I have been looking forward to this
vacation for a LONG time! Because of all the wedding preparations, we haven’t
gone on a REAL vacation in months. On top of that, I get to bring a
luggage...my first time in the Philippines after years of backpacking.
Finally after the wedding...Saturday wedding day....then
Sunday back to Manila and rest day...then Monday shopping, work and packing
day...then Tuesday HURRAH...we’re off!!!!
We landed in Busunaga airport. It was all
too familiar, it almost felt like home. We boarded a luxe air conditioned
jeepney. R wants to have one of these for his tours someday.
Afterwards, we hopped on a boat for a slow
25-minute mangrove/river/sea ride to our destination – El Rio y Mar resort. The
breeze and the relaxing glide of the boat were seemed to tell me...”Vacation
starts NOW”.
El
Rio Y Mar...A Writer’s Haven
I could see the cream-colored beach and the
bar dock as we entered the cove. Upon docking, the staff warmly greeted us with
songs and drinks.
Our room
We got a detached native casita, very
spacious and very clean with all the comfort a city person looks for minus the
television. It has a perfectly sized patio facing the beach. At the back of the
casita is a long mangrove walkway and a path towards the hiking trail and in
front is our very own chunk of the beach!
The place is so private that it almost
gives you a feeling that you’re the only one there.
Day 1
We decided to skip lunch and settle down
first. R fell asleep almost immediately (as usual :)) after taking a few pictures. He slept
for a good four hours or so. I, on the other hand, got my “essentials” and went
to the patio. While munching on my V-cut and Twix, I alternately listened to
the reggae music in my Ipod and to the sound of the forest and the waves on the
beach (unbelievably just like the nature sounds I download in Youtube to
momentarily get away from the crazy busy work schedule).
It is a writer’s and reader’s haven. It is
amazing how much I was able to write and read in a few hours. I am just very
grateful for being able to have these experiences while I still have the
ability to appreciate and enjoy them.
When R got up, we went to the activity
center because it is the only place where we could get a WIFI signal so he can
work. He worked for a couple of hours while we snacked on a BIG serving of
cheeseburger and fries and a virgin Shirley temple. YUM!
Day 2
We had a typical Filipino breakfast this
time and got ready for a day of “doing
nothing”. We headed to the beach area, picked our spot, read our books,
dipped in the pool and fooled around with our camera.
For lunch we had coleslaw, kinilaw na
tanigue, grilled prawns with sides of rice and steamed vegetables and a fruit
platter. We then went snorkelling in their in-house reef. There were a lot of
corals and fishes but they were not as colourful as the ones I’ve seen in other
places. The shallow water at the beach in front of our casita was warm and very
clear and the sand was relatively fine.
We then took a shower and dressed up to
have a massage before dinner. We had a one-hour shiatsu massage. You could
either have it in their outdoor massage area with beach view or inside the spa
room. Though we wanted to have a couple’s massage, only one therapist was
available that day so R went first. I opted to have my massage in the spa room
because having a massage in a warm, humid area always made me feel greasy. It
was a relaxing “island zen” experience. The mood lighting, the music, the scent
and the very gentle and relaxed strokes of the masseuse’s hands made the whole
experience perfect.
Dinner was grilled pink salmon with
marinara sauce and a side of steamed veggies. R had sinigang na prawns. We
wanted to try their crepes but we were already stuffed and one of the guests
was celebrating her birthday that night so they were giving out chocolate cake.
The staff
Great service! We have been to different
places in the Philippines but this has got to be one of the best service I have
experienced. Everyone was warm and very accommodating from the managers, the
information assistants slash dinnertime singer, our room attendant Tonton slash
guitarist slash dinnertime and bar singer, Ed the bartender slash magician to
everyone around. Everyone greeted us with smiles.
This is a place where one can come alone
yet never really feel alone because someone is always ready to chat whenever
you’re up for it.
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