Sail Away, Sail Away

I checked the weather as soon as I got up the next morning -  blue skies! After breakfast, we hit the beach for a morning walk to get our first glimpse of Boracay's famous white sand beach. The beach was separated from the hotels, restaurants and shops by large bamboo and cloth wind breakers that we later found out was put up for typhoon season. From your first step off the hotel's property, you get bombarded from beach boys asking you about jet skiing, parasailing and island touring...It is fine the first dozen times, but it gets pretty old fast! Towards the end of the beach there is an altar on a big rock grotto with the Virgin Mary. After waiting for our turn behind the line of tourists who also stopped to take a few photos, we headed further down the beach as there was one more place I wanted to point out to the Posts -  Obama Cafe. When we visited in 2009 we saw this place and we were curious to see if it was still around. Once Mr. Post saw it ("Good food?" "Yes, we can!") he insisted on heading there for dinner. On the walk back to our hotel, we decided to entertain one of the beach boys and asked about the tours and prices. It is all a game! We asked about the sail boats, in which he would quote a price then raise and lower it saying it would be a larger boat or smaller boat as I tried to negotiate. Once we realized we were not talking about a large amount of money, we settled on a 3 hour island tour on a larger sail boat. 

After getting some drinks, we boarded the boat, Melissa and I on one side and the Posts on the other. These boats are not like a typical sail boat back home. These "paraw" as they are locally known is an outrigger with a net like canopy for seating on each side of the boat for the paying passengers that connect the main part of the boat to the 2 sets of bamboo floats on each side to keep the boat stable and upright during strong winds. Before we knew it, we were being pushed off the beach and the 4 men crew were taking their stations balancing the boat with their weight on the same side the wind was pushing from. As we made it off the beach, the wind picked up and dunked the right side of the boat underwater giving the Posts a nice wake up call! Luckily we were on the left side and didn't get dunked.. that is until we hit the opposite side of the island! Our first stop was poka beach, yes like the shell which I was unable to find on this trip. This beach has no roads to it and the only way on foot is to trek through the jungle.. no thanks!

After spending an hour or so enjoying the warm water and an ice cream, we were off to the next stop to do some snorkeling. The water is so clear you can see the coral 20 feet below from the surface! Melissa and I were the only takers and quickly jumped in. There were colorful reef fish everywhere, it was like swimming in a fish tank. 

 After a bit of snorkeling we had another stop, but the winds and current were getting too strong so we headed back to the pick up point, but at least we had another half hour to enjoy sailing around. This time it was Melissa and I who got dunked into the water as our side got submerged... oh well it was getting hot anyway.

After getting back to shore we paid up... about $45, got a quick picture with the crew and were off for lunch. 

I wanted to show the Posts this place Melissa and I ate every lunch last time we were here. After getting directions and winding our way through back alleys we finally arrived! This market has a fresh seafood market in the center and restaurants with cooking services along the perimeter. Knowing exactly what to do, I went right to work getting a few pounds of large shrimp and the largest red snapper they had. When you get to the restaurant they weigh the food and ask how you want it cooked. We had half the shrimp fried and half grilled and the snapper grilled. They only had rice for a side so I was up again this time finding potatoes for them to make french fries with. Melissa and I were excited as this brought back old memories, but we could tell the Posts were a bit apprehensive but they rolled with it. Once the food came and they took their first bite they were sold.. especially on the fried shrimp though I am sure that the San Miguel helped too.

After lunch we wanted to introduce the Posts to a new form of transportation that is common all around Asia and that is the trike or tuk tuk. In the Boracay they have motorcycles with a beefed up side car that are used as taxis. They are not very comfortable but are very, very cheap! (Typically around US$2) When Mr. Post went to climb into the back the driver told him he would have to sit in the front, presumably because if he did, he would tip it over. Once we got going I asked the driver how many people he could fit, he said 8 - 4 in the back, 3 in the front and one behind him on the bike... but that is ok as long as they are family!

By the time we got back to the hotel, the dark clouds started to close in - oh well we squeezed a good full day in just the morning! After resting for a bit, the rain had not stopped so we ventured out to Obama Grill for some dinner. The Posts ordered hamburgers which were almost as much of a disappointment as the president.. Too bad they can't send him back to the kitchen (Chicago).