Mole On The Foot: Puerto Galera, Holy Week 2014

Sunday, May 4, 2014

Puerto Galera, Holy Week 2014

I have been going back to White Beach yearly for almost 10 years now. Except for the year we went to Sta. Ana, Cagayan, it has become my yearly tradition. The first years were spent with housemates, and the last 2 was with my Waray Zumba Expert Friends.

Going there at these time is a challenge. You would have to expect long lines at every transportation station, starting at the bus terminals in Manila. This year was no different. When I arrived at our meeting place at JAM Terminal along Taft corner Buendia, the end of the line has reached 7 Eleven around the corner excluding the many turns of the queue. My tip, is that JAM is not the only terminal in the area that has trips to Batangas Pier. We abandoned our line when we saw an empty CERES Bus, a few meters away towards Libertad. We reached the Port of Batangas in less than 2 hours. There we bought the earliest boat trips available. Our mistake was buying round-trip. You would find out later on its disadvantage. Fixers, although not encouraged will provide you with convenience in terms getting terminal fees and assist you with directions. Some would even get you inside the terminal without having to go through the lines.

For first timers, the boat ride is just as long as the bus ride, so its best to find a seat that will allow you to catch up on sleep you missed the previous night. We arrived in White Beach around 10AM, erlier than what we expected. Our room was pre-booked months before at Las Villas de Natividad. This has been our home for the last 2 years. It is conveniently located behind Mikko's, and would be easier to crawl back from a night of drinking. They charged us 5,000 pesos for a room good for 6.

The rest of the day was spent eating, drinking, partying, and hook-ups for some. I for one, was so drunk on the first day, and missed out on the beach event that Thursday night. We were drinking Mindoro Sling as early as lunch, and consumed two bottles of Jaggermeister in the afternoon.

The day after was a bit more controlled. Loud music is not allowed during Good Friday, and expect the party to start at 12 midnight. I need to pace my drinking this time. Morning was spent with a Massage, Eating, Swimming, and ZUMBA!!! It was only til late in the afternoon that I started with 2 beers. I lost count by dinner time, and was partying like crazy when the music started playing until the morning.

I woke up with very little recollection of the previous night. I would have extended my stay, but with the work week lurking ahead, I need at least a day to detoxify. I left that Saturday afternoon after having lunch with my Galera buddies. My return trip was originally scheduled at 2 PM, but the boat arrived 3:30 and we left White Beach at 4PM. I would have booked my return trip with vessels that left on time like Manolo and Gallerian. Ours is with Father and Son. The boarding area is not really conducive for waiting especially under the scorching heat of the sun. I was back in Manila by 8PM.

I think I would still be doing this for years ahead. Apart from the sun and the beach, I enjoy the challenge that comes with the travel and the company of friends that makes it more fun. And of course the BOOZE!

Special thanks to Janna, Franco, Joseph, Robby and Eirik for the company and the Zumba lesson! To Ate Juliet of Las Villas de Natividad (0917-4820505) and to Red Horse, Jaggermeister, Mindoro Sling and Liki Tiki, for making our stay so much FUN!!