Sipping and warm, cozy and calm—that was my experience in MilkT Cafe in a nutshell. Right after we had a dine-in at that peaceful cafe in San Remigio, the girls decided to have a stroll around the beach nearby, which happened to be the Lapyahan sa San Remigio—a destination considered as the longest shoreline in the whole island of Cebu. As a Sanremigiohanon, this beach is already familiar to me. I cannot even count how many times I have visited here since my early years. Birthday celebrations, family bonding, and solo dates—some slices of my life that have happened in its very sand and shore. Tourists, most of whom I know are from Cebu City, come here to witness the iconic sunset of Lapyahan that is considered a natural gem of our town. I may have visited this beach thousands of times, but I still love strolling along it as if it were my first time.
The girls were so full from eating fries and milk tea in the cafe, so a walk would lessen the weight in our stomachs for a moment. We were not expecting a grand view, but the moment we arrived at the shoreline, it was in a golden and strikingly beautiful state. The sun was just at the right angle, hitting corners of the beach and painting gold on the fine, white sand.
We walked along the shore on the right side because the other way around is always a crowded one. Our path led to somewhere peaceful, with only a few passersby, while the other was full of videokes, beach parties, and people since that is where hotels and cottages are found. It looked like the totality of the shoreline was divided into two atmospheres that would benefit two different moods.
The sunlight was about to get more golden with a touch of orange hue soon. It struck perfectly on the fences of private beach lots and on our faces—but in a gentler way. We didn’t regret taking a walk after the cafe because this was what we witnessed. The clouds above the coconut trees looked like they were patting the landscape and the sea, forming blue, proportionate cottons relaxing to our eyes. It was perfectly made—white and blue in colors, almost fully hit by the golden light.
I took photos in the middle of the walk because the lighting was a rare occurrence on the beach. It was my impression that it would make a good natural photo—and look, it really was. I felt like one of its beautiful features, as I felt like I was home. My girlfriends were very supportive, telling me which angle to look, how to pose, and where to take photos.
In this part, I asked them to take a photo of me and the sunset as if the light were peeking through my half-naked face. It turned out the light was trying to steal the spotlight, trying its best to be captured by the camera completely. Dark blue waters and a yellow-orange light above almost made a painting-like background for photo taking.
When we found a good spot on the white sand, the girls and I sat on it to cherish the moment by looking at the stunning sunset. We had a conversation about life, friendship, and anything going on around us in the present while the sun set at its extremity. We laughed whenever jokes were thrown into the conversation, and sometimes the talk would go in a serious mode. But often, we would laugh because the girls had fine humour.
Gradually, the place was turning dark, and the conversation was still on the line. You could see how dark it was thirty minutes later, telling us to go home because there were no lights on that side of the shore when it got dark. Before we left, we appreciated the sunset once more. This time, it was sublime and sitting at the horizon, reminding us of beautiful goodbyes. The clouds above, if you could see, were colored in orange for some parts while dimness tried to cover them. A perfect view, isn’t it?
As we walked back, the sound of the waves accompanied our laughter, slowly fading with the night. It was one of those moments that remind you how beauty hides in ordinary days—like a sunset you’ve seen a thousand times but still makes your heart pause. Maybe that’s what makes life lovely: the simple things that never grow old, only more meaningful each time we return.
