Poi Dancing at Brigada Anniversario 5

Posted by pat on Aug 23, 2010 in Events, Photos | 3 comments

20 Aug 2010. It was Brigada’s 5th Anniversay at B*Side, The Collectib, Malugay St., Makati City. It was a night of visual and aural stimulation, a few beers, good company, and good vibes. There was a momentary blast of torrential rain but it didn’t rain down on the night’s mood. How can it when you’ve got awesome DJ mixes, mesmerizing poi performances and Brigada’s Brazilian drum beats to get your hips sh-sh-sh-shakin!

I want to be a hot poi dancer.

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The Great Palawan Escape : Tamlangon Island

Posted by pat on Jul 23, 2010 in Travel | 1 comment

(28 March 2010)

If you ever find yourself in Quezon Town, Palawan, please do allot a whole day or two for island hopping because there are so many beautiful islands to see, each with their own unique characteristics coupled with some interesting history. This is not Coron but it has its own charm. The fact that its part of the road less traveled makes the experience a little more interesting and a little more special.

Off we were on that bright and beautiful Sunday morning. The wind was strong and the sea was quite choppy that day. The South China Sea waves were high and wide, big enough for us to feel the “roller-coaster-in-my-tummy” sensation from time to time as we went up and down the waves. There were times when we feared for the boat but for the most part, being the daring family that we are, we were enjoying the adventure.

The original plan that day was to first make a stop over at “Mansirik Island” – a small but beautiful sand bar approx 30 mins from Quezon Town by pump boat (I’m really sure how long the ride was as I lost track of time).

Here’s a little story about the place. I was told that back in the 70′s (if I’m not mistaken), Mansirik Island was the spot where a German nudist colony which settled in Palawan, would go and, well, bask naked under the sun. They probably picked Mansirik Island because it was quite far from the town and provided the privacy that the group needed.

I saw the island from a far, I observed that there were hardly any trees save for two palms sticking out from one spot and large rocks that protruded from the sand. Not much privacy if you ask me. I guess the distance from the town was significant enough.

I was looking forward to go on Mansirik. I wanted to see and feel the place. Unfortunately though, the sea was too choppy for us to dock. The waves surrounding the island were coming from all directions and were furiously slamming against each other.  It would be almost impossible to get on the island without capsizing. Too dangerous. It was disappointing but the boatman said he knew of a better island which we could go to… and that’s Tamlangon Island.

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Tamlangon Island was about 10-15 mins away from Mansirik, probably even longer as the waves slowed us down. At that point, the waves of the open sea have gotten quite big that they significantly dwarfed the pump boat. I have to hand it to our boatman who skilfully maneuvered the boat across the waves.

As we approached the island… we couldn’t help but hold our breath in anticipation. It looked absolutely beautiful!  It seemed so virginal, unadulterated, untouched…and so far away from everything. To make things even better, there was no one on the island except for a few transient fishermen who lived in a hut in a little corner of the island.

It was paradise and it was all ours! Just imagine, nice fine light flesh sand, a nice long beach,  some greenery for you to explore, coconuts ready to be opened, wind blowing on your face, the smell of the sea, no other travellers to share it with… it couldn’t be more perfect.

When we got to the beach my parents went to talk to the transient fishermen while  my siblings and I just let loose and went…crazy.  We ran along the beach, rolled on the sand, splashed in the water, took jump shots, and acted like we’ve never seen the beach before! THIS. This was the experience I was hoping for – being away from the comforts of civilization. Being there, disconnected from the frazzling urban life, I felt so… connected to the world.

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There’s an interesting story told to us about Tamlangon.  A German man once lived on this little  island. He found this place while island hopping and fell in love with it. He decided that he wanted to stay there; to live the simple island life in isolation. …Then again, I wouldn’t bet on the isolation. No man is an island. I’m sure he had some ‘company’ from time to time. I don’t really know much about how he lived and how long he lived there but according to the story,  one day, his dead body was found floating near the island.  As to why he died, people could only speculate. According to the story I heard, he got drunk, went swimming, and drowned while out at sea.  How people would’ve known that is beyond. Quite odd, don’t you think? Whether it’s true or not, it sure does add an interesting little twist to the history of the island.

So there we were playing on the beach. We were so busy having fun that we didn’t realize it was lunch time. We didn’t bring any food with us but there was nothing to worry about because food was abundant on the island. What was for lunch? Freshly caught  fish and squid grilled over wood and stone plus  freshly opened coconut. (Very Robinson Crusoe). We bought the fish from the transient fishermen living there. We didn’t have any utensils or plates so we had to eat “island style” – leaves, hands, and coconut husks. I gotta say – squid, fish and coconuts never tasted so good. The squid and fish were so fresh and the coconuts were really sweet (Fact: Coconut trees which grow by the sea produce  sweeter coconuts than trees found inland)

I know they say you shouldn’t play with your food but if food was this fun. Why not? My sister Joanna ate squid and got the ink all over her hands. Instead of washing it off, she decided to play with it.

We couldn’t resist ….

Yah, we’re a little crazy. It runs in the blood.

After lunch and goofing around, we would’ve loved to stay longer although the boatman was getting agitated as the sea was getting rougher. We had no choice but to go. I must say though, it was a great way to really start the trip. I really enjoyed my time in Tamlangon Island. It is one of my favourites.

This is the beauty of taking the road less travelled. You find these little known places…the hidden gems of a destination.. and you have the satisfaction of discovering something new, something wonderful, something different, something not everyone knows about. It’s not every day you get unadulterated enjoyment of the place  all to yourself, just like our trip to this island. I bet, as Palawan gains popularity, more and more people will find their way to Quezon Town and more and more people will “find” this little semi-secret island. I guess that’s inevitable but at least we know it was ours for a few hours.

Ok. Next stop… Tabon Caves.

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To see previous Palawan posts, please following links:

1) The Great Palawan Escape (Introductory Post)

2) Arriving in Palawan and Quezon Town

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