Destination: Camarines Norte 2nd Trip Part 3 Calaguas

Arriving in Calaguas, you need to wear clothes that can you can get wet with because the boat can’t drop you exactly on the shore so you really get off by the water. I noticed that there were already other visitors who were already enjoying the island before us. The beach already has designated area for bonfires, tables and comfort room remains from a house.

As expected, there’s no electricity, no signal for cellular phones within the area. There are few residents that help assisting arrivals carrying baggage so it won’t get wet. I helped set up the tents because it was easy to do and it was only four sided dome tents. Facing the beach, a sunset took place within view.

On our first night, since Atty. Debbee celebrated her birthday the day before, we are having a big fish for ihaw-ihaw (grill) and we also had few bottles of beer which we were not able to consume the whole case because of the Korean wine soju. One time, I woke up during the night, I took a peek outside the tent to see how it looked like without any lights and just as I expected, it was pitch black. To be continued.

Having marshmallows by the bonfire

Destination: Camarines Norte 2nd Travel Part 2: Calaguas

Leaving port

After leaving Bagasbas beach, I am going to another one. Packing only the necessary things I only need as light as possible. I am going to Calaguas Island. During my previous trip to Camarines Norte, I was not able to go there due to the stormy rains. Three media were represented. Along with Benjamin Layug, the travel writer of Business Mirror for the newspaper media, who invited me for this trip along with Atty. Debbee Francisco and the rest of the Camarines Norte Tourism, are the people of Pakyaw.com.ph and the TV news crew of TV5 while I represent the online media.

Ahoy, Calaguas

We left for the port at Vinzons to get a boat ride to Calaguas. Calaguas Island is considered the raw island version of Boracay. Boracay is already established with many resort establishments while Calaguas is quite the opposite. If you want to know what Boracay looks like before, go to Calaguas.

Atty. Debbee arranged the ride in Vinzons because it is shorter distance in travel to Calaguas by water compared to any part of Camarines Norte. It only took about twenty minutes the boat ride. When the island was within sight range, Calaguas’ sands are whiter than what I see in TV about Boracay. Continuing the Calaguas adventure in my next post.

Docking at Calaguas

Destination: Camarines Norte 2nd Travel Part 1

Canimog Hotel

I was once again invited to go back to Camarines Norte for the surfing season and Calaguas Island. I was referred by Benjamin Layug of Business Mirror and FYI blogs, to Joey Cuerdo, our host and organizer of the event. We left Manila that April 14 evening to arrive the following day. We settled at Canimog Hotel at Daet. Canimog Hotel is named after the island that can be seen from Bagasbas beach, where the surfing action usually happens.

Daet Heritage Center

The Canimog Hotel is renovated from an old house that makes you more at home and offers cheaper rates. I also got to see the Daet Heritage Center which was the old local municipality and the first Rizal Monument again. Coincidentally, it was also the 91^st Founding Anniversary of Camarines Norte and 7^th Bantayog Festival. I first came to Camarines Norte earlier this year during the start of the Quadricentennial Celebration of the three churches. According to Wikipedia, Camarines Norte was founded after the province was divided in two:  Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur.

First Rizal Monument

Bantayog(n) is Tagalog for monument. The 7^th Bantayog Festival celebrates the first Rizal monument. Invited as guest of honor was Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, who also is the only politician in the opposition I admire. 

Founding Anniversary and Bantayog Festival

To be continued in my next CamNorte post.

Governor Egay Tallado and Senator Chiz Escudero

Surfs Up at Bagasbas

Bagasbas beach

Surfing started mid-April. When I was in Bagasbas beach last February, the winds and the rains were pretty strong for the that month. I was invited back in Daet, Camarines Norte for the start of surfing season. Thanks to Benjamin Layug for referring me to professional surfer and event organizer Joey Cuerdo.

The wave current

I left Manila a day before the Surfing Festival.When I arrived at Bagasbas the following day after my few hours rest from the trip, the beach was more active with lots of people flocking around the sights of surfers trying out the waves.  I was introduced to Joey Cuerdo on its registration day but there are lots of activities happening. I asked Joey how are the waves that day. He answered he considered it a blessing from above. He adds that the weather was not friendly in previous day until the pre-registration. Co-event organizer and VP of Operations for Mojo Thea Yusay was also telling me how exciting this yearly event especially the awarding ceremony and after-party.

The blogger and the surfer

We went back the following day for the awarding program. I can see now that this was no ordinary competition. If you have been to a fiesta where you participate in games, this is more like a surfers' fiesta. The community also participates in the event regardless of which walk of life you are from.

Awarding ceremony

 The awarding ceremony was for the categorical event. There was for the beach volleyball, wall climbing and frisbee. The awards were also given by Camarines Norte governor Egay Tallado to the recognized participants. After the awarding, the celebration begins as the band started to bring the whole house down with their reggae music. But alas, Benjamin was tired and we have to wake up early for our surfing lessons.

Surfing lessons

The following day, we went back to Bagasbas for our lessons. There were three of us who are taking lessons. It just turned out that each of us represents different mediums. Benjamin Layug of Business Mirror, Justine Santos of TV5 news, and yours truly. It's already Benjamin's second time and my first lesson in surfing as well as Justine's. We were taught the basics by Mr. Ryan Vito, president of Bagasbas United Surfers Association(BUSA) then put it in practice with individual instructors for each of us. Our instructors demonstrated their amazing surfing before we get our chances. I keep falling on the water after my attempts to stand because the waves got stronger than earlier and the board was not thick enough to support my weight when I push myself up from the board. My instructor told me to practice balance and timing when surfing. You can also try surfing like I did. I assure you will be given constant attention by the instructors. Just inquire at the tourism post in the beach area. While its still not rain season.

My best photo of a surfer

Destination: Camarines Norte Part 8

Dialogue with Daet Mayor Tito Sarion

We woke up on a latter time on our last day at Camarines Norte. We felt refreshed after our long hike at San Lorenzo. It was still raining but not as strong as what we had the day before.  We had lunch at the Golden Palace Restaurant courtesy of Daet Mayor Tito Sarion. We discussed the target of tourism in Daet. Mayor Sarion’s aim for 2012 is to bring all Daetenos worldwide back like a homecoming reunion especially for the next generation Daetenos who haven’t been home or seen their parents’ hometown.

Daet Heritage Center

After our lunch, we made an ocular inspection to Daet’s former municipal hall now Daet Heritage Center which housed the newly established museum. Before we left, we paid a courtesy call to Camarines Norte Governor Edgardo Tallado better known as Governor Egay Tallado at the Provincial Capitol.

Photo ops with Camarines Norte Gov. Egay Tallado at his office

We were not left empty handed when Atty. Debbee Francisco gave us delicious daing and dried dilis to remember Camarines Norte before we said our farewell.  We were accompanied by Amable and Raffy on our way back to Manila with a delicious homemade dinner at Lita’s Carinderia in Quezon Province and slept the rest of the trip as I dream to go back and see Calaguas island which I look forward to when I get the chance to visit Camarines Norte.

Destination: Camarines Norte Part 7

We woke up the next day to find out that weather is not on our side as Lito Cinco predicted. Our chances of going to Calaguas were none because the waves were not friendly that day. It was raining all night. After having breakfast, we changed into more comfortable clothes and brought only the necessary things. We need to pack as light as possible. We went to Plan B. Nacali Falls in town of San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila. This town was named after the first Filipino saint.

Sweet pineapples that nourished us along the way

Arriving at the municipal hall of San Lorenzo, I was told that Nacali Falls was only recently discovered. We waited for our guides to come so we can be on our way. We started walking towards a main road were a school is located and went further in a residential street where the route to Nacali Falls located. We asked the guides how long it takes to reach Nacali. They answered about 30 minutes. That is good to hear since we want to be back before lunch. What disturbs my thoughts was why he is bringing a long, thick nylon rope. I just figured that maybe we will use the rope to one of the steps to rappel down or pull ourselves up.

Stopover

In one of our stops, we were advised to stop and rest. While resting, we noticed that the guides where going somewhere. We felt there was something wrong. It was almost 30 minutes and we still haven’t hearing any sound of waterfalls. We figured something wrong. What we didn’t realize was that 30 minutes may be his phasing but could be different for us there. This was the first of the many times Lito will say the most quoted line in the whole trip, “This is where I draw the line”.  When the guides return, it turns out they were looking if the route we are going to take was passable because of the rain. The land may slide down if we pass the first route since we have to rappel 90 degrees down. So we took the longer route.

Part of the trail

We stop over at Manong Mariano’s place for some coconut snacks and some sweet pineapples we got along the way before going the longest route down. Manong Mariano gathers coconuts for living.He gave some and we were refreshed.  After we went downhill and uphill and rainfall and flip flops got stuck in mud and the line, “This is where I draw the line” for the nth time, I was forced to go barefoot for the muddy route. I wasn’t equipped for the mountain hike which we were failed to be informed that we were going on a mountain hike. I even got lost along the way because I was too careful with the steps that I might slip. No matter how many times Lito said his famous line; he still ends up going with us even though he could be relaxing in a nearer resort.

My muddy feet. Stolen shot by Kara Santos of Sunday Inquirer

We did draw the line after reaching the rapids coming from the falls. We saw the guide struggling to cross the rapids with the rope line with rocks even a canoe can get crushed. As much as we can still cross, our main objective was to take pictures of the waterfalls. We can’t risk our cameras for the rapids even if I had mine in zip-lock plastic. It was past lunch time and we are having only junk food and some pineapples and coconuts. We went back the same route but it looks shorter now but the rains left the uphill route muddy which made it difficult to walk all the way up.

The rapids. "This is where we draw the line"

We finally made it to civilization. It was really awkward walking the street muddy and drenched. I am not really hungry but Benjamin and I are in the slowing up in the rear and we felt we need to buy anything sweet like a chocobar in a stall we passed by to give us more boost. It was more awkward to give a courtesy call to the town mayor, Nelson de los Santos and having a late lunch there in his office looking inappropriate of which he understand.  We went back to Bagasbas and had shower and washed the mud from our clothes and had dinner and slept for our last day.

The rapids. The rope to cross over was in left part. Look how white the rushing waters there.Photo by Roufel De Vera of Camarines Norte Tourism

Destination: Camarines Norte Part 6

Pineapples

I learned so far that Camarines Norte housed the first Rizal monument and the three churches that are already 400 years old and that Bagasbas is a haven for surfers. Camarines Norte is also known for the its sweetest pineapples. Not only that they pride of their pineapples, they also maximize the use of pineapples.  They also weave baskets made from pineapples; they also produce paper from pineapples. You can check this out at the livelihood program in Labo.

Pineapple based products

Back to 400th year celebration, also celebrating this year is the church in Daet.  St John the Baptist Parish was also founded in 1611 when the missionaries established their mission there in 1581 and was dedicated to St. John the Baptist. They will be celebrating its quadricentennial in June 24 this year.

Pineapple based sketchpad

The last of the quadcentennial churches is in Vinzons (formerly Indan. Original name: Tacboan). It pays homage to St. Peter the Apostle as its patron.  They will celebrate it on June 29 this year. All these churches are part of the diocese of Daet.

Other products

After rounding up all three churches and visiting museum like Museo Buluwan in one day, we are also planning to go to Calaguas island the next day to see for ourselves if the beach is as beautiful as they say and draws tourists there because I was only shown pictures but due to the rainy weather, we settled for the Plan B.

Destination:Camarines Norte Part 5-Pabirik Festival and the Paracale Church

Paracale Church

Arriving at Paracale, I saw the one of the three churches that is celebrating its 400^th foundation on the day itself. The church in Paracale is named Our Lady of Candles or Our Lady of Candelaria. It was built in 1611 using bamboo and nipa which makes it 400 years just like the University of Santo Tomas before it was reconstructed between 1888 and 1898. I admire old churches for their stone structure which authenticate the period of time it was built.

Church altar

During the old days, Paracale was a mining town. Most of the town’s people lived by mining gold.  Every February 1-2, they are celebrating the Pabirik festival. Pabirik is a local term for method in gold mining. A few blocks from the church, our group composed of Bernard Supetran, PR consultant, Benjamin Layug of Business Mirror, Lito Cinco of Daily Tribune, Kara Santos of Sunday Inquirer and yours truly, went to the public basketball court to witness the Pabirik street dancing competition. We were accompanied by the Provincial Tourism Office people of Camarines Norte, Roufel and Amable.

Pabirik Festival

Mostly participated and represented by the schools of Paracale, they gave active performances that are very creative and very modern as well as very colorful because of the costumes. Each group gives account to the origins of Paracale. According to the legend, the Lady of Candelaria  goes down the Tabernacle and defend the town against the Moro invaders. We also made introductions to the mayor of Paracale during the event. After watching a couple of performances, we left to visit the other two churches.

Pabirik participants

Destination:Camarines Norte Part 4

Camarines Norte Municipal Hall and Wenceslao Vinzons' statue

After our tour in Museo Buluwan, we were introduced to Provincial Tourism Officer, Atty. Debbee Francisco. We were oriented about the three old churches in Camarines Norte which are celebrating its 400 years which is our primary purpose for the whole trip. We were also oriented with other major tourist attractions in Camarines Norte like the first Rizal Monument which we were able to visit and Daet’s Bagasbas beach, which is considered the surfer’s haven and where the hotel, Bagasbas Lighthouse Hotel Resort, where we stayed.

Bagasbas beach

Although we are staying along Bagasbas Boulevard facing the beach, our chances of seeing some surfing action is dim because of the rainy weather and strong winds. After our meeting with Atty. Francisco, we took photos along the Camarines Norte Municipal Grounds. We also took some shots of Wenceslao Vinzons’ statue, which was built for his honor as a patriot during the 2^nd World War. We also visited a nearby church named St. John the Baptist Parish. It has a unique structure which was more modern. Our next stop is Paracale.

St.John the Baptist Parish

Arched gate in front of the Municipal Hall

Destination:Camarines Norte Part 3-Museo Buluwan

Arriving at the Provincial Capitol Complex of Daet, the capital of Camarines Norte. We first visited the Museo Buluwan.  Upon entering the first thing you will see is the smaller replica of the first Rizal monument we saw earlier. Then I saw the portrait image of Governor Vicente Lukban y Rilles of Tayabas. I was surprised to see this because Lucban’s my father’s hometown.  

Dominating the middle area are the statue busts of Camarines Norte’s historical personalities.  This explains my curiosity when I found out that the Governor Lukban was born in Labo, Camarines Norte. Besides Governor Lukban’s bust, there’s Captain Tomas M. Zaldua, former mayor of Daet during  the Spanish period, Lt. Col. Francisco Boayes aka “Turko”, a Bicolano WW2 hero who leads the Vinzons Command in Camarines Norte, and Wenceslao VInzons, Sr., governor of Camarines Norte during Japanese period that was martyred for not supporting the Imperial forces of Japan. His family suffered the same fate like the Romanovs of Russia during the uprising of the Socialist movement.

I also found the display of memorabilia displayed at the museum. There were old metal craftsmanship, a type of the camera used during the late 1800s till the first half of the 1900s, a black telephone that I recalled as the last phone with a circular dial function.

Destination:Camarines Norte Part 2-The First Rizal Monument

Bagasbas Lighthouse Hotel Resort

It is my first time to go anywhere in the Bicol Region. Upon our arrival in Bagasbas one early morning, I realize that we were near a beach judging by the winds. We got settled after long travel to catch up with the remaining hours of sleep. When we woke up by daylight, I realized that we were already along the beach line. After having our hearty breakfast, we prepped up for the town center.

Bagasbas beach

On our way, we passed by a nearby park. I was oriented that stood here was a replica of a monument dedicated to Jose Rizal, the Philippine national hero. Not the monument of Rizal in Luneta. I was oriented two years after Rizal’s death in 1896, the first monument in his honor was first constructed here in Daet, the capital of Camarines Norte. 

Replica of the first Rizal monument

We proceeded to the actual location of the first monument. The three-sided stone pylon stands 15 feet. Unlike the monument in Manila, it has no statue of Rizal. Written on its square podium are Rizal’s novels, Noli Me Tangere, El Filibusterismo, and Morga, tribute to Antonio De Morga, author of Sucesos de las islas Filipinas, an important book about the history of early Spanish colonization. On the top most triangle is an eight-rayed sun, a 5 pointed star, and a phrase, “A Jose Rizal” (To Jose Rizal). This is the source of national pride for the Bicolanos. The next part will be about our tour on the Museo Bulawan.

The First Rizal Monument