On Puerto Galera Beach Vacation

How to get to Puerto Galera.

Puerto Galera is a town in Mindoro 3.5 hours away from Manila. Two hours by bus and and hour and a half by boat. From Cubao, we took an ALPS bus from the Araneta Center Cubao Bus Station going to Batangas Pier. The fare was one hundred and seventy five pesos (175 Php).

Seats at the Batangas Port waiting for passengers.

If you are going to the beach, don't forget to bring money, towel, camera, and sunblock. Remember to pack light. As a  rule of  thumb, your things should fit your backpack. Leave anything that can't fit your backpack. You should be able to run with your backpack.

Here's our boat, The Golden Eagle. From the Batangas Port, barkers will guide you to the ticketing area which is located about a block away from the bus station. A round trip boat fare costs P530 including terminal and environmental fees.

Minolo Shipping Lines named their boats after golden birds. Their boats are named Golden Hawk, Golden Osprey, Golden Falcon, and Golden Eagle.

Sometimes, the boats do not dock directly to the White Beach. In our case, we docked at the town center where a shuttle took us to the White Beach. White Beach is like the "Boracay" of Puerto Galera where you can find the restaurants, bars, and other entertainment facilities.

I'm not brand conscious but when it comes to high performance outdoor equipment, I trust The North Face. If only I can afford it. And since I cannot, I just borrow from my brother.

In transit.
It was drizzling but the waters of Mindoro remained calm. We were given  life vests by the boat crew, but they didn't impose that we wore it - as if to say, "Wear it if you want." The life jackets were cumbersome to wear. You have to untie the lace, wrap it around you, then tie it again. In an emergency situation, it would be impossible to wear properly - and if you don't know how to swim, you're more likely to drown.

 It was drizzling the whole afternoon. This was the first time the sun showed itself prompting lovers and friends to come out and enjoy the sun and sand. It was raining half the time we were in Puerto, but we didn't mind. 

Waves.
They come and go. Touching the shore inviting you to be part of it.

I didn't bother to put sunblock, there was no sun to block. But I believe (no basis) sunblock repels microscopic insects that may sting and cause an itch.

Waiting for Godot is my favorite play and was the inspiration for this photo. Who is Godot? No one knows for sure. Some say Godot is symbol of anything that we have been waiting for.

Fish eye. There's no basis to conclude that a fish's memory only lasts for three seconds.  Fish are very sophisticated creatures. They learn and adapt in ways we don't understand. They see things differently, too.

I wanted to be a fisherman for a day.  I want to catch that big fish, grill it with some tomatoes, and eat it.

Stone stacking. Sweet pea is so talented and has such steady hands that she was able to stack these pebbles when I had already given up.  I had to buy her a Puerto Galera T shirt of her choice. It's a bet I lost.

 I don't get to see sun setting this way often.

Pork BBQ.
The thing I love about Puerto is the food. This BBQ was so tender, tasty, costs only 95 Pesos, and comes with rice. It wins an award for value.

Sweetpea and I tried the famous Mindoro Sling. It puzzles me why the Mindoro Sling has apple as one of its main ingredient. They grow apples in Mindoro?

 It tastes great. Prices vary from 150 to 350 Php per pitcher depending on the "sossy-ness" of the bar.

We ordered Margherita pizza, not to be confused with "margarita" the drink. This 300 peso worth pizza is an artful combination of mozzarella cheese (white), tomatoes (red) and basil (green) and was meant to represent the colors of the Italian flag.

I have always loved the beach. The smell of the salty water, the wind in my face, the gentle roar of the waves all combine to create a sense of peace and calm. Our memories of the sea will linger on even after our footprints in the sand are gone. 

Mosquito poses for Sweetpea. 

Fire dancer. It's hard to earn money in this kind of business, the risks are very, very  real.

Tattoo artist and rah.
"I wouldn't mind getting this permanently."