Araw ng KaLAIYAan

Upon having a two-week break from working in Singapore, my sister decided to treat us with travel spree. We looked for spots like Zambales, Puerto Galera and other places in Luzon, and ended up in Laiya. We scheduled it this June 12, but we left Laguna the night before the said date and looked for a resort where we could spend the night. Upon our arrival in the said area, we were expecting to visit a 'classy' one, but because we were 14, we found it hard to find a budget-friendly yet exclusive spot. We ended up in a venue others consider as 'ordinary'.

Thinking that I would experience much enjoyment in high-class beaches, my thoughts were filled with regret. But as I roamed around the vicinity, I learned that there are much discoveries here compared to 'special' resorts. Here are those:

1. Colorful Boats. Boats of varying shapes, sizes and colors surprised me as I took a walk along the area's long seashore. These vehicles are owned by the residents and are used for fishing.

2. Lotsa' Jellyfish. The night we arrived the resort, I was surprised to see these soft creatures along the seashore. At first, I mistook them for 'pitchi-pitchi' (a jelly-like rice desert coated with grated coconut meat). But the caretakers told us that they were dead jellyfish. I knew that these are deadly, but they said that touching their tentacles will just make your hands itch.

3. Fish Market. These huge boat carrying freshly-caught fish usually do their operations during early mornings. It was my first time to see an activity such as this. Lively and colorful fish were being sold to the residents. 

4. Friendly Fishermen. These guys leave their nets exposed during evenings and pull them during mornings. Kuya Pogi, our driver (the one who wears white shirt), helped these fishermen in pulling the rope. He ended up bringing home a bunch of 'tawilis' fit for lunch.