The Longest Way Home Travel Blog

New natural wonder of the world - the underground river in Sabang, Palawan, The Philippines

2009-07-09T01:32:39-07:00

Entrance to the Subterranean Cave in Palawan (click image to begin slideshow)

I sat waiting for in the rain for over an hour. Across from me was a sign saying “Welcome to Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park” and another one saying “The worlds longest ‘Navigable’ underground river” and … another tiny marker saying it was a UNESCO world heritage site. I shivered as my fever took hold.

I grew impatient waiting for the boat men to show up. In total including my lunch it was nearly two hours of waiting. The Park didn’t let anyone go on the trail back after 3pm due to concerns over people getting lost and I was worried with the boat trip included I wouldn’t be able to walk back. I’d have to pay 1,000 + for a boat back to Sabang village instead.

Cave formations Sabang's Subterranean River Cave

However they did finally show up. And soon we were strapping on bright orange life vests and under sized helmets. I found it bizzare having to climb half a cliff earlier without anyone mentioning saftey, and now having to wear safety equipment for a safe calm water boat ride. Being in bad form I cared less about protocol and barged ahead to the front seat of the boat as the Filipino tourist group behind me made a big fuss about getting into the boat. But soon we were off.

The yawning cave entrance was reflected in brilliant near neon green water which was impressive. Yet soon after everything became dark, and then pitch black. It was after all an underground cave. Sufficed to say the boat man asked if I would clip on a car battery powered light and guide the way. My

Cave formations in Sabang

punishment for jumping ahead on the boat. How would I be able to photograph and hold a light at the same time?

The boat man made the odd joke about sharks, crocodiles, and loosing his paddle as we went deeper into the cave. He too had a light and together when they both met I was able to shoot some photographs. The advantage swung back in my direction again.

Errie shapes of tanned and orange colored formations loomed out of the shadows as we drifted forward. Some baring jagged fangs, others vague faces. Hunchbacks, Madonna’s, the last supper were all pointed out by the boat man. A barrage of Filipino tourists behind me asked what it would be like at

Spotlights reflecting of caves in underground river

the other end.

“We only go 4.5 Kiliometers sir.”

The tour was only to the half way point. After that one needed a permit. My pessimistic view point reflected on just what the place was. It was one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in the Philippines. Fine, I can accept, and give it that. It’s noted as being the “World’s longest navigable river.” This I have a problem with as really it’s just a name. I have “the world’s only piece of chewing gun that touched the worlds

Strange unearthly shapes in the cave

longest river”.

Illness spawned sarcasm aside, Id heard about the worlds real longest underground river being in Mexico. Then again maybe Bulgaria has the worlds longest underground ‘green’ river. Okay I will stop now.

Except for the New World Wonders of the World. This has been a bet peeve of mine since I first heard about it some years back. There are 7 ancient wonders of the world. Period. Then people started to split modern world wonders up, Natural, Man Made etc. This I hoped was not for commercial gain. Ahem …

Then along came a bright Canadian man, who with a little ‘backing’ came up with the idea of

Hanging Alien like formation found in the cave

creating the New 7 Wonders of the World (opens new window to their website). In 2007 after many months of commercialism they named the New 7 Wonders of the world. It didn’t stop there though. At the same time they then started the campaign for the New 7 Wonders of Nature (I don’t see it ending anytime soon). And … e.t.c.,

It’s a giant commercial voting spree open to everyone, telephone hot lines, online voting etc,. And the list is huge, 261 at last count and now narrowed to something like 77. It still doesn’t end there. The 66 are broken down into categories like Landscapes, Islands, Rock formation and Bonsai Trees … only kidding about the last one! But … who know’s.

Bat's hang from all over the cave

In my mind each of these 277 nominations has it’s own commercial gain in being nominated. And it does have it’s positives, schools get involved, it brings educational understanding to the masses, and it brings in revenue for the said nominated sites and areas. And that’s were it all get’s a bit iffy in my book. Buy the t-shirt, the coins, the stamps. Go to the fancy incountry nomination ceremony’s, or better yet sign up to become a commercial sponsor, advertiser or heck just donate some money to the never ending lists.

Stalactites or stalagmites in Sabangs underground river cave

It all grates with me. Not only do I know that if I ever go to a greater proportion of one of these 261 nominate sights will I be paying over the top fees to get there, get in, or simply take a photo. But they will be over run by tourists, and tacky signs.

I think back to the 7 Wonders of The Ancient World and I think honor through the annals of time.

They grew with history. There’s little commercial gain to be made aside from historical perspectives and a visit to Egypt and to some other alleged sites in the nearby regions. But the point is, they grew from legend. A tale of humanities past triumphs, history and tragedies. The New 7 Wonders of the world has taken from that and added in what is perhaps today’s biggest value - Commercial gain.

Either way and no matter what they call it the underground river in Sagang is for sure worth a visit. I wouldn’t get too excited over the 45 minutes tour. Bring strong rubber shoes for getting on the paddle boats, and a camera with a great flash or excellent night capabilities. The other option is perhaps to ‘pay’ a little extra for a private boat. Take your time photographing, in between telling the guide and yourself not to rock the boat.

Once we left the cave the rain was heavier than ever. It was 3pm on the dot as I squelched back into the jungle alone. The Filipino

Incredible formations are found in every corner of the subterrainian cave

tourists went straight to their boats. My head was pounding and I took some paracetamol. But my real problem was my chest. It was most likely the start of a chest infection. My first in a very long time.

Leaving the the underwater cave

I took the jungle trail back, which was meant to be easy. To say I struggled in the rain would be an understatement. Down slippery trails, rocks and steps I cautiously made my way along. I don’t even remember how long the 2.5 hour jungle trail back actually took me. But by the time I got to the town it was already getting dark. I was so wet my boots were squelching and I was completely sodden.

I knew what I needed to do before changing though. Take antibiotics before the infection set in any further. I could already taste the bacteria in my phlegm and knew something big was going to hit me. The problem was, there is no Pharmacy in the village.

Coming soon:

How I deal with getting sick when traveling

then

Finding Tibetan enlightenment in Sabang

New natural wonder of the world - the underground river in Sabang, Palawan, The Philippines

Upcoming Features on The Longest Way Home

2009-07-07T15:23:00-07:00

Upcoming Features on The Longest Way Home

Just a few things that I am working on in between rain and bus breakdowns.

Local Stories: There will be a host of new stories coming out at the end of the current series in Palawan. Some of which will really be a huge eye opener into the lives of local people I've met. Something I have a unique insight into given my search around the world for home.

I took a break from publishing them on my stories page when the blog changed platforms and I was writing about how to live on an island etc. It's given me some time to work on the podcast versions of these stories too. Something that's brought a lot of joy to people with sight impairments and reading difficulties.

Photograph Gallery: just a small update here. I've settled on a template for the new gallery. It's nice. I'd like a little more eye candy, but the website is not at that stage yet financially. But what I have is very nice, and with some innovative thinking, will be something special.

The Blog: The mobile version of the blog page just had a little change. It's not really noticeable, but works very well.

Emails: I usually make a point to answer emails whenever I have internet access or have a good gprs connection. Likewise for comments. If someone takes the time to send me an email, or write a comment then I will endeavor to reply in kind.

However it's not always possible to reply straight away, neither is it possible to approve comments or reply to them straight away either.

I am focused on finding a place to live, rather than spending all my time online. Please bare that in mind if you are expecting a reply asap.

If it's an urgent email, then please mark it as "urgent". Either way I will get to all emails & comments, and will reply!

Links mentioned:

travel blog stories - gallery

travel blog

Taking the Monkey Trail in Sabang, Palawan when you are sick

2009-07-04T21:45:15-07:00

Monkey trail or Jungle trail sign in Sabang

By the time I got to the sign telling me which way to go, Monkey trail or Jungle trail, I was already drenched in sweat and burning up with a fever. My throat sore and parched I felt like I had an ember glow around me. For the first time in about a year, I was sick.

The trail was meant to be 2.5 hours. I really have no idea how long it took me in reality. All I know is that tourism in the Philippines is very strange. In Sagada you practically couldn’t go to the toilet without having a mandatory guide. When the girl in Sabang’s tourist office told me it was no problem, I took it at face value.

Beach crossing in Sabang

Within 10 minutes I was lost. I had to ask a local man to point me in the right direction. Nothing was marked. I walked along an empty beach wondering if I was about to stumble upon a similar group of tourists chugging their way along. Only I didn’t. There was one small sign at the end of the beach that instructed me via an arrow to take a left. I did.

It was jungle time and in fairness not too hard. Only I was finding it hard to breath. My chest was heavy and I was struggling with whatever I was coming down with. I kept going and finally ended up on another beach. With another sign telling me the Monkey trail was straight ahead. Only it wasn’t. There was a cliff, the south China sea, and a wall of trees. I sat on a rock and thought it out.

Cliff side monkey trail sign (I took this hanging off a ledge so excuse the blur)

I retraced some steps. And thought some more. Everything was a dead end! The sea lapped up against the cliff and I thought of the tide coming in … it clicked. I measured my timing against the waves and jumped along the rocky under cliff and then jumped high against a rock as a high wave came in. If I’d had sandals or rubber shoes as they were know in the Philippines I would have been okay. But in my boots I was gripping the side of cliff avoiding the water while trying to peer around the corner.

Then I saw it. A little sign handing from tree “Monkey Trail”

I fumbled along the rocks as more waves came crashing in and I curse the tourist girl as I came to yet another dead end. The tide was in, this was now obvious, so the entrance was under a few feet of water. Take one’s boot’s off. I can hear my self say on reflection. I had a fever is my only excuse.

Wooden steps along the monkey trail in Sabang

I climbed higher, over some giant tree and looked down as I saw a small Soccer ball stuck onto a stick in the sand ala Tom Hank’s movie. I was not amused. Lesser still with the huge wooden staircase in front of me.

The trail was indeed built for monkeys. And I was the prime candidate as I huffed, puffed and sweated my way up. Then the added insult of rain came. Light rain, but rain. I coughed and could feel something building in my chest.

Missing a step in Sabang

If I had not been sick I think things would have been fine. But all I could was wonder where the monkey’s were? Not a single one in sight. More steps, more trails and and more steps with a few missing and finally I saw one. A tiny little fellow dashing up some rocks. Then I heard some tourists behind me. French. The two men sauntered down with ease as I let them pass a broken step. One of them nodded at me, and looked at my sodden huffing frame up and

Monkey's grooming in Sabang

down before skipping away with ease.

I continued on passed some more steps, a until finally catching sight of some dark shadows in the tree’s above. Little grey monkey’s grooming each other. Just two. Maybe another few off the trail but that was all.

A little further on I came to a swamp with little lung fish jumping around. My chest was now rattling something around in it as I breathed. I felt like a walking furnace and the rain was getting heavier. The good news was that the sight of picnic tables with 40 or so tourists stuffing their faces told me I’d arrived at the Underground river.

Not to be outdone I sat down and sheltered from the rain at an empty table. Took out a soggy egg sandwich from my day pack and watched as the resident Monitor Lizards sent the odd Korean girl running for cover as they wandered harmlessly around.

Monitor Lizards in Sabang

The boatmen were on lunch I learned from a local. Another hour of waiting. I began to feel the shiver of a fever in a sub tropical climate come over me. My only amusement was watching as one of the French superstars that shot by me squealed worse than the Korean girl and rose his legs up onto a bench as a lizard hungrily stomped by.

Coming soon:

Paddling along “The Worlds Longest Underground River”: Or is it?

Lot’s of cave photos included

Taking the Monkey Trail in Sabang, Palawan when you are sick

Great food from the Philippines: Balut

2009-07-02T16:20:04-07:00

Balut from the Philippines
Half opened Balut from the Philippines (click to enlarge)

Balut is perhaps the most infamous food of the Philippines (never said it was all going to be great food). A somewhat cooked premature duck egg. There are various types of Balut available along any busy night time street in the Philippines. Large Duck eggs are the norm, though Chicken eggs are also popular.

Small spotted duck eggs are common, along with bluish eggs. Nearly all are served warm to hot. And the street vendors will often have a little gas cooker with a pan of water keeping the eggs warm via steam.

The most common form of Balut is the one shown above. Embryonic Duck is not quite formed to stage of having feathers, and the bones are still soft. A lesser staged Balut is also found which is basically a jelly slush. The third most common form is when the duck’s bones begin to develop along with the beak.

Each Filipino will tell you there preference and without hesitation swallow one down with some spicy vinegar or some chili sauce. However it must be said there are a few Filipinos who wouldn’t touch one. It’s a matter of taste and guile …

Prices vary from 10 pesos to 20 pesos.

This is an additional post and one of a series highlighting Great food from the Philippines

Great food from the Philippines: Balut

The Longest Way Home Mobile Travel Blog

2009-06-30T22:30:00-07:00

The Longest Way Home Mobile Travel Blog

These days I am using my mobile phone to do a lot emailing, and updates to my blog. If you are following my journey's in Palawan then most of it has been put together using mobile blogging.

I'll have an article on blogging through a mobile phone up soon.

If you view my web site through a mobile phone all the other pages load really quickly; except the blog page. One of the things I have noticed is that since I switched platforms to write my journals/blog is that the new one takes up a lot of bandwidth compared to the old one.

Well that's just changed. I'm trying out a new mobile blog and so far it's working out quite well. You don't have to do anything if you are browsing The Longest Way Home on a mobile phone. You'll simply see a scaled down mobile version with smaller images etc.

It's incredibly fast, and makes reading my entries a lot faster. I do recommend Opera mini if you are browsing on mobile. It does everything automatically. If you don't use Opera mini, then no problems the web site will do it all for you.

By the way if you are using a regular computer to view the site, you won't notice a difference. It just effects mobile phone readers.

If you have any feedback on this, please feel free to contact me.

In the works: Work on a new gallery has begun, and is scheduled to kick off at the end of the Great Food from the Philippines series.

It will start off with a series of high quality photographs that will be delivered to all subscribers for free. I'll also be looking for a little feedback on your favorites. In return I'll be giving away something to everyone that helps out!

I'll stop mentioning all this now, as it's a while off. But for those who subscribe to this Journal's RSS and email, these added updates are an inside look at upcoming features on the web site that others don't get to see!

Travel Blog

Looking around Sabang, The Philippines- how to choose where to stay?

2009-06-28T21:39:32-07:00

Beach life in Sabang (click to enlarge)

I stayed the night in Puerto Princesa and at dawn was on a local bus to Sabang. I couldn’t quite figure out why there were no air conditioned mini vans to an alleged tourist resort, yet to Brooke’s Point, not problem. And according to online forums the journey was going to be rough.

In truth I waited 1 hour for the bus to fill, and then the journey only took 2.4 hours and was anything but rough. The last stretch of 30 minutes was bumpy and dusty, it was hot, but rough. It was really confirming what I suspected, most on the online forum watch, and guide books for that matter, were a different breed of traveler. This journey was not hard in the least.

Water Buffalo and cart

Sabang is home to the worlds largest underground river. Something I knew I should not pass up. I was worried about the price, but soon found out from the local tourist office that it would only cost 200 pesos to visit … if I walked there. Apparently you can go through a monkey trail along the way. An easy 2.5 hour walk she said, and then 2.5 back through a mango plantation. Or, I could pay 1,700 pesos for a boat to take me there. 200 vs 1700.

Accommodation in Sabang is basically along the shore. And it had me worried. I was getting prices of 2,000 a night. Then 1,000 and 800 still way above my single person budget. I local tout came up to me and offered a 600 pesos room and Mary’s cottages at the far end of the beach. I followed like a lamb and paid. For some reason I was feeling very tired. The weather was a little overcast and catch at Mary’s was a grouchy staff and expensive menu that rarely was in stock.

That said. I had a beach front cottage with en suite shower to myself. It wasn’t

Expensive hotels in Sabang

until later that I found out the cottages behind mine with shared were 400 pesos. I really wasn’t firing on all cylinders for some reason.

I walked back with the tout along the main road and found out some info on who to get to the Monkey trail the next day. Apparently you can’t go after 3pm. Along the way he pointed out our neighboring cottages - 4,500 pesos per night. They did look nice, 24 hour electricity, TV, air conditions, but that would have removed half my wallets contents in one go.

Filippina girl in Sabang

I walked up to the main town road. Sat at a local cafe and ate squid adobo for 40 pesos. Another walk up and down the main road and latter beach front revealed not much else to Sabang. Which isn’t a bad thing if one is looking to live on an island in the Philippines. But, there was something missing.

I walked back and spotted what was bugging me. A giant construction site. A concrete mass of light grey and bamboo sticks. And then another, and another. I went up to the construction workers and asked about it.

“Chinese Filipino owners,” the foreman said.

New Chinese hotel construction in Sabang

I looked at the monstrosity and then looked back at another hotel resort beside it as a bunch of Korean’s were being shepherded out of a minivan into their rooms. Commercialism was on it’s way. Sabang was lacking heart. Some towns have it, even commercial ones. But for me, Sabang was almost like a purpose built commercial zone on the way.

Once it might have been a quite little beach resort, and a beautiful one at that. But one could see the writing on the wall. In truth the concrete monster turned me off the idea of trying to live there.

This is one of the reasons I believe it’s important that not only is the right country important, but so to is the place within it. Hence I was exploring all of Palawan before settling on one place. If you see a bleak future … move on.

Sabang wouldn’t be where I’d try my Living on a Island attempt, but I would still go and see the Underground river and do anything else it had to offer. Right now I felt utterly exhausted. The electicity from this point on up seemed to be rationed so it was dark and quite by the time I got back to my room. What’s more, I was feeling the heat more than usual …

Coming soon:

How to live overseas: How to deal with getting sick when traveling

Looking around Sabang, The Philippines- how to choose where to stay?

The Prisoners at Iwahig Penal Colony in the Philippines

2009-06-22T21:34:26-07:00

Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm, Palawan, The Philippines

I walked up alongside the recreation hall and passed by a group of prisoners.

“Taste honey?”

For a second I stopped and wondered if they were using some prison slang to do with the man with boobs I’d just avoided. But it turned out to be innocent. Well as innocent as you can get in a prison.

Entrance to the recreation hall in Iwahig Prison

I like honey and in the Philippines it’s one of those rare places where it can taste very different. Here I took a finger tip from a bottle and got the unique flavor of banana. Whether it’s flavored that way, or whether the man didn’t wash the bottle (yes I know) or whether bee’s pollinate banana I don’t know. But, it tasted good.

Again I was asked to enter the recreation hall, this time by the group and not a single sleazy man. I looked up at the old steps and decided to have a look. Inside there was what looked like a basketball court come badminton court set up. Two very popular sports in the Philippines. At the far end was an open window looking out over the prison. And, a lone man sitting there.

By the time I’d walked to the end of the recreation hall I noticed the latter half I had come in through now had about 10 prisoners gathering around with more piling in. I began to wonder if I was just set up. I nodded to the man sitting on some steps, and looked out the window. It was nothing too special, some tin roofed buildings with a lot of barbed wire.

Medium and maximum security blocks at Iwahig Prison, the Philippines

“Maximum and medium security blocks.”

I looked down at the bespectacled man as he wrote in a little notepad. “And they want you to buy a inmate t-shirt,” he said nodding at the slowly approaching group.

” Ah,” I nodded back. “I know, but I don’t need a t-shirt.”

“It’s a good price.”

The man’s accent was very different to any other Filipino accent I’d come across. I recognized it from somewhere, but could quite place where.

“I travel a lot, it’s too heavy in this heat.”

He nodded and then slightly twitched his head at the approaching group causing them to stop. “I’ve traveled to.”

“Whereabout’s”

He paused a while. “Little of everywhere.”

Inside the recreation hall of Iwahig Prison, The Philippines

“I recognize your accent, can’t place it though.”

“And you, where are you from?”

“Same place as you at this stage, a little bit of everywhere?”

The man laughed the retaliatory comment off and we spoke for a while about the prison. Travel and strangely enough about oil. He was in for life. Though he said it in a way and a look that meant it wasn’t going to happen. He walked me back to the main entrance and the by now large group of inmates that had gathered parted ways.

“Where to next?” he asked as I left.

“To find home,” I replied. “But maybe not here eh? And you?”

“Same thing.”

With that I took a walk to the other side of the prison where the inmates lived. Car’s, motorbikes, bycycles were all parked in little

Prisoners at Iwahig Prison

New cars at the prison

driveways and I wondered if this too was where the prisoners lived? I asked a few roaming inmates and got confirming nods and the odd question.

I stopped by a little sari sari store and bought some chocolate cake and a bottle of water. It was indeed a very, very bizarre place. The shopkeeper told me somethign about staff living here too. But I couldn’t see any. Just inmates. There were some more broken down looking houses the further down I walked. But the amount of cars parked around was quite staggering.

Afternoon was moving on and I wanted to get to Puerto Princesa to look for a place for the night before it got dark. Back at the store I hailed a tricycle and asked how much to Peurto?

“100 pesos”

At just then a little mini van drove by. By the looks of it a bus. 40 pesos. I hopped on board the front seat and was greeted by a very large man who knew of the hostel I wanted to go to and offered to take me there. Filipino hospitality once again strikes.

Maximum security block at Iwahig Prison

First though, it was time to pick up the visiting families at the medium security detention center. Here I was greeted by loud cheers from behind makeshift bars. And here, I saw a guard at last. A single guard sitting relaxed back in a chair drinking something with some inmates.

A few women and children left the heavy gates. Followed by a heap of of inmates all waving at me with big smiles.

“Americano!! Welcome, come inside!”

I laughed and pulled out my camera.Then the smiles stopped from a few and they wagged their fingers and turned their heads. I shrugged and put the camera down as they approached. A hand extended itself towards me by a heavily tattooed man. His left cheek and neck showing several deep scars. I took his hand and shook it firmly.

Another hand appeared, and then another. Followed by greetings and invitations to come inside. If I’d not had my bag with me I would have been tempted. But loosing that plus laptop would not have been good. Questions came and went from the inmates as the bus filled up. A few helped pack up the mini can with radios, TV’s and a carpet. I didn’t question why or how all these things were appearing until later.

Prisoners walk freely around Iwahig Prison in the Philippines (click to enlarge)

With parting waves, a few heckles, and the odd look of want we drove off from the prison block. There was and is a lot more to the place than I could discover in my short trip there. Whether the process worked or not I don’t know. What I do know is that Iwahig Prison and Penal farm is worth the visit as it’s surely one of the most bizare places one can visit in the world.

Coming soon:

On the monkey trail in Sabang, home of the world’s longest underground river

Followed by How to live on an island when your sick. Why? Because I get quite sick!

The Prisoners at Iwahig Penal Colony in the Philippines

How to deal with money changers when you travel

2009-06-21T16:06:12-07:00

Iranian Money changer counting his notes

If you plan on traveling to another country, then you’re going to need some different money. The kind that you may have never seen nor dealt with before.

I’ve just published a new page on this website in my travel resources section dealing with the subject. To give you an idea on what’s covered; here are the headings and an extract.

The full in-depth article is here How to change money when traveling

What if you can’t get any before you leave?

Peso's from the Philippines

Changing money at a border

How to deal with a hoard of money changers

When to sell your left over cash?

What type of FOREX to use in a town?

Haggling over a few cents

Things to watch out for

Extract:

What type of FOREX to use in a town?

In nearly every town or city there are money exchange stores. Some are nationalized or private banks, others official agents, others semi official, others still are back alley black market stalls. And of course there’s the hoard of people found on the street around these establishments. Which one to use though?

If one is not comfortable in dealing with street sellers, or those strange dark little buildings with dollar rates painted on the side: then I would just go to a bank. The rates will be worse, but you will feel more secure.

For me I enjoy the banter of the run down back alley money changers. The rates are usually better than the banks and better than the street dealers.

In West Africa the whole process is quite a sit down affair. Pleasantries are exchanged, and a bit of haggling takes place.

In Iran it’s often done in a Bazaar. I changed money in a gold Market with extreme ease and got a host of great stories from the owners.

In Asia its more of rush in and talk to a person behind an iron grill or glass window.

Either way I choose a money changer I am comfortable with.

Read the full article here: How to change money when traveling

How to deal with money changers when you travel

Iwahig Prison in the Philippines, a very different place

2009-06-18T19:31:15-07:00

Entrance to Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm

Yes there is a giant “Welcome to Iwahig Prison & Penal Farm” sign along the ordinary bland road coming into Puerto Princesa. I hopped out of the mini van from Brooke’s point at about midday. The sky was overcast and I wondered if I was about to get very wet visiting of all places a prison camp in the Philippines.

I didn’t know quite what to expect as I was met by a few locals trying to get me to buy crocodile key chains. Then a stern looking man in a uniform who handed me an ID tag. I looked up at the long stretch of road ahead, nothing but green pasture on either side.

“Is it far?”

The guard looked at me in a board manner, and smirked, “3 kilometers.” He paused to look at the sky, “It’s going to rain.”

I shrugged off his comment and put it down to typical guard like behavior and began my walk. All I knew was that this was the place

Hitchhiking to Iwahig Prison

where prisoners could live with their families freely. They were allowed walk around, and tend to farms. There were meant to be no bars involved, no weapons, no chains. Free prisoners from murderers, to rapists, to thieves. They were all here, roaming around freely. It was something I had to see to believe.

The road was long and all round I were palm trees, the odd out house and an occasional roaming person. I wondered if this was it. Whether these grass walking nomads were the prisoners and this was the camp. A let down. Rain began to splatter down and I grumbled to my self as a lone motorbike sped past. Two minutes later and I heard a local min van coming up the road behind me. I did what any damp traveler would do and stuck my thumb out.

It worked, and I was soon in the back of mini van for the next 5 minutes. In the back there were two children, in the front a young woman and and much older man driving. I didn’t dare ask if they were visiting a relative. Instead I just wondered some more about the place. Still no sign of guard.

We arrived at what can only be described as a colonial style manor. White washed buildings around a large square of grass. Men in brown shirts with “Inmate” printed into the back stood in clusters under the eves sheltering from the rain. Not sure of where to go I walked towards the largest building across from me.

“Hello!”

I turned to see a smiling man in clean everyday clothes beaming down at me from a veranda. I waved up at him, and took advantage of the shelter.

The man spoke quite broken English. But still he managed to tell me of the prisons history, and what was going on now. Prisoners were selected at random to stay at Iwahig with their families. Here they were given a supplement of 30 pesos ($0.50) a day to live on by the government. Most certainly not enough to feed a family, so they were allowed to work on the prison farms. Here they could either make food for themselves to eat, or to sell at a profit to buy food. If they didn’t, then quite simply they didn’t eat.

I asked the question most were sure to wonder. “Do they not try to escape?”

The Mayor of Iwahig Prison

The man shook his head. “No. No one leaves.”

“Why?”

“Why would they? Here they have food, accommodation and their family. Outside, maybe they go steal again and end up in worse prison.”

It was a logic I didn’t think could work. But then then you take the poverty factor in the Philippines into account. It makes sense. The man continued to tell me about the souvenir store, the farm area and about prisoner rankings.

“You rank the prisoners?” I asked as he pulled a little army stripped plastic medal from out of his shirt.

“I am the mayor of Iwahig,” he said proudly. “I am the highest ranked here.”

I looked at him and realized that he was indeed an inmate. And again I wanted to ask what he had done? But, one doesn’t feel comfortable asking such a thing after having such a conversation.

The rain had stopped so I thanked the Mayor for his time and walked across the main grassy area. Wondering if I was breaking any

rules by doing so. While at the same time questioning the idea that there were no guards here. Meaning the prisoners were in charge.

I walked into the souvenior store and was taken back by the contents inside. Here, in a prison camp, were the very best and

Iwahig Prison souvenir shop, the best in the Philippines

cheapest souvenirs in the Philippines. Key chains, hand carved boats, masks, rain makers, jewelery, you name it they had it. And best of all it was run by … yes only prisoners. Still not a guard in sight.

Two prisoners in light brown t-shirts approached me with smiles, one genuine, and one that sent alarm bells ringing in my gut. The man had a heavily creased face, almost looking as if there was dirt hanging in the shadows of his face. I knew the look, I’d seen it in plenty of streets, bus terminals, borders and other places. But here, I was in his turf under the most bizarre of circumstances.

I let the men show me around, and I bought a few exceptionally cheap trinkets. They were happy. But happier still when a mini van of Chinese tourists showed up. Both men walked off towards two ladies as they entered. Just as pleasant as they were to me, and with the same smiles. I sat back and bought a sprite. Another prisoner or two came up to me to say hello.

“Shhh,” my head snapped around to see the shadowy prisoner at my side. “You want to buy me shirt?”

I looked at him, and placed my hands in my pockets to prevent anything being removed. “Why?”

“Prisoner inmate t-shirt,” he grinned. “Don’t tell the others?”

I looked at the stained t-shirt he was wearing, wondering quite when it was last washed. “I’m alright for t-shirts thanks.”

He nodded and looked me up and down. I stared back to be sure he got the picture. His smile deepened and he turned away. He was now turning his attention to one of the Korean women who’d chosen to buy a mask from the other man.

“Pretty huh?” he whispered.

I nodded.

“I bet you get a lot of that.”

I thought how to answer. And gave the man what he wanted. “Every night buddy, every night.”

He grunted and walked off. But not before his smile dropped a bit.

Old colonial building, now the prison recreation yard

I left the souvenir building and turned the corner to face the largest building in the compound as the Chinese tourist van drove off. The conversation stuck with me and the realization that this was their land, with no guard hammered the back of my mind. If they wanted to, there no matter what the Mayor said, they could make you disappear.

I walked down to the back of the building feeling a lot more pensive. A few inmates passed by. Some nodded a greeting. Others whispered in low voices about buying one of those t-shirts. I stopped to take a photo of the building when one man hissed at me. I looked over at the tall gangling individual as he lurked by one of the doorway’s surrounding it. He raised his eyebrows in that Filipino way and pointed up to the second floor.

I cringed at what the heck the guy might have been trying to communicate. But there was no way I was following him alone into the dark recesses of the old building.

“Heyyy sir …”

I looked around and watched as a slightly squat man in his twenty’s sauntered towards me. Mini skirt, bright red lipstick and boobs included. “Anything for you?”

I shook my head most sternly, “Just photographing … the building.”

Coming soon:

Getting up close up and personal with an inmate … the real boss

Iwahig Prison in the Philippines, a very different place

Great food from the Philippines: Jollibee Burger

2009-06-17T20:23:12-07:00

The Philippines Jollibee burger

The Jollibee Burger

It’s the king of fast food in the Philippines. It’s a social gathering point. And don’t let anyone hear you say anything bad about the place. Make no doubt about it, Jollibee is apart of filippino cultural pride.

Nearly every town has one. And every city has dozens of them on every other corner and in the malls. The menu is fast food typical, and the service is pretty damn freindly. Be prepared for plenty “Welcome to Jollybee!“ once you enter. And my favourite depending on the size of the note you hand over. “I recive 500” said almost like a winning lottery ticket.

And the food? Well … Burger king it’s not. Breakfast pancakes are good. And the burgers … well … the service is great!

This is an additional post and one of a series highlighting Great food from the Philippines

Great food from the Philippines: Jollibee Burger

The Longest Way Home Travel Blog

New natural wonder of the world - the underground river in Sabang, Palawan, The Philippines

Upcoming Features on The Longest Way Home

Taking the Monkey Trail in Sabang, Palawan when you are sick

Great food from the Philippines: Balut

Balut from the Philippines Half opened Balut from the Philippines (click to enlarge)

The Longest Way Home Mobile Travel Blog

Looking around Sabang, The Philippines- how to choose where to stay?

The Prisoners at Iwahig Penal Colony in the Philippines

How to deal with money changers when you travel

Extract:

What type of FOREX to use in a town?

Iwahig Prison in the Philippines, a very different place

Great food from the Philippines: Jollibee Burger

The Philippines Jollibee burger

Balut from the Philippines
Half opened Balut from the Philippines (click to enlarge)