February 11-15th- Cebu, Philippines
so for chinese new year we spent our time celebrating the lunar new year and valentines day in the philippines. we had a fabulous time diving, pretty much all we did. we stayed on mactan island, which is the very touristy part of the island. if we were to do it again we would go to malapusca where the whale sharks and thresher sharks are known to be. we weren't the only ones in cebu, a doctor from work was there with his family and another collegue was there diving with her husband... stole the idea from them.
so our plan was to dive as much as possible, relax as much as dirk could, and just enjoy the holiday. everyday we rented a private outrigger boat to take us to the various small islands around cebu. we rented a boat, with crew, all equipment, and two dives per person for $200 usd... really really cheap for diving.
i never fully understood what they were saying about the places we were going to dive... until it clicked underwater.... we were going to feed the bat fish! this was amazing... they are so graceful as they swim in large schools all around you. i think dirk and i could be underwater all day... he loves the quietness and i haven't quite pinpointed just ONE thing that i love... i love it all!
bat fish school
aneome fish- love the movement in this picture
feeding the bat fish- probably illegal and not a good idea but so COOL!
some sort of clown fish
maybe i love all the colors and movement underwater... i love going up to the aneomes and making them move and sway with the current plus watching all the wonderful colors go by. there was one aneome that looked like it had a million little hands on it that opened and closed with the water.
more bat fish schools
dun nunna nunna BATMAN!
the BIGGEST tuna we have ever seen. about as big as me... there was a whole school! it was kind of scary because i think they were attracted to the bread we were feeding the bat fish!
scorpion fish hiding- dirk almost ran into several of these without seeing them... they are posionous too... maybe we should invest in that scuba insurance
i think these fish are called lapu lapu and you can definetly eat them... they were everywhere and really really BIG too! this ones eye glowed in the picture.
love love love these plants! there was a fire shrimp in this one...
dirk calls these fish "LSU" fish... they have all the colors and reminds him of our friend jared robinson who went there
coral is amazing... looks like little eyes popping out!
blue spotted sting ray
some sort of beaked puffer fish... he was really cool to watch. there was a pair of them we kept running into.
lots and lots of blue spotted string rays
this reef was the most amazing... it went on for ever and ever and you didn't need to dive to see anything... just stick your head underwater and you could see everything. had to be the largest reef we have been too. NEVER ran into another scuba diver... some sort of statue they put underwater.
dirk calls this the pink brain
clown fish up close
beautiful coral
biggest trumpet fish i have seen!
tigger fish... no more attacks on dirk... this guy wasn't that big.
one of the islands
outrigger boat... tie up in lines together on the reefs
angel fish
cute little spotted guy... not sure what
looks like flowers huh?
these guys looked like dominos... not sure what they were but they were neat :)
dirk really liked these little blue fish that hide in the aneome
peek a boo!
not sure... it was really cool to watch it slink along
left side of the picture... tiny glass shrimp... can barely see them.
monkey on my back... or tank
what an ugly fish
eel... dirk almost ran into this too!
can't yell at someone underwater!
very tiny crab... on really cool aneome
not sure what these were either... need to get a fish book!
koi pond at our hotel
happy valentines day!
back to really really blonde hair again
my mistake- we stopped in davao on the way back just long enough to get off the plane then back on... it is the very dangerous part of the philippines.
OOPS!
otto was very happy we were back!
i still need to post about our trip to sydney but it makes me tired just thinking about it... it was such a crammed couple of days... we saw so much! soon very soon!
on a side note... sometimes i get worried about what i write on here, like who is reading this? who will be offended? but i write the facts... so in the philippines...
i didn't expect it to be as poor as it was... the people didn't have much electricity or running water...
the water was their way of life, they fished, they bathed, they played, they lived in boats on the water.... but despite all the poverty they were very very happy people and very friendly people.
they did ask for money, but no meant no... and they did not beg. they were quick to help and ANY tip was appreciated... trust me they remembered no matter how little it was.
it wasn't all about money either... they truly wanted us to like where they lived and who they were... of coarse they starred but it was a friendly stare with a smile rather than a singaporean frown!
AND i have never seen so many white men with one or TWO sometimes THREE filipino women. it is an area where you can buy these types of services... and being valentines day there were plenty at our hotel... no american men though.
it also being chinese new year and korea being fairly close to the philippines... there were tons and tons of koreans... normally i don't think situations like these are funny... but just something about a large group of asian tourist is hysterical... plus add snorkeling in the picture. dirk and i steered clear of them because it was a mess... lots of pictures... i think we counted like $10,000 worth of camera equipment on one small boat... oh dear, just thinking about all them makes me giggle!
ok shared enough!
on a side note... sometimes i get worried about what i write on here, like who is reading this? who will be offended? but i write the facts... so in the philippines...
i didn't expect it to be as poor as it was... the people didn't have much electricity or running water...
the water was their way of life, they fished, they bathed, they played, they lived in boats on the water.... but despite all the poverty they were very very happy people and very friendly people.
they did ask for money, but no meant no... and they did not beg. they were quick to help and ANY tip was appreciated... trust me they remembered no matter how little it was.
it wasn't all about money either... they truly wanted us to like where they lived and who they were... of coarse they starred but it was a friendly stare with a smile rather than a singaporean frown!
AND i have never seen so many white men with one or TWO sometimes THREE filipino women. it is an area where you can buy these types of services... and being valentines day there were plenty at our hotel... no american men though.
it also being chinese new year and korea being fairly close to the philippines... there were tons and tons of koreans... normally i don't think situations like these are funny... but just something about a large group of asian tourist is hysterical... plus add snorkeling in the picture. dirk and i steered clear of them because it was a mess... lots of pictures... i think we counted like $10,000 worth of camera equipment on one small boat... oh dear, just thinking about all them makes me giggle!
ok shared enough!
