Opening my eyes to a still-dark room had me instantly recalling the eerie creaking of the floorboards I heard the night before. Jolted to consciousness, I half-expected to see a shadowy figure standing at the foot of my bed. I saw nothing but the faint illumination of electric light seeping through the small window. Pacifying my anxious mind, I assured myself that a bunch of scurrying rats were behind what I initially thought were hurried footsteps outside my room. Hearing noises during the previous three nights would have been fine, but on that fourth night in question, I was the only remaining guest staying at the budget hut of Punta Isla Lake Resort—where a dorm bed only cost me one hundred eighty pesos per night. Not bad, even if it comes with a slight fright every evening!
Searching for Lotus-Eaters in Lake Sebu
Sunrise at the Lakefront
As I stepped out of my room eager to start my day with a hot cup of coffee, the wooden floor squeaked as loudly as the noise I heard during the night. I thought to myself, "Those must have been some huge rats walking down the hallway last night." Dismissing the spooky thought, I hurried downstairs to take a quick, refreshing shower.
All dressed up for the morning, I completely forgot about the spooky episode as I proceeded down to the shore where the boatman I talked to the day before had promised: "I’ll wait for you here at around 6:00 AM so you can witness the blooming of the lotus flowers."
Holding my coffee, I sat on a bench and watched the pale gray sky slowly give way to streaks of fiery red and gold. As daylight trickled onto the water, the lake transformed into a massive mirror reflecting the sky and the tree canopy of the surrounding rainforest.
I heard a soft whistle, and turning around, I saw the boatman dragging a small wooden vessel. "This is an Owong," he told me. I later learned that it is carved from the Bacan or Lawaan tree (Shorea)—a genus of rainforest trees growing throughout Lake Sebu that is prized for its sturdy, water-resistant timber.
The Traditional Owong
The Owong are traditional, narrow dugout canoes crafted primarily by the indigenous T'boli people of Lake Sebu for fishing and transport. It fits a maximum of three people and is propelled entirely by wooden paddles.
The boatman and I occupied opposite ends of the Owong, giving me ample space to stretch my legs. The water was so glass-still that I could see every tiny ripple as we paddled forward. The quiet atmosphere instantly coaxed me into a Zen state of mind, lost in the raw, captivating charm of South Cotabato.
The Land of the Lotus-Eaters
"Look, the lotus flowers," the boatman gestured ahead. As we approached a cluster where pink lotus blossoms drifted while opening up to the sun, I recalled the legendary Lotus-Eaters from Greek mythology.
According to Homer's epic poem The Odyssey, there existed an island inhabited by Lotus-Eaters where anyone who consumed the lotus plant would be stripped of life’s purpose, worries, and ambition—essentially rendering them indifferent to the world. That was precisely what Odysseus’ men experienced when they tasted the plant, forcing Odysseus to drag them back to their ships against their will.
Although all parts of the lotus plant—its roots, leaves, seeds, and stems—are edible, I couldn't bring myself to eat them like the mythical Lotus-Eaters. I still want to travel, experience new places, and care deeply about what happens in the world.
Despite the plant's notoriety in ancient literature, the blooming lotus flowers of Lake Sebu offered the exact opposite effect. Watching the floating leaves and pink blossoms drift beneath my canoe reinforced my purpose: to keep exploring and learning more about the world we inhabit.
"Can I touch it?" I asked the boatman. "Sure, you can even pick one," he replied cheerfully. But I resisted the urge. Even if I had someone special to give it to, the flowers belong right where they are—resting in the magical embrace of Lake Sebu, floating until they wither, only to bloom again with the next sunrise.
