The High-End Gypsy: May 2011

Where did we get the term "Sunday's Best". Many times whenever there are occasions and our host wanting to emphasize a dress code would say that we are expected to be in Sunday's best. Upon searching I found out that in year's gone by when people were still observant of Sunday as a holiday would always dress up in their best clothes. In the Christian tradition Sunday is referred to as the Lord's day. Everyone is expected to be in Church to hear Mass and they are expected to be in their best clothes since it is the day of the Lord.

Below are the photos of my home church in Tabaco City. I just took this snap shot this morning after the early morning mass.

The Patio of San Bautista Church, Tabaco City Early Sunday Morning

From the fish port of Bacacay one can have a breathtaking view of Mt. Mayon

Sitio Bahi, as seen from on top of a Hill. There are sand bars along the way ideal for holding picnics. Some fisher folks can take you on a boat ride to these sand bars for a minimal fee

A cool and serene place to be

I have said this many times that I am extremely proud to live in one of the most beautiful places here in the Philippines. There are many beautiful places in Albay province that has never been so much explored. I have been to different places abroad. Yet I always say that there are places in my home country more beautiful than the ones I see abroad. Let me share with you one of my summer escapades. This is actually a work related travel which I took the opportunity to mix it with fun. I think sometimes work and fun can mix together. This summer I thought two classes on field research. Misibis, a coastal village located in Cagraray Island was the venue of our research. Cagraray is one of the several off-shore islands of Albay province. The place is really beautiful. The local folks live simple lives. The means of livelihood consists of fishing and farming. Life is unhurried and there is plenty of time to just sit down and relax. Incidentally, Misibis is also home to a famed high end resort. On May 16, 2011 together with my 32 students we embarked for Misibis for their field research practicum. The village is accessible by sea either from Legazpi Port, or in Sto. Domingo or in Bacacay. There is also a barge that carries cargo and people from Sula. However this barge is private. So we decided to take the route from Bacacay. Our decision to take the Bacacay port was motivated by the following reasons: (1) With good haggling skill one can get the lowest rent for a motor boat, (2) The route from Bacacay will pass through Sula Channel that will give us a wonderful view of Cagraray and Mainland, and (3) safety considerations. One literally gets the feeling of crossing into paradise once you see the enthralling beauty of these islands. Biologists considered these islands as bio-diverse. The tropical heat and the inconvenience of travel is nothing compared to the experience. Our skin became darker as a result of exposure to sun light. It is advisable to wear protective gear or a sunblock lotion.

The Locals live along the coast, houses are made up of Cogon Grass, the sun provides a natural drier for the laundry

The heat of the noonday sun was too much for me so I took off my
shoes, rest my HTC handset and took my nap

Like anywhere you go in the Philippine Islands, people are friendly and accommodating. They are also extremely helpful. We experience first hand the friendliness and hospitality of the local folks. Perhaps some of them are poor but you can always see in them the simplicity and how quietly life moves on quietly. Some of the locals are fisher folks and one can easily rent out a motorboat. But you must have the haggling skills in order to get the best price. There are no fixed price though. At lunch time while my students were busy interviewing their respective key informants, I decided to take a nap under the talisay tree. I removed my rubber shoes and without much problem I laid my back on the sandy beach. Isn't it that God designed human life to be simple and problem free? We urbanites seem to have missed this provision from the Lord. But here in these islands I feel that returning to the basics is sometimes a blessing to experience.

A Chapel was built on the Hill top of the Eco-Park.

The Amphitheater at the Cagraray Eco-Energy Park is reminiscent
of the Forums of Ancient Greece

On the Hill Top one can see the sun set with Mt. Mayon on the Background giving a feeling that one is on a Martian planet

From Sitio Bahi we went to the Cagraray Eco-Energy park. The park is located on top of a hill that gives a commanding view of the surrounding islands and the ever dominant Mt. Mayon Volcano in the mainland. I would commend the architect who designed the park. The amphitheater reminded me of Greece. The design and location of the amphitheater resemble the environs of ancient Greece except for the greenery which is very much tropical. I tried to test the acoustics and indeed it is marvelous. One would not need a microphone. I don't know what the pillars represent but I would opine that it has something to do with Greek dramas or visual and performing arts. I think that this amphitheater could sit around five-hundred to one-thousand persons. On top of the hill there is the inter-denominational chapel.