Haven’t had this much fun with travel gears for a long time. Taking the Sony Cybershot DSC-T900 was the right choice as it’s small and lightweight, plus it can take HD videos at 720p. See a video tour of the Misibis Bay Raintree at Cagraray Island in Albay below.

They say pictures tell a thousand words so these videos should be enough to describe the place.

I originally wanted to bring my dSLR with me as this is a trip I thought I should never miss but I gave the point-and-shoot Sony Cybershot a chance (it was a huge risk). I thought as long as there was enough sunlight, I should be able to get decent pictures.

The HD video recording is also a big come-on as I will be able to take footages my other cameras could not do at that resolution.

The Sony Cybershot TSC-T900 comes with a Marine Pack which you can use to take photos and videos underwater. I went snorkeling one afternoon to test it out in the sea but the water to too cloudy so I couldn’t see anything underwater. Fortunately, the swimming pool is open almost 24 hours a day and we were able to play with the camera even at night.

Participants of our Synergy trip (members of the media from print and TV) volunteered to do this little experiment — shooting a video underwater at night. It did not disappoint and everyone had a fun time.

I’ve been a jetseater for almost 20 years now. I was only a few weeks old when I first rode an airplane bound for Cebu from Manila. I’m used to jetlags and delays at the airport. Been to the worst weather and the best flights. Last month, I’ve experienced the shortest flight that I had so far. The route: Cebu to Bacolod. Duration: 25 minutes!

Since CebuPacific Air was having its P99 seat sale for Cebu-Bacolod (which by that time Cebu-Iloilo is already P1200 one way) after relaunching the seat to accommodate the entrepreneurs and Bacolodnon-Negrense market of a quicker way for Cebu and vice-versa or for rather than taking an 8 hour bus and ro-ro ride.

The flight to Bacolod was so short, that I spent most of my time in Mactan International Airport than at the plane itself (which by the way, the flights for Iloilo and Bacolod got delayed due to a delayed connecting flight from Davao). Taking off was comfortable. Crossing the low mountains of Cebu, then Tañon Strait then the vegetable patches and the soaring Mount Canlaon.

The usual ice tea drinks were not served since the flight was too short to serve food anyway. Better eat first before taking the flight or else (bleeeh).

Immediately, we can feel the plane slowing down drastically. We were maybe to fast or maybe to high that speedbrakes were applied 10 minutes before landing. There were a lot of low lying clouds that day, and it was a thrilling ride as we decend towards Bacolod airport. It was thrilling because the thought of overshooting the runway lingers in my mind (after what happened to Philippine Airlines’ A320 that overshot the runway a few years ago in Bacolod).

After 25 minutes, we safely landed in the City of Smiles and boy the flight was so short yet I was surprised that the language shifted so quickly.

When I went there, it was not the perfect season for vacation people but there are a lot of people that went to the 10th largest island in this side of the planet: Bohol.

It was Day 2 of our Bohol vacation and my team mates are preparing for the day with the sea.

Dol-FIN watching

So early in the morning, as our team departed to the sea from the powdery white sand beach of Alona in Isla Panglao, after packing up something to munch of and taking pictures. And the motor banca stopped and there was silence.

Bohol Sea is part of the whale’s and dolphin’s migratory route and habitat and so therefore there are many passers-by here. Between the island of Panglao, Balicasag in the west and Pamilacan in the east, the dolphin watching was a thing to get entertained, but to our dismay, the only thing that we saw are few dolphins with their fins the most visible.

Native fishermen once hunted these marvel of the sea for their meat. Yet ever since the media in Manila opened up this issue, the fishermen stopped slaying these gentle creatures and turned into subsistence fishing and now Bohol’s top industry, eco-tourism.

Paradiso Mar: Balicasag

After that dolphin watching and rocking with the waves and the deep blue sea, we head on to the island with a parola on his head. Named perhaps form a specific type of crab that was abundant back then: Balicasag. One of the country’s declared marine sanctuary, the main scene that made Balicasag famous is not on its shores but below the water.

Balicasag is a city of marine proportions. Fish and sea creatures here there and everywhere. The color was azure and the water is clear. It was a sight to behold.

We went their unprepared and no reservations with the PTA-owned resort but with the help of the local residents who are hospitable enough to accept these estranged visitors from the city, we had a sumptuous meal of fish and kilawin. Yum yum! Fresh catch from the sea.

The sun is blazing on a windy habagat breeze, the sky was clear, and we had satisfaction on our faces. Manong Bangkero (boatman) asked us if we wanted to go to a certain place named “Virgin Island” which is near mainland Panglao but for an additional fee. We agreed, it was early to go back to the resort and paid an additional P500.

As we left Balicasag Island, people who are into snorkeling and diving multiplied off-coast of the island. It was one in the afternoon. And we were off to this certain island that is isolated and uninhabited.

Isla Virgen (“Virgin Island”)

It was a choppy 45 minute ride with our banca as we braved the already rough waters of the monsoon wind. It was a thrill of a ride when suddenly the waters were calm. We were approaching Panglao Bay, a very shallow body of water made from several shoals, coral reefs and magnificent and a very virginal island known as, Virgin Island.

It was low tide and we can see the stretch of white sand beach stretching from the island, all the way to the sea, and we were just in time for it disappears during high tide. Silent and no people around. We disembarked and spent an hour in the said island. It was hot yet we relaxed in the shallow clear waters of Panglao.

Habagat sets in

The weather seemed to be very cooperative as we had our morning dolphin watching, an outdoor lunch and going to a different world known as a sea. But it was turning late in the afternoon when dark clouds are already appearing in the sea. As we went back to our resort, we went back again for half an hour snorkeling. And as the rain approaches, we decided to call it a day.

We weren’t tired. It was satisfying. Bohol by the sea has something truly amazing to offer. Azure, verdant and fish. That was one September day that we would never forget and oftentimes still convinces me to go back there again.

On my over-the-weekend trip to Legazpi City in Albay for a talk, we were able to visit a few historical spots and one of them was the sunken Church of Cagsaua.

Although the weather wasn’t really cooperating with us, I was able to take several pictures of the place. A steel plaque was affixed by the Philippine Historical Committee on the outer wall of the church tower in 1954. It says…

Church of Cagsaua

The Spiritual Administration of Cagsaua from 1587 to 1595 was under the Parish of Camalig. An early church was burned, 25 July 1636, by the Dutch who ransacked the tonws bordering Legazpi Bay. This church, built after 172 by Fray Francisco Blanco, O.F.M., was buried by rocks and lava during the eruption of Mayon Volcano on February 1, 1814.

Decided to incorporate their town as part of Daraga. The first centenary of the destruction of the church was commemorated, February 1, 1914, with a huge pilgrimage to the ruins where a high mass was celebrated.

It was raining real hard and the Mayon Volcano at the backgroud was still and quiet with clouds looming at the peak.