A Transformational Life

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

-Robert Frost

Our time on the island of Bohol went far too quickly. Bohol is a small island to the east of Cebu, about a two hour boat ride. Each island in the Philippines has something unique to offer. No matter which island you travel to, it will always be majestic in its own way. It was on Bohol that we learned the valuable lesson penned by Robert Frost, to take the road less traveled.

We were bombarded by at least fifty tour guides all vying for business the second we disembarked the boat from Cebu. It is a suffocating and intimidating feeling to have posters and hands waved and shoved in your face. It is all well meaning as this is their livelihood, but intimidating nonetheless. Jake and I consulted together and ended up going on a full day tour seeking out the best of Bohol.

A little information about Bohol: be prepared to see beauty of all kinds here. From dark green forests and white sand beaches to bright green hills and a serene river, this island has a little bit of everything. The climate is cooler than Cebu by just a bit. It has a small beach town feel and is home to many resorts on the white sand beaches.

One of our first stops, out of pure hunger, was a fabulous little spot called Chicken Ati-Atihan. Our driver recommended it and we were thrilled with the choice. Averi really got into the Filipino spirit and was eating with her hands the chicken and rice. After being sufficiently fed we came to the monument erected in significance of The Blood Compact. We learned about this historical event at Museo Sugbo. The statue depicts the native Filipino, Sikatuna, and the Spaniard, Legaspi, leaders drinking each others blood mixed with wine in goblets. Witnesses surround the leaders watching the symbol of friendship and peace be solidified. Throughout the day we saw a couple more places where Bohol have placed other monuments in recognition of The Blood Compact.

In 2013 a 7.2 earthquake hit the island and devastated many of the historical building on the island as well as many home of the local people. The effects of the earthquake can still be seen. Lots of repairs are being done on several buildings. Some are so heavily damaged I cannot see how they are even salvageable. We stopped at the second oldest church in the Philippines that received heavy damage. Repair and renovation are still going on to bring the church back to its former beauty. The museum was closed at the time we came by, so we did not see what it has to offer. It would have been fascinating to see what artifacts are kept there. Part of the church is used as a school, currently.

We customized the tour just a bit by opting out of the floating restaurant. The reviews were not fantastic and our bellies were still full. Instead, we went to the hanging bamboo bridge. Our driver was very kind with our requests. Prior to coming on this tour, I determined I would not participate in the hanging bridge. However, my curiosity and sense of adventure won the battle. The kids were thrilled with the adventure of this bridge. It is newly constructed because the previous bridge was damaged in the earthquake. The bridge sways and bounces. Be prepared to pay a fee and have your picture taken by the cameraman on the bridge. At the other end you view your pictures. A souvenir shop is also set up at the opposite end of the bridge. Walking back across the bridge, Averi was showing her fearlessness by jumping along the woven bamboo.

The main road to the center of the island is winding and has views of the ocean, fields, and then forest. Mahogany forest was planted in the 1940’s by a Filipino to prove that mahogany could grow in the Philippines. This man made forest is dense with mahogany trees that tower up 100 ft. in the air. Trees canopy the road making the area darker and cooler, but still humid. This part of the drive was enchanting.

Tarsiers are the smallest primate known and only found in the Philippines and Indonesia. Unfortunately, they are endangered. Bohol has a tarsier preserve to help the population of these furry little animals grow. Walking through the preserve workers will point out where the tarsiers are on display in their natural habitat. You walk on a paved path amongst the trees that the little animals cling to. Tarsiers have giant eyes and tiny brains. It is fun to photograph these little guys. The children liked to try and get a photo of them with our cell phones.

As for the best tour spot of the day in terms of tour guides, the Butterfly Garden wins, hands down. The tour guides are interactive, funny, informative, and patient. This is a great nature study for children. Here you can hold the butterfly worms and the moth worms. He, or she, will tell you the difference between them and lots of other fascinating information. There are many butterflies in glass to view along the way. Moth and butterfly cocoons and chrysalises are on display. Recently hatched butterflies are flying in the enclosure until their wings dry and it is safe for the to enter the garden. Watch out for the biggest spiders ever lurking in the garden. Apparently they are a threat to the butterflies. Yes, they are that big. Entering the garden the tour guide will point out different butterflies, eggs on leaves, and different colored eggs. They have a large variety of butterflies flying throughout the garden. The tour guide will take pictures of you and have fun with turning you into butterflies.

The most beautiful part of Bohol is the Chocolate Hills. Averi, the chocolate lover of the family, was sad they were not selling chocolate here. The chocolate hills are actually bright green. Bright green rice fields contrast the darker green leaves of coconut, papaya, and banana trees growing in the area. Be prepared to walk up several stairs to the top of a chocolate hill to look out and see the hills popping out of seemingly flat ground. Below you are farms and locals living in their native habitat.

One of the children’s favorite days so far was on Bohol. We walked to a nearby white sand beach from our Airbnb and rented a hut and let the kids explore the sand and water. The white sand was soft and squishy in our toes and the water was very warm. No waves on shore made it a great swimming spot for the children. The ocean floor is shallow allowing us to wade out quite far from shore. The children found two starfish wash up on shore. Make sure to buy sunscreen outside of the resort; you will pay way too much at the resorts.

The Lesson We Learned:

We stayed two nights on Bohol. Each time we exited our Airbnb we went the same direction to another Chicken Ati-Atihan, to the bakery, to the beach, to the internet cafe. When we left the second morning to the pier we went the opposite direction. To our surprise there was a coco farm, some sari sari stores, and other surprises. It was at this time we learned to go both directions when exploring a new place. It never occurred to us to go the other direction when heading out to explore. Learning this tidbit helped us out in our next location. Habits are quickly assumed. Make sure you explore a place in all directions. You never know what hidden treasures are right around the corner.

Have you ever been to a location and regretted not exploring more?