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Showing posts with the label beach

Easter Weekend at Pismo Beach

Pismo Beach Pier After months of staying indoors with only an occasional getaway to the supermarket, it was a huge relief to take a short road trip to the coast. The weather was warm and the sky was clear. Though Pismo Beach was hopping with weekenders, we found parking a short distance from the beach. Most of the people on the pier and on the beach had their masks on. The wooden pier is 1,200 feet long and extends out into the Pacific Ocean. It was renovated in 2020. There are a couple of vintage Airstream concession stands along its length offering snacks, drinks and souvenirs. The pier is connected to the plaza which has shops, cafés and a children’s playground.    Stairs lead down to the beach from both the north and south sides of the pier. It was fascinating to see the pylons supporting the pier. The pier has the best view of the surfers who, this late in the day, are still waiting patiently to ride the big wave. Sunset is that time of day when everyone stands quietly staring at

The School on the Hill

It was after lunch when we decided to go and give school supplies to the children at an elementary school in the hills of Mararison Island. The climb was difficult under the sweltering heat but this view of the Antique coastline was well worth it. We hired an enthusiastic guide who made sure we saw as much of the natural beauty of the hills as we possibly could and in the safest manner. She also helped us carry some of the school supplies we prepared for the children.  The elementary school used to be by the beach until a typhoon devastated the island and destroyed the classrooms. The school was then rebuilt on top of the hill. There are concrete stairs to get there which are easy on young legs. We opted to take the unpaved trail lined with roots of overhanging trees because it was an easier climb but treacherous when wet. The trees provided shade from the heat. There are less than a hundred students at the school. Only a few kids were at school on the day we visited as some

The Enchanting Islands of Concepcion

Bulobadiangan Island The Concepcion group of islands is located east of Panay Island in the Visayan Sea. These 17 islands are part of the Municipality of Concepcion in the province of Iloilo.  The sandbar on Bulobadiangan Island stretches across the sea toward Igbon Island. These islands have so far escaped the throng of sun worshippers. It was our only stop during our visit because Agho Island which is known for its white sand beach, was closed to visitors at the time and no one at the Tourism office knew when it would reopen. There is a P25 entrance fee per person to get off at Bulobadiangan and we had to bring our own food which one of the residents prepared for us for a P150 cooking fee. Cold drinks are available on the island. Danao Island Danao Island with its white sand beach looks inviting from the shores of Bulobadiangan.  Pan de Azucar The peak of Mount Manaphag or Sugarloaf Mountain towers over Pan de Azucar Island and can be seen from the mainland.

Volare and Polignano a Mare

Cala Porto Before Polignano a Mare became a popular hashtag on Instagram, there was Nel blu dipinto di blu , the Italian song that became a huge international hit in the late 1950s. Dean Martin crooned in his cover version: "Volare oh oh  Cantare oh oh oh   No wonder my happy heart sings Your love has given me wings Nel blu, dipinto di blu Felice di stare lassu." Cala Porto is a small, pebbly beach surrounded by limestone cliffs and cliffhanging homes. It would make anyone's heart sing when viewed from the Roman bridge. The beach, also known as Lama Monachile, gets crowded during the summer months and the sea is dotted with bobbing yachts. This shopping and dining street looks empty. Its mid afternoon in late January and the whole town is taking a break. Piazza dell'Orologio Piazza dell'Orologio is so called because of the prominent 19th century mechanical clock on the façade of one of the buildings on the square. This building the home

When in Ivisan

"I've traveled far and wide to explore new horizons only to find that there's so much to see right here in my own backyard." TravelswithCharie Basiao beach A view of the islands from our cottage on Basiao beach. We ate a simple lunch of bangus (milkfish) and rice with the  balut we bought in Dao and assorted pastries from Roxas City. Islands of Pulo Gamay and Pulo Maba-ay There's something to be said about heading to the beach on a weekday. We have this beautiful stretch of white sand to ourselves. All throughout lunch the siren song of the islands beckoned and we wanted to go island hopping but alas the rain caught up with us. All the more reason to come back.  Oyster Farm We managed a trip to the talaba (oyster) farm before the downpour. It was nice to see up close how they breed oysters. The old method is to suspend them from bamboo poles as you see here. The new method is to raise them in barrels which are partially sunk

The Natural Beauty of Pilar

Puting Bato Cave The Battle of Balisong Hills (Ang Away sa Balisong) was fought between Capiznon Revolucionarios and Spanish soldiers in Pilar in 1887. The local fighters bravely defended their town's freedom against the Spanish troops whom they routed. Notice the white limestone surface of the karst formation. Pilar has a trove of karsts begging to be explored. Hinulugan Falls It's a challenging ride through rough roads to Hinulugan Falls. And then some. Hinulugan is a short hike through rainforest where the sound of rushing water is motivation enough to trudge on despite the humidity. There's another waterfall in the higher elevation which can be seen from the main road. Determined souls will love the challenge of scaling the mountain. "Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations." Pilar What's not to love about this land? We drove past sugar cane fields, streams, rice fields and small villages to Hinulugan Falls. It

Sweet Pandan

Exploring our island has led to many wonderful discoveries. On this day trip to Pandan, Antique, we drove from Roxas City to the coastal town of Buruanga in Malay then continued on paved roads to this rustic beach town. We realized soon enough that we should stay longer as there was quite a bit to see and do but we'll have to save that for another day. We'll come back to this laid back and friendly niche, that's thankfully off the grid, soon enough. Eat, beach, relax, repeat This is the first thing that greeted us when we entered the resort. Two hammocks beckoning us to rest from the midday sun. How easy it is to surrender to the whisper of the sea, swaying palm fronds and clear blue skies! Not a wave in sight  It was the calmest sea. And though my room was just across from the beach, it was blissfully quiet except for the whir of the ceiling fan. Glorious sunset I started my walk on the beach at 4:30 p.m. The sun was still high on the hori

Weekday at the Beach

The beach at Half Moon Bay It's a great day when you're able to take off from work on a weekday and drive to the beach. No crowds to speak of. It's all yours - the sun, the big, wide ocean and the gift of serenity that washes over you as you stare out to sea. Half Moon Bay is a short ride from the Peninsula but a world away. The narrow and winding two lane road to get there is best taken when everyone is at work or else the stress of traffic will devour your  chi .  Fish taco At the Miramar Beach Restaurant on Mirada Road, off of Highway 1, we dined on fish tacos and shrimp and avocado sandwiches while watching Pacific waves caress the shore below. We also tried the crab cake appetizer, which came solo with cole slaw, so we divided it into two halves to share. The main entrées were served in more generous portions. It was a total dining experience. While the sun shone brightly, it was breezy. But we managed to take a few shots of the beach, deftly holding on