Like this:

It was Labor Day.  Since it was a holiday in the middle of the summer, my family decided to spend the day at the beach.  In our province of Quezon in Southern Luzon, beaches are not the most visited picnic sites.  However, for us who searched the beauties of our town, a fine-sand, crisp-water, and privately-kept beach in the quiet part of Pagbilao town proved to be a perfect pick – not only because of its white sand, but also because of its famous Kwebang Lampas, a cave near the shoreline that may have been formed by waters flowing through it.

We were all up and running at five in the morning to make the most of our vacation together.  With  packed lunch of steaming rice and freshly grilled seafoods as well as bags of fruits and chips, we headed to the local city port where a banca we rented the day before was waiting for us.  The banca will take us directly to the beach within an hour compared to land transportation which will take us around two hours of jeepney and tricycle rides and long walks in hot roads and rugged hillsides.

 

The banca ride was a refreshing teaser to a more relaxing retreat.  The clear waters showed us colorful corals below. The sights of green islands stirred the excitement in us.  The cool breeze seemed to welcome us.  It was going to be a perfect day.

 

The banca finally docked on the shore when the sun was softly shining its morning rays.  This added to our already beaming smiles.  Immediately after unloading our baskets and bags, we proceeded to our own nooks – my mom and  dad in the cottage setting down all the food, my youngest sister strolling in the sand surveying the stretch of shoreline, my brother immediately jumping into the cool waters and swimming towards Kwebang Lampas, and my oldest sister and I taking pictures of us using all probable backdrops.  Later on, we all spent time playing in the waters, sunbathing on the sand, and satisfying our tastebuds with our sumptuous packed lunch.

 

The afternoon proved to be very hot so it was only fit for us take a short siesta.  The shades of the nipa cottage and the whispers of the soft breeze were like lullabies.  The soothing sound of waves kissing the shores added to the music.  It turned out to be a lazy, but restful afternoon.

 

Upon waking up, we spent the rest of the afternoon in the waters.  We also took a quick banca trip to see the other beaches and islands nearby.  At that point, we were really convinced that our province has hidden treasures – local and tourist spots that are natural, beautiful, and virgin. 

 

We didn’t want to travel in the waters when it’s dark already, so before the sun set down, we loaded all our stuff back in the banca and we waved goodbye at the beach.  Our bodies were tired as we rode back home, but our hearts and minds were filled with joy and pleasant memories.  The one-day holiday was indeed worth it when spent with the family.  I think we deserved it – anyway, it’s a rest for the laborers.

*Text submitted to APS.

*Dates on photographs are inaccurate. This was on May 1, 2010.

Advertisement