Boholy &%$!

Yesterday was my trip to Bohol.  I saw sooo many things!  Day trips are a little stressful; there is so much the guide is telling you constantly, and a lot of things on the list of things you will be doing are actually things you will drive by on your way elsewhere that the guide will quickly tell you about as you go past.

I took the ferry:

The seats are blue because it's a cool 45 degrees in there.

Team Zissou

When I arrived in Bohol, I got leid (first person to EVER make that joke)

Bohol fancies itself a friendly and religious place.  Because the roads are narrow and life in Tagbilaran is "simple" (keyword the guide was told to use to cater to what the tourists are looking to get out of this quaint little trip, I am sure), the public transportation system is tricycle.  All of which are required to have some sort of God-fearing message on the back:

Also, before the ferry leaves either port, there is a prayer that is said, which pops up on the screen in case you don't know the words.  Man, the Philippines and karaoke.  

First stop (surprisingly): 2nd oldest church in all of the Philippines.  Baclayon church, built by the Spanish in 1596.  The place is impressive.  

There are a lot of old and incredible things upstairs, but they do not allow pictures in the museum.  There are many, many fancy capes and such.  And really old wood, paintings, bronze pieces and carved ivory.

Next up: lunch on a floating restaurant that takes you down river while you eat.  It was so yummy.

Buffet-style.  3 plates.

Young coconut milk

Messy napkin from rippin' apart them sauce-covered crab legs. 

Dessert.

Then the floating began:

Everyone has a canoe along here. 

Pet rhesus macaque on a chain

We docked briefly, and then people danced and sung

Crazy dance where they have to step in time so the slats don't break their little feet.

With feeling!

Actually, though cool to watch, it was also depressing in a Disneyland sort of way.  They were hot; they have to do this over and over again all day, and I am sure that they wouldn't necessarily have chosen to do this.  Some looked downright somber.  But, some were also smiling a lot.  It just felt like a really disingenuous tourist moment for me.

Someone lives here.  Pretty awesome.  This is what many of the houses around the area look like.

We docked.  I went to the bathroom.

Booster seat?

I have no idea what the other two lids do.  Again, thank god I brought my own TP.

Alright, y'all.  Chocolate hills.  They were formed from a combination of volcanic activity, sea floor, melting coral turning to limestone.  Nothing grows on them (naturally) except for grass, so they have a very uniform appearance.  In the summer the grass turns brown, hence chocolate.  This is rained a lot, however, so they were more like broccoli mounds.

Some bell everyone wanted to ring

Awesome, huge grasshopper I found

Butterfly garden!

It wasn't much of a garden.  They were all dead.

Just kidding!

Caterpillars!  Me making cheesy face!

Some caterpillars that tries to fake everyone out into thinking he's poison.  But he's not poison.  He gotcha!  And, there is some series of hilarious jokes, often referencing marriage, associated with everything our guide showed us. 

Young caterpillars in their chrysalises.  I love this case.

They look like Whether's Original wrappers or something.

But they're not. Don't worry; I spit it out.

Older chrysalises that look like bats.

Butterfly garden path time!

My face looks so awesome because that shit tickles so badly.  There were all these magical, memorable photo ops that the guides kept setting up, and I took the bait.  Look.  I know it's cheesy, but there have been so few chances for me to take pictures of me interacting with things that I got suckered in.  Really suckered in:

Coy mouth cover because the tarsier is taking his picture with a beautiful lady, his agents said.  Yeah yeah, you'll get your tip.  

And, then, the tarsiers!!!

Also took a shot of this sign with the Holga; can't wait to see if it turns out!

Another photo op not missed!

I wanted to touch them.  They don't let you touch them.  

This part was sort of sad.  They are all kept in a really small area that doesn't resemble their natural habitat.  They are nocturnal, but these ones have been trained to stick around during the day.  Think about getting your eyes dilated at the optometrist's office.  These guys have huge eyes to capture tons of light at night.  That's gotta hurt.  Plus, I think most people don't pay attention and leave their flashes on.

Flying tarsier.  I think it's just a bat, but what do I know.  

Next, we went to the Blood Compact commemorative monument.  The Blood Compact is a system that was used by tribes in Bohol to solidify friendships, and make contracts and such.  They would make little cuts on themselves, bleed into a cup and all partake.  This site is supposed to be where they entered into a treaty with the Spanish.  Because the tribes didn't read or write, the Spaniards used this system to seal the deal.  It is known as the Bros Before Hoes contract.  They built this a while ago, and then historians realized that it wasn't at the right site, so this one is now commemorative.  And there were so many people, all who took the same dumb picture with 10 different cameras twice.  So, I took a picture of people taking pictures, instead of the commemorative monument.

What it looks like without all those damn people

Same thing at the Chocolate Hills.  Everyone taking way too long with their photo shoots while tons of people wait for them to move to start their photo shoots.  It got completely frustrating.

Shots of things around the commemorative monument that were a better use of my time:

Ding Ding man!

There a many, many rice farms and farmers in Bohol.  Outside of tourism, it is their livelihood.

They are also known for their lady fingers.  I bought so many for the office and the fam.  Hope they are good.

Ride home.  2 more yellow/red shots:

I met this really wonderful girl on the trip, who was in my group.  Both of her parents are Chinese, and they are from Peru.  I wish I could look awesome and have an awesome exotic accent.  I have no idea what her name is, except that her last name is Lee.  I am so awful at names.

Time to go here:

There is also an Ikea somewhere by it.  I am so curious and excited!!