My Sorsogon
MANILA, Philippines — It was a long journey home. My nine-year-old nephew must have asked “are we there yet?” a dozen times. After a smooth and safe 12-hour road trip interrupted by occasional thuds on bumpy roads and sharp curves, everyone cheered, “We’re home!”
Home is beloved Sorsogon, where our parents, still bubbly and chatty at two years shy of 80, reside.
Time was when we siblings would go home at least twice a year either for semester or Christmas breaks. As years went by, rigors of work, family life and, in our case, overseas postings and changes in family dynamics, have made home visits more sparse. But homecomings are always sweet. And for our parents, they’re sweeter when their grandchildren are around.
Such was the case with our recent homecoming. We recognized it was Holy Week so we mapped an itinerary that allowed us to rediscover the pleasures of home early on in the week, while reserving the two holiest days for church and family traditions.
The bamboo outriggers of bancas are perfect jumpoff points.
Less than an hour’s drive from our house is Paguriran Beach in Bacon district. It’s best to visit the sandy beach at late afternoon when the tide is low. Paguriran is known for its enchanting blue lagoon, which when seen from the shore appears like an unassuming cove curtained with lush bushes. We went to the lagoon by walking through the shallow beach while the teens and kids chose to stroll by the stretch of sandbar that naturally appears in the middle of the sea during low tide. Getting to the inlet, we had to be mindful of protruding rocks and coral shards that hurt the bare feet. The lagoon is not so deep. At dusk the water was warm, which made it an ideal place to swim.
Paguriran has a magical sunset. On that particular day, nightfall became more fascinating with a picture-perfect scene of Mayon Volcano with its unflawed cone, sticking up from afar bedecked with summer clouds. Lest I be misunderstood for claiming that Mayon is in Sorsogon, it’s not. However, on clear summer days, we Sorsoganons get a glimpse of Albay’s majestic Mayon from places like Paguriran.
Just before we headed to the bunlawan, a communal artesian well, where beach goers could rinse then duck by makeshift changing rooms for P10 per head, we sampled the halo-halo sold by the roadside. The ubiquitous summer cooler half filled with sweetened camote, saba, nata de coco, gulaman, ube, crispy pinipig and a huge scoop of freshly shaved ice topped with leche flan and lashed with a generous serving of evaporated milk was a treat for P20 per glass. Such were our simple joys!
Halo-halo by the roadside, a treat for P20.
Heading home in our packed van, I noticed my tired but contented daughter and her cousins talk about their adventures in Paguriran. And that was only Day 1.
Our next day’s destination was in the southernmost part of Sorsogon, Subic Beach in the town of Matnog. Before heading to the island, we had to register with the local tourism office, then hired an outrigger that brought us to the island. When the boat left the port, we were all lively. However, ten minutes into the boat ride, everyone was silent. The alternating humming of the motor merging with gentle splashes of waves from the turquoise waters and sights of charming islets, some inhabited, were enough reasons for us to stay quiet. It was a feast for the senses, a sacred experience to simply appreciate God’s creation mid-sea. At one point we saw a man amble through a knee-deep part of the sea scouring the waters. He’s actually catching fish, my father said.
As we disembarked from the boat, my father, who has a great love for the sea and at 78 still goes fishing with friends as a hobby, taught us a respectful ritual. He told us to dip our fingers in seawater and make the sign of the cross as a gesture of thanksgiving for the safe boat ride and in reverence to the place we were visiting.
Popular pasalubongs include pili nuts with Himalayan salt.
Setting foot on Subic reminded me of the first time I visited Boracay in the mid 90s. Though not as fine and powdery, it was a delight to walk barefoot on the cool, pinkish sand even at noontime. At midday when the sun is scorching, the translucent blue waters remain refreshing and welcoming. Our children were a picture of happiness! When not swimming, they stayed by the shore to build sandcastles. I thought of those moments – their interchanging communion with the sea and sand while exchanging banter – as a treasured chance to create pleasant memories.
At first I thought the bancas anchored near the shore were a bother. Eventually, I saw their purpose. The bamboo rigs on the sides of a boat serve as jump off platforms for young swimmers. They took turns doing summersaults, freely showing off their skills. One of them taught our girls the trick and soon everyone was performing his or her own flip.
I observed that majority of the beach goers were local tourists. The townsfolk interacted with visitors. For the children, the beach is their playground. Adults, on the other hand, help visitors by way of offering small services such as paluto or paihaw without charging much. We requested a family who lives nearby to cook rice and broil fish, eggplant and meat for us. We were touched by their kindness, especially when they brought the cooked food neatly served in nice platters. Then we savored lunch kamayan style!
The pristine waters around Calintaan cave in Matnog are perfect for snorkeling.
This kind of picnic experience, the ones we had when we were kids, is what we hope for our children to remember for the rest of their lives. When enjoying nature’s gifts doesn’t have to be expensive. When gorgeous, unspoiled beaches are open to all and not fenced, much more labeled as exclusive.
I was in this state of post hearty lunch reverie when a creepy thought crossed my mind. What if resort developers set sights on Subic and start to build the islands as playgrounds for the rich? I may sound selfish but I pray the local government will think not just twice, thrice but many times before they say yes to developing Subic.
On our way back, we went island hopping, passing by Calintaan Cave, a pristine spot for snorkeling and the nearby fish sanctuary for fish feeding. We were glad to know that there is a fish sanctuary on this side of the island. It is one of the ways to create awareness of the importance of eco tourism. The queue was very long, it was getting late and the kids were tired, so we said pass to fish feeding.
Kids play on the beach as the sun slips below the horizon in Paguriran.
Passing by the town of Irosin, we dropped by Vicky’s for pasalubong shopping. Their most popular product is pili with Himalayan salts, a well-loved nibble at parties we host for friends and colleagues in the diplomatic circle. We also bought crispy pili with honey, coffee coated pili, sweet and spicy pili.
Pili is a nut endemic in the Bicol region, especially in Sorsogon. Aside from the nut, the pulp is usually eaten as part of a meal, either dipped in fish sauce called kuyog with kalamansi or rolled in sugar as dessert. The shells, on the other hand, are used as cooking fuel. Nothing of this nut is wasted.
To be continued
