Swim with Dolphins at Subic, Philippines

It was AMAZZZING!! The idea of being able to swim with the dolphins....

Subic is a famous weekend getaway from the city - Ocean Adventure park, swims at the ocean, the old American navy base and the Zoobic safari. You can just walk around the town, cross so many beaches, a big cemetery (am glad it wasn't too late in the evening when we crossed that) and some easy trekking terrains.

If you can visit ocean adventures for swim with dolphins, it is amazing! We took the adventure park free shuttle, managed to slip in just 5 mins before the program started!!

The Swim..... It was beautiful,, Dolphins are indeed very friendly. Some trained tricks, but we danced, swam, played games with the dolphins, and what an experience. We got to feed them too.. and learn s few facts about them. Pretty thick skin, and strong fins! Very strong fins!

Dolphins :)

       

Ummuuah! :-*

   

The dance with him was the best dance I have had till date!

Pulled out the dancing shoes _/!

 Jumps, dives, and it also kisses you and let's you kiss him back..

But these were trained tricks. It's beautiful to watch them go for their own swim after they completed a trick :) it was so much more natural and happy :)

Dolphin skin .. it isn't slimy or slippery as I had imagined. Very small eyes and ears.. but the eyes are wet - to protect them. I didn't know dolphins had a tendency to drown -- coz they breathe from their breathe hole on top, not gills like other fishes. This is why the park looks for volunteers to watch over rescued dolphins while they recover.

Riders on the waves

Later, we went to feed the jack fish, turtles and reef sharks. Turtles tend to get into fights with their own brothers or sisters for food, in which the weakest sibling mostly gets left out, affected and can not survive in the wild. Ocean Adventure rescues them. There was a turtle which wasn't in the shelter with other turtles. We wondered why... Instructors told us his brothers had bitten off his beak mistakenly while fighting for food. He was rescued and it is difficult for him to survive with other turtles for same reason. The food drops off his mouth because of the broken beak, and if there are more turtles he might end up not getting any food. Hoping to visit again with a certificate in open water - and then I can go into the water where they keep reef sharks and feed them!

Lot more happened at the Happy Street: the weekend is pretty awesome in Olangopo! We met some people working at the park and went to Happy Street. Every weekend, the street is alive! buzzing with people, singing and dancing competitions, the clubs and music, groups jamming by the road. Just pull up a table and order some beer to enjoy the celebration and the weekend :) We went for a few beers.. hit a club.. danced until 4 am..... tried Balot Balot (the famous Philippino dish) for the first time.... :)


Getting to Subic from Manila: Get a bus from Cubao - Victory Liner headed to Olongopo. It will drop you off at Subic free port zone (Harbor Point mall). We lodged at The Cabin - fairly decent budget hotel. Has wi-fi too. And is walking distance from Harbor Point.

The Passion of the Christ: Holy Week at Paombong, Philippines

With the Spanish and American rule, Catholicism became very popular in Philippines. Holy Week, the week before Easter, is a significant religious observance - the Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Black Saturday and Easter Sunday. Traditional Christians treat these days as fast days. Strict Catholics eat only one full meal, and two small meals (which together are less than one whole meal) in a day and no meat is prepared (beef, pork, chicken, etc.). The streets of Philippines see processions to mark thanks giving to the Lord.

Philippines is among few countries that celebrate The Passion of the Christ - on Good Friday, people volunteer to be crucified to a cross. I visited a colleague's home in Paombong over the Holy Week and visited the ground where the play takes place. People volunteer to self-flagellate or be crucified.

We arrived at my friend's place on Thursday morning, spent the day eating some delicious fish and sea food dishes - bangus, shrimp soup, crabs... all home made! Masarap!

Good Friday noon, we left for the procession being held at an open area close to the church. The churches don't approve of such practices, but people follow their beliefs and volunteer. You need to walk a few minutes to reach the place. Be warned before you read more..  In the crowd you can see some people self-flagellate and it's scary.Fortunately or unfortunately, I didn't witness flagellate, but I heard from the locals that there are some blood drops that come on you if you are walking near someone who volunteers to flagellate. Sometimes their back slits open, or small pieces of 'flesh' fly around. Sent shivers down my spine!

The Crucifixion - Good Friday commemorates the passion and death of Jesus, and people enact the sculptural Way of The Cross. The first crucifixion ceremony I witnessed (it was the second volunteer of the day playing one of the robbers that was crucified) was on stage where the volunteer was nailed to The Cross. It was a huge crowd . Some oil is applied to the volunteer's feet and palms.. The Cross is put up on a stage, and the volunteer nailed to it, one foot above the other; the palms nailed on both ends. But somehow, to me this was just half as scary as the way to The Cross. The volunteer playing Christ is scourged through the way while he carries the Cross, he fainted on the way, everyone waited for him to gain consciousness - 5 minutes and the ceremony resumed. The scourging is where I felt a little distressed. The volunteer carries The Cross up the stage where crucifixion will be performed, the Cross is stood up and volunteer crucified. This volunteer playing Jesus also recites sermons to everyone.

I wondered what the volunteer feels! They say they feel no pain, it is an expression of thanks to the Lord for all that he has done for us, and to pay penance.

After the crucifixion ceremony, everyone goes to the Church for mass. We took off earlier, and headed back home.



Reaching Paombong from Metro Manila:

Paombong, 2-4 hours from Manila. Catch a bus from Cubao to Hagnoy, which will drop you at Paombong Ministop. From there we took a Jeepney to our destination.