I’ve been waiting most of my life to come to Europe. Spain has been calling to me since I was only 16. I’ve had so many plans fall through on my way to this continent, but now I’m here. It’s been an incredible 3 days.
We saw the palace in Madrid today. It was stunning!
Every time I tell anyone that this is my first trip to Europe, I get the same reaction: surprise. After all, I’ve seen the Taj Mahal in India, wild Sumatran orangutans, and I even got married in Cuba. I’ve seen a whole lot of things since I began travelling at the age of 19. But Europe is so different from all that…
Just one of the incredibly detailed sculptures we saw today
In South East Asia, you find pagodas, beaches, street food and Tuk tuks. In Europe, we’ve encountered cathedrals, palace squares, tapas bars and double decker tour buses. Both have their charm and value and I can’t say I’ve enjoyed one over the other, but this is all to say that it’s all so surprisingly different.
The bus was quite different from our usual Tuk Tuk experiences. All wheels stayed on the ground on this bus at all times. It was a bit boring to be honest…. ?
That’s what fascinates me about humanity. We have come so far in the last thousand years. In Europe, aquaducts (plumbing), democracy and the printing press were invented. Eastern countries brought the world inventions like gun powder, paper currency and the compass. Each area of the world has brought “something to the table”, and we’ve all become stronger as a result of these inventions and of course, we’ve built upon them as well.
I’m not sure where shopping streets were invented but I’ve seen them everywhere I’ve ever gone. This one was particularly beautiful!
How is this all connected to a sculptures, you might be asking yourself? We’ll, I’ve seen what Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam have brought to the world, but as we sat in a massive and beautiful Cathedral today, I considered the ways Christianity helped to form the world (religions also affect human progress, after all… Not just countries!). I think one of the most important things Catholicism, specifically, has encouraged in the world, is art.
This was sculpted into the doors of the Cathedral. It’s only one small part of a much larger piece.
In Europe, we are surrounded by sculptures, paintings and frescos. They are an incredible feat of human ability. Take a look at just a few examples, if you need convincing.
And of course, every once in a while, you get tricked and think you’re seeing a statue, but you’re really seeing a street performer!
Tomorrow we begin our road trip to Segovia, Avila and Toledo! Can’t wait!!
My planned post for today was our Tapas Crawl, but I’ve decided that Spain’s food deserves its own post, so I’m going to hold off writing about that.
Trust me when I say there was no shortage of “delish” on this tour!
Instead, I’m going to use today’s post to talk about something Dave and I have really started to enjoy doing when we travel: seeing museums.
We knew they have dinosaurs. Everything else would be gravy
The big museum in Madrid is centered around art, which doesn’t really appeal to either of us, but we discovered Madrid also has a natural Science museum, so that’s where we spent most of our afternoon.
One of the museum’s most interesting areas. It has original furniture from several hundred years ago, when the museum first opened
This particular museum has a whole lot of taxidermy, which really isn’t something I enjoy very much. But, they did have a photo exhibit where I would have spent an hour if Dave had let me.
Cute pictures of animals!!
The exhibit is put on by National Geographic. Joel Sartore has spent the last 10 years taking photos of the world’s rarest and most endangered animals. He said it “The Photo Ark”. It’s absolutely amazing.
Seeing these beautiful creatures in the wild last year was life changingWolves are found on nearly every continent. They are adaptable and at the top of the food chain. Unfortunately, many species of wolves have been driven to near extinction by humans and human activityPanda numbers are on the rise…. This proves that we CAN make positive change and help these animals before it’s too late!Sartore does an incredible job of capturing their eyes. I couldn’t look away from this sweet animalThe curiosity here…If this picture doesn’t make you smile, I don’t know what could.
The museum also had an excellent exhibition about human evolution and some dinosaur displays as well. What I enjoyed most about the section on evolution was the artifacts they had showing the evolution of human abilities. Early forms of jewellery, weapons, clothing and tools were displayed, and they even had a special display showing the time in our history where humans became so intelligent that mourning rituals began being performed.
In university, I took a class on all the things historians have learned just by studying death and rituals surrounding it. It’s fascinating stuff.
All in all, I wouldn’t say Madrid’s natural Science museum is the best I’ve seen (the one in Ottawa might be my favourite), but it was a great way to spend a cold and rainy afternoon. And now there’s a new photographer for me to follow on social media. His work is incredible and I encourage you to check out his website here.
The artist, being “attacked” by his subject
We have 1 more day in Madrid left to enjoy before we begin the first leg of our road trip, so stay tuned!!
Today was a long, long day. We’re about to crawl into bed now, and since the last time I was in a bed, we’ve been in 4 different cities, in 3 different countries, on two different continents. I got more sleep than usual on our flight, but it was a struggle for us to forego the nap we both craved. Still, we managed to stay up, and took a long walk in order to battle jet lag.
Our 3 hour layover in Paris involved a lot of coffee
We ended up at Parque De El Retiro, which is located about 2km from our air BNB. I realized today, as we were walking around this peaceful and beautiful public space, that parks are sort of becoming our thing. We beelined it to parks in both Taiwan and South Korea as well. I think it has to do with the fact that we get so little proper green space living in China. There are parks there, yes, but they’re all very manufactured
Aspects of this park were man made as well, but there was historical value there….not just cute large metal pig statues….I’m really looking forward to sharing the rest of my photos of this park. The photographer in me was delighted today!
The park we visited today had far too much for me to go over in a daily Post, and I will be writing more about it in the future, but for today, I wanted to dedicate my daily Post to natural beauty and the serenity I find in those places.
The Crystal Palace was something straight out of a fairytale
I’ll be back tomorrow with another daily recap, so stay tuned!
This term has been one for the history books. With 120 writing & Englush students, 240 homework assignments to grade each week, a curriculum to develop and various elective classes and activities to prepare, I’ve barely had time to breath. Somehow though, Dave and I have managed to have a life outside of Suhou Foreign Language School this year. Unfortunately, my blog has fallen to the wayside.
This is what 240 tests looks like. The final week of the term is always the hardest….
Still, it’s never too late to some catching up, and now that I’m on holiday for Spring festival, I have the chance!
Enjoying Suzhou
Summer is long in Suzhou and autumn is short but beautiful. Parks are always nice to visit in fall because the temperature is cooler and there doesn’t seem to be so many tourists. So, when an opportunity arose for us to take a tour of several Suzhou Parks with a Suzhou expert, we didn’t hesitate to join in the fun.
We saw two lesser known parks on this tour and learned about the art of calligraphy. I was happy to get some beautiful shots as we walked and learned
Several of Suzhou’s parks are UNESCO world heritage sights. They have their own unique architecture and style
Most of these parks were used as living spaces for wealthy Suzhou citizens in the past. Across from the pond is a beautiful tea room where the villa owners would entertain their friends and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere
Water plays an important role in these gardens. Steve, our guide, studied ancient Suzou for many years and he wrote a book about it. He does his walks and teaches both locals and foreigners alike about the history of this ancient water town
It was a beautiful afternoon. Sadly, we missed the other 2 Walks with Steve because of our busy schedule (more on that soon), but I’m sure we’ll be joining him to learn more about Suzhou’s history very soon.
We had a good crowd that day and met some great new people
Music also had me busy this fall. The Sundaze played several big shows, including a gig with Internations; a group that helps connect expats. We also played a really cool gig at a wine party, and one outdoor concert.
The Parking Park Festival is done annually (although usually with a better name). Musicians play on Moon Harbour… One of Suzhou’s main tourist stops
I’ve long been a fan of Internations and was very happy to help this particular event more successful. It was a very fun gigHello Wine was also a great show. It was held at one of my favourite restaurants in Suzhou: Pistachio. Excellent food and excellent people!And they even had a photographer who managed to make me look good singing! Lol!
Those other gigs were fun, but my favourite show of the season was definitely Diwali. My involvement in one of India’s most important holidays began when I was asked to make a flyer for the event. From there, I ended up managing the wechat group, and most of the public relations. I wasn’t planning to take on those roles, but I rolled with the punches and was very proud to be part of this very successful event!
I’m particularly proud of the Flyers I made for the event!
Our performance at the Hello Wine event gave me photos to use for future events too!My friends Kevin and Sai. Sai is the head of the Indian Association of Suzhou. She planned the more culturally significant party that was held the following day. The event I helped plan was less about Diwali and more about celebrating togetherness and culture in generalMore friends! So many great people in Suzhou!
Our last gig of the year was a private event held by a group of Danish expats. It was a particularly interesting event because it was held at a cabaret in Shanghai.
I loved the feel of the venue. We had a proper light and sound guy too, which was a nice change! Proper mixing is a wonderful thing because it means way less work for the vocalist. My mic was perfect the whole night and I never had to force my voice
Beautiful spot!
Aside from performances, we’ve tried to get out and spend time with friends quite a bit these last few months. We’ve made some amazing new friends. Our social circle has expanded considerably!
Zou Guizhou continues to be a favorite hang out
As always, my best friend and I are inseparable. I love being married to someone I like so much!I downloaded a ridiculous “beauty” app that everyone out here uses. I look ghostly in my cat costume!Miya is leaving us again, off on a new adventure. She is my kindred spirit in so many ways
Fostering
Our apartment was nearly as full as our schedule for more than 2 months this autumn. We got word of a litter of abandoned kittens nearby, so we offered to take 2 of them in.
Love at first sight!
We called them Coco (the tabby cat) and Havana (the calico). We jokingly called them “The Monsters” because of their voracious appetites, but in all seriousness, they are two of the sweetest, most gentle kittens we’ve ever known.
Best Friends forever…
We had them longer than we had planned, mostly because the adoptions we lined up for them kept falling through for various reasons. Nevertheless, we ended up finding them a good home with a Russian couple that adore them. I miss them so much my heart hurts, but that’s what the “bitter” part is with fostering. You give them all your love, your time, your care…. And then you let them go.
Suzhou’s Animal Rescue Network
Which brings me to the last and most important part of my post. While it’s true I’ve been busy raising kittens and making music, there has been a new item on my to do list since the first week of October: Rescuing animals
And not just these monsters!
It all began when I joined a wechat group that was run by university students. The group was basically set up to help animals, and by the time I joined, it was being used to find fosters, adopters and also to fundraise for vet bills.
One of the first posters I made
One particular woman posted a lot. She had multiple puppies living in her home, all rescued from the street. I was keeping up with her posts and it seemed like every day a new litter of dogs would arrive in her tiny apartment. After a few weeks she started asking for help.
I also named each of them. I named this little lady Dobby, after the house elf from Harry PotterThis was one of the few dogs who already had a name: Curly. He was amazing because he was so protective of all the little puppies. He stole my heart in an instantI loved this dude’s ears so I named him Radar
My biggest concern in all this was the puppies’ health. By the time I got involved, Cindy had 17 puppies, 8 cats and 5 adult dogs all living in her home (plus 7 more being boarded at the vet). More significantly, without the skills to advertise these dogs, she wasn’t finding any of them fosters or homes. Luckily, I have some skills making flyers so Dave and l went down to meet Cindy and get pictures of the 18 puppies in her home.
The first of many, many Flyers!
I started circulating flyers and seeking help for these dogs. 6 days later, the first dog came down with parvo virus…
In the end, we only lost 2 of the 23 dogs living in that house. We expected far worse, especially given that many of the dogs weren’t in perfect health even before the parvo. I circulated flyers, and made people aware of the situation. I collected donations and paid the puppies bills with the funds sent in by the generous people living in Suzhou city. It cost more than $3000 Canadian to get all the dogs healthy, but it was well worth the effort. We’ve rehomed nearly all of the dogs now, and they’re living happily with their forever families!
Domino’s name is now Snoopy. He lives with a guy who adores him. They are a match made in heaven!Dobby became “Jira” under the care of her foster… Who eventually decided to keep her. They are the best of friends and I couldn’t be happier for Jira!!Oreo was one of the only puppies not to come down with parvo virus. He was a strong little dude and was one of the first to be adopted. His foster was very closely involved in the adoption process and in the end it was her who found him a home!
Another dog came along during the parvo breakout. When she was found, I thought she didn’t have a chance. The woman who rescued her believed she could make it though, so I named her Hope and started circulating her story. It’s been several months now since she was found, dragging the back side of her paralyzed body… But Hope survived. She’s maintained a friendly and sweet personalty through all this, and helping her was one of the most meaningful things I’ve ever accomplished in my life.
A local “celebrity” interviewed me about Hope’s story. He’s a Danish Baker by day, but his side job is Vlogging. He makes videos about different ways people can find happiness in life. Helping animals is what brings me happiness.
Now, I’m running the group started by those kind hearted university students. We have about 300 members now and it takes 3 of us to manage the group because it’s not an easy job. I try very hard to keep it positive and about the animals. So often, people have different ideas about the best ways to fundraise and I try very hard to focus on successes and the things people CAN do.
Can I save every dog in the world? Of course not, but I helped find more than a dozen homeless animals forever homes in the last 3 months.
Curly was also adopted by his foster, a wonderful Canadian expat!
Can I stop every case of animal cruelty in the world? It would be impossible. But I helped save Hope.
Can I change everyone’s opinions about China and it’s attitudes towards animals? Nope. But I can work together with all the wonderful locals who DO care and very much want to see change in their country.
I am still helping make flyers whenever I can, although it’s been tough to keep up the last few weeks
I’ve had a few good cries over all these dogs and all the ugliness I’ve seen. But something wonderful and unexpected has started happening through all this. As someone who is quite active in the expat community (The Foodies Groups, The Sundaze, Internations etc.), I have a voice here in Suzhou. And at some point in the last few months, I’ve become the person people call when there are dogs found freezing in the rain.
I got a call from a friend of a friend who had found this dog, abandoned in the freezing rain a few months ago. We named her Cinnamon. She was terrified and very nervous with peopleWhen it became clear no one was coming back for her, I got together a team of people to help. 1 person paid the vet bills. 1 person went and got the dog and brought it to the vet to be checked for health. 2 people visited Cinnemon daily to give her people time. Another girl made a flyer. Someone else fostered. It was truely a group effort!Cinnemon is now part of a loving family. Her new name is Roxy and she has a long and happy life ahead of her!!
And I tell ya, each time I get a new contact and someone says “hey, Marie. I heard that you’re the person to contact about abandoned animals. Can you help?” And I can actually help….. It’s a pretty darn purposeful way to spend my time.
So, that’s why you haven’t been hearing as much from me as of late. But get ready, because I’m on holiday in Europe and will be doing my daily posts!
We’re currently waiting for our flight to Madrid!
If you or anyone you know is interested in helping Suzhou’s abandoned and needy animals, please add me to wechat! Whether you want to adopt, foster or donate, every bit of help we recieve is crucial and appreciated!!!
In the past month, Indonesia has been hit with several devastating earthquakes. Many of the people I met in Lombok and on the Gili Islands were surely affected by these deadly events. I’ve found myself thinking about our time there a lot.
Below is a post I began writing in Spring, but never got around to finishing until now. Through this post, I hope to inspire people to visit this beautiful island country and to better understand it as well. Whether you are an avid traveler, or simply dream of one day being able to travel, this post is full of all the reasons why I would recommend Indonesia as a travel destination for pretty much anyone.
In the last 4 years, I’ve done a lot of travelling. I’ve had a lot of experiences, eaten a lot of different food and met a lot of different people. From the Hongs of Thailand, to the Thar Desert in India, I’ve never visited anywhere that didn’t offer some sort of spectacular adventure.
Sea Canoes in Thailand
Ziplining in Laos
Motorbike tours in Vietnam
Camel riding in India
Sometimes though, you find a country that offers more than just destinations and good food. Those countries captivate you and take a piece of your heart. They change the way you see the world. Cambodia did that for me, and it became the country I compared all other countries too. Now, Indonesia has also been added to that list, and today I’d like to tell you why.
Cambodia had it all: Beautiful architecture, rich history and kind people
Diversity & Tolerance
Before going to Indonesia, I’d read a lot of things. I knew, of course, that Indonesia is the country with the most Muslims in the world. I also knew that for the most part, Indonesia’s a pretty peaceful place. We’d heard of some problems in Jakarta, so we avoided the city, but even there, you’re never in any real danger.
We read ahead of time that some of the guides in the Bukit Lawang area could be pushy. We experienced nothing but awesome interactions with both of our guides, as well as every guide we ran into. When people asked us if we wanted to book a tour, we politely told them we already had. In many other countries, guides will keep hounding you and chasing you. In Indonesia, people politely wished us a good trip.
Similarly, Aceh province has a bit of a bad reputation, as its provincial government tries to enforce shariah law. There is a large group of fundamentalist Muslims in the area, and as a result, Indonesia makes news headlines with some of the things that happen there. The important thing to remember, however, is that Aceh does not represent all of Indonesia. Everyone we went in the rest of the country, we saw tolerance and friendliness.
I was honestly very surprised by the diversity in Indonesia. Right from the moment we arrived in Sumatra, we saw it. On Samosir Island, you find Christianity and Batik culture. When you move to Bukit Lawang, you see more Islam. Jogjakarta is also primarily Muslim, but the world’s biggest Buddhist temple is nearby along with a very famous Hindu temple. Flores was Christian while Lombok and the Gili Islands had several mosques. There are all sorts of people in Indonesia, and contrary to some of the things I’ve read in the news, everyone seems to get along pretty well. They were polite and friendly not only with tourists…but also with each other.
Many women in Indonesia wear Hihabs. I loved the way these ladies contrasted with the beautiful stone behind them
Ecotourism & Positive Tourism Experiences
Of course, ecotourism was a huge pull for me in Indonesia. All over the country, responsible tour operators are running businesses that encourage care for the environment and all the living things within those environments. With Bukit Lawang Jungle Trekking, we were able to experience Orangutans in their natural environment. In addition to learning about these beautiful primates, we also learned about the other flora and fauna in the area, and about what it’s like to grow up in Bukit Lawang. Getting to know Sardi and Jimmy was one of the absolute best parts of my time in Indonesia, and I feel good about having chosen Bukit Lawang Jungle Trekking for my tour, because I can see the difference they are trying to make their community better through a variety of initiatives.
Bukit Lawang Jungle Trekking employs excellent guides who help protect the animals and the environment in Gunung Leuser National Park. This helps to protect beautiful orangutans, like this one.
Similarly, when we decided to go Komodo National Park, we looked at many tour operators before choosing Flores XP Adventure. While we did have some problems with the boat they rented, overall, Komodo XP was an excellent Eco Tour operator. Archer was very knowledgeable about the marine life, as were the rest of the XP crew.
Manta Rays are just one of many marine species that live in these waters. Komodo National Park actually boasts some of the most incredible marine diversity in the world, so it’s very important that companies like Flores XP Adventures
Most importantly, Flores XP takes ecological conservation seriously. No garbage was left on Padar Island when we left. Archer stopped the boating crew from fishing more than once (they were not part of the XP team, but had been hired out because the XP boats were in for maintenance.). I like that Archer and his team followed the laws that were set to help protect this incredibly bio diverse area.
The last thing I want to do is to mess with this kind of beauty!
Even Jogjakarta was a good destination for good tourism practices. Our hotel was run by two of the nicest people I’ve ever met in my life. Similarly, the staff at ViaVia, a fair trade store Dave and I discovered, went above and beyond to make our experience a good one. The money spent for our time at the two temples on Java was also put to very good use. The restoration and protection of both Borobudur and Prambanan was evident and we felt good about spending a bit more to be a part of preserving the culture on Java island.
We were so happy to discover Viavia! Not only did they sell fairtrade goods, but the staff were incredible too!
The People
Which leads me to the #1 reason why I loved Indonesia so much.
If you ask most people who travel extensively, they’ll tell you that it always takes a day or two to get a handle on what things are suppose to cost. Currencies are different from country to country, after all, something that costs $2 in Canada, might cost 5000vnd in Vietnam.
When I go to the ATM in Canada, they give me $20 and $50 bills. In Vietnam, you get 500,000 bills. Inflation is crazy!
Foreigners are also charged extra in many places, to the point where the practice has been dubbed ‘the foreigner tax’. When you combine that tax with a new currency, it’s a recipe for scams and rip offs. So, when we arrived in Sumatra, and everyone kept charging us 3500rp for water, we just assumed the real price was 2000.
India had the highest foreigner taxes we’ve seen. Foreigner entry prices were usually 4-5 times higher than local prices, with even more additional fees added on for the use of a camera at those sights.
It took us a few days, but soon we realized that the prices we were being given, were legitimate. People in Indonesia simply charged us the cost of the water, without additional fees. It wasn’t long before we realized that even when vendors did bring up their prices a little bit for us in the market, it was never outrageous. We simply weren’t ripped off in Indonesia.
I don’t know what these things cost, because signs rarely include prices there, but I can tell you that I’d probably pay the same amount for magic mushrooms as a local…if I ever felt like doing them, that is!
But the honesty we saw in Indonesia wasn’t even the thing that made our interactions with locals so good. What I loved most about the people in Indonesia was how incredibly welcoming and warm they were. Everywhere we went we were greeted and welcomed by locals. Every now and then someone would want a picture of us, but usually, they were happy just to say hello.
This is one of my favourite pictures I took during our entire month in Indonesia.
The Negatives
Of course, no country is perfect. There were some things about Indonesia that I wasn’t crazy about. Their coffee, for example, was a bit disappointing. Although some of my favourite beans come from Sumatra, coffee culture within the country is not what I expected.
Although coffee grows all over Indonesia (each bean on the map represents a coffee growing zone), they mostly sell their beans to other countries for roasting and production.
More importantly, while Sumatra, Jogjakarta and Lombok were full of honest and friendly people, The Gili Islands and Labuan Bajo were actually a bit disappointing. In Labuan Bajo (the capital of Flores island), the service industry is very lacking. We honestly felt that we weren’t wanted at our hotel. The employees were often absent, or sitting around, talking with friends, and any time we tried to order food or drinks, we were told they were out. Worst of all, the Wifi at the hotel wasn’t working (and Dave had a deadline to meet), although it was working everywhere else on the island. When I asked about it, I was told that I ‘should have gone to Bali’.
The hotel looked fantastic. The pool was clean and the rooms were nice. Unfortunately, the staff really didn’t seem to care for their jobs or the tourism industry at all. We talked about this with our tour guide in Komodo and he said that although things are slowly changing for the better…this is just the way Labuan Bajo is. It’s strange because it’s SO different from everything else we experienced!
Gili T is well set up for tourists, but there, you encounter the ‘foreign tax’ that didn’t exist elsewhere in the country. The people were nice, but we were paying 3-4x more to do basically anything on Gili Trawangon.
Boat prices were the same for everyone, at least, but with no cars on the island, the horse and buggy prices sky rocketed if there was even a bit of rain, if it was after dark, or if they could think of any other reason why they could double the price.
A perfect example of this was when I sent my post cards in Lombok. I had people dropping what they were doing to help me put stamps on all the post cards. We chatted and laughed together and raced to see who could finish first. When I tried to buy stamps on Gili T, the guy at the post office tried to tell me that the stamps were 4x the price I knew they should cost.
I’ve been particularly worried about these people since the Quakes hit. They all worked at the post office and helped me send my postcards. Unbelievably friendly and warm people. Although we clearly had different beliefs and cultures…everyone was nice to everyone else. There was no element of discomfort or of judgement or racism.
To Summarize
One last thing that is worth mentioning, is that this was MY perfect trip. I love wildlife. I love ecotourism. I love culture and I love adventure. I also don’t mind getting dirty or being cut off of the internet now and then. Bukit Lawang was what some people might consider ‘rugged’ and a lot of work. That was very much part of the appeal for me. If you like staying in a 5 star resort with a saltwater pool and a swim up bar, Sumatra might not be the best place for you, and perhaps Bali is a better option.
But if you do have an adventurous spirit….definitely consider booking with these guys! They made our trip such an incredible experience!
The way you travel will also affect your experiences in the country. I’ve heard from many people that taking long distance buses in Indonesia is a nightmare. Dave and I opted to pay a bit more and fly for time’s sake. We also rent motorbikes whenever possible so paying taxis and taking public transit was never really necessary. These are all things that can impact your holiday.
Our flights in Indonesia were pretty spectacular as well!
So, should you go to Indonesia?
Yes….Because from Bali to Bajo, there’s something for everyone!
One of my favourite aspects of travelling is all the new foods I get to try. Going to the Philippines, Dave and I were especially excited because we’ve always enjoyed Filipino cooking in Winnipeg (where the Filipino population is huge!). Unfortunately, the food on Cebu Island was a bit of a let down.
This wasn’t what I was expected when I ordered my first corned beef sandwhich in The Philippines
Canned food is something Dave and I hardly ever touch
Even when it wasn’t canned food, it was still processed
At the end, that isn’t ground beef. It’s corned beef.
Even the coffee is processed
There was one exception to this rule, however, and luckily, we discovered it early in our trip!
The Bee Farm is so much more than just a place with a lot of bees. We stayed at the Bee Farm hotel on Panglao island, but we also visited the restaurant in Cebu City as well as The Buzz Cafe in Tagbilaran. All 3 of these locations had honey products for sale, and so much more!
Everything is made by locals
They also make textiles and art using plant based organic materials
We stayed at the Panglao Bee Farm Hotel, which was quite an experience! We shared the family room with Deb and Dedrick, with us taking upstairs, and them taking the main floor. The whole cabin had such a rustic feel to it. The bathrooms even included soap made right at the Bee Farm!
With 3 pools to choose from, it was a beautiful hotel to stay at!!
The weather was a bit gloomy our first day there, but it didn’t damper our moods!
The view from the dock
We didn’t take the Bee Farm tour, because Dedrick and Deb had actually visited a few weeks earlier (they were leaving the Philippines just as we got there), but we still walked around and admired the very well-kept grounds.
An adorable bench.
Some farm grown herbs and plants
bees!!
Bee Hive
What I loved most about The Bee Farm was the quality of fresh and organic food. With so many of our options being processed food, it was so nice to eat good whole grain bread, and proper coffee with honey instead of sugar!
Honey Glazed Chicken
Chicken sandwhich
Cassava chips and pesto sauce. Cassava is similar to potato but a healthier option
Very tasty veggie wraps drizzled with a honey dressing
My Salted Honey Frappe at The Buzz. Delicious!!!
The only problem I had with the Bee Farm was that their products were mostly in containers that were too big for carry-on luggage (we had traveled to the Philippines without any checked bags). Still, I couldn’t resist making a stop in Cebu city, on our way out of the country, to pick up my 2 favourite Bee Farm Products: Honey Spread and Chili Honey. I knew there was a chance that they would be taken from me at the airport, but it was worth the risk.
The Buzzz Restaurant in Cebu City
Lots of products for sale here, including honey, coffee, tea, cassava chips and so much more!
They did make it home..and I’ve been putting spicy honey on all my farmer sausage all month!
That’s it for the Philippines! I still have posts about Malaysia and Indonesia planned, plus several posts about Southern Manitoba. Stay tuned!
It’s no secret that Dave and I love snorkeling. The ocean life fascinates both of us, and although I can find it mildly anxiety inducing (I get claustrophobic), I never let it stop me from diving in, taking some deep yoga breaths and enjoying the world below the surface.
Usually, I relax as soon as I find an animal to follow.
The Philippines boasts some of the best snorkeling in the world, so we were very excited to see what there was to see off the coast of Cebu and Bohol Islands. We had 3 snorkeling trips in total and I’m sad to say that only one of them was very enjoyable.
Punglao Snorkeling
Our first snorkeling trip was with our friends Deb and Dedrick off the coast of Bohol Island. They organized an exciting morning of snorkeling for us, which started with a boat ride through some rather choppy water, and ended up at a small island where there are sea turtles and plenty of ocean life to enjoy.
One of several turtles we spotted
This was our first snorkeling experience in The Philippines, and as is always the case when travelling…we had to learn the ropes. Every country does things a bit differently. In Thailand, we booked day tours that would take us out to several islands on a speedboat, and took us to several locations to snorkel. In Indonesia, we did 2 nights in a boat to see the Manta Rays in Komodo National Park. In Cuba, we often just snorkeled off the beach, or hopped on a Catamaran for a day trip to various small islands. Usually, the prices of the trip, boat, food, park fees etc are included in the package price you pay for the day.
Snorkeling in Indonesia was quite an experience!
The mantas in Komodo National Park were beyond beautiful
Vibrant and healthy reefs
Things are done differently in the Philippines. We were told we needed to pay 1800 pesos to rent a boat to get to the island where there are turtles and fish to see. Then, we were told there was a fee to get into the park. Then, when we arrived, we were told we needed to pay another boat to take us to the ACTUAL snorkeling area (another 800 pesos). In total we ended up paying nearly $70 Canadian and there wasn’t a whole lot to see.
The second (smaller) boat we hired. He actually had the guys swim back to the shore…I assert they should have been given a discount seeing as how they only get the service they paid for on the way there….
Unfortunately, the trip got worse, the longer we stayed in the water. The boat we hired had a captain who wanted to go and take more tourists out to make more money…so after only 20 minutes of snorkeling, he was trying to get everyone back in the boat. I obliged because I’d been stung by a few jellyfish and wasn’t feeling very well, but getting onto the boat was another ordeal yet.
We were on a boat similar to this one
Filipino fishing boats have wooden bars that come out on either side of the boat to help stabilize them and prevent capsizes. The captain of this boat wanted to ‘help’ me get back on, but instead, I ended up hanging off the side as he bashed me into the side of the boat repeatedly…bruising my ribs in the process. My friend Deb wasn’t as badly hurt in her trip back onto the boat, but she also didn’t find the task easy either. Both of the boys just swam the short way back, because it was a much safer choice.
Lessons Learned:
Don’t bruise your ribs when snorkeling.
Wear sunscreen…even when it’s cloudy (we were out of commission for a few days we burned so badly!!)
Bring good people with you on trips like this so that even if the snorkeling isn’t fantastic…the company is!
Sumilon Island Snorkeling
Our second trip snorkeling was on Sumilon Island. I wasn’t sure whether or not to count this as a ‘snorkeling trip’ though, because we never actually snorkeled. Allow me to explain…
Sumilon Island is located off the coast of Cebu…near Oslob.
Sumilon Island is one of the things I’d read very little about. We mostly went off of what locals told us….and it all sounded awesome! We were told to expect:
Excellent snorkeling
An amazing beach with chairs set up for rental
Clear and calm water around the island where you can swim and snorkel
Of course, what we got was very different than what we expected.
We spent 1500 pesos on the short boat ride to the island.
This was a cheaper option than booking with the Resort’s boat, which was 2500 pesos PER PERSON.
At least the boat was fast and big enough that we weren’t sitting beside the engine, breathing in fumes!
As it turns out…it is a beautiful island and it does have amazing snorkeling…but only if you hire a boat (which we couldn’t do once we were there, from what we saw). There was definitely no snorkeling from the shore because the water was simply too rough. What’s worse, is that boats were coming and going constantly, taking up most of the public beach area. They didn’t have anywhere to dock, so they’d just come up on the beach.
Although the island is quite big, only a small part of it is public beach. This small area in the photo was the only place to swim without being at risk of being hit by a boat. It was very shallow and there were thousands of sharp rocks to step on.
There were 0 chairs or umbrellas for rent. We arrived at around 3pm, and were on the west side of the island, so it was HOT!!!
Taken from different parts of the island. We wandered around for a while, trying to find some shade
The waves were huge
We only lasted a few minutes in the water before we had to get out.
It turns out that the only way to get beach rentals was to book with the resort that’s only the island….which was WAY out of our budget. So, instead of the amazing afternoon snorkeling we had planned, we crouched under an area of rocks for shade until the next boat came around.
We hid under the lip of this cliff to try and stay cool
It smelled like stale seafood and gunky water. The short time we spent looking for shade resulted in the sun burn you can see already appearing on me. It got quite a bit worse than this…
Somehow, $122 Canadian did not seem like a reasonable amount of money to spend for a 5 minute boat ride, some snacks & the use of a beach chair….
Lesson Learned: Do reading ahead of time! You never know what information you might be missing that will greatly impact your day. We would have had a MUCH different experience if we’d organized a snorkeling or diving tour. This island is an AMAZING place to snorkel / dive if you do it right!!!
You had to walk out into the water to climb up some stairs to get into the boat. With the waves, walking in the water wasn’t as easy as it would have seemed
Tourists, trying to keep their skin safe from the sun!
Tingko Snorkeling
Our best snorkeling adventure was the last thing we had time to do in the Philippines. Tingko beach is just outside of Alcoy on Cebu Island. Our bus back to Cebu city only left at around 4pm, so we decided to try snorkeling one more time before leaving the Philippines.
Tingko Beach
We were a bit worried when we arrived, because once more, there was nowhere to set up or put our things. There were also no umbrellas. We were about to walk away when a young Filipino man came over and asked us if we’d like to hire him and his boat for some snorkeling.
There were a few picnic tables, but not many
Mostly, the beach was full of families with little ones
The beach also wasn’t very wide, so there wasn’t much room for picnic blankets etc
I was VERY skeptical at first. We asked him about a price, and it seemed a bit high, but he quickly lowered it (probably more than he needed to). When he said he had a ladder to get in and out of his boat (to avoid further rib bashing), we agreed to hire him for an hour to do some snorkeling. I was so glad we did!
A small Filipino fishing boat…similar to several others we were on
He brought us around to 3 different spots in that hour. I only snorkeled at the first spot, because I wasn’t actually feeling very well that morning, but it was an amazing area to explore! We actually even saw a sea snake swimming through the seaweed! Unfortunately, we didn’t have the camera with us…but we’ve learned over the last few years that some experiences just need to be experienced. The little snake swam away as quickly as he appeared, so I doubt we could have gotten any shots anyway.
Dave did get a shot of a clown fish in an anemone on one of his solo trips under the sea!
While Dave explored stops 2 and 3 on his own, I chatted with our captain. He was no more than 25 years old, but has 4 children, all under the age of 5. He told me how much he loves being a dad and how he adores going home and hearing his kids scream ‘Daddy!’ when they see him. He seemed like a really nice person, and in the end, I paid him his original asking price.
Cebu island from our little fishing boat
Lesson Learned: Not everyone in the tourism industry is trying to rip you off. Some people are just trying to make an honest living while trying to be a top-notch husband and father.
Alright….1 post left about our time in the Philippines! Stay tuned! I’ll be back before you know it!
Usually, if Dave and I take a trip, I do quite a bit of planning ahead of time. I always leave a bit of room for free time, of course, but we don’t usually stay in the same spot long enough for us to discover more than what have planned for. I did things differently in the Philippines.
We were on a bit of a tight budget, so we figured that even if there was nothing to do in Cebu, our Air BnB included a gorgeous pool…so how bad of a time could we possibly have had?
When we first arrived in Dalaguete, we knew we would discover some hidden gems, but we didn’t expect to find a spot as beautiful (and apparently unknown) as Osmeña peak.
Osmeña peak is the highest point on Cebu Island
We learned about this hidden gem while relaxing one evening with our Air Bnb host, Thomas. He was very surprised we’d never heard of it, and told us that it was very beautiful and very worth the short hike up. So, the following morning, we set off to check out the highest point on Cebu island.
The ride up into the hills was very pretty!
The roads wind around all the small mountains. Really beautiful!
A lot of the roads are currently under construction, making it easy to get lost on your way up…
We were using an app to navigate to the entrance of our destination, where we’d heard of a relatively easy hiking trail up to the peak. When we arrived at our destination, a young boy hopped over and pointed us in the right direction.
Our original path looked promising…
About 5 minutes into our walk, a little boy ran up behind us and started shouting in a local language. He seemed insistent that we should turn down a tiny, mud-covered path. It wasn’t long down that path that we realized we’d come in through the ‘wrong entrance’. We head back to our motorbike, but not before getting some great pictures first.
A very worthwhile detour
We could see people in the distance, and we were pretty sure we could reach them via our little mud path…but it didn’t seem safe, or enjoyable, so we head back and searched for the correct entrance with the well groomed trail we’d been promised by Thomas
Along the way we spotted a goal tangled around a tree. Dave helped the little guy out.
A beautiful area!
We drove around a bit more and found the actual entrance to the peak. In hindsight, it made a lot more sense than our original stop. For one thing, there was a ticket office and a little store at Stop #2, instead of a couple of farmers sitting on the back of a truck, grinning at us. Having said that, if you’ve traveled in South East Asia, you learn that things aren’t always as official looking as you expect, which is why we went with it at Stop #1.
We also saw other tourists…which was a good sign.
The police office
A very sun faded sign
The hike up the hill was nice….especially when we got high enough that a breeze made it through the trees. The trail is well maintained and if you’re in reasonably good shape, it isn’t too difficult of a trek. It took us about 25 minutes to make it to the top, but we also stopped for quite a few pictures along the way (and a dog followed us up, so I stopped to pet him quite often!)
The trail is small but well groomed and not muddy
Beautiful cliffs
I saw this shot and made Dave stop so I could frame it properly. On our way back down, this little hill was crawling with tourists trying to get the perfect selfie. I think it looked better this way
Along the trail there are a few people selling water. A lot of farming is done in the area too, so you can also buy some cabbage, if you’re so inclined
Aside from our experience with scarf snarfing selfie seekers, our time on the peak was beautiful. I managed to get some pictures without tourists in it, which is always a challenge.
You can rent little cabins up at the peak, which is pretty spectacular!
People enjoying a different peak
The path to the final peak
Shot from above
I did actually manage to get the shot I waited so patiently for…after the selfie seekers left.
Once more…I think it’s nicer without people in it…
I did take a few selfies myself. I’m not here to condemn selfies. But when you’re in a place as beautiful as this, please be considerate of other people. You can take 1 or 2 selfies…but a series of 8-10 poses is excessive!
I was sitting on some very sharp rocks here, so I wasn’t too interested in sticking around longer than necessary!
Osmeña peak is a very worthwhile trip. If you’re looking for additional information about the hike, I found a fantastic website with lots of information including directions and fees. You can check out that website here.
Some last shots for you
I have a few posts left about our time in The Philippines, so stay tuned!
Dave and I have done a lot of travelling for the last 4 years. Each country we’ve visited has offered new insight into the different cultures, languages and history that make up our wonderful world.
From the Grand Palace in Bangkok….To the beautiful sandstone architecture of IndiaOur world is full of beauty...both man-made and natural!
Although there are so many differences between each place we’ve visited, there have also been similarities. One thing that we find pretty much anywhere we’ve ever gone, is that every place in south east Asia has a waterfall for tourists to visit.
My favourite falls in South East Asia: Kuang Si Falls, near Luang Prabang, Laos.
Of course, Cebu island has several waterfalls, but we only had the chance to visit one: Tumalog Falls. Located just outside of Oslob, it’s easy to rent a motorbike to visit, or even hire a motorized tricycle (although, they may have a hard time getting up the hills if their motorcycle isn’t in tip top shape!)
Surprisingly…these trikes don’t always run perfectly…
When we arrived the entrance to the falls, we were asked to park our motorbike and walk the last kilometer or so to the actual waterfall. It was a steep climb down to get there, and then, of course, a tough climb back. The first time we tried to visit the falls (we tried twice), we were actually scared away by the mid-day heat and the idea of climbing a km uphill. We normally wouldn’t be worried about a short hike like that, but after suffering from heat exhaustion for several days, we weren’t keen on getting sick again. But, when our Air BnB host told us we could hire a special motorbike to bring us back up the hill, we decided to try again.
Of course, pictures don’t show slope very well…
The little entrance where you pay a very small admission to get into the falls
The falls were well worth the visit. They were very tall and they trickled more than spilled, making them quite peaceful.
The area was very peaceful too. There was lots of bamboo growing, and it even created a bit of a dome over the area, giving us the feeling of being enclosed by the jungle.
The small pools around the falls were also stunning.
These blue pools of water are as peaceful in person as they are in photos
Lots of people brought their swimsuits and were swimming in the pool at the bottom of the falls, but Dave and I hadn’t brought ours. I’m glad others had more foresight than me though, because the shots I got of them in the water help to show just how high these falls were.
The falls go up about 2x as high as the picture shows
Tumalog falls was a worthwhile trip I’d recommend to anyway staying in the Oslob area!
Our first real stop in the Oslob area was not planned. We were driving around, looking for a market when we came upon this huge and beautifully old Church.
It took 18 years to complete The Immaculate Conception Church, beginning in 1830. There are several buildings on the grounds, including the church itself, a bell tower, and a parish house. All buildings have had some reconstruction over the years, due to fires and other damage.
From the side. In the background, you can see the ocean 🙂
From the back
There are beautiful mountains in the background.
The church is made of a made of coral stone, which was very popular in Spanish architecture during colonial times. Coral stone is excellent at repelling heat, so it is a perfect choice for a church in The Philippines. While we were walking around, we saw that a funeral was being held inside the church, so even now…this parish is active and the church is in use.
The old bells are rusted out, but still beautiful
I loved the bell tower against the blue sky
The bell tower is covered in vegetation, giving it an overgrown feel
There are also several buildings nearby that were equally beautiful. We spent a bit of time exploring the unfinished “Cuartel”. This large building was suppose to house Spanish soldiers during colonial times, but for some reason, it was never actually completed. Now, it serves as a beautiful place to take some pictures on a sunny day.
The area around the church and Cuartel was also beautiful. There were a few vendors out, selling treats to kids and their parents. There were some really nice benches as well, and some trees, providing shade. Dave and I actually visited the area twice during our week in Oslob. It was so hot the first day that we couldn’t stay for very long, so we came back a second time.
The part of this historical site that interested me most though, wasn’t actually the church itself. Although the church was beautiful, the Baluarte, or watchtower, was even more interesting yet.
The Baluarte has an important place in Oslob history, having helped protect the town from attacks in the past. Now, it serves as a photographic reminder of times past. Most interestingly, there are chunks of coral built into the wall. It’s really very beautiful, overlooking the ocean the way it does.
The view if you’re standing in front of the watchtower
I really enjoyed this ‘surprise stop’ in Oslob, and I encourage anyone in the area to check it out if they have the chance!
