So, I spent my last day in Palawan wandering around the city area, this time rested and not in a zombie-like daze. It rained on and off, which I didn't mind very much and preferred in the end over what would have otherwise been a very hot and humid day. I visited the local market. It was small & packed, with every little gap, including areas under staircases, occupied by vendors. They sold vegetables & fruits; grains, rice & noodles; spices & sweets; fish, meats and poultry; trinkets & clothing; etc. The walkways between the stalls were narrow, dimly lit by the occasional stray light bulb hanging from above. I stopped to (discreetly) take many pictures, much to the amusement of the locals. What seemed mundane and ordinary to them was fascinating and beautiful to me. They looked on in interest and inspected whatever I took pictures of, and I was happy to invite their curiosity, to have them share my touristic view, however brief and probably misunderstood it may have been.As much as I loved the sights, I equally loved the sounds. Tagalog, the official language of the Philippines, is a bubbly language. After being surrounded by it for about a month now, I have grown to love it, and I wish I could speak it. It's melodic in its own way and has such a friendly and delighted tone, as if the speaker and the language are laughing together. But this is just my take on it.
I bought some treats from an overflowing stall- a slice of coconut rice pudding cake, & sticky rice wrapped in a banana leaf. Both were delicious and I couldn't believe how cheap they were! The owner smiled at me, saying it was all made fresh that morning. As I left, munching on the sticky rice, I overheard her and a friend trying to guess my ethnicity (I may not be able to speak Tagalog, but I can understand a little bit). I laughed as I walked down the street, my new mission to buy postcards and souvenirs for friends and family.In my search, I met the most delightful boy. He was in his mid-twenties, smiling, and chatty. He owned a small souvenir shop that sold not your average tourist trinkets but unique and handmade pieces ranging from intricate bracelets to carved wood decorations. Each piece had some sort of connection or origin to the native tribes of Palawan, and the tradition and culture was heavily present. I spent an hour in the shop, looking at the merchandise and talking to the boy, asking him about his life as an independent artist in Palawan. He turned out to be an avid traveler with wanderlust to match that of my sister's. But as much as he loved seeing the world, he knew that Palawan would always be his home. He referred to himself as a tree, with roots set on the island but branches extending to explore the beyond. I liked that. I ended up buying a necklace from him for my friend, as well as some loose beads for my own bracelet/necklace in-progress. From each country and/or city that I visit, I buy a bead or charm. I intend to string them all together to make the ultimate momento of my trip.
I also made friends with folks in a cafe that I stopped in. What was supposed to be a quick cup of joe & a pastry turned into a 2 hour long conversation with the servers and owner. They asked me about the US and my travels, and I asked them about PI and Palawan. I'd read a lot about the history of the country and the island, but I learned so much more from these locals. Eunice, the owner, was a sweetheart and gave me free refills and free samplings of her cakes and pies. They were all delicious, especially the blueberry cheesecake and the cassava cake! One of the servers shyly asked if I had a boyfriend. I showed them a photo of Alex and they all exclaimed, "Oh! Justin Bieber!" Sorry, Alex.
Later that night, I went on a night photo shoot. The beams emitted from lampposts and passing vehicles (no cars- only motorcycles and tricycles, a type of motorcycle taxi, are allowed in the main city area) populated the otherwise empty streets with shadows. I like this time of day. While taking photos, I met a young Filipino named Edwin. He and I ended up chatting over a pitcher of Red Horse (which he paid for! Woo!) at the only 24 hour bar in Puerto Princesa, which was hidden behind a hardware store and down an alley. I never would have seen it if he hadn't pointed it out. Red Horse is the cheap, strong beer here and very popular. Not knowing that it was Red Horse at the time, I drank my share of the pitcher without a care, assuming it was the usual weak, Asian brew. So I was very surprised when I found myself drunk at the bar. I realized it when Edwin compared Alex's photo to Justin Bieber (again!). I laughed so hard (sorry, Alex, again) and couldn't stop! Edwin, who was clearly confused at how hard I was laughing, laughed along with me out of politeness before shifting the subject to music (he loves heavy metal, rock and Taylor Swift) and then to his miserable love life (he met a girl from Oregon who looked just like Sandra Bullock, incidentally his favorite actress, but he lost her contact info to the wind. Literally. The precious piece of paper was blown out of his hands). Overall, a nice guy and he even walked me home like a gentleman.The next morning, I got up early to say my goodbyes to the ocean and then boarded my plane back to Manila. It was a really great trip and I suggest Palawan to anyone that travels in Southeast Asia! Not only are the sights amazing and the food delicious, but the people are so friendly and engaging!
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