Bona fide text
Balik sa Bohol, balik
Summer is indeed a time for vacation and trips. My summer time is still in its height though often times we experience rainy days.
Two weeks ago, Alvin, Miss Arden, Rhoda and I went to Bohol for a four-day vacation. Why Bohol? We chose Bohol because last summer we had been to Boracay and this time we would like to grab the invitation of Bernadette Caseñas, Alvin's first cousin, to visit her place.
We stayed at their house for days and we were so thankful for the warm accommodation of the Caseñas Family, (Mrs. Josephina, Bernadette and her daughter Jovihonni) who treated us as part of the family.
We were so thankful for the weather throughout the trip since it only rained at night. We started our travel with a mass on that Sunday morning. Indeed blessing from God is also important when you travel.
Bohol is a wonderful place to visit. It is a medium-sized oval-shaped island about a little over 50 miles across and about 40 miles perpendicularly. And if you have a car, it can take about a whole day to discover and travel all the way around the island. Thank God for the car the Caseñas family provided us, we were able to tour, if not the whole, three-fourths of Bohol.
The nearest city, Tagbilaran City, is located south of the island. Traffic is uncommon while pollution is very low compared to other cities. Every town is blessed with antique churches which symbolize the Spanish occupation in the region of Central Visayas. These churches especially those of Baclayon and Albuqueque are considered as tourist attractions in Bohol.
Why Bohol again? Bohol is identified as the habitat to the smallest primates in the world -- Tarsier. It is a popular tourist destination and the home to the well known attraction Chocolate Hills of Carmen. Chocolate Hills are made of limestone leftover from coral reefs during the ice age when the island was submerged. They turn brown during the summer, hence their name.
By the way, please help promote Bohol by voting for the Chocolate Hills as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. Voting for nominees will continue through Dec. 31, 2008.
Moreover, most beaches in Bohol are of white sand. If Aklan is known for having Boracay Island, Bohol is gifted with Panglao Island. It is located next to Tagbilaran City joined by two separate bridges. It is a much smaller island with great places to go for water sports and underwater exploration. Going to Panglao was definitely one of the best moments we had. We swam in crystallized blue water and stepped on powdery white sand of the island.
Cebu and Bohol both share a common language. I admit I can't fully understand the way Boholanos or even Cebuanos speak their own dialect. Thanks to Manuel Quezon for initiating a language that can bind all of us Pinoys, the Filipino language. That no matter where you're from, we can communicate by speaking Filipino.
Visiting Bohol will not be complete without riding on a floating restaurant and try their sumptuous eat- all-you-can-lunch while you are being entertained by an acoustic singer. I can still remember Miss A saying, "I want my husband to propose here..."
So as the line of a song goes, "Balik sa Bohol... balik," reminds me of how nice it is to travel in this place, to unwind and to relax to the fullest. Definitely Bohol is worth visiting again.