Siquijor

I could write a book about my adventure in Siquijor-a small, quiet island about 45 minutes from Dumaguete. I was intially intrigued by it's renowned witches and a tree house where visitors can sleep over the water. I was only there for three days, two nights but it's definitely one of my top five favorite travel locations.

Here's a glimpse:


My alarm clock.

From my room at the Himbilica Seaview. I accidently talked the owner, Fides, down from 700 pesos to 400 pesos per night. I DO NOT bargain with people. I was just asking if there was some place cheaper close by. HONESTLY. I realized after I left Siquijor that I paid for one of the nights twice-so I don't feel that guilty.

Breakfast: Pancakes-Filipino style

Fides told me that the weather has been unpredictable this year. She warned a typhoon might be coming but the weather was absolutely phenomenal. It occasionally sprinkled but for the majority of the time, I was surrounded by a blue sky littered with huge, white clouds.

Looking at the Hambilica from the shoreline. Fides is contructing another cottage but workers get delayed by weather and lack of resources. Cement, for example, is a resource on the island with a waiting period attached.

Fides helped me hire a habal habal (motorbike) driver, Charlie. He smelled REALLY good. CHARLIE: "What is your name, mame? Mercy? OK, mame, let's go."

About five minutes after we started, Charlie pulled over to this stand. I was thinking to myself, man, what kinda lazy bones did I hire? But then he whispered, "Excuse me, mame." and I hopped off the motorbike. He lifted the seat up and poured the "Coca-Cola" into the gas tank. This "Coca-Cola" stand is actually one of few Siquijor gas stations.

This was the first place Charlie drove me to. A church across from, supposedly, the oldest convent in Asia.

The oldest convent in Asia...according to Charlie...

Cambugahay Falls. I went for a dip and had these waterfalls all to myself. It was really hot and the water was refreshing. Charlie just "watched" me. After I got out, he told me I had a sexy body. Then he stated, "You are a sexy man." I'm not sure if he thought I was really a man or if he just didn't know the English word for woman.

The view from the water at Cagusuan Beach. I had this beach all to myself too! As I was drying off, Charlie asked if I had a boyfriend. Me: "YES." Charlie: "Does he have a good job?" Me: "YES." He was harmless but I didn't want it to escalate.

The water at Cagusuan Beach.

A glimspe of the scenery-Charlie drove me around the whole island for 450 pesos. The older island people eyeballed me and the island kids excitedly waved hello. Fides explained a rumor that connecting eyes with the native people results in sickness. Fides commented that most foreigners think the excessive staring is weird but she defends that the locals simply have nothing better to do.

For every five people there was one cow, or one goat, or five chickens.

This was the Hambilica sign; a road next to this house lead back to the Himbilica. Fides explained that this house used to be owned by the richest people on the island but they either got more money and moved away or went broke and moved away. It had an outside toilet in the back; a sign of wealth.

As I mentioned before, Siquijor is known for it's healers and witches. Fides took me to a bolobolo. This was her house. I walked up and seven of her relatives welcomed me. It was intimidating but I felt at ease when one guy offered some tamarind, climbed to the top of a huge tree and picked them for especially for us.

The bolobolo removed bacteria and infection from my legs using water, a bamboo straw and a special stone. The bolobolo was 84 years old. She blew into the straw and rubbed a colt 45 glass over my legs. Then she breathed on my shins and touched my neck and back with ointment. Once the water is clear, she was finished and I was cured!

After the bolobolo, a hilot came to my room. A hilot is a "healer" of sorts. Being a hilot is not something that is passed on but rather a gift that people are born with. She felt my body using a unique technique and located the area causing my back pain. Redness remained on my chest and back from the hilot pressing my skin.

Roomie! He kept me company during a brown-out. The electricity on the island goes out frequently for short periods of time....a mini black-out which they call a brown-out! Kinda cute, huh?

Now that's what I call BEACHFRONT. I REALLY wanted to stay at the Guiwanon Spring Park Resort, which looked similiar to the shack in this picture. But I couldn't because there were no guards at night and I would have had to squat off a ledge to pee. Yet another dream (such as staying the night on park benches) shattered due to being a female. DAMN YOU VAGINA!

Fides made me this squash with coco milk dish. IT WAS HEAVENLY! I will try to get the recipe and post it...and you can thank me later.

I was disappointed that I didn't sleep at the Guiwanon Spring Park Resort (the tree house) but my time in Siquijor was virtually a homestay. Fides educated me on all aspects of Filipino life. I learned some slang, I have been cured and I had the perfect blend of comfort and native Siquijor life...without having to piss off a ledge.