The wonders of Bohol

For the stouthearted Boholanos, prayer is their battle cry of gratitude and love in the midst of trial as well as in joy. They are the true wonders of Bohol, an island province in the Visayas so richly blessed not just by glorious natural resources but by a devout humanity of the most beautiful kind.

Amidst the refreshing view of  tropical greens, our plane made its final touchdown at the Tagbilaran airport at noon time. My family and I were warmly met by smiles from accommodating staff all the way to our waiting vehicle. A sudden breeze playfully ruffled a banner to catch our keen attention. “Welcome to the City of Friendship.” The excitement had just begun.

Our first stop was a sumptuous lunch of local cuisine at Gerarda’s. This restaurant used to be the ancestral home of the Lim family matriarch whose recipes have been carried on by the next talented generation. Dessert was at Sweet Home Café, a charming place in Tagbilaran City that smelled enticingly of coffee and freshly baked bread owned by the amiable Virgie Du.

After cleaning up my plate of delicious cream cheese-frosted carrot cake, we got back into our vehicle and passed the bridge admiring the bay view along the way to picturesque Panglao island. My husband Benny, who planned our trip, was excited to stay at The Bellevue Resort in order to enjoy early morning walks on its long stretch of  white sandy beach. He also looked forward to those awesome ocean sunsets during happy hour.

Welcome drinks awaited us at the resort where we checked into room 320, a delightful corner suite with a balcony facing the beach and infinity pool. All the comforts we could think of were provided and I couldn’t ask for more as I gratefully settled in.

That night, my son ordered a huge pizza to enjoy in our spacious living room as we cheered for Maria Sharapova playing her best championship at the French Open. After the game, we rushed down to the beach, flashlights in hand, to frolic with sea creatures of the night. Tirelessly we ran after sand crabs, schools of little salt water fish ending up on our knees. We gazed in sheer wonder at the hundreds of starfishes swimming on the low tide as my amused husband watched us from the balcony. When we got back into our room, we were delighted to grab the good night sweet chocolate pralines on our pillows.

Waking up refreshed, we said our morning prayers as we opened up the sea green drapes to reveal that gorgeous ocean view.  It was such a lovely day that my husband planned for us to explore the island through a scenic coastal drive.  Our tour guide pointed out the peaceful towns  as we passed them. We made a sign of the cross at Baclayon where the magnificent Baclayon Church is being restored. We also visited Lila, the famous Holy Rosary Church built in 1925, and the popular retreat venue on a hill, the Carmelite Monastery.

We passed the watermelon fields of Dimiao, and the famous Badiong Falls in Valencia. In Jagna, we stopped for a local delicacy called calamay. Back in the car, we were treated to an exhilarating view of endless coastline and shimmering aquamarine waters.

At the Gindulman Fish Port, we found assorted varieties of crispy salted fish. We passed through emerald green rice fields of Candijay and Alicia. Our guide insisted we stop in the quaint town of Ubay for the dairy farm that produces the freshest carabao milk, white cheese, yoghurt, ricotta and the best Chocobao, a chocolate milk drink.

We also stopped at the unique Bohol Bee Farm to try its famous malunggay and salabat ice cream served in scrumptious cassava cones. There were so many heavenly flavors to choose from!

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The next morning at the hotel, we were enjoying the international breakfast buffet at the Lamian Restaurant and met Keith Pereira, The Bellevue Hotels and Resorts Group corporate F&B manager. This charming gentleman and I just hit it off right away since he has a genuine love for food, people and his mother. Keith  entertained us with personal tales of his humble beginnings in the hotel industry as an avid musician who played for ballroom dancers. After completing his education, he went on to pursue a career in the hotel industry with passion.  It has been a productive 26 years that has brought him all over the world. His last post before the Belleuve was at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

Keith said, “I am very proud of the Bellevue staff. It is hard to please all our guests. There are times when I have to address some complaints in the restaurants but I never receive negative comments about the people who serve. It’s because the Boholanos enjoy pleasing others. Their smiles are genuine. You can see it in their eyes. They are not the kind who complain even through trials. They remain grateful and content with what they have. I have worked with many people all over the world. But I have a deep respect and appreciation for the people in the Philippines.”

Keith is very happy with his job. “This resort is the jewel of the Bellevue hotel group. This is paradise. It has the best dive sites. Balicasag Island is so close by. You can snorkel in this marine sanctuary and swim with sea turtles. Bohol is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in the Philippines,” Keith added.

Still, to him, the biggest attraction of Bohol are the people. “I have found the most religious people here in Bohol. Everything starts with a prayer.”

He was quite touched by the request of his staff when he first arrived. As he was about to begin a meeting with the staff, someone boldly said,  “Sir, can we please start with a prayer?” It was a very pleasant surprise for him.

Once, on his day off, he was on a bike exploring Alona beach all by himself when he accidentally lost his balance and fell off his bike. His head hit the stony pavement causing profuse bleeding. Immediately, bystanders rushed to his aid. Someone picked up his bloody glasses, wiped them clean before putting them back on his face to restore his clear vision. Somebody called an ambulance. He was so touched by their kindness to a total stranger.

“Where is your family?” I asked him. He answered, “My mom is in India but we communicate constantly. Every single morning she never fails to send me a message.” He reached for his phone and showed me her  prayerful messages on WhatsApp. “My mother taught me that I need to have faith in order to live a life of purpose.”

Keith is an interesting mix of Irish, English and Indian blood. He was raised Catholic by his mother. He pointed out something that impressed him about the Boholanos. “Do you know that in order to secure a tricycle permit in Bohol, the driver must submit a Bible verse and place it at the back of his tricycle? It is a requirement,” he shared. 

Sure enough, when my son and I looked around, the tricycles in the city had Bible verses. We enjoyed reading them all — “The Lord provides.” “Thanks be to God.”, “Happy are those who call on the Lord.” — as we craned dour necks at the moving wheels. 

On our last day we visited the St. Joseph the Worker Cathedral in Tagbilaran. It was full of churchgoers. The Boholanos are faithful. And they remain grateful. I remembered what Keith said, “You need to have faith in order to have purpose.” We lighted a candle and joined them in fervent prayer  for the continued recovery of this beautiful island. May God protect its gentle people and all its natural resources from evil and harm.

Truly, Bohol and its wonderful people have so much to offer. You must visit this island soon.

(Would love to hear from you at miladayjewels@yahoo.com.)