Caramoan (Feb. 2) Part III

The beach, with all the bancas beached during the storm

I don’t know if I have my days in order. Between my senior memory and weeks and weeks of time passing, I can’t remember if I have my days straight. I do know this: we had three nights in Caramoan, and each day was a little adventure in itself. It’s not like the old days where I was getting drunked up, chasing women, and then diving the next day. Now I just like getting drunked up, flirting a little, and going for a walk/hike that might test me a little. I am much more sedate than the old days. But I do like seeing things that give me an uncommon perspective on life. That’s why I like Gordon, because he is the same way. We both need to push our boundaries a little. I fight memory, energy, balance—both literal and metaphorical. Anyone who knows me, knows I am an “unbalanced” character. I’m not a bad guy, but I am a little outside the box. No telling where I will find my thrill. The unusual always catches my attention.

Typical limestone cliffs and I have no idea where this “walkway” is going or coming from

One day we were in Caramoan and we drove to the coast. It wasn’t a long drive, but we could always count on Aries finding the way. Good old, wild and crazy Aries. It’s hard not to appreciate a guy like him. We went down to a beach. From what we had been told, this was a special place, but we were still a little early in the season. Storms were still lashing the coast. In a few weeks, things were supposed to settle down a little and the local (Filipino) tourists were going to start showing up. But as of this date, things were still a little unpredictable.

Limestone mountains and islands. Very impressive countryside, when the season permits passage

Aries took us to a beach that had been beaten by wind and storm. It was very pretty, but there was no way we could go out in a banca and visit the surrounding islands—our intention. The coast guard had (wisely) shut all the waters down. No one was allowed out at sea.

Aries and I before we start down the beach

The coast line was gorgeous albeit gray and stormy. The ragged cliffs were limestone and covered with jungle. It would have been a great little excursion, but it was not meant to be. So we walked the beach, each at our own pace, in our own thoughts. We probably spent hours trekking about. This was a special part of Luzon that normally goes unmentioned. Gordon had flown down to Leguzpie years before, but he had never driven this long, winding stretch of tropical road before. One of the reasons I like traveling with Gordon is he is always tuned into adventurous stretches of territory no one has ever heard of. You go with Gordon, you will have a bit of an adventure.

A group of “teens” at the end of the beach, curious about me, and vice-a-versa.

Eventually, we all hooked up together again, and headed back to Caramoan where we did one more night of Karaoke at our favorite little outdoor bar. I must admit, I was kind of falling in love with the manager there. There was something special about her, but I had to remind myself, things had changed since getting together with Monette in Sabong. I told myself, “no! Don’t go down that road”. And I didn’t. I don’t know what it is about the Philippines.

Two little girls wondering what a guy like me is doing hanging around their “neighborhood”

So we sang (not me), we drank, we laughed, had a good time before heading back to our Bed n Breakfast, where we had to prepare for an early departure to the famed volcano city of Legazpie. It was a long drive, but this was a city quite popular for it’s beauty, volcano, sea coast, and potpourri of tropical fruits. It was almost time for us to move on.

Back at the Karaoke bar, a nice guy, celebrating his birthday. So typical of the Philippines—everybody friendly.