I had passed through Dagupan several times previously, typically for quick pit stops at random cafes. A weekend with friends last summer allowed me the opportunity to stay overnight and explore more about the city's nature spots, old churches, and, of course, its culinary delights.

More than a decade had passed since I first journeyed to Palaui Island. Back in those days, I was still in my earliest phase of exploring the Philippines. Cagayan Province, being in the farthest northeastern part of Luzon, seemed like a foreign country to me then. Locating it on the map, a couple of female friends and I set out on a trip that would leave a beautiful set of memories in my memory vault. After a fifteen-hour bus ride to Sta. Ana, Cagayan, followed by a three-hour van ride, a half-hour boat ride, and finally, a three-hour trek, we pitched our tent at the foot of a hill where the historic Cape Engaño Lighthouse stood.

Just as tiny rays of sunlight trailed the sky and the fainter stars began to fade in dawn light, we arrived at the coastal community of Brgy. Diora-Zinungan in Sta. Ana, Cagayan. The method behind our madness of waking up early was to time our visit when beltfish, locally referred to as "espada" or "bulung unas", hunted for food in schools within the deep waters of the Philippine Sea.

As someone who grew up in the nineteen eighties, I had my experiences of sleeping on a banig (a traditional handwoven mat in the Philippines) especially during naptime after school or when we would visit and spend a night at my grandmother’s old house in Bulacan. Dozing off on one wasn't the most comfortable, but with a soft pillow and a burst of fresh air coming from the open windows, you’d be eventually lulled into a relaxed sleep.