) of bats staring down at us.
The "black dots" on the white cave wall are bats.
I bet that they are so annoyed with us humans for always interrupting their sleep. Well, at least they didn’t pelt us with their poop.
Aside from telling jokes, our boatman said tidbits of history and scientific information. He told us that stalactites and stalagmites were form by dripping cave waters that contain dissolved minerals. Columns, on the other hand, form when the stalactites and stalagmites finally joined as one.
He showed us one rock formation that is about to become a column hundreds of years from now:
Looking at the rock formations is like looking at the clouds in the sky. You need to unleash your imagination to enjoy the journey. Our boatman is good in imagining things and he brought us to the vegetable section, cathedral, the face of Jesus, the image Nativity scene, and many more.
Here are some of the things that we saw inside the cave:
I noticed that there were black crosses painted on the cave wall. I wonder if they have mysterious meaning.
Another interesting writing on the cave wall was written in 1937. I was not able to read the whole name but I saw LT. which may mean lieutenant. If my guess is right then that person would be an American military officer who was a member of the team who mapped Palawan in 1937.5
Our boatman told us that some cavers discovered an exit to the St. Paul Cave other than the one that we previously entered. Too bad that our tour will not bring us to that new exit.
Our journey through the cave passed too quickly that we thought we spent an hour or more in the darkness. The truth is that our tour lasted around 30 minutes.
Light! I see light. We're saved!
I felt happy when I saw the light at the end of our journey. St. Paul Cave may have awesome things hidden in the dark but it doesn’t beat the beauty of the sun. We read this important reminder before we left the dock:
I heartily agree with what’s written on that sign. Giving tips to the boatman is a good sign of appreciation. Since our boatman/cave guide gave an excellent service, we didn’t hesitate to give him a tip.
That ended our journey inside St. Paul Cave and our Puerto Princesa Underground River adventure. All the time that we spent travelling and waiting were well spent because Puerto Princesa Underground River is truly beautiful and world-class. It truly deserves its place in the New 7 Wonders of Nature.
Regards to my first comment that “there’s nothing to see in the Underground Cave”? Well, I admit that I was wrong.
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Read more of our adventures in Puerto Princesa, Palawan:
