Going underground

June 2010, Puerto Princesa, Palawan. Independence Day 2010 long weekend was spent going underground. Or more accurately, paddling underground. For three and a half days, Puerto Princesa, Palawan and its nearby islands were our playground.

The blue and orange sunset welcomed us at the tarmac, then a feast fit for seafood lovers — crabs, shrimps, seaweeds, fish more than a foot long grilled lovingly. Buko salad for dessert. All home-cooked. Truly, we were on vacation.

Day 1:

Biking by the bay. Sampling crispy isaw (thumbs up!!). Last-minute entry into the plaza where the Baragatan Festival was being celebrated.

They say one never forgets how to ride a bike. But I may be an exception. I shifted to the pedicab, which, to my pleasure and everyone’s amazement, I could easily ride, and with two passengers! I have an alternative career as a pedicab driver. One downside — bigger and harder leg muscles.

Day 2:

Island hopping at Honda Bay. We docked at Snake Island for lunch, which was cooked by the beach. The halo-halo from the mom-and-pop store was a perfect ending.

We jumped into the clear blue waters with bread on hand for the fish waiting for their treat. We snorkelled. We swam and lingered as the sun coated our skins a few shades darker.

We got thirsty. The mango nectar-flavored warm liquid from our makeshift floating bar slid through our parched throats. We were content.

Back to the city. Dinner at Rene’s Saigon restaurant, an authentic Vietnamese resto, for the famous chaolong beef stew (rice noodle soup) and pork french bread (french bread turned into a sandwich with pork in-between). Then after dinner at an artsy resto.

Day 3:

To the world-famous underground river. An awesome experience. We silently paddled into the cave (no motor boats are allowed to avoid disturbing the bats in residency), masterfully navigated by our local boatman at the back. A lone flashlight powered by the Motolite battery and protectively held by the passenger in front lighted our way. As our boatman/ tour guide directed, our flashlight holder pointed to the interesting natural formations. It was an eerie experience. We were visitors in a cave inhabited by bats and other beings, paddling on still waters 7 meters to 9 meters deep. After 1.5 kilometers, we turned back. Maybe one day our permit will allow us to see the entire 8-kilometer underground river.

Yup, you need a permit to enter the cave. Better to get one in the city the day before you plan to go to the Underground River. They limit the number of visitors per day, and sometimes, there will be no slots left for your chosen day.

Back to the city. Baker’s Hill was a pleasant surprise. Kids would love the place. Life-size pirates, live peacocks and exotic birds, crisscrossing paths leading to the playground, trellis, mini-zoo. The adults will likewise find this worthwhile to visit, with the food worth sampling — pizza, pasta, garnished by blue flowers. But of course, I ordered pancit.

But wait, the day wasn’t over until we went to the pearl shop! Aaahh! Indeed, a shopaholic’s delight, even for those on a budget. Rows upon rows and shelves upon shelves of pearls of all kinds, sizes, color. Earrings, bracelets, necklaces, brooches, loosely strung. Name it, they have it.

Still high on pearls, we  went to a late dinner at Kinabuchs after the pearl shop closed for the night. Crocodile is their delicacy. As well as Tamilok, or woodworm.

Day 4:

It’s market day! Another favorite hobby while on vacation is going to the local market. But this is truly a wet market, where freshly caught fish are sold for as low as PhP40 per kilo, crablets for PhP20 per plate, and shrimps and crabs for prices almost half of that in Manila.

As in the past, we haggled and bargained, then bought a carton and had our loot boxed by the expert locals. Our fresh catch were smothered with ice, put in a plastic bag and wrapped with newspapers. The live crabs were put on top (to stay alive). Then the box, stabbed for airholes for the crabs, were sealed. It was ready for check in at the airport, together with our box of dried fish and roasted cashew.

Our flight back was around 630pm yet we lingered on our last home-cooked meal of sikad-sikad (which I tasted for the first time and loved! didn’t know that inside those decorative-looking shells are delicious delicacies), fish, and seaweed.

With last-minute goodbyes and picture-taking, we arrived at the airport 20 minutes before flight take off. We laughingly and frantically pushed and carried our boxes for check in, as the security and check in personnel admonished us for arriving so late. Profusely yet happily apologizing, we got our boarding passes and secured our seats back to Manila.

I dozed off in the plane sandwiched between a stranger and my friend. In an hour, we’ll be back in the city jungle. I’d go underground again, in a heartbeat.