As our 3rd week comes to an end, we have really begun settling in to our new home. While Helena was gone, all of the native staff took a few days off after our guests left. There was one morning while Trevor ventured to another local village with Ruben to track down our carpenter I was alone on the island with one other boy, 3 dogs and a cat. It was a strange feeling to be so removed and alone but it was very peaceful at the same time.
We balanced our work time with some much needed relaxation time. We enjoyed catching up on sleep and the peace and quiet only achieved with no guests. For the first time with the absolute quiet we got to see a bit of the “night” life and have some quality alone time.
At night it sounds like somebody is moving rocks but it is actually all the hermit crabs that have been hiding out all day waiting for night to start moving around. They blend in perfectly with the rocks until they start moving!
The day before Helena returned we got to meet our first pirates. Much of our cargo shipped from Manila that isn’t perishable is shipped via a “shipping line” run by some of the local pirates. As Helena put it, our region is the “California of the former Wild West days”. It attracts a rough and tumble group of folks out for adventure and the chance to stake their claim on the relatively untouched islands. Coron is run by a mafia of sorts run by local “warlords” that control the area. The “pirates” just look like your average “Joe” and are a regular part of local business. Trust me, it is not as dangerous as it sounds, but it is definitely a different world than what we are used to!
We also got to meet Amit, a local fisherman and the coconut man (he delivers the coconuts used for the daily “buko” juice we serve guests for breakfast). When he has a good catch he pulls up to the beach and we can purchase the fish, straight from the boat. They are so fresh they are still stiff!!!
All these fish(4 Kilos) cost PHP 200...about $4.65!
After 3 days off the staff returned and we all spent Friday morning sprucing up the place for Helena’s arrival Friday afternoon. The afternoon got exciting when we got our first somewhat substantial rain. Because the roof is constructed out of a combination of Nipa and Cogon (both plant based and hand constructed) sometimes leaks are only detected after the first rain. The main cottages and house were fine but our poor Rosa had more than a few leaks! Luckily the rain only persisted for a few hours and it is so hot everything dries very quickly. The rain also delayed Helena’s return and after a very long day she finally got home with a large amount of cargo from Manila for us to receive and store.
The day after Helena’s return we got another pair of guests, a very friendly pair from Manila celebrating their first wedding anniversary. Trevor and I got a chance to spend some time getting to know them and it has confirmed our excitement for all the interesting people we expect to meet while abroad.
Speaking of interesting people we also had our first celebrity visitor for Mother’s Day. Ching Cruz, a well known socialite, was cruising the region with her husband, another couple, their 2 yachts and an entourage (4 ladies, 2 boat captains and a couple musicians). They stopped in for a tour of the grounds and an elegant 3 course Champagne lunch, complete with live entertainment provided by their personal musicians. As Resident Manager, I was given the privilege of escorting them around the grounds and making sure they were cared for. It was an interesting view of how the other half lives! They were very pleased with their visit and we expect to see them again :)
Our two guests leave tomorrow and we will then begin preparations, renovations and planning for an upcoming June event to remember…details to come!!!
Our Growing Shell Collection
These fall from the trees. We are hoping to come up with some creative project to use them for!
The infamous Band-Aid Burn.
All the following pictures are from the trails on the island. A great place for running!
A few more scenery shots...
