Bee in my bonnet

I didn't leave for Cebu today.  I just eased into the decision, while I had breakfast at Taver's restaurant.  A big "American" breakfast consisting of 4 pcs. of toast, bacon, 2 eggs, tea and a fruit (banana).  I was also watching American Idol, laughing so hard at Sanjaya's campy intro by Ryan Seacrest.  I'd been to Cebu City before, which partly explains my reluctance.  Actually I liked being in Cebu City; it's kinda like Manila, but with "southern" charm and ease.  Plus, the taxi drivers actually give you back your change! It's just that I had been there before, so there was no thrill of discovery.  I decided, I'd just spend the day vegging out, and then go pay a visit to Bohol Bee Farm in the afternoon.

  The longer I'd been traveling the more I wanted to slow down.  So, weird as my choice of place to stay was -- I mean, c'mon Tagbilaran City?! --  I still stayed.

Getting to Bohol Bee Farm would've been an exercise in frustration, but ended up being rather serendipitous for me.  First, it's really hard to get to Panglao from Tagbilaran.  It's like the transportation industry here has this conspiracy against tourists.  They don't make it easy for you to travel cheap!

I decided instead of going the usual way, calling the contact nos. I collected, and/or taking a motorbike-for-hire or taxi or trike, I would commute.  I found out from the manang at the hotel restaurant that she was also from Dauis, and thus she takes ordinary transportation.

  Through her I reco I made my way by foot to Shopper's Mart then by trike to a junction where at the waiting shed I could get the elusive jeeps that make their way to Panglao Island. Getting to that junction was cheaper and took less time than going to the terminal at Dao itself.  I waited there, and I waited and waited some more.  Good thing another commuter arrived, who was from Dauis herself, and she told me that the jeeps pass at hourly intervals, but it gets to be 30 minutes by 4 p.m. as more people leave the mainland for home.  Her stop happened also to be at the bee farm.  We finally got a jeep, and were on our way.  We only paid PhP 12!  A big difference from the usual PhP 200+ peso fee.  

I was already told that I still had to walk a long way from the junction to the bee farm (900 meters in fact), but when I got to the junction, a couple also went down with me, and told me that they happened to be going to the bee farm themselves! So I got a couple of guides.  Jojo was working as a waitress there, and she was with her boyfriend Joji.  While walking the white gravel road to the farm, we discussed how I'd get back.  Jojo said that the last jeep for Tagbilaran would pass the junction at 5 p.m., which only gave me 30 minutes to have a look around.  Jojo said she'd talk to the people at the farm to see about getting me relatively cheaper transpo back.  This meant I could have dinner at the farm as planned.

So I arrived at the Bee Farm and noticed at once the farm's organic vegetable plots and its livelihood handicraft center, which also supplied the food and decor for the restaurant.  Unfortunately, I didn't get to see any beehives because bees behave badly in the afternoon, so they say.  They like to sting humans more apparently.  Apart from the restaurant and the store, the farm is also provided bed and breakast, but that was rather pricey.  Anway, the place was so charming!  I enjoyed the clifftop restaurant, and if you take a few steps down to the treehouse you'd be very near the waves and the incoming tide.  There I met Tony from Bristol, U.K., who told me that just the day before he snorkeled out into the bay and saw a couple of huge manta rays.

  He loved Bee Farm, and had been there for a week.

The restaurant faced the Mindanao Sea, so I while having my early dinner, I had a clear view of Pamilacan Island and Siquijor.  As a guest, you could also stay at several lounge areas scattered around the place from the exhibit room down to the restaurant.  There were bamboo chimes everywhere, and there was a slight breeze so you'd hear them constantly.  I stayed for quite awhile after dinner, just staring into the sea. 

Getting back to Tagbilaran was another first for me.  Jojo came through, and I got a ride back on a motorbike.  I almost made my own arrangements because the woman at the front desk misunderstood me and almost gave me a van, which was double the price.

I started to walk instead, when the men on motorbikes near the livelihood center noticed me, and asked was I the one that Jojo mentioned, and so they set front desk girl straight.  And i got my ride.  Riding a motorbike in the evening for the first time was thrilling, and we went rather fast this time because I didn't tell the driver to slow down (and again, with no helmet!).  There was very little traffic or light as we traveled the 12 kms., and the road stretched white before us.  I'm so glad I stayed.  And if I'd the money I'd stay at the Bee Farm!