For or my last entry about Bantayan Island, I’ll take you with me to a whirlwind scooter ride. Hop on my back as we explore every nook and cranny of Bantayan. I will show you what basic island life is all about.
Bantayan Island is stress-free to get around, the main roads are good and tanking is easy peasy with all the numerous roadside sari-sari stores selling gasoline in coke litre bottles, now that is cool, haha. I would definitely encourage visitors to go off the beaten track and discover the cluster of fishing villages dotting the pristine shores of Bantayan. Go see how the locals live. Check out the unspoiled nature while they are still in its virgin state. I am not exaggerating at all.
But, what really stands out in the island for me are its people, especially the children. Their simplicity. The basicness. Majority of the island people are poor, many live in rudimentary dwellings like nipa huts and their main source of livelihood is fishing. In spite of this lack of material wealth, and perhaps a promising future, there is a sense of serenity around them. You know the saying—‘Ignorance is bliss?’ and ‘What you don’t know cannot and will not hurt you?’
Shall I say that the contentment in the eyes of these island people was quite confronting, and at the same time, enthralling? An oxymoron I suppose.
Like most of us, I see life rather complicated nowadays. Being high-strung with accomplishments. Always competing for excellence. Having the need to earn MORE money. More, more, me, me—aaahhh—all these dictates my selfish daily routine in life, I have to admit. It can be exhausting but I am used to living a demanding life and cannot function otherwise. Is that pitiful? Convoluted perhaps? Maybe, maybe not. And although I do not want to trade places with these people, the hurried glimpse into their lives left some sort of significance for me to contemplate, for me to take away with.
I promised myself never to stop travelling, with an open mind, and an open heart.
Life through the eyes of a child.
The ‘kamatayan zone’ in other words, danger crossing; moi having a glass of wine break from our into-the-villages-scooter-ride; and a fishers boat.
Some village and fishing scenes; roadside store selling gasoline in Coke litre bottles; the carabao and the farmer.
More village scenes and drying of fishes under the sun.
Travel Period: July 2009