"Massadge M'ameSir!"

Hi again! This time from the chaotic and crazy city of Manila! We are only here for a quick nights rest before heading off to the "Mountain Town" Sagada to hike away our beers and cocktails from the last 6 days.

Boracay is one of those places that just pulls you right in. After a few days spent lazing on the beach, eating absolutley anything imaginable, and okay, DRINKING anything imaginable, you feel like you need to get out, but just can't fathom going anywhere else. Our mornings were spent walking or running the 4km on one end of the beach, then making our way back for breakfast. Oatmeal and omelettes at our hostel, fruit shakes or crepes at Jonah's Bar, or fresh fruit and muesli with a steaming vanilla latte from Cafe Del Sol. Considering this being an island, one might expect to be deprived of such variety in foods. Nope. Not on this island. The amount of STUFF, for lack of better word, that is transferred in and out by boat is just unreal. This is no Gilligans Island. This is the Holidayers paradise. Of course, this being well known to a lot of the Asian population, we were by no means alone on this lovely little island.
About 15 meters from the shore runs a pathway with restaurants, bars, and shops on one side, and vendors, fruit stands (corn stands, schwarma stands, you-name-it stands) on the other. Men walk the beaches selling hats, sunglasses, word carvings. And do not expect to get through a single day without hearing "Massadge M'ameSir" "Come for a massadge M'ameSir?". Translation: Excuse me, would you like a massage..M'ame, Sir?.
Andrew and I are thinking of dropping the whole name thing all together. Who needs a first name when we could just combine ourselves as M'ameSir?! Jokes aside, everyone is very pleasant and friendly, and only trying to be respectful in acknowledging passerby.
At nighttime, the island really comes alive. Lights, live music, fire dancers. Most restaurants set up on the beach so you have the choice of dining in or out. The pathway is like a highway of people. Old, young, boy, girl, ladyboy(there were plenty of these ladyboys..Andrew was actually hit on by a couple of them. Ladyboy=boy dressed as girl) everyone wants a taste of Boracay's nightlife. One of our first nights there we went to a bar/restaurant called Nigi Nigi Nu Nuu's and decided to conquer their SUPER cocktail. A super cocktail is pretty much a GIANT drink of your choice served with about 6 straws and many smiles from the bartenders. While choosing, I mentioned that I'd really like to try their famous Long Island Iced Tea. So, low and behold, Andrew and Chelsie are faced with a massive, strong-smelling, sweating, Long Island Iced Tea. Let me give you a little perspective on this GIANT glass. I'm talking, basketball sized, fit 12 drinks in it glass. Yep. Needless to say,after bullying Andrew into choking the last of it down, because "WE HAVE TO FINISH!" we spent the evening dancing our bums off at a wicked neon streaked club called Summer Place, before stumbling our fuzzy heads home. Oh, and just incase someone tries to tell you otherwise, we did NOT spend a good hour being sick in unison. Nope, not us.

Back to the beach! After we DIDN'T spend a day being, ahem, hungover, we got out the snorkel gear and swam our little hearts out. The waters are just pristine, and warm! One day Andy tracked down a man "on that surf board thingy, with the paddle thing" for me so that I could try out Paddle Surfing! Sooo much fun. Paddle surfing is where you stand on a surf board and paddle around. Its sctually a really good workout! We took turns cruising around on that thing until we were both tuckered out and resorted to using the board as a flotation/tanning device. Ahhh.

We loved the hostel owners as well! The main owner Teddy, was there with his son Theo, and his fiancé Natalie, so we spent a lot of time chatting with them. Theo and Natalie, both from Seattle, live in New York City, so they were pretty intrigued by us Canadians. We swapped pictures, emails, and Facebook, and they gave us a ton of info on our next destination! They had just come from a couple days up in the small villages of Banaue, Batad and Sagada, so we have a list of places to stay, eat, and even a guide they recommend us ask for!
Last night the four of us went out for a Mexican dinner, enjoyed some hot and fresh mini donuts for dessert, and walked home in the rain. It was a great last night in Boracay! I think I miss it already, but the mountains are calling our names! The pictures that Theo and Natalie showed us looked phenomenal! The lack of electricity(good thing we brought our headlamps!) and hot water will be a little shock to the system at first, but hey, we are Canadian right?! We can handle anything ;)

We'll write again once we have ventured our way through the waterfalls, rice terraces, and mountains of Banaue, Batad, and Sagada! Time to burn off 6 days of Boracay's food and drink!

Love to all,

Andrew & Chelsie