Coron, Palawan: 750 Steps and More to Heaven

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Coron, Palawan: Captured - A video compilation of my 2012 Coron Vacation.

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My Coron adventure certainly did not start with sunbathing on the beach. We arrived in the small town late in the afternoon after a delayed flight. The first part of the itinerary was to see the sun set from the top of Mt. Tapias which is the highest point in town. So quickly we devoured the pizza served for afternoon snack and headed to the base of the hill with a motorized pedicab. The driver didn't join the climb. Instead, he patiently waited along with other pedicab drivers waiting for tourists to descend from the top.

Overlooking Coron Bay

With my dry bag and heavy camera gear, I was still unprepared. I should have shed off more weight and come with more water than just the 500-ml bottle I bought from the kid who greeted us on our way up. 750 steps to the top is not an easy task for a person who's daily job is either sitting in front of a computer or experimenting in the lab. I was already out of breath after the first set of steps and the kids who were hanging out after school walked up and down the hill as if it were just their living room.

There was a lot of drama in between. That includes me almost giving up getting to the top. The sun was setting fast but I heard there were 350 steps more. I wanted to sulk. But I saw my friends and other people with their happy smiles as if their knees never hurt and so I kept climbing.

750 Steps to the Peak of Mt. Tapias

I glanced at the sun and thought that it never looked that good in months. I had been staying too long in the office and not seeing the sun set. I gasp and took a deep breath. "This is it," I heard someone shout. I hurried up to where everyone is and turned around. I saw the sun peaking through the clouds and descending slowly. I took a thousand shots, sat down and was satisfied.

Sunset from Mt. Tapias

And so I thought that was all of it. My knees wobbled like that of a ball-jointed doll by the time we were back on the pedicab. Little did I know that the dark and bumpy ride led to a low-lit place where people relax and enjoy in a hot spring. I dipped myself in the hot pool and realized, this is heaven.

Crucifix atop Mt. Tapias

Coron, Palawan: Captured

My recent vacation to Coron in Palawan, Philippines still lingers in the mind. It took me a PC memory upgrade and a lot of patience to wrap up the video. The extra weight I had to bear due to my heavy camera was worth it. Unfortunately, I forgot to film the lobsters I had for dinner! I also was unable to capture some places that were only accessible with a waterproof camera. There is a lot of room for improvement in this video but all in all, the fun was captured.

The island-beaches and lakes included in the video are listed below.

Malcapuya Island

Banana White Sand Beach

Siete Picados

Twin Lagoon

Atuwayan Beach

Barracuda Lake

Kayangan Lake

I have a thousand things to say about Coron. For now, I have just one word: AMAZING!

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where it is greener

Two years ago, I thought of leaving my home for a place where they say the grass is greener. I checked again and realized even the moss is greener where I'm from. The rain may not fall as much as I wanted it too but there sure is a lot of life sprawling from the ground.

Surreal

The way my favorite tracks carry me into a dreamlike state is the way the people from my country feels about the image I see everyday on my home from work. Sounds odd, but true. Clear blue skies, green grass, lush trees, tidy pavements and tall buildings all in one place somehow never fit into my expectation of a developed country. But here I am now living right in the midst of a place that seem to have been perfectly engineered. There are countless things that citizens in this country can be grateful for. I am unsure how long I will be staying here but I share that gratitude. Not everything is perfect, I know. Sometimes I prefer to see the not-so-beautiful side just to keep myself grounded.

"Normal"

The little brat has gone home and there is nobody to chase or play with anymore. The halls are boring again and so my brain has nothing much to do but think. There has been a lot in my mind lately. This vacation that is coming is keeping me preoccupied. My boss expects me to do the impossible before I leave. I tried to finish a few things at work today but couldn't get it done. My head was aching as if a screw got stuck somewhere in the skull. I wasn't too sure if it was because the AC was off or the heat from the oven. I had to bake a few boards. But my job isn't all that. I'm trying to hold on but the water is just not filling up to the brim because of too much pressure. I guess I just need a long break from what I seems to be "normal" as of now.