Note to Self: See Ploning and Go To Cuyo, Palawan

Just another travel wish list.

While I've been to Palawan once. I've never been to Cuyo or El Nido, just in the capital of Puerto Princesa and out to the underwater caves of Sabang. A ride, that my wife said turned her minudensya or intestines and stomach into knots of pulutan.

The downside of this trip was the road (if you can call it that, more like a path); from the city center of Puerto Princesa to Barangay Cabayugan. I guess visitors like to travel as comfortable as possible, unless you wanted to ride a horse. The roads are really rugged and reminded me of the roads in Olongapo in the 60's, just a pile of stones and rocks. In a way, that gave the feeling of adventure to this hour long drive, which was well worth the effort and the pain.

My wife and I, were welcomed by no less than the then city councilor, Auntie Tits Villena, the wife of our host and uncle of my brother-in-law. We even met Mayor Ed Hagerdon and his wife, who was so funny that she mentioned that the first inhabitants of Puerto Princesa (aside from the aboriginal Taong Bato) are all "miners". They just point to a particular land and says, "That's mine!" Funny indeed.

We love the place, or part of Palawan that we saw and experienced. We love to go back but this time spent more time in the outskirts of the capital.

I saw the movie trailer of Ploning, which was shot in Cuyo, Palawan. Enthralled by the beauty and simplicity of the place, I am putting it in my travel wish list. Hence this post.

Read the post of publicist (I believe his article on Cuyo from the local newspaper was THE spiel. They carry no by-lines and upon reading is verbatim to his post.), Oliver Oliveros here.

As it has pictures, I won't spoil the post by reposting here, merely quote on why Cuyo is one the best place to visit:

"An island where flowers do not grow due to the coastal climate and strong seasonal winds, Cuyo is nonetheless a place blessed with nature's beauty. Secluded and quiet, it is covered with cashew and coconut trees that gracefully sway to the wind. Thick clumps of bamboo abound. And of course, the vast blue seas—home to a myriad of corals and sea creatures— that seem extend to eternity.

The island would appeal to hardy, outdoor types of people who enjoy taking walks, swimming and discovering a unique local culture, rather than indulging in material pleasures. And forget five-star hotels: there is only one on the island—Cuyo Place. Cuyonons live on the basics and hardly complain. They are very resourceful and have found ways to make the best of what they have like making tuba from coconut and cashew brittle their specialties. Life is slow, timeless and the epitome of "rural living" in its simplicity, the kind that grows on people who visit the island."

Cuyo is not as commercialised as Boracay by a long long mile, it was Boracay in the 60's and 70's. Cuyo caters not for tourists but for travellers.

UK UK!

Most probably and most likely, in this age of high oil, gasoline and rice prices; you would have come across the ubiquitous (I've looked this up...)flea markets, car boot sales, swap meets, and here in Australia: Paddy's Market!

In the Philippines, there is a very interesting phenomenon: ukay ukay - primarily a flea market for pre-loved clothes and accessories.

See this link for a well writtten and very informative take on ukay ukay.

Ukay-ukay: A Unique Philippine Shopping Adventure By Laura Jaranilla.

A bit of an interesting fact about flea markets from Wikipedia:

"The original flea market is likely to be the Marché aux puces of Saint-Ouen, Seine-Saint-Denis, in the northern suburbs of Paris. It is a large, long-established outdoor bazaar, one of four in Paris. They earned their name from the flea-infested clothing and rags sold there. From the late 17th century, the makeshift open-air market in the town of Saint-Ouen began as temporary stalls and benches among the fields and market gardens where ragpickers exchanged their findings for a small sum."

Hopefully ukay ukay clothes are not infested as such!