Random Thought 142 - Opportunist

When we deal with our friends, there's always this thing called sharing.  With friends, we treat them as family and we are there for them especially when we are needed the most.

One time, I confided to a friend about another friend whom I felt violated and put into a disadvantageous position.  I was stunned about his response.  He told me that sometimes when you are already a friend and part of the family it cannot be ruled out that your friend will take advantage of you.  I asked him "Would you do that to me?"  And he was quick to reply,  "Did I ever take advantage of you?"  I almost answered him 'yes'.

We might have several friends but only a few of them has this self-restraint not to take advantage of us especially when we are in great need or in trouble.  Seldom you can find people close to you that will offer the same treatment as you give them.  Some people whom we call friends are actually opportunists.  Their association with us is more for their advantage rather than to share themselves with no ill intentions in their hearts.  And sad to say, in most cases, we will only uncover their true nature the moment we willingly allow them to rub us without them exerting much effort.

Food Trip 141 - Lugaw

On our way to Bicol, we had a stopover at Tagpuan in the boundary of Batangas and Quezon. I guess this is a fave stopover for Isarog, RSL, and Penafrancia buses and maybe some other buses and private vehicles likewise.  The parking space is wide and there is a convenient store, a fastfood, and some restaurants.  As we scan the place, we came across one restaurant that offers goto and lugaw.

At the entrance of the restaurant are two huge cauldrons being continuously heated.  These cauldrons are for the goto and lugaw.  Since it was cold in the bus and somehow our stomach need some refill for the long travel, a serving of lugaw would be of big help along the way.  Actually, it is not really a good idea to eat heavily when travelling by the bus because of the conditions of the rest rooms along the way.  But since we rode a bus with its own rest room, we worry not in case of a nature’s call.  And we ordered a bowl of lugaw.

From a good distance from the Kamayan sa Tagpuan restaurant, the smell of lugaw and goto is hard to resist.  Though there is always an air of reservation because most lugaw and goto along the way are not that good, that time around we gave it a try.  And yes, the 25 peso serving was worth it. 

The lugaw with no other ingredients except for a mixture of sticky rice and grated ginger, tastes superb.  It was perhaps one of best tasting lugaw I’ve ever tasted.  A bowl is already enough to provide a good relief for an empty stomach.  And with the way it was prepared, a simple serving made it worthwhile for a modest price.

Exploring Philippines 141 - Palawan (Post 8 - Paly Island)

The following day, Eric told me that we are going to go around the island.  Even for the people in this island, they barely roam around the island.  For the family of Eric, they could no longer recall when was the last time they made the trip around the island but for sure it was already a long time ago.  Normally, if you are a local, everything seemed ordinary within your place and may be some of the people of that island have not yet seen the entirety of their place.

Paly Island is one of the nearest island to the town of Taytay.  As we rode around, there are several distant islands that could be seen.  Eric said that his father and some their men helpers have reached some of those islands during their fishing activities.

The island is elongated in form.  As we approached the other side of the island, they shared some interesting facts about the condition of their island.  The east side of the island is almost barren.  It is covered mostly with grasses and some trees.  The cove part of the east side of the island is where abundant coconut trees grow and the beach is sandy and clear. The reason behind the condition of the east side of the island is due to the storms and typhoons that visit the place.  Normally, the east side is mostly affected by the bad weather.  But under a normal condition, this side is a haven for those who love to swim and snorkel.

The sandy beach of the east side is also a breeding ground for sea turtles.  We happened to see traces of a sea turtle that buried its eggs on the sand.  Some people find the eggs of the sea turtle exotic and believed to have some healing properties.  For this reason, the eggs of a sea turtle become a precious commodity for those who can afford it. 

Unluckily, we did not find any eggs on the shore.  There were only shells scattered on the ground.  Based on the observation of Eric’s family helper, a dog excavated the nesting ground and consumed all eggs before anyone can find it.

Anyway, as we continued our tour of the island, they point to me a long white line at the top side of the island.  They said that once there was a quarry site for a certain mineral deposit on the island.  The residents were glad that the quarrying operation was over because they were afraid that the whole island might eventually collapse over time.

The other half of the island which is on the west side is heavily populated.  The said that the tall mountain is the one shielding them against the strong rain brought by a storm or typhoon. 

We were able to spend almost an hour before going back home.  But a mere banca ride around the island will only take 30 minutes or less.

After eating our breakfast, we enjoyed a fun-filled day in the sun.  Afterwards, the kids within the neighborhood joined us. How I enjoyed the kids do their stunts and seemingly fearless as they enjoyed every splash they made.  The crystal clear and pristine water that surrounds the island makes it a perfect swimming ground for young and old alike.  Though locals may not be able to fully appreciate their prized environment, a visitor like me would always dream of a place something like this. 

Before noon, I went with Eric and a helper together with the kids to their fish pen.  Eric said that we would harvest some medium-sized lobster for our lunch.  Actually, it was my first time to taste a lobster.  I was grateful of the hospitality Eric’s family had shown me.

It was late in the afternoon that same day when Eric invited me for a stroll to the other part of the island.  While walking along the narrow path towards the heart of the community, there were many locals building their houses along the shoreline.  I learned that they were relocating their houses because someone claimed a piece of the land within the island where the former houses of some families were erected.  Thus, they were forced to relocate along the shoreline and below the newly cleared side of the mountain.

Eric went straight to the cemetery where his sibling was buried.  While he stayed there and prayed, I went to the adjacent side which is the shoreline.  I got curious why there were so many people; most of them were kids, who looked so preoccupied in the water.  When I came near them, I learned that it was a low tide and they were busy hunting for some edible stuff.  I also got surprised to find out that the shoreline on the west side of the island is actually a long stretch of coral reef where corals of different forms and sizes show up every low tide.  I never expected to see a coral formation this huge where most of the time they could be found in a deeper part of the sea.  And with the newly erected houses along the shoreline, I wonder how long will it take to pollute the area and clear this part of the island of the precious corals?  

Around the Island

Kids of Paly

Fish Cage

Coral Reef 

Other Scenes Around the Island