Philippines Holiday 2010: Day Seven

Today I'm writing the blog (Pinky). My husband wanted a break from writing since he has been doing it since day one, fair enough i guess.

Had breakfast at the cafe just within our hotel, it is a very quaint place with a spanish theme. We decided to have pancakes for brekky since we have been having so much rice in the morning since we arrived and it gets a bit too much, we only have porridge for breakfast back home normally.

Today my cousin Raymond is taking us to a place called 'Balinsasayao Twin Lakes National Park'. My dear hubby was very excited for the fact that we are finally going to see nature at it's best.

It took us nearly an hour to get there due to extremely rocky terrain and washed out areas from recent rains and the fact that as we are going up to the mountainside we have obstacles like motorbikes, stray dogs, goats, cows and pigs on the way as well as running loose all over the road.
Boy it was bumpy,rocky and wild, feels like being in a rollercoaster and the bumpiness kinda triggered my bladder, holding it until we got to the spot.

After an hour of rough ride, we reached the top. Got out of the car, boy it was hot, Fred had to change into his camo gear and got all his camera stuff out the whole works "you know".
This place is also a well known birding spot in Negros.
Going to the lake, we had to go down this steep,slimmy, slippery concrete path and even my Fred slipped a few times eventhough he was wearing proper hiking shoes.

Got down to the bottom and there was Twin Lakes, well the first lake anyway. Apparently, these lakes are made out of volcano craters. On the way down, we heard some strange noises, very loud, sounded like a huge cricket but louder, almost screaming sound and thousands of them at the same time, we couldnt see what they were nor could we figure it out.
Upon reaching the bottom of the slimmy path, we met a woman who organises boat rides, we asked her about these strange screaming bugs and she informed us that they were 'Bees!', but not just any bees, she indicated with her hands that it was a very large bee, around 2inches long, we did not want to find these bees anymore.

We proceeded to discuss with the woman about the area and about the boats we can see at the waters edge. Meanwhile, Fred has found things to photograph, butterflies and birds.

Olive-backed Sunbird

Crimson Sunbird

There seems to be a whole lot of differrent types of butterflies here. The birds were Crismon and Olive-backed Sunbirds (he thinks, not sure), he is very excited as they are his first Sunbirds ever. The woman is all by herself, miles from anywhere and she walks here everyday, but she carries a baby with her as well, she starts around 6am and is there until at least 5pm.

We organise to hire a boat with a person to row the boat across the lake because at the other side there is a tower and from there we can see the other lake, it is called twin lakes.
As we head of in this small catamaran type of boat, looks safe enough, we hope, we start to see the massive expanse of jungle that surrounds us, giant tree ferns cover the mountain side along with giant thin trees and vines and well tons of stuff so thick that you really cant see more then a couple of metres in. Of course Fred wanted to head into the forest along trails but I wouldnt allow this, not on my watch. Anyway, back to the boat, as we head across it is truely amazing, beautiful, breathe taking.

Fred spots another bird (of course), a kingfisher this time but we cant get anywhere near this one, he just keeps flying away, but Fred's happy.

We reach the other side and we are looking at a stairway from hell, I mean this thing goes up a steep incline, covered in slime and made from uneven rocks, this is going to hurt.

First lake

Second lake

We get to the top and yes we are suffering, but we saw some amazing forest on the way. At the top there isa bamboo tower, three stories high so more climbing, urg. At the top we can see both lakes, surrounded by thick jungle, absolutely beautiful. Although Fred is seeing birds, there arent very many around, even up here at the top of the trees, we can hear them just cant see them, a little dissapointing for my very passionate husband, oh well.

We head back down and again is slippery, Fred takes a couple of spills and then slips off the rocks and takes a chunk out of his ankle, hes hurt a little but he just wont show it.
Back in the boat and across we go, this time I find a spare oar and start helping our guide hahaha. We get back to the dock and start heading back up this steep, slimy, climb of death, we go slipping and sliding we get to the top, hot sweaty but alive.

Back in the car and down we go, some of the most amazing views I have ever seen. On the way down we pass a little resturant, I mean we are passing straw houses, huts built of scraps of wood, farmers and animals everywhere and then...

The Azealea Resturant. Ok. Well I wasnt expecting this, it was beautiful, something from a resort, the food was great, service great, and the mango shakes are to die for hahahah, and of course the halo halo, a fruit salad of sorts. We head down and I fall asleep in the car ride home...

Later that evening I go to the Alo's again for dinner while Fred goes with Raymond to a basketball game that he is playing in, Fred says it was a great game but not what he expected, wasnt really an outdoor game but it wasnt really indoor either, a concrete court with stadium seats and a roof with lighting but no walls. Raymond was playing with a team called D.O.H. Department of Health... didnt expect that either. It was a good game, full of action, some blood and they won so all is good.

Fred goes to eat at his first time at a fast food place called JollyBee, sort of like MacDonalds but with rice dishes, and hotdogs and all sorts of unexpected dishes, but this is one of the Philippines most successful and common food joints. We meet up after at the cafe attached to the apartments we are staying at, have some coffee and everyone calls it a night. Wow this was a long day and we are all very tied.

Here are some photos of the day.