Bantayan

What a delightful and full trip to Cebu’s north. The country’s ‘egg basket’ per our host she noted as she pointed out chicken farms behind tall cement walls. This was on a trip she took us into the town of Bantayan proper (Santa Fe being the tourist town close to where we stayed). What lovely hosts we had! Niels (an ex-pat from Norway) and Carina (from Iloilo) run their Airbnb with two adopted sons Carlo and Nico and were so generous with their welcome and advice and kayaks!

First nights meal (swear I already wrote about our chicken skewers which were more chicken parts than chicken meat, those parts being, we think, stomach. Delicious really just very, very chewy).

Exploring the low tide. Marion making friends and Chad being kind and giving his tennis shoe clad wife a ride over the tide pools.

Pool time! mini raft and baby kayak were big hits

Nativity scenes by each elementary school all from repurposed/recycled materials

Peter and Paul Parish Church, murals depicting the conversion/acceptance of Christianity by the Cebuano people and building, burning by indigenous and rebuilding of church and then consecration of church

Gorgeous church and wedding party getting their pictures done

Bantayan tricycle, motorbike, bicycle and bicycle taxi

Chad did the little cliff jump AND the high one!

Shake stop! Colorful post-its of cheery hellos make for joyful decor

More islands, more sun, sand, shells, swimming, meandering rickety wood paths and strolling under palm trees

We all had a go at the “cliff jumping” except the girls. Though I think Marion would have done it if Dad weren’t there to be the voice of reason.

Our beautiful Earth doesn’t really get less breathtaking does it?

We had a great time picking out a feast from the Bantayan market that we brought home and our amazing hostess and her sons prepared for us. The girls helped fan the charcoal for the grill and “oversaw” coconut shucking. Alys has a little mini cooking class for preparing. Possibly the best coconut curry I’ve ever had.