I am probably the last of the romantics to be in the know about setting up a romantic dinner or lunch at fancy restaurants, but take me to the great outdoors, and I can say I know quite a few styles. During this trip, even though I had envisioned a meal by the sea with my girlfriend, the friendly staff at Palo Alto Bed & Breakfast took on the task of preparing what was unanimously agreed as 'hands down' the best meal we had ever shared together. Why wouldn't it be? A plateful of crab, grilled fish, pinakbet, and pork liempo on a private beach spanning a long stretch of white sand, all to ourselves.
A Banquet by the Sea in Puerto Princesa
A Secluded Stretch of Sand
Right after our Underground River tour, our boatman quickly took us on a twenty-minute boat ride to a secluded place away from the hordes of tourists. With the strong winds gushing against our faces, I directed my gaze afar and saw the glistening white sands and deep crystal-clear waters, enveloped by lush green forests waiting for us.
I remembered during my previous trips to Coron and El Nido, Palawan, one of the highlights was the lunch prepared during the island-hopping tour. Those were shared with other travelers, which I didn't mind. It served as the most opportune time to bond with each other as we formed a circle and feasted on the sumptuous set of dishes prepared by our boatmen. In between sucking on crab shells, lively conversations would ensue.
A Feast to Remember
But on this particular instance, it was just me and my girlfriend, Monnette. The staff of Palo Alto set up a sand blanket for us to sit on, and over it, a woven mat where they served our banquet for the day. Since we started seeing each other, Monnette and I had been going out a lot food-tripping in the city—particularly in the foodie corners of Maginhawa Street in Quezon City.
We've had our favorite places and moments of gastronomical pleasure, but this one topped them all. While nibbling on a crab, I asked her to rate this particular meal we were sharing together. Without blinking, she told me, "This is the best," as she cracked open one of the crab claws.
Moments of Pure Bliss
It took us more than an hour to finish our meal. Crab meat is always time-consuming to chow down, but it injected an unrivaled gluttonous appeasement to our appetites—making it very much worth the slow pace of devouring it. Given that the weather couldn't have been more perfect and the sun just showered us with a luminous glow, our skin screamed for contact with saltwater. Coupled with the inviting call of the waves, we waded through the ocean like we owned it.
Just seeing the sight of the smile on Monnette's face, I told myself I would never tire of traveling with her. Whether it be revisiting old favorites of mine or discovering new ones, this was just the start of our many journeys together—both literally and figuratively.
