Day 2 ☀️
The first spot we visited that day was the Bantayan, the biggest of the island's three municipalities, including Madridejos and Santa Fe. It wasn't too far from where we were staying in Santa Fe. We took a mini jeep to get there, because tricycles from Santa Fe aren't allowed in Bantayan.
Bantayan 📌
Before we went to the public market, we visited the St. Peter and Paul Church. It looks old and small but the paintings on the ceiling inside are magnificent.
The public market is just across the church. My mom and her colleague then bought a lot of dried fish and theirs are really yummy and not too salty, especially the dried octopus, compared to the ones we usually get from the city, which often makes me nauseous.
I ended up buying a bracelet for only 20 pesos and a handbag for 150 pesos (if I remember it correctly), both with free carved names. The vibrant colors of their displays really drew me in, haha.
I liked the convenience of mini jeep rides in Bantayan. You can ride one for free as long as the mini jeeps have the ST labels, and the driver will coordinate with other drivers who are ready to take you to Santa Fe.
When we got back, our neighbor found a python in their bathroom. Manong (on the right side in the picture) calmly brought the snake with its mouth taped shut. He seemed unfazed despite the snake flicking its tongue. Our neighbors were amused and even posed for a picture. Later that, I heard Manong took the snake to the authorities.
In the afternoon, we walked under the heat of the sun with our food and drinks to another beach destination! We visited the Ruins, also locally known as Pang-pang. It's known for an old ruined house and cliff jumping.
The Ruins 📌
While the boys went on a boat to look for sea urchins, we girls waited. When they returned, we also went on the boat. We weren't supposed to get our bodies soaked with water, but we had to go down to get into the boat, haha.
These two teenage boys, who are relatives of our neighbors, expertly maneuvered the boat until we found the perfect spot to eat and relax on the sand. I particularly enjoyed their conversation- their dialect and accent are very captivating and distinctive.
We started eating together and they also prepared the sea urchins they found.
I wanted to try it for the first time. My mom was worried about my seafood allergies but let me try anyway. I ended up having six or more sea urchins. Luckily, I didn't have any allergic reactions. They tasted a bit sweet, salty, with a jelly-like texture, and I really loved them. They paired well with spiced vinegar.
We stayed until sunset since they went diving for more sea urchins, and we enjoyed the beach a bit longer.
We stopped here to take pictures with the wings painted on the wall. A fun fact is that the Kandugyap House by the Sea is one of Camp Sawi's movie location. They shot the movie here for two days. Scenes from the movie were also shot in the vicinity and throughout Bantayan Island.
Initially, we planned to go island hopping by boat, but we were too shy to accept their generous offer to visit another island for free. They kept insisting, but we politely declined. Maybe, when we visit the island the second time around, we'll go by their boat but with monetary gratitude or something as a token of appreciation.
It was a long day, but it was filled with so much fun and adventure. Even walking back to our rented house as the sky turned dark, I found it fun, haha. And that ends my Adventures in the Enchanting Bantayan Island. How about you? Do you have any exciting adventures to share? If not, then maybe soon. Here's to more exciting and fun adventures ahead, sweeties!😊