Just got back from Camiguin, a 3-days and 2-nights stay on the island. At first, I must admit I was expecting more from this Northern Mindanao province when I got there, mostly because I know it's an island and therefore has many beaches. But first things first.
It took me and my officemates a 1-hour plane ride to Cagayan de Oro, a 2-hour travel by land to Balingoan Port, 1-hour ferry ride to Benoni Port in Camiguin and a 30-minute commute to a highland hotel. First thing I noticed in the island is the lushness of trees everywhere, that place is so green that I knew just by looking, Camiguin is one land of rich biodiversity. I could also see the coastal beaches from the main highway, which is constructed near the waters following the contours of the island. Now here's when I decided to lower my expectations, when I saw the black sand beaches and when we found ourselves staying in a hotel ensconced high on a mountain.
We had a day-tour of the island and can be summarized into: going to the famous White Island, a sandbar which is 1 boat-ride away, trekking up the Walkway on Mt. Hibok-Hibok, visiting the Sunken Cemetery, where we saw the actual old huge cross lying at the bottom of the sea (it was creepy!), submerging for a little while in the Ardent Hot Springs, buying the famous Pastel from the original Vjandep bakery and finally, looking for a coffee shop for our merienda, we were led to Secret Cove Restaurant where we had brewed coffee and their specialty pizza (nothing like I tasted before, sarap!).
Though the beaches did not impress that much (but I'm always easily pleased by any beach anyway), I still find many good things to cherish in Camiguin. It's a very simple place, with simple people, with simple lifestyle. I was amazed by colonial era houses that seem to be frozen in time, those box-type houses with 2nd level and with big, wide windows that are always open. People in the island are also quiet, they are not loud people unlike people here in Manila. Locals seem to be just contented with the island life of farming or fishing isolated from modernization of the outside world. They also seem not to be affected at all by visitors/tourists, no haggling when we were buying pasalubong, their attitude was more of like take it or leave it, it doesn't matter, which I actually find not really offending but more of it being unusual.
Seeing these Camiguingnons face the daily grind of life in simplicity is a humbling experience for me. If they can live without cable channels, or even a tv!, live in age-old houses, or not having a mall in the area, and still "live", can I imagine myself settling for that? My point-blank answer is no. But if I still had the time to just be still and pray in that quiet and peaceful island, I would gladly do so. It's very tempting to be not always on-the-go, not living the fast-paced life of Manila, to just stop, appreciate God-created nature, see the sunrise over the vast waters surrounding the island.
This Camiguin trip has made me realize that there are other ways of living different from how I live mine and can still have the same satisfaction. Thanks Camiguin for humbling me that way!
Now, where to next? :)
