Island Dates and Rock Pools

We have become quite good friends with two Swedish girls who have spent the last two weeks here with us. They are inquisitive and adventurous and nice to have around. They have also captured the attention of a handful of local surfers, who try every day to impress the girls with adventures around the island. Luckily, we manage to get invited on some of these dates. Today we rented motorbikes and headed to a place 30 km north of here called the Rock Pools, which is a unique spot where at low tide, the deep pools get separated from the sea, forming a private aquarium, perfect for swimming and snorkeling. Fish get trapped there too and some corals even grow, so it's a perfectly still mini-ocean.

We cruised around the island, driving through the lush farmland of rice paddies fringed by coconut plantations. When we would come into a village, it was like we were in a parade. The road would be lined with children and adults waving and yelling "Hello, friend," and sometimes just shrieking with delight at the sight of foreigners. So different from the icy stares and mumbles and pointing of the Chinese unaccustomed to us. I would wave from the back of the bike trying to alternate sides so as to not leave anyone out, and eventually my face would get sore from smiling so much. The beach is great, but it's this heart of the island—the interior—that's really special and I hope to get to explore it further.

As it was getting dark, our Filipino guides flagged us down and we all parked our bikes on the side of the road to watch the flying foxes—bats the size of large owls—leaving their cave home to head out to feed. Thousands of these graceful giants passed over our heads. Our timing couldn't have been better and it was a real treat to see what we're missing every night somewhere on this island while we're playing pool or watching the sunset.

Last night, the Filipino suitors, while we tagged along as they wined and dined the Swedes, made an amazing local dinner for us. In their breezy outdoor kitchen, these cool surfer kids made coconut milk from scratch for a chicken curry, cleaned and grilled six large squids, and marinated fresh tuna in chili-infused coconut vinegar. It was an amazing and delicious feast. For dessert, we sipped "Filipino Bailey's," which tastes a lot like the Irish Bailey's, but the improvised ingredients include condensed milk, rum, instant coffee, and Milo (like Ovaltine).