Alona Beach - Part 1

Located a few hours by boat from Cagayan de Oro and 18 kilometers from Tagbilaran , Bohol this " old goat " found his visit with Alona very enjoyable .

As the map shows Panglao has a number of beaches but the best known is no doubt Alona Beach . About 700 meters in length Alona Beach is basically defined by two rock out croppings that jut out into the water at each end of the beach .The Sunrise image was taken near our lodging at the beginning of Alona Beach .

Alona at Sunrise

And Sunset

Getting There

Flying into Tagbilaran is an option of course but given the distance travel by water is the more common option chosen from Cagayan de Oro . The type of boat chosen for the journey is where choices have to be made . We happened to travel with Trans - Asia which had both it's positives and negatives . Not being bashful , i will share some of each .

Option 1

The image above is of Trans - Asia 8 and sails from CDO to Tagbilaran once a week leaving CDO at 7 pm and arriving approximately 4 am the following morning . The return trip has the same departure and arrival times . Depending upon the check in and check out times of your lodging this can be a positive or a negative . If booked " round trip " you are faced with a two day or five day stay because of the ship schedule .

Type of accommodation on board ranges from open air on 2nd deck to air - con tourist and cabin on lower level with pricing from 800 pesos and up . For this " old goat " accommodation choice was less of an issue than basic amenities . Basic amenities being toilets that flushed , or not , and distance one has to walk (hike) from terminal to ship . With Tans - Asia it was a not for the toilets and a hike for the distance .   :-)

Some Filipino food choices are available as well as soft drinks and beer with pricing sometimes reasonable and sometimes not . Best to haul your own snacks as my basic impression is that this ship is more of a freighter than a passenger vessel . I base that on having watched the crew unload 2,000 cases of San Miguel Grande from the CDO facility when i lost interest and stopped counting . And , that was just the beer .  :-)

A Fast Ferry

Option 2  

This option involves taking the " fast ferry " from Cagayan de Oro to Camiguin and continuing on to Bohol . It's my understanding that this operation is now under the ownership of  Super Cat of Cebu and not Paras of CDO . Unfortunately , as of now , Super Cat of Cebu is not listing this option on their web - site that i saw and i only know of this option because of another cdo couple that we ran into on Alona Beach that took it . Ocean Jet of Cebu also offers  this option but at higher prices .  http://www.oceanjet.net/index.php

A primary consideration when taking this option is the distance from where the fast ferry ports in Jagna to Panglao . Based on our friends experience with this option fare was 800 peso one way and left CDO about 8am with short stopover in Camiguin before proceeding to Jagna and arriving at approximately 2pm .

 A van from Jagna  will run about 2,000 peso for up to 9 people taken to Alona Beach and takes about 1 hr. A bus can also be taken for about 100 peso to Tagbilaran but you would have to add the transport fee from there to Alona Beach of around 500 peso for a taxi and 600 for a van .

 Fast Ferry leaves Jagna about 2pm and proceeds directly to Cagayan de Oro arriving about 7pm . Our friends are under the impression this option is available daily which would allow you greater flexibility for the duration of your stay on Panglao that option 1 does not offer . A mix of the two options could , of course , maximize your time on Panglao .

Tagbilaran Impressions   

The small portion of Tagbilaran that we went through left little for comparison to other cities in the Philippines except for two . First impression being that the environment is cleaner than many , including CDO . No trash that we saw on city streets and no street or sidewalk vendors . My only other impression was with the smaller type of Tricykl used around town . Best suited for one or two .  :-)

Tagbilaran Trike

Getting From Tagbilaran To Panglao

Most folks going to Panglao will opt for a taxi ( 500 peso ) or a van pickup ( 600 peso ) but other options do exist for the less hurried and/or more adventurous . Locals will take a jeepney ( 25 peso ) or a trickyl (?) but most locals know where they are going and ain't hauling lots of stuff .  :-) Some web sites list this trip by taxi or van as being from 15 minutes to half an hour but plan on about 45 minutes  to Alona Beach . The trip itself is pleasant enough along two lane roads through a  rural environment .

The main island of Bohol is connected to Panglao by two bridges and the one taken often depends upon time of day and traffic . Panglao itself is not a very large island consisting of roughly 5,500 hectares total and a 2010 population of 28 , 610 . I did meet a few beach staff that were born and raised there but many are from elsewhere and rent in boarding houses . Rental houses  are available away from the beach but did not have time to inquirer further .

In Part 2 of this post the " old goat " will share a bit more detail about our experience at Alona Beach and highlight some of it's pros and cons .

Panglao And The Plumber

Alona Beach - Panglao

Cline Household - Iponan

Ok , which one would you rather have to deal with ? Dumb question of course but as it turns out the one has to be dealt with before the other can come into focus . Sunday and Monday is spent dealing with the ugly one so that today can be spent preparing for the prettier one .

Is the above photo a shot of the main water line feeding our house and causing 5,000 pesos water bills ? NO , but it's damn close . Mentioned previously that we had a water leaking problem but reality sets in on Sunday when the plumber/s show up . Truth is it's not a leaking problem , it's a gushing problem .

 Landlord had decided that 3,000 estimate by first plumber was to much so brings in their own crew . After hammering and chiseling their way through the driveway concrete and finding leak estimate to repair is 4, 000 , of which the landlord thinks we should pay half .  We actually end up paying the 4,000 for the repairs and will be allowed to deduct half from next months rent .

 No , i did not strike that deal but the other half of our goat family did . Fact is , i still have a problem seeing why we should be paying for any of the repair work . We are not the owner of the property , did not install inferior pipe , or install a driveway over the water line in the first place . However , " there " being " there " and " here being " here " discretion wins out over valor .   :-)

At any rate the plumber proceeds to cut out a section of the line and replace with new pipe . Upon completion of this fix someone ( landlord , i think ) decides to have another section cut and replaced .This means another trip for parts of course since second fix was not originally considered . Plumber then does second fix , replaces a portion of the driveway and goes off for lunch to allow fittings to set  .

 Plumber returns , turns on the water and Wah La , there in another leak .This leak not being related to the new pipe installed plumber proceeds to chisel out some more concrete . After finding second section of pipe that is bad it is decided to return the next day and replace this portion of the pipe since it is getting dark .

Now , not wishing to offend anyone but this whole exercise to me is simply postponing the inevitable .Given that this is the main water line feeding the house and the leaks are caused by rusting pipe and you have already found two different leaking points in the pipe my solution would be to replace the entire line .  I mean if it leaks in two places whose to say it won't leak in 3 or 4 or however many as a visible inspection of the remaining line suggests .   :-)

Again , however , for expediency and in honour of April 9  Philippine holiday ( Araw ng Kagitingan ) or Day of Valor commerating fall of Bataan deal is done the Philippine way and we can get the herd rounded up and headed for the fall of Panglao .  ( Joke , lang ) .

Speaking of Panglao , i have no idea how this venture will go as the entire brood has not travelled  that distance before and in the case of our autistic child never even  been on a ship . Good Lord willing and the creeks don't rise ( southern expression )  the journey will be shared during future blog posts .

Bohol Or Bust

The New Addition - Centrio

Yep , the landscape  , she is a changing as a new player within the mall market comes to town . A bit more upscale than most in these pastures might be accustomed to she brings with her some retail venues entirely new to Cagayan de Oro .

As can be seen by some of the above shots it is different than the conventional mall layouts the locals are used too . Am told it has already become the hotspot for many to see and be seen at though i have been waiting for the Rustan's in particular to open .

Originally scheduled to open as early as December , then January , then February , then March and now April i reckon they been operating on Philippine time .  :-) Based on having visited Rustan's in both Cebu and Manila suburbs i am hopeful that expat goats will perhaps have access to a few more items to our liking of an eating nature . :-)

Now , the new player is certainly spiffy and different to be sure . How it will play out in terms of of it's appeal to the mass market remains to be seen . At present what is mostly seen are younger and perhaps upwardly mobile types along side those that are already there financially instead of still making the climb . Won't take you long to know where to go to find either or both , just follow the money .   :-)

No need to bore everyone with a list of the tenants in full but you can look for yourself via the link listed courtesy of the folks at CDODEV.com . Centrio Mall
The usual’s are there in some cases one sees in the other malls but it's the newbie's that catch  the eye . If you are hankering for something a bit different then this will most likely be the place to start .

Goats will be attracted to specific types of businesses  based on a variety of reasons of course .  Familiarity with some of the new tenant brand names shown below that  i grew up with state side has certainly got my attention . In other cases images represent places other expats have visited and shared experience about .

A clothing store geared towards the male species of goat this chain was  a popular choice state side for everyday casual wear . Growing up in the southeastern part of the US where summers are hot lots of locals tend to go with cotton blends which are lighter in weight , breath easier and are wash and wear in many cases . Curious to see how the Dockers here compares in terms of price and selection .

Though i really wasn't around in 1892 despite what some think this shoe brand offered quality a bit more in line with dress shoe choices or as we used to say " the Sunday go to meeting " shoe .

Haven't had a chance to sample this places pizza yet but have been told by more than one expat goat that this place has the best  in town .

Now , not sure how much the place above has to do with taters as in potatoes but it does appear to have a rather unique niche in the mall . Located on the 3rd floor near the cinemas and serving chips , fries , hotdogs , nachos and popcorn they will deliver to your seat in the cinema .

 Which of course means the glass is either half full or half empty . Personally have a hard time trying to comprehend someone hauling nacho dip into a cinema but maybe someone has had the experience and can share their take .

And , last but not least a well known establishment stateside for congregating around a cold picture of draft and partaking of the eating menu . In all honesty i will say that i would not expect this Philippine franchise to closely resemble the ones state side in terms of size , menu choice , etc. but the biggest surprise ,  to me at least , was the pricing structure .

To their credit they do offer draft beer which in CDO seems to be an unknown commodity as well as a few import varieties which appear to be in line with what other local establishments charge . Now , whether you would want to pay twice the normal rate for a San Miguel brewed locally is of course up to you but for me ambiance is not found in a mall setting , but that's just me .   :-) 

Keeping in mind that this " old goat " is entitled to an opinion like everyone else i would not choose to pay $10 - 12 for a burger and fries here versus $ 4 - 5 for the same " there " nor $ 30 here for a rib order that " there " would be i the $ 14 - 15 range . Besides , i have serious doubts that the ground beef or ribs are " imported " from half way around the world .   :-)

Not picking on TGIF specifically though it may appear that way and some have suggested that Centrio should have been names millionaire mall or something of that nature but it  is what it is and you will just have to get there and experience for yourself but by all means let me know how the nachos and the cinema thing goes .  :-)

Female Goats On The Farm

Must be a big day around these pastures cause on my way for 2nd cup of java i ran into step - daughter goat leaving the house at 5:20 am . Given , that's closer to the bed time than the rise time for that one i know something is up so i proceed to ask ..

" Where are you going this early in the day and she says to the NSO ( National Statistics Office ) to get an official copy of her birth certificate " . Ok  but perhaps they don't open until about 8 am so why so early ?

" Because , they only take the first 500 in line for the day " . Which brings up my next question of " why not just order on - line and wait for delivery " to which i am told " because you still have to go to the bank to pay for " , so it's a trip either way .

Personally , i would find it easier to just make visit to the bank than take all day to do but then i am an " old goat " . Suspect there is some other motive hidden within the Filipino female psyche which makes it imperative to be done today , however .

Like , maybe something to do with the on - line resume she submitted and the response she got back from Dubai and ? All of which makes me extremely suspicious of course being an " old goat " and all . But then you just get the rolling eyes and the " oh , dad " look .   :-)

I mean , you do hear horror stories about locals that go abroad to certain Middle Eastern countries and then end up having to ask the Philippine government for assistance in getting back , or worse . Forget the Lawrence of Arabia thing . Do you know how hard it is to make a get a way on a damn camel ?  :-)

Maybe it's just an " old papa goat " thing but when an offer sounds to good to be true it usually is .

Stay tuned for future instalments...

Kicking The Can on April Fool's Day

Goofy stopped by yesterday for a bit of can kicking only to be followed by Wiley

 Opposites in terms of personality and life style approach they are both reflective of how  expat goats choose to deal with residence within Philippine pastures .

 Suspect every " old goat " that has been roaming these pastures long enough has had encounters with both . One kind of represents the glass as being " half full " while the other sees it as " half empty " . I can admit to seeing the glass both ways at times depending on the particular circumstance and i suspect most other goats do as well .

Take for instance this Goat Farm Blog site . I never started it with the idea of making boat loads of cash  though that would be nice . Expectations in that regards i am fairly realistic about based on limitations of the host , the format , subject matter , etc .

 For me , it's more about having an outlet to express thoughts about expat living in Philippine pastures and hopefully exchange ideas and info with others . Having said that there are good days and bad in a blogger sense just like there are in other areas of life .

Traffic to the site has picked up and the blog has established consistent trackers .

Goofy's View

Traffic is up but comments are static and earnings for March are 24 cents .

Wiley's View

The above is just an example of how different varieties of goat reflect their daily experiences living as expats in Philippine pastures . So , what's your view ? Are you more in line with Goofy's approach or Wiley's or maybe somewhere in between ?

Are you the guy in the grocery store check out whose blood pressure is making him red  ( some expats ) or the the one behind that just grins and bears it ( most natives ) ? Are you terribly pissed because the whole wheat bread is sold out and all that's left is the sugary white or accepting that if you had shopped earlier in the day there would be better bread selection ?

Are you the guy whose restaurant food was over or under cooked , too hot or cold ,  too early or late that has to complain 14 times on an expat forum about his experiences or simply say to yourself " don't think i will visit this restaurant again " and let it go at that because customer service here is not the same as customer service there ?

Do you take the Goofy or Wiley approach to not being able to find item  , a , b , c, etc . anywhere locally when you know damn well those items are available in other parts of the country ? And , if someone bought it in Luzon for $100 less than you paid in CDO do you pack up and move to Luzon or just visit and purchase or buy on - line ?

 Does the news that your electric rate will increase ( again ) due to more demand than supply have you ranting about a " why wait till something breaks  mentality " and you run out and buy a new genset ?  Or do you just accept as a lack of long term planning and realize that based on your age long term planning may not be applicable anyway ?   :-)

The list can go on and on of course and i'm sure some " old goats " have their favourites . Bottom line is you ain't there , you are here . Think , maybe it was a dude named Baba Ram Dass that said something like " be here now " . Whole lot of meaning in them three little words . So , is it " happy days are here again " or " bah , humbug " ? Is your glass half empty or half full ?

Fill In Your Own Beverage

Looking For New Pasture

This" old goat " chose this particular  visual image in part because he finds it " right on " as the young goats say and an accurate portrayal of real estate values today as the old goats say . That would be true world wide of course but this " old goats " primary concern is how the image relates to Philippine pastures .

Bottom line is that this " old goat " and family are in the market for another pasture in which to reside .  Due to circumstances beyond our control ( and a landlord that chooses not to fix the water pipe leak ) that generated a 5,000 peso water bill we will be moving on a couple of months down the road .

As such , i am using this here blog space to make an open invitation to any one in the  Cagayan de Oro area that may know of available rental housing to please let us know . One thing i have learned through my stay in this culture is that the best way to find anything is by word of mouth rather than advertising .

Being of the poorer goat variety we are  not inclined to deal with realty companies or owners wishing 4 months rent up front for the privilege of gracing their digs . Yeah , i know it's not my original pasture but when " First & Last " becomes " 3 or more " in advance i start thinking of the one below .

But , i then quickly come to my senses ( well , what's left of them ) and realize that the by the beach thing ah la native is not a viable alternative given my need for a few amenities such as power , internet connectivity , etc . So , i move on into the 2nd phase of the house hunt fantasy adventure and conjure up something like the image below .

Well , not pink but you get the drift ..

Well , the pink pasture is fantasy just as much as the native one  , just for different reasons . That would be because i snap back into my reality mode and am reminded that i am a poor goat and such pasture as the one above is out of reach .

Which , basically means i am in the market for something between the two extremes pictured and would like to stay in the 6 , 000 - 10 , 000 range .Must have internet connectivity of some kind available ( preferably PLDT ) as well as tv reception that that gets more than 3 channels .   :-)

Now , anyone out there that might have an inkling of rentals that might fit into the price range box mentioned please feel free to contact either the " old goat " or his younger goat partner . Easiest way to make contact is via Facebook since my other half spends a significant amount of time roaming that pasture as Daisy Cline .

Thanks for taking the time to visit and if you hear of anything you think might fit our needs give us a shout between now and May .

Random Thoughts On Good Friday

Just sitting around on Good Friday of Holy Week  and a few things come to mind . Like , is anything open today ? Well , pity the poor soul that ran out of bread and beer , or whatever .   :-) Though i am sure there is an exception or two , not many .

And , speaking of  holidays why is it that major grocery store chains don't bother to update their web sites in  regards to their hours of operation during holidays ? Even more intriguing is why at least  some of these same grocery store chains don't have numbers in the telephone book .  :-)

You will have to excuse this " old goats " foreign heritage but Business 101 suggests that the first thing you do when running a business is make yourself available to the general public as they are all potentials customers .

 Granted , Marketing to most Filipinos is one of those stores that sells a little bit of everything but you would think business owners would know something about advertising . On second thought that would mean using that new fangled thing called the internet or actually answering e - mail queries .   :-)

Sitting here thinking one of the few benefits of old age and retirement is not having to travel during Holy Week in this country . Many have no choice of course as their work schedules may be subject to the Holidays but jeez have you seen the crowds at transportation centers ? Makes me kind of think of an ant farm or something .

Our neighbourhood is pretty much like a 4 day Sunday though our friends across the street do provide a soda pop , etc if we holler at um . Good thing cause the biggest issue here is lack of public transport . Truth is the one mile trek to the highway is to far for this " old goat " to traverse even if he had somewhere to go .

On the positive side it is a bit quieter than usual except for the chickens of course who apparently don't observe holidays . Or the little ones whose families stayed in town and like to use our driveway slant outside the gate as an Evil Knievel launch pad . And pity the dog that loves kids but has trouble dealing with the eye poking and tail yanking routines .   :-)

Still debating on whether to do the early am street cleanup daily or just let it go till Monday and hope the wind blows it all down the street to the neighbours corner . Just kidding as i do respect mother Earth and besides she's the best deal in town . Gives me free air , water and food ( ok , strike the last two ) .

 Now , if i could just get the neighbourhood dogs to quit pooping on the real grass outside the gate cause apparently they don't cotton to the artificial stuff next door . Come to think of it , expect i wouldn't find that particularly appealing to my butt either .   :-)

Maybe a walk is in order this am before the heat starts . Just have to wear the rubber soled shoes as in case i miss step and land in the chewing gum , dog dung along the way . I sincerely believe that a " pooper scooper " would be considered an alien life form device in this culture but there is rumour that a dog pound truck is in the works . Or , maybe that's in the parallel Philippine Universe .   :-)

No matter , cause it is what it is . Happy Holiday Folks whatever that means for you .