Moments later she was back and lots of crying and hugging and we were off to Iloilo next day for a ferry ride to Palawan. From then on I called her “my way or the highway girl”. Yes the bike was strapped to a little boat back to the mainland and yes a long and nice road this time on the Eastern side back to Iloilo. Lots of dogs sleeping on the road, no mangoes but lots of coconuts for sale on the road. We stopped at a small town and I had 2 coconuts. Some of the school kids were there. The boys were smoking cigarettes in front of us showing off and speaking English they were practicing in school. It seems it was apparent that fruits were expensive and most poor families didn’t have a lot of fruits to eat. Fruits were a source of income selling a mango or a bunch of bananas could buy a lot of rice and pork. We got in Iloilo the same day and the ferry left for Palawan Puerto Princesa that evening so we had plenty of time to look around again for the second time. The markets were full of leachy a sweet soar round brown fruit that makes you want to eat lots of them. I bought 5 kilos and spent a few days finishing them off. The fare on the ship was 480 each and the cycle 700 as cargo. Now after the rusty ship left the port I find that it does not go to Palawan direct?
We stop off at Cuyo island and then to Palawan. It seems that Cuyo is also considered Palawan, Oh well I get to see another island for the same price. Cuyo was pleasant nice roads and I swam on a sandy gray beach and ate chicken watching satellite TV with school kids. The satellite cable was clear as at home. I noticed that Maricel is not that shy and talks easy with others when we meet them. This comes in handy coz on trips like this all the inside information on safety and places to go is valuable. I asked for coconut milk and they had trouble getting it to me. The problem was that the women in the restaurant didn’t know how to open the coconut so I could drink it. Maricel saved the day and showed em how it was done. The Mindanao country girl came out as she chopped up that coconut like a pro and handed it to me without spilling a drop of milk. Next day Puerto Princesa and more monkeying around to get the motor bike back. I thought I was back in Iloilo the city seemed similar in lots of ways. Jolly Bee was there and that made us feel at home. We didn’t have to stay in a hotel that day coz it was morning when we arrived.
To be continued: page 13
