Day 4 - Time to return

Island hopping in Hundred islands and Lucap 

Our adjoining island

Island hopping

Heading towards coral island

This island looked like a TRex or a tortoise depending on your angle and viewpoint!

Snorkeling -

Our trip has finally come to it's culmination, though the journey continues.After a hearty breakfast, hopped into our bangka for some more island hopping, and to say hello to all the fish. We were not disappointed - the corals were bright an beautiful. I especially saw so many live purple corals for the first time. And a pretty box fish that fluttered around us with it's typical "huh" gaze. Oh yes - there was one coral trigger fish! Though I could not see it's nest (I am not even sure if it was it's spawning season), I paddled my flippers as quickly as possible away from it. Once bitten, a hundred times shy!

Pasalubong and lunch ....

Passing some islands from afar

And some islands and solitary beaches up close

So many islands, so little time

Hey Bangka Captain, are you sure there is a passage here?

And a passage appears as if from nowhere

Heading for some more snorkeling

Time to bid goodbye to Hundred islands

We finally set course back to Lucap wharf.

Our route back from Quezon island to Lucap wharf

Yeay.... we finally stayed at Quezon island!

Did some shopping there - there are at least 15 shops there with souvenirs and beautiful t-shirts. Got a few t-shirts as pasalubong. By the way, pasalubong is a purely Tagalog invention word - meaning souvenirs that one purchases for one's loved (and even not so loved) ones and friends. Shops actually have "PASALUBONG" writen in large bold letters - to remind you! When the people in my office learnt that I would be visitign Hundred islands Pangasinan, nearly everyone asked me for pasalubong! I know that even if I don't get them anything (buddy, I may be a foreigner, but I am not santa claus!), they won't say or feel anything odd, but still it surprises me that someone can ask for a gift so openly, and blatantly. Well, I am learning another way of life.

We stayed at Quezon island!

Yep - I sure did!

Pasalubong shops selling trinkets at Lucap wharf

 

We took some more photos at Lucap wharf, posing around, reminding ourselves "we will be back".

I have to admit, I only have charming memories of hundred islands

Boats (Bangkas) at Lucap wharf

Driving miss Daisy!

Posing for the camera with the new hat

On your mark, get set, go!

I love how colourful their boats look

Carrying charming memories home...

Of course this was after we took our shower at the paid shower rooms just near the wharf. How thoughtful! And they sell soap too!


We had lunch at one of the five Filipino food stalls near the tourist office. Rather tasty... masarap food. Rice, adobo, guisado, pinakbet... sarap sarap.... mmm

The Diver on Lucap

There is an interesting sculpture at Lucap wharf of a diver.The chappie needs someone to tell him that he is plunging down and needs to come up!

We thought our trip was over, but we had some more surprises in store for us.... some of my friends wanted to attend church mass - so we went to a beautiful church in Alaminos - and I saw my first wedding ceremony in Philippines! - More details on the next page.

Feel free to comment - or ask me questions about my trip