Panglao Island hugs the coast of Bohol, only a short ride from Tagbilaran. Alona Beach, which like so many other beaches in the Philippines is called White Beach also, is nothing compared to Boracay. It's a short stretch of white sand littered with coral cobbles and stones. Nothing too spectacular. But my opinion is heavily biased. Judge for yourself.

It's really pretty good, I guess.

Being only a short hop from Cebu City, which is undoubtedly the preferred point of arrival to the Philippines for foreign tourists, makes this beach a popular getaway. The huts are all rather expensive, which says something about the clientele that comes here; ignorant and rich.

Marc and Kourosh kindly offered to arrange a mattress for me to sleep on in their nipa hut, and I was very eager to accept. I'm tired of paying for double rooms and sleeping on only one bed (though sometimes I mess up the other one too just to take full advantage). We spent the afternoon lying on the beach sipping mango shakes (I swear grandma!), interrupted by spells of Puka-Shell hunting. I have been adding to my necklace since Koh Tao in Thailand, and so far have not found a good supply of the shells. Panglao was a veritable motherload. Marc quite liked my work so far and was inspired to spend a long time searching also.

The whole day was very enjoyable; these guys were a tremendously interesting and fun group - a real mix too. Veronika turned out to have been born in kazakhstan and later move to the area in Germany where I lived as a young child. Being of similar age, I can only wonder if we somehow crossed paths before, maybe in Kinderschule? Doubtful. Marc is from an area in Germany where I have family...

Mila, Marc and Veronika

Kourosh and I

We talked the night away at a nearby bar, drinking very smooth Tanduay Rhum (sorry Grandma). At some point I pretended to be German to a ladyboy, and somehow a bystanding Swiss became intensely offended by something he thought I had said. Not a very pleasant bloke. Intensely drunk. We ignored him and eventually he went away.

All of us.

This morning I was up around 6:45 to meet Mila and Veronika to take a taxi to the port. Off to Cebu City for a quick stint of sightseeing before Manila...