Honestly, don't you sometimes wish you could go to a beach without a crowd of tourists but only you and a few companions? Talking to local fishermen in between dips in the cool water, and asking them what kind of fish they catch this morning?
San Francisco, Camotes, is a tourist destination, but there are still beaches that are absolutely tourist-free.
My cousin Clover is a captain of a ship overseas. He is home in time to celebrate his late father's birthday. Yes, we Filipinos celebrate birthdays of our dearly departed. Clover is inviting us to SanFran for the celebration.
On the bus to Danao City with my wife Inday
It's an hour-and-a-half by bus from Cebu City to Danao City where we take a ferry to Camotes Islands. We reach Danao City with time enough for an early lunch before we board the ferry.
The SanFran team getting ready for a quick lunch
On board the ferry with Inday, my aunties and nieces
At the port of Consuelo, San Francisco, Camotes
At the Consuelo Port we meet Clover. There were too many of us to accommodate in my cousin's old house, so he rents a whole house near the beach for us to stay.
This house is about fifty meters from the beach.
A refreshing snack of fresh sea urchins eaten raw.
Hanging the Budyong shellfish so the meat comes out
There are a lot of flowers in bloom around the house where we stay. I take some pictures because I just love the colors. They probably need a full-time gardener, but they are growing beautifully anyway.
A proper birthday party is being prepared in my cousin's house. By the looks of it, I think the food preparation is fiesta level. Beer and rum are served while the cooks are cooking. And each time the "tagay" or shot glass completes a round, the livelier the talks become. That's because a tagay is a drinking glass filled with three-quarters full of extra-strong beer.
Everything is about family, community, down to the pack of cigarettes. I take one and light it even though I have officially quit fourteen years ago.
Looks like cooking in a jungle but it's only the backyard
The lechon slowly cooks
The lechon is finally done. The little girl approves.
The festive birthday lunch is satisfying. After about an hour of talk and catching up, we proceed to some of SanFran's tourist spots.
At the Ocean Heaven Resort
At the entrance of the resort
The necessary selfie with the pool and restaurant in the background
The pool is so large, they built a bridge over it.
At the entrance of one of the caves in SanFran
Inday and our nieces pose at the cave entrance
It's hard to resist the usual tourist destinations in SanFran. But sometimes I just want a little peace and quiet. And so the first thing that attracts me here is a serene beach in the early morning fog.
A beach in Consuelo, SanFran, in the early morning
My aunties enjoy a dip in the cold morning while a spear fisherman gets busy from a distance.
Water's cold but the sun is coming up.
A quiet beach for a change.
Nature paints the best pictures.
People wait for fishermen coming in with the day's catch.
Nothing beats a fresh eel for the best breakfast or dinner soup.
There is never enough time for us. There will always be a job or a responsibility competing with our me-time. But it's always nice to know that there are places like SanFran, which is not far from Cebu City, where we can spend quality time with only the sea, the sand, and friendly people. And when you leave, it feels just like the song for its namesake.
You may get to know me more and read my intro blog article.
And if you still have time, please feel free to read other travelogues I've written:
- The Rocks of El Nido
- Maya, Daanbantayan - Gig and Dip
- From the Other Side of Malapascua
- Enticing Bantayan
Thank you so much for dropping by, and hope to see you in my next post.
