The Ocean Heals

It's a bit ironic that San Carlos is right on the ocean and has a pier, but I've spent little to no time by the sea.  The hotel we are staying at is only about 4 blocks away, but I haven't figured out how to get past the houses to get there and from what I understand, there isn't really a beach anywhere in this city.  You have to go outside the city if you want to enjoy any kind of beach.  I have been really missing the ocean, the beach and Port Barton where I could take a few steps and go in the water at any time I wanted.  Water in general, and especially the ocean (a double bonus if it is the ocean in a tropical place) has always been a soothing place for me.  Quite the shame (for me) that I live on the prairies : (

The first day when we were in San Carlos wandering around the city and going house to house visiting relatives, we got invited to a baptism.  Again . . . . I can't tell you who was baptized or how we are related, but we are family, so there was no hesitation in giving us an invitation.  

This is what I saw at the baptism!

Ok.  I recognize the lady in the yellow dress as my mom's cousin.  Everyone else . . . . . ???

I think Filipinos tend to get a bit elaborate and overdo things a bit during celebrations.  I guess they're celebrations, so why not?
Oh Leia . . . . how are you related to me?



Of course we had another meatfestravaganza featuring lechon which appears at every celebration.

There was one relative(?) who couldn't seem to let it go in discussing my "horrible affliction" of childlessness and it was at this point that I decided I'd had enough.  I needed some me time and I freakin needed it NOW.  So, I ditched my parents, hopped in a pedicab and told him to take me to People's Park.  
Yeah!! I'm free!!

I wasn't really sure what People's Park was, but a cousin had asked me if I had been there and since I didn't feel like going back to the hotel, I ended up here.  Like other Filipino places it seemed to be a mish mash of stuff - playground, swimming pool, miniature buildings (maybe they had some kind of historical siignificance?), a train.  I don't know.  I just know it cost 5PHP ($0.12) to get in, there weren't many people around, it was quiet and it was by the sea.  It was perfect and was exactly what I needed.



Ahhhhhhh the sea.  It's not the beach, but right now I'll take it!!


After I sat and took in the ocean and the amazing ocean air, I left the park and came across this written on the wall.
My sign that everything was all good.

I ended up walking back to the hotel (because San Carlos is pretty small, and it's my prefered form of transportation) and in the auditorium at the main square there was a rehearsal for the Miss San Carlos pageant.  
Awesome!

Hey Piddy, can you picture me in these shoes?


Since I saw the rehearsal, I didn't need to go to the actual competition.  I'm sure it would have been interesting, but jammed in a loud auditorium for the evening just didn't appeal to me at the time.  Instead, my uncle Nestor had us over for a quiet dinner where he cooked . . . . . vegetarian food!!  Actual vegetable dishes with no meat.  The meat was to the side where everyone else could add it to their meal.  My day had improved significantly : )

Today has been the best day in San Carlos (is it bad that it wasn't actually spent in San Carlos?)  We went to a nearby island called Sipaway where I went diving.  One of my cousins is married to a guy (Roy) who currently works in Saudi Arabia as a diver who does welding stuff (I'm not quite sure of what the job title for this would be).  He's back home right now, used to work as a dive guide in Sipaway, so used his contacts to set us up for a couple of dives.  We got up bright and early and got on our way.

Stopped to get some coffee and hot chocolate to go on our way to the pier.



Chose our boat and away we went.

Our group included me & the folks, Uncle Nestor and his daughter Vanessa and Roy (unfortunately Roy's wife was stuck working at school today)

One of our boat drivers

In Sipaway, we docked at a resort called the Whispering Palms where the dive shop is located.  As Roy had worked here before, he toured us around the resort first.



No snake sightings there Piddy . . . . . well not on land.  I did see a few snake/eel type things underwater.


Vanessa found a really tall lookout at one point, . . . . . 

. . . . . so I had to join her.

Roy and I did 2 dives - one in the morning and one in the afternoon.  I was a bit nervous as it was my first time not diving with B-Rod, but it ended up being pretty easy for me as I had a dive guide and a former guide watching over me.  I was kind of glad about that during the first dive as there was a pretty strong current and I hadn't had to deal with currents previous to that.  Despite that I saw a lot of pretty cool things during both dives.  
Thanks Roy . . . . the day was pretty awesome!

Suiting up (or being suited up) and . . . . . 

. . . . ready to go.


Dives 7 & 8 . . . . done & done : )

There was a German couple on the boat who were also diving, but they were assigned their own dive guide.

The rest of our gang hung out on the boat during our first dive, but during our second one, they stayed behind and took advantage of the resort facilities.


When we got there, the tide was in a bit higher.

By the time we left, it was pretty low.

Thank you ocean!  I love you!!


Tomorrow is my last full day in San Carlos - the Pintaflores festival.  Stay tuned for elaborate costumes and street dancing.  Should be pretty interesting.