"Where going to the beach aha aha..." a song that my daughter sang a thousand hymns before we ever left our home for Odlot, Bogo, a destination north of Cebu which took us around two and a half hour to reach along the well paved and picturesque roads. It has been ten year since I last took a voyage in this coastal village remembering it to be very rough since the roads then was not yet asphalted. Today, yellow flowers and ornamental plants greets you on both sides of the road which is really beautiful to see, a thumbs up for posturing itself among the greenest places in the province.
After some time traveling, we were greeted by a sign on a rather unpretentious gate and a small path fit for a car with all the tall narra trees along the road which made something like a trip to an unknown, an expectation, a magical place that was about to be revealed.
And there it was, the beach house I have long to go for some time now. But wait, its not the old grass house that we used to stay for a day while having time to harvest the seaweeds that we were planting at that time. This time, after some renovation which I suspect ran in the millions, a beach house with a huge garden, walkways, cabanas and small huts greeted us. It gave to my speculation that all this from the small pathway of covered forest to the unassuming garden was made as a perfect mix typical of a rural house with a touch of luxury, a far cry from the other beach house that was modern and hip in style. This I feel I could stay for a month or so and could give Ernest Hemingway a run for his stay in his own island.
Except for the long travel that has always been my curse, tired and weary despite the comfortable ride of the luxurious van, the smell of the sea eases all the tensions as soon as we disembarked. Thanks to the warm accommodation made by the owners which by any means was rather a luxury by the sea, a beach house of Filipino taste with a splash of Moroccan architecture, it was indeed a heaven sent to rest my aching body.
We were greeted immediately by Peping, an old man that has served most of the time managing the properties of the owner in this part of the island with his wife and some helpers who I believe made a terrific job maintaining the place. He greeted me, lucid as ever, as if ten long years was just yesterday. I was in part happy to see the old man still in fit form, a stark contrast to the other house keeper whom I knew before which has long succumbed to liver cancer.
We arrive late in the morning in time for a laid back lunch of lechon and roasted chicken. The afternoon was spent what else, hitting the beach except for me though who had to go to market to buy something for dinner and lunch the next day. Although the sand is rough compared to the famous Bantayan Island across the strait needing slippers as not to hurt your feet, it was the exclusiveness of the place, a cove which made up for it. My daughter enjoyed every minute of it. There was also a small pathway to a cave nearby that we went and took some souvenir pictures of some sort.
The night was spent in drinking, at least for my father though. He was drunk all over again just when we began debating who to vote for president in the next year's election. But it was all good, and had to leave their debate with my brother in law who happens to like those stuff more than me. Besides I have an alibi that I have to wake up early.
The next day, I and my brother decided to hit the roads early. I mean running. I was expecting to shoot some landscapes after a long time but unfortunately found none that I like. A few stretching here and there while facing the rising sun was one of the most beautiful thing I did during the entire stay. Its was calming, serene which make you appreciate more of the things we always take for granted. I let my brother borrow my Garmin, his first time to use as well as to run after a two month layoff due to injuries. The roads and the scenery was one of the best I've run so far. Despite the sun which rises up as fast as you run, this one never gave me the heat bumps. Thanks to the tall trees that shadowed us all the way. Too bad we only ran a 5K as my brother doesn't want to push so much his knees, a recipe for another disaster.
Breakfast was good, made really good by eating outside with the splashing of the waves and a gentle seawind caressing your senses. We hit the (me and Pia) beach again, a perfect timing as the tides was at its highest and the heat was not as painful. We made sandcastles and played with the waves. She was having a blast! It was one of these moments that you gave in to the pain from the sharp rocks beneath my feet so as someone like my Pia could enjoy. I'll never miss that for the whole world.
Lunch was served early to make for some last minute rest before heading home. At two past noon time, it was time to say goodbye. It was such a pleasurable two day trip. We will be back soon. Thanks to the Peping and his wife who I forgot to know who made our stay as comfortable as it could be. Many thanks too to the owners who have always been accommodating as always.
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