Country > Philippines > Bohol > Tagbilaran
Date > 2024 > November
Activity > Snapshot

SNAPSHOTS

Feb

Jan Snapshots: fashionista, vote selling, homeless American, short dick, ear pinch

Jan '25

November Snapshots: Garbage, Vote-Buying, Hair, Beach, Ants, Park, Tire, Banana-Q

Nov

Oct

September Snapshots: Christmas, Cute Jogger, Confidence,

Sep

August Snapshots: Contol Tower, Archway, Blood Compact, Bridge, Laundry, Kape Huan, Drag Race, Boulevard

Aug

Jul

June Snapshots: Cake delivery, Free hanging

Jun

May

Mar Snapshots: heavy payload, butt-cheek shorts

Mar

Feb Snapshots: Butter, Typewriter, Carrot, Egg, Ginger

Feb

Jan Snapshots: New Year, Fresh Catch, Sunrise, Earthing

Jan '24

December Snapshots: Bolo Bolo Dip, Christmas Lunch, Tuba Denizens, Friends Forever, Men Working, Cow / Crow

Dec

Nov Snapshots: Bread Improver, Shoe Repair, Unsung Hero

Nov

Oct Snapshots: Garbage, Fresh Fish, Road Kill, Screen

Oct

Sep Snapshots: Fisherman, Granny, Pedicure, Big Fish, Garbage

Sep

Aug Snapshots: Pan de Sal, Palpitate, Taho, Tuna, Pineapple

Aug

Jul

Jun

May

Apr

Mar

Feb

Jan '23

Dec

Nov

Oct

Sep

Aug

Jul

Jun

May

Mar

Jan '22

Sep '21

November 1-31, 2024

November Snapshots: Garbage, Vote-Buying, Hair, Beach, Ants, Park, Tire, Banana-Q

Location : Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines

Back in Tagbilaran
After being in Ormoc and Cebu, it's good to go back home to Tagbilaran despite the garbage episodes, the ruined good roads and the slow cashiers. Oh well, I should really just leave the place if I can't stand it - but I'm still here so I'll try to keep positive.

Lazy Day by the Beach

(November 28, 2024 Dauis, Bohol, Philippines) To escape my daily routine, I load my 'Picnic Kit' on my motorbike and look for a public beach. This time, I chanced on Bikini Beach. It was a hot day but a massive rock overhang offered shade. It's good to breathe ocean air and be alone in a quiet place with your hot cocoa drink, listening to some podcast.

NO to Vote-Buying!

(November 23, 2024 Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines) After institutions have been corrupted by politicians, I thought the last remaining check-and-balance in this struggling democracy are the voters. If a politian destroyed good roads to build new ones on top of it or if they discontinued garbage collection despite the budget alloted to it, then come voting time, they face the wrath of the voters. Then I learned that the voters were only too willing to sell their votes for half a kilo of rice and some canned goods. That was the end of democracy for me. This nation is doomed to be a slave nation where we send out teachers and accountants to be domestic helpers abroad - sometimes they come back home to their families in body bags. But at Jocoy's Cafe, I saw a light at the end of the tunnel - a banner saying "END vote-buying!". It's a glimmer of hope to see that not everyone is in on the take. This banner is like a flickering candle in the middle of a raging storm. I hope it stays lit.

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

(November 14, 2024 Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines) Shaving my head is a recurring song-and-dance. Without the burden of maintaining a long hair, I'd rather keep it long - it looks cool and I like it. But to sweep hair from the floor, to brush my hair every now and then, and to clean the drain from hair clogging? Hair becomes more difficult that what's cool.

Death by a Thousand Bites

(November 12, 2024 Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines) I've heard of death by a thousand cuts, which the ancient Chinese warriors used to inflict to their most hated nemesis. But I've witnessed something perhaps just as cruel. I've seen a worm swarmed by red ants - hundreds of red ants covering the worm from head to tail. The poor ant was contorting in agony as the ants bit chunks of flesh. It was an excruciatingly painful sight. Finally, the wriggling stopped as the worm succumbed to a slow death. The worm slowly disintegrated as the ants finished the job. When I was young, I would complain that, "Life is harsh and life is not fair." As a grown-up, I just say, "That's life".

Lazy Day at the CPG Park with my 'Picnic Kit'

(November 10, 2024 Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines) I've said so many neglected things about this park. Let me tip the scale and talk about the feeling of serenity under shaded trees right in the heart of Tagbilaran City - an oasis in the desert. Of course, bringing my 'Picnic Kit' makes life more comfortable. In my big backpack (nestled on the rear-passenger seat of my folding bike), I have a folding chair, thermal coffee pot, cup, my phone-amplifier (which is just a bigger cup with my phone inside it), slippers, earphones, yoga mat and a phone stand.

Near-Blowout

(November 5, 2024 Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines) On a slow turn on my motorbike, I skidded. Whoa! What the f%#k just happened? On inspection, I found out that my 9-year old new tire of 4500 km cracked all over with ply-layers opening up. It seems that tire has a shelf life whether used or not. My motorbike was stored in the dealership for 9 years when I bought it (cheap). The tire tread was still deep but unbeknownst to me, the rubber has already deteriorated. It's a good thing I wasn't on high speed when it failed. For added safety, I replaced both tires with Michellin tubeless tires - more money but increased safety. I'm just grateful I'm still in one piece.

Banana-Q before an HIIT Workout

(November 4, 2024 Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines) I came over to the CPG Grandstand to see my friends do their HIIT. A few of the participants, just minutes before the workout, each ate up 2 fried bananas on a stick.Whoa! Seriously?

Garbage

(November 2, 2024 Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines) Every month, without fail, I encounter episodes of garbage. I really think a civilization's benchmark is how its people deal with their personal garbage. Now at the CPG Park, my new yoga spot, I come to my favorite spot cleaning whatever garbage was left by those who spent the previous day there - despite the nearby garbage bins. Neanderthals!

Ending Thoughts
I'm quick to complain about the Philippines but in reality, this is what I have to work with...the glass is half-full.

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

Nov Learning: Archetype, Game Theory, Starting with A.I.

(November 2024) Whenever I get curious about something, I look it up and learn it beyond its dictionary meaning. AI is indispensible this way. For November, I learned Archetype, ...more »»

Bohol, Philippines

tourist attractions

Danao Adventure Park - zip lining, cable car ride, caving, river rides/trekking, off-road buggy ride, root climbing, rappelling and ultra-glide rides
Alona Beach - hub for tourists with hotels, resorts, restos, bars and dive shops
Chocolate Hills - hills side-by-side shaped like giant Kisses chocolate
Tarsier - pocket-sized marsupia looking like a monkey
Balicasag Island - one of the best dive spots in the Philippines
Loboc River - river cruise on a boat
Anda Beach - fine white sand beach with resorts, restos and cottages, 3 hours by bus from Tagbilaran
Cabagnow Cave Pool - brackish water pool about 5ft deep inside a limestone opening on the ground, 8 feet deep, P50
Lamanok Island - walk on a 100m bamboo bridge on stilts to a resto area to take a boat tour to caves and nearly attractions, P300
Combento Cave Pool - cave pool with underwater cave system, P20
Can-umantad Falls - long narrow drop until it hits a bulbous mound spreading it into a a curtain-like water canopy and down into a splash pool
Canawa Cold Spring - deep refreshing cold spring with developed pool area
Firefly Tour - evening boat ride into the river to watch fireflies

hotel

Fox & The Firefly Cottages - SUP paddle boarding, luxury riverside native cottages, mountain bike tours, SUP yoga
Baranggay Valladolid, Loboc, Bohol
Bohol Tropics Resort - seafront location, manicured surroundings, swimming pool, resto/bar
0133 Graham Avenue, Brgy. Cogon, Tagbilaran, Bohol 6300
Oasis Resort - Alona Beach location, dive center, resto / bar
Alona Beach, Panglao, Bohol

yoga

Jing Yoga - health & well being through yoga
The Courtyard - Airport Road fronting the church
Bohol Meditation and Yoga Center - 2nd Floor Lim Magtajas Bldg. CPG Avenue

Bohol Travel Info/Tips

Bohol FYI / Tips

the tourist area where most of the hotels, restaurants, ticket offices, tour operators are, is located within the Alona Beach area
the tourist attractions in Bohol are far apart and spread-out. It would be difficult to visit them all using public mass transit. Better hire a van (P3500/day) if in a big group, or rent a motorcycle (P400/day + gas)
Bohol relies on its tourism for revenue. As expected, everything they can capitalize on from tourism is extensively used and developed

Tagbilaran Port to Panglao

You can charter any tricycle from the port all the way to Panglao (~P300), but if you want to do it on the cheap,

don't take the tricycles lined-up inside the port. Walk past the port gate and immediately outside, you'll see many tricycles. Take one to the bus terminal in Dao (~P15)
in Dao, take the jeep that plies the Panglao route (~P20)

Tagbilaran (Bohol) to Cebu City by boat

** schedules and rates keep changing, call for latest schedule

Weesam Express - departs 6:15 AM, 11:30 AM, 4:00 PM
one way: Economy (aircon) P500.00, Economy (non-aircon) P400.00, First Class P600.00
round trip promo (at least 2 days advance booking): Economy (aircon) P600, Economy(non-aircon) P500, First Class P1200
round trip promo (1 day or on the day booking): Economy (aircon) P800, Economy (non-aircon) P700, First Class P1200
Ocean Jet - departs 6-7:05-8:20-9:20-10:40-11:40AM, 1-2-3:30-4:20-5:30-6:30PM, 2 hours, arrives Pier 1 in Cebu
Open Air / Tourist Class P800, Business Class P1000
+63(32)255 7560 / +63 (32) 255 0115 / 0917 638 0000
SuperCat (2GO) - departs 5:50-11AM, 3:45-5:25-8:15PM, arrives Pier 1 in Cebu
P 500.00
+63 32 233 7000

Things to do, Places to go in Bohol

Chocolate Hills - this is a clustering of more than 1200 hills within a 50km² area. They range in height from 30-50 meters. What's unusual is their near-perfect conical shape resembling an individual chocolate chip. No one knows how they were formed. Entrance is P50/pax.
Tarsier Conservation Area - located Upper Bonbon, Loboc. The tarsiers are no longer being played at by tourists as circus props, but instead, visitors now view them in cordoned-off areas in their natural 6ha habitat. As they are territorial and nocturnal, they are predictable on where they can be viewed. P50/pax.
Alona Beach (Panglao) - Alona Beach is the tourist hub of Bohol. It has 1.5 kms of white sand beach lined-up by bars, hotels and restos. Alona is also the jump-off point for Balicasag Island, a world class dive destination.
Danao Adventure Park - located in Barangay Magtangtang, 72 kms (2 hours ride) from Tagbilaran. Adventure activities include river trekking, tyrolean traverse, rappelling, bouldering, rock climbing and ziplining.

Blogs

Bohol

Anda

ANDA

Exploring Combento Cave Pool Jun 29, 2017

Visiting Cabagnow Cave Pool Of Anda Jun 28, 2017

Exploring Anda, Bohol Jun 25-30, 2017

Candijay

CANDIJAY

Roadtrip from Candijay to Ubay Jul 1, 2017

Firefly Tour In Candijay, Bohol Jun 30, 2017

Freediving Canawa Cold Spring Of Candijay, Bohol Jun 30, 2017