Dearest Bali

Dearest Bali,

Do you remember that time (2016) that we were going to Subic Island and we stopped by your Tita Ani’s house at Irosin for breakfast and then after we left, just a mile from their house we figured in a minor accident? How about that other time (2017) that we left Camalig in perfect weather and then arrived at Matnog in heavy rain that was straight out of a Noah’s Ark retelling? Okay okay, I’m sure you don’t. I know all you remember from Bicol are your Camalig posse, jollibee and unli-play all day. Anyways, on both occasions, we ended up going somewhere else. You and your mom were able to go there twice in 2017 but without me so you could say Subic wasn’t feeling me.

I’ve said it many times, Subic Island is one of the first places that i have been to and fell in love with in Bicol. It was only natural, a couple of my best buds are from Sorsogon (one of them, your Tito Rommel, grew up just three tambleng to Subic). Mind you, it was a stormy night when we crossed the seas on a couple of small fishing boats (not the big ones that are purpose-built to haul tourists) and camped on wet sand in that island. We weren’t even able to sing “I can see clearly now the rain is gone” the next day, it was dark unfriendly clouds the whole time. But it didn’t stop me and my friends from enjoying the place and bowing to come back.

Fast-forward a decade and a half later, two failed attempts i mentioned above, and I still havent been back. “I now have a beautiful Bicolana wife and an even more beautiful daughter (princess you!), priorities have changed and i now weigh twice as much…”, I said to myself as the van zig-zagged south away from Albay. The sky was still in its sleepy gray and the air smelled of hot pandesal when our waiting contact directed us to park at an empty lot in Matnog. We poured out one by one from Itay’s van, each carrying stuff, either for lunch or change of clothes. Our friendly boatmen, who were already your mum’s go-to people and who passionately addresses your Tita Mariel as “Doctora Perete”, took us through narrow pathways between houses that led to the beach. Countless outrigger boats were lined up on the calm water, with bows hanging on to the dark sand for the night before. After loading up everything, we left Matnog for Subic.

I had to stress again that the sea was calm, the water almost mirror-flat while our hired outrigger cut through it. Yours and your friends’ eyes were barely open on the boat-ride, fighting sleepiness as the dawn breaks (we left Camalig just a little past 4am). Roll call is in order; Precious Bali, Mommy, Tatay, Lolo (Lola Mama didn’t want to leave her 3 kids and she was managing the ongoing pinangat and various gulay cook out), Lola Conchie, Tita Cherry, Teacher Janis, Ate Fiona & Kuya Mark (prenup pics!), Kuya Jash, Kuya Rej, Ate Sol, Ate Ella, Tita Mayen, Ate Ishie, Ate Fides, Tito Itay and Kuya Nico. And hey, we brought adobo and raw rice, we were ready!

This was a better Subic for me because the sun was up, the sky was blue and i could hear your suddenly-the-universe-is-perfect laughter as you kayaked to deeper waters with Ate Fiona and Kuya Jash. Our boatmen suggested we go to Calintaan Cave, a spot that i haven’t been to, where we’d have to swim through a small cave opening and come into a hidden rocky beach. Most of us gave it a go and i sure am glad the two of us went (your mum was KJ, said she already went there, so meh). The hidden beach was tiny-beautiful, with rock walls and flora opening up to the heavens. You enjoyed stacking (toppling?) odd sized rocks as the previous visitors did, to varying heights. The temperature inside the hidden beach was also soothing and we wished that we would have stayed longer. On our way out, the second of the many boats of vacationers for the day was just arriving. We then went to the fish sanctuary, a spot in the island where the underwater life is teeming, and your Tita Cherry took you snorkeling with the others.

You and I, along with your cousins, spent most of the day under the Sorsogueño sun while your mommy was busy in the cottage shooing flies away from our lunch food and just generally being in her madame superior mode (Thank you Mommy!). Lunch was quick and we had too much sparkle and pop cola. We took one more dip in the beach and then it was time for one of your tabo and batya moments, which you really enjoy and love ’til now. Bitin was the local word in everybody’s head while the boat started its journey back to Matnog. So just like on my first visit, we all agree to come back and stay overnight or two, because a daytrip just don’t cut it. 2019, you up for it?

Nagmamahal,

Tatay