Enchanted River: Unearthly Basin of the Deep Blue

"♫♪♫ I belong with you, you belong with me you're my sweetheart

I belong with you, you belong with me you're my sweet (Ho!) ♫♪♫"

Sings the fairy as he moves his wings in rapid flipping, unseen by the object of his desire, a beautiful girl staring, jaw dropped in fascination at the blue colored waters of what everyone now calls "Enchanted River". The male love-stuck fairy dishes a magical spell but everytime he points his wand towards the girl, a sound of "pfffft" is created. The other fairies laughed at him in jest unison. The earthly woman took off her outer clothing revealing a two piece suit that further outlines her vivacious curves. The Romeo wannabe fairy meanwhile, all resigned to the fact that his world can never become one with that of the woman, sat idle on a little stone, tears flowing down his eyes wondering how it feels like to be a human of the Earthly world.

For Whom the Tinuy-an Falls

I am no drifter recruited to blow up a bridge in a Hemmingway novel. I am though, stunned at the massive force of the rampaging waters of Tinuy-an. It spans 95 meters wide, like fronting an aircraft on the runway about to ran you over, the sound of the water falling from its 180 feet top mimics a roaring engine. Moving slowly towards it, cutting distance in slow and careful strides, the more enthralling it becomes. Soon you feel splashes of water being drooped over you as if a dog was shaking its dripping wet coat. Just when I thought I've seen it at a none better perspective from where I was standing, I noticed a rainbow planted near the foot of the waterfalls. Wow, it must be how the hippies felt when they saw Hendrix performing at Woodstock in 1969. Alright, enough of pop-culture references.

A Woodstock of Pebble Rocks in Mabua

In the not so far outskirts of Surigao City, a throng of edgy, colliding rockers lies unusually subdued, well rested and only head bangs against each other when stepped upon. These are the pebble rockers of barangay Mabua, simply known as "Pebble Beach". The place defies the popular belief, same way as this madame defies the logic that thin women are the only sexy vixens on Earth - that a beautiful beach, to be considered as such, should constitute only fine granule of sands. As this shingle beach shows, these smooth, oval shaped sedimentary rocks are making a strong case against the prevailing concept that only sandy beaches are worth visiting.

view from a nearby Hill

Romblon: Looting Scenery on a Day Hike to Gomot Falls

Still reeling like a junkie who just smoked a bundle of weed from the previous night's "Bikini Open", I woke up from a dream where I found myself trapped in an island along with the eleven other bikini clad contestants. Only to find later on that "number 3" was really an alien from outer space intent of killing me while I elope with "number 2" and "number 4". To understand what I'm talking about, you can read the background story here. The sun was up early and birds were chirping by the window of the guest room of Barangay Kapitan Bibo Porras' home. I stood up from my bed half wishing my dream was real, I went outside and saw our two guides Inggo and his cousin Wladimir already waiting for us at the porch.

Postcard Series: Pebble N' Rolla

My feet aren't planted over fine white sands, rather it labored walking over multi-sizes of pebble rocks. West of Surigao City in the seaside town of Mabua, a different kind of beach awaits travelers used to drawing stick figures on beach shores. A friction factory of banging rocks, many of which bigger than the human hand, of various shapes but equally lethal when thrown at ya. It's rock n' rolla, its breaking rocks under the hot sun indeed.  Keep on rocking in the free world, this time, in this place. It's Pebbles and roll!.

You don't make sand castles on this beach, rather you build stone houses.