Bicol: CWC to Caramoan (Land and Sea)

Second of my string of posts about Bicol.

We woke up at 5am and immediately checked out at 5:45am. From the complex, we were brought by the shuttle  to the main highway going to Naga Central Terminal. It was a 20-minute ride by bus. Fare is Php10.00 per/head. Cool morning air splashed on my face because we took a non-aircon bus. Morning mist or fog flooded the ricefields. It's summer but Bicol made me shiver.

We arrived at the central terminal at 6:15 and took the van going to Sabang Port, San Jose, Camarines Sur. This is the jump-off point going to Caramoan town.We haven't had breakfast yet so I just bought donuts and juice from a nearby Mister Donut Cafe. Good thing they are open early. The van left at around 6:30am. Fare was Php100 per head. The driver considered our big suitcase as one head  so we paid extra for it.

Travel time is supposed to be for an hour only. To my left, Mt. Isarog followed us.



Mt. Isarog on our way to San Jose

We arrived at the port after 1 hour and 30 minutes. The van was fully loaded thus the slow ride. We were there around 8:10am. Loading on the docked boat has not started yet . They made us sign the manifesto and paid some terminal fee (Php10 per head).

We waited for 15 minutes before loading began. I have read in other blogs that the practice before in Sabang Port is that passengers were carried by porters on their shoulders. So I prepared myself for this.Fortunately, the porters thought of a way to make their tasks less painful (imagine carrying a big creature like X). They connected some boards and attached empty plastic drums at the bottom so that the boards will float. This served as the gangplank for the passengers and porters alike. We gave a tip to the porter who carried our suitcase.



MV Harry, our ride at Sabang Port, San Jose, Camarines Sur



Bye bye Sabang

 We left the port at 845am for a 2-hour boat ride. Thank God the water was very calm in Lagonoy Gulf. Notwithstanding, I was still uneasy since this is going to be my first long boat ride. Longest I had was 15 minutes going to Colibra Island in Dasol. And it was a bumpy ride. Travel was less scary when I realized that the route was always close to the mainland (just a few meters away from the boat). I was informed that land travel is also possible but it will take 4 to 5 hours on a rough road.

scenic boat ride

I noticed that the boat slows down when it approaches a shallow area. It's when you can see the bottom teeming with fishes. Example was when we were about to pass an islet called Rose Islet. It's a small island with white sand. It's a destination in itself. Very pretty.



Approaching Rose Islet

 

Tourists flocking the islet

This is halfway of the sea journey. Guijalo Port in Caramoan is 50 minutes away. Some passengers disembarked from the boat in the towns we passed by. They were fetched at sea by smaller bancas offloading the goods before the passengers. That's sea taxi, Camsur style....!!!!

Then we saw Guijalo port...

Sense of sight feasted.

X

Bicol: CWC Pili (Air and Land)

We arrived at around 3pm in Pili Airport, after 2 hours of delayed flight. Praise the airlines!!!


The roaring engine of the Dornier aircraft made me hold on to my dear life. Naga City, while airborne is a pretty sight but the sickening sound of the aircraft's rotating blades, made me sick. I don't blame it on Bicol. But the runway is too small to accommodate bigger planes.Air travel over.


Stepping out from the aircraft was a challenge for me. I got a little nauseous and  asked for a gum from DS. Greeted by a warm afternoon breeze at Pili Airport but seeing Mt.Isarog from the runway refreshed me. After getting the baggage (and the camera tripod which the arline asked us to check in), the CWC shuttle bus was waiting for us... flashing my name in a white board. Hahaha!

Getting out of the airport, our land travel began. I saw a big billboard showcasing one of the best sights of Camarines Sur.




Just right outside the airport



Arriving at the CWC Watersports Complex, checking in was quick. I upgraded my reservation to a bigger room. I reserved for a Tiki Hut (Php1,100 per night) with a queen bed and aircon only. BH and DS insisted on getting a bigger room with TV. Good thing there's an available cabana (for Php1,700 per night).

We were brought to Cabana No. 9. It's spacious with a tv, aircon, hot and cold shower.



row of cabanas



Cabana No. 9 (I covered X and DS)



After a quick rest, we proceeded to their main clubhouse where the action is. Foreign and local tourists flock the wakeboarding facility. I wanted to try it but seeing the rope moving around the lagoon towing a wakeboarder at a fast speed made my knees buckle. BH has vertigo thus, he too refused. It was DS who was very eager to try it but I was concerned about his safety. So we just watched the brave ones and decided to dip in their pool.



Pool area. Mt. Isarog on the background




wakeboarding facility. This dude just crashed in the water.

 

just beside the wakeboarding facility

more seats in the open area



night shot

We channeled our curiosities to food. Hahaha! CWC offered their bestsellers to impress their guests' tastebuds. I loved their "Sinibid na Tilapia" which is fried tilapia bathing in rich and creamy coconut milk with chilis. Yumminess! Their Bicolano Pizza was a blast. If I have to stay in CWC longer, I don't mind eating at least one pizza per day. The fresh thin crust was so crispy and was topped with lots of cheese and laing bits. Oh-la-la! DS loved it too. Pork barbecue is alright. BH ordered halo-halo but it was Chowking-like.



Sinibid na Tilapia and Laing



  

Bicolano Pizza



Halo-Halo

It was only the first day but Bicol already awakened my 5 senses.

Hmmm...I'm almost 400 kilometers away from home.

X



Bicol: Awakening of the 5 Senses.

This is my first post about my Bicol getaway.
Bicolanos fascinate me not only for their famous Mayon but also their cuisine (and the people of course).
I thought there's only a handful of sights to see in Bicol .
Apart from the conical icon Mt. Mayon, there's more to what Bicol is famous for...And I have only seen barely half of it.

I will divide my posts based on my  day-to-day experience (sight, sound, smell, taste and touch).

From yahoo image

X

Today's salad

Today's salad is chicken with sliced peach halves and glazed pili nuts from X, her loot from Caramoan. Thanks X for making my salad yummier!

Xoxo, Y
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Of plums and train stations

For lunch today, I have romaine lettuce with a slice beef pastrami, a piece of fresh plum, and some walnuts. I would have wanted to add some cayenne pepper but I was not sure how it would go with the pepper on the beef pastrami.

The meal is yummy. I also fixed the same for the Big Boy, though his romaine lettuce is more leafy. I got most of the hearts.

I got the plums from S&R. It costs about 20 per piece.

Years back, plums had a way of depressing me. When my parents first moved to the U.S., my mom would call and tell me how home sick she was. I remember her story about walking from her place of work to the train station in New York, and on the way, she would munch on plums and always end up having 1 plum left to eat when she reaches the train, hence the plum (with her teeth) becoming a pedometer of sorts. She also told me that it was her comfort food.

To put a closer to this, I recently asked her again what she thinks about plums. She again told me that story about when she was still working in NY.

I told her, you can reinvent plums, you know. I told about my plum salad. I heard her voice brighten up. She however cannot imagine eating it without any dressing at all. She suggested squeezing some lemon zest. I told, er, I don't know, I like it sweet and salty, not tangy or sour. Though, I will try.

There I hope she got over it.

xoxo, Y

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RIP Donna Summer

Donna Summer is dead at 63, yesterday, after battling with the Big C.

Another diva gone. Sources say that she kept mum about her illness and, near her last days, she was working on finishing an album.

Indeed, She Work(ed) Hard For The Money!!!

RIP Donna.

xoxo, Y
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good or evil?

which do you see first? good or evil?

Z

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you or me?

which do you see 1st? you or me?

Z

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