I won't deluge you with coo coo details of our honeymoon at Boracay.

We had fun, ate a lot, got to spend time together, and found out that even in this supposed sweet newlywed stage, we like to sleep facing away from each other (at least that's how it seems).

J used to tell me about his first trip to Boracay 15 or so years ago. Pristine white beaches, no electricity, only 2 resorts, fishermen hawking fish while you lay on the shore. Water so clear, and the tide so low you could walk a hundred meters from the shore and still be shin deep in crystal turquoise water.

It's very different now, restaurants and shops (and even ATM machines) off the shore. More than 20 hotels, loads of people, a throbbing nightlife. Commercialville.
Still, I like it.
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We stayed at Fairways and Bluewater, a golf club where J's dad is a member. The villas (apartments really) were quite spacious and pretty, but as with time-share units, there isn't much in the way of amenities like towels, shampoos, hairdryers, etc. But it was still a lovely place to stay.


The AC was also very cold, and J and I would constantly switch the temp from 22 (what he liked) to 24 (what I could live with).

I briefly entertained the thought of sleeping in the living room so we could each have the temp we wanted.
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We like hanging out at Puka Beach on the other side of the island. The sand is grainier, and the beach isnt as pretty.

But there's more privacy on this beach,

and a restaurant called Puka Grande that serves Butter Garlic Prawns and Grilled Squid at a fraction of what it would cost at Station 1.

And if you're there during the late afternoon you may get to see a whole slew of bats rushing out of their mountaintop batcave.
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We took a boat tour with a large group for 500 pesos (didnt haggle though) and spent most of the day going around the Island. We walked up the hill and down into 2 caves that brought us back (!) to the water.

One of the caves is called the "Crystal Cave". Someone got the great idea of getting a large crystal and mounting it on a concrete mound covered in stone. We spent quite a while chuckling about this.

But really, there's only one pair of crystals we saw in the cave.
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Barracuda serves a mean breakfast - really filling and they cook eggs perfectly - they've got sausages and bread, and wiener schnitzel and bread with herb butter. Sarap! Other breakfast items are muesli (with fruit), yogurt (with fruit), and they've got a bunch of other dishes that I would have loved to try. Items cost from around 70 to 200 pesos.
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I was so pleased when J booked us for massages at Mandala Spa . Now this I really enjoyed.

We got the Signature Massage and a Flower Bath in our own spa villa.

We arrived at around 8pm and headed off to locker rooms to remove our clothes and put on the sarongs that Mandala provided. Walked back into the receiving area and was a bit happy too see how nice J looked in a sarong. Hmmm, must buy him one.

We were led by our therapists down a raised bamboo pathway and into the villa where 2 beds were set up. We sat on the terrace and dipped our feet into basins filled with warm water and flowers. The therapists dried our feet after a bit and let us sniff and select our massage oils. J picked the relaxing massage oil (mostly lavander), and I had the exotic oil (jasmine). We went to our beds and the massage started.

The massage is mostly done swedish style, with some shiatsu presses and long strokes with the therapist using her entire forearm. They've also got this cool move where they knead your shoulder blades like they're turning on the faucet. Never got that one before.

I don't remember much more than that as I think I fell asleep (work, the preps and the wedding must really have stressed me out). I do remember waking up to J's loud snores that he would cut off quickly and make a fake cough to disguise hahah!

After the massage the therapists led us to a large bathroom with a rainhead shower and a flower tub and I kept laughing about how J would hop around when the water would get too warm.

I love tubs, especially when they're filled with warm water and flowers .... and my husband ..... hehe. No hanky panky though, as the 2 therapists were waiting outside the bathroom. Besides, we were there to relax. Really.

After the bath we lounged around a bit on the terrace with little cups of ginger tea, then it was time to go leave this little piece of heaven and head back to the main pavilion to dress back into our clothes.

I tossed my sarong into the used towel basket and left, but as we were walking out, the receptionist returned with J and my sarong folded neatly and told us that they were ours to keep, to remind us of our time at Mandala.

Hmm. Neat.

We will definitely be back.
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Bombom Bar, now this is another favorite of ours.

There's something about the place that just says...."Ragga" to me. We order drinks and then sit at one of those bamboo constructions that you could either call a bench or a bed, listen to the music, and chat away. The bartender is a sweetie and I love that I can get 2 pina coladas for 80 bucks during happy hour.

Every hour at Bombom is happy hour to me.
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Of course there's the food.

Shawarma off a stall at D Mall

Brick-oven baked Pizza at the Italian restaurant near D Mall (complete with an Italian owner who shouts "bellisima!" to pretty women from his table at the corner)

Shakes at Jona's (Station 1)

There's so much restaurants and such diverse types of cuisine I bet Boracay has Greenbelt and Malate beat.
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I miss the Talipapa. It burned down a few months ago and now there's no place to get a seafood package meal at a really nice price (Except Mikay's at D Mall...and we weren't able to eat there). I hope no one was hurt during the fire, and that they're able to set up again.
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I would have liked to try a haircut by Jude Hipolito at Kaizen but was a bit put off by the hefty price. 2000 for a haircut is a bit too much for me.
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We had a blast on the island. Sun, food, newlywed happiness, time alone, and a lot of laughs



and also silent time, just sitting together holding hands (and how comfortable it feels to hold J's hand), still amazed we're finally married,





trying not to think that J would be leaving in a few days.



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I really look forward to the time (in a few months I hope) when I see J and neither one of us has to leave the other anymore.




I'll probably have the biggest smile on my face.

This entry was posted on 3/08/2005 at 3/08/2005 09:17:00 pm. You can skip to the end and leave a response.