Year-end sail

I've been juggling two tasks in the office lately, one as a project evaluator and another as a secretariat person. It's surprising and annoying at the same time to be burdened with work as the year ends, in a country where the last weeks of the year seem to be already in a holiday mode. Though it has its rewards, as we will be flying or sailing to Panglao in Bohol by the first or second week of December for a stakeholder-consultation-cum-team-building activity.

The first time I was in Bohol was in January 2004, where I spent the three-month savings I was able to stash away from my first job in an NGO project. I took a well-deserved break before starting with my government job. I obliged my Boholano bloc-mate, Thirdie, to welcome me into their place where I stayed for about five days and also serve as my local tourguide.

Many say that Bohol is the next big thing in the local tourism industry as one cannot run out of places to visit: the famous Chocolate Hills, enchanting Loboc River which is also the enclave of the wide-eyed tarsier, the old churches, Hinagdanan Cave, and some historic sites. The Panglao beach is also something not to miss, which is how Boracay must have looked like before the hotels and bars populated the place. The long stretch of pristine shore gets my recommendation for beach bums who want their fine sand and relaxing sea minus the thumpin’ bars and restaurants.



To cap off my Bohol getaway, Thirdie and I went on a side-trip to Cebu City via a two-hour ferry cruise to visit Magellan’s Cross and some more church-hopping, before finally flying out to Manila.

‘Looking forward to going back to God’s Little Paradise.