Johnnie Blogs

(and The Danish Lagoon)

Heere's
Johnnie!

Tale of 2 Foreigners

Freediving
Siquijor

Heeeere's Johnnie!

Location : The Danish Lagoon, San Juan (municipality), Siquijor Island (province), Philippines

Time for Another Visit
I've only met Johnnie once and that was 13 years ago - what a character! It was in his luxurious beachfront resort, Danish Lagoon. Both were memorable to me - Johnnie and The Danish Lagoon. Now that I'm back in Siquijor, it was time to pay him another visit.

Danish Lagoon Closed!!!
First, I had to find out where Danish Lagoon is, on Google Maps. To my utter dismay, it said the place was permanently closed! I did my research on where to contact Johnnie. I emailed, I texted, but no reply. I had to take my chance and go to the closed resort and get more info on where I can find Johnnie.

The Cubbyhole
Aside from saying Hello, there was another reason why I wanted to talk to Johnny. Many years ago, I envisioned developing my own yoga retreat center. I even have a name for it already - The Cubbyhole. This would be a space with lodging cubbyholes where friends can take refuge to recharge, reboot and empower themselves before heading out to resume their journey.

A few days ago while doing yoga by the seawall, I had an Aha Moment! Instead of visualizing this yoga retreat as something I will have to develop from scratch, why not acquire an existing place? Since The Danish Lagoon is permanently closed and for sale, maybe I can have that place instead. How? I don't really need to know how. All I need is to meditate, put my intention to it, and somehow, I feel assured it will happen. Well, that's how things are for me now - instead of working hard for something, I just meditate on it.

I broached the idea to Greg if he might be interested in acquiring a resort if it's a good price. He flatly said he's already simplifying his life - so it's more divesting instead of investing. I guess he's not the one to manifest my vision.

For as long as I continue my due-diligence, it will manifest (not necessarily through my effort).

A Blog Benefit
Had I relied on memory alone, the only thing I would remember was that many years ago, I met this wonderful foreigner in his resort in San Juan - forgot how long ago, forgot his name, forgot his resort, forgot why he was memorable. All I remember was that he was amazing and that the resort was luxurious and tempting.

But thanks to my blog, all I had to do was read my entry, look at the pictures, and it all came back like it was just last week.

Biking It
Every time I take the public jeep to leave Lazi, I'm always in a rush to catch the 2 pm last trip going back. This means I can't go beyond 2 pm anywhere outside Lazi. That was a bummer.

In going to the Danish Lagoon, I embarked on loading my folding bike into the jeep and simply bike back without being rushed. That would mean 25+ km along uphills and downhills until I reach home.

25 km is nothing...well, kind of. At the height of my mountain biking racing days, I would race on a 22 km technical single-track. So a leisurely pace on 25 km should be nothing. BUT!

I'm now older, slower and riding a heavy, small-wheeled folding bike. But I still managed the 25 km ride on this bike

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20 years ago, I was younger, faster, stronger and...and riding a high-performance mountain bike at break-neck speeds

The Danish Lagoon
I got off the jeep at the junction where The Danish Lagoon is only 100 meters down towards the sea. There was no signage...only a narrow path. Finally, I was at Danish Lagoon - no one there but it seemed like someone was still living there somewhere. The restaurant was in disrepair and showed signs of aging and neglect. The grounds were brushy...the pool had a green color (instead of blue) and the wooden steps were loose and rotten. The once dazzling cottages were now overgrown with weeds and shrubs. It was heartbreaking.

Danish Lagoon, now

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Danish Lagoon, 2010

The Caretaker and the Mom
I tried announcing my presence and someone came out from one of the cottages. It was the caretaker who pointed me to where Johnny still lived. Yes, he's still alive and he's still living in one of the cottages! I met his Mom but Johnnie was out. We talked. Apparently, the resort already closed before Covid. Reason? She said they didn't want to manage the property anymore and just wanted to live in peace. They were now selling the property. Other sources told me they were relentlessly hounded by the BIR (the tax guys) until it became too much. After a few minutes, Johnnie arrived.

Johnnie
Of course, he didn't recognize me - it was expected. He met resort guests day in and day out and he couldn't possibly remember everyone, especially someone he just had a conversation with, once. But people who have met him, remember him - me being one of them.

I had to introduce myself and show him our picture from 13 years ago. After a while, he loosened up and was back to his animated self again. He talked about Siquijor as the best thing since sliced bread and that he cannot imagine himself getting old in a different place - not even Denmark. He was full of gratitude. And he puts his money where his mouth is. During the lockdown, he spent nearly P200,000 giving away food to those who had no means to survive. During the yuletide season, he put together a Christmas package consisting of essential goods and gave it to families who would have otherwise been miserable during the holidays. He also sponsored a few poor kids to get an education.

me and Johnnie now at The Danish Lagoon

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me and Johnnie 13 years ago

The Complainers
Johnnie talked at length about his main pet peeve - foreigners who choose to stay here but spend too much time complaining about the country, the people and the way things are done. His message to them? GO HOME!

These old timers (usually sick and grumpy as well) incessantly complain about being ripped off by their 20-something local girlfriends - some, a number of times already. Johnnie's message to them? IF THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED TO YOU THE THIRD TIME ALREADY, IT'S NO LONGER THE GIRL'S FAULT - IT'S YOURS. YOU'RE JUST AN IDIOT!

Tips on Living in Siquijor
As a 17-year resident of Siquijor, I asked Johnny for some tips if I should really decide on settling down in Siquijor:

1. 5 km - for cheap land with a good view, go towards the mountains for about 5 to 6 km from the town center (any of the 6 towns). With this distance, it's likely to be quiet as well - no karaoke, no barking dogs, no crowing roosters, no loud motorbikes
2. Electricity and water - choose land with water and electricity already in place, otherwise, it will be more expensive
3. Pay for the paperwork - most lands up in the mountains are huge...could even be 10 ha. If you only want 1000 sqm, offer to pay the paperwork, and the owner will likely be willing to divide his land and sell you only 1000 sqm. Lawyer fees are cheap
4. Right of way - make sure you get 'right of way' towards your land
5. e-Mountain bike - if you want to keep fit, instead of buying a motorcycle, get a high-quality e-mountain bike instead. You get the best of 2 worlds - bike workout and motorized assistance if you're not really up to pedaling
6. Do it NOW - when the airport opens up (construction has already finished), land prices will skyrocket.

Ending Thoughts
Johnny's a little frail now compared to 13 years ago, but he's still as inspiring and animated as he has always been. His high spirit is infectious. I'm glad I went out of my way to seek him out. This episode 'can be the start of a beautiful friendship' (Humprey Bogart, Casablanca).

--- Gigit (TheLoneRider)
YOGA by Gigit | Learn English | Travel like a Nomad | Donation Bank

ps - (Mar 1, 2023) We met again. This time, at Twenty4Cafe when he passed by Lazi. We ended with an invite to join him for breakfast at his favorite carinderia. Something to look forward to!

at the Twenty4Cafe in Lazi

Next story:

Camagung-Ong Natural Spring

(Feb 28, 2023) The name spontaneously came up in a conversation with a local while talking about natural spring for drinking water. Without misssing a beat, I secured a big water container and biked out to the natural spring which happened to be close to my place...more »»

More on San Juan:

More on Siquijor Island:

Siquijor Island Map

Siquijor - Cebu (Liloan) - Cebu City BUS Trip

(as of Jan 2023)

There is only one bus plying this route - Sugbo Urban. Tourist class coach, a/c, comfortable, Sun-Fri (these dates keep changing). P420 for bus, P275 for ferry to Liloan. Larena Port around 5 am, makes a clockwise roundtrip around Siquijor Island - Larena, Enrique Villanueva, Maria, Lazi (stops at Lazi market for breakfast and leaves 6:50 am), San Juan, Siquijor (arrives 8am, P50 from Lazi to Siquijor Poblacion) and catches the 1pm ferry at Larena Port (Sundays at 3 pm) for Liloan, Cebu and resumes its land route. Arrives Cebu City (South Bus Terminal) 10 pm.

Sugbo Urban is the cheapest and most convenient way because it goes around the island (clockwise) along the circumferential road, passing through - Enrique Villanueva, Maria, Lazi, San Juan, Siquijor...and back to Larena where it takes the ferry at 1 pm. This saves you the hassle and high transport cost of a tricycle. Besides, it's a long trip from the other side of the island to be taking by tricycle.

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