We are still on Panglao somehow not willing to move on.
Prices will soar here approaching eastern school vacation so we now fixed departure to 23.03 to Cebu.
We do not know if we prolong our visa (265$!!) or take a somewhat expensive flight at the 29.03

18.03 we went Snorkeling on Balicasag Island and had a coconut drink on Virgin Island.
Astrid and I even saw a turtle but the kids got out of the water quite soon as there were small jellyfish. We felt them too but it was Ok, for the kids it was too much.
The trip was pleasant. The only downside was that in the end the trip cost us double than just the boat with all the renting, entrance fee to the island, entrance fee to the snorkel area etc.

20.03 We rented a car with driver and made the Bohol “must see” tour

Yoda. This is not the best pic we have from the Tarsier but the one where the resemblance is obvious.

When one enters the Tarsier forest a strange force can be felt. There is a hidden track on the “The Empire Strikes Back” DVD explaining that before retiring to Dagobah Yoda visited earth for a brief albeit fruitful love affair. The offspring of this encounter can still be visited on Bohol.

Man made Forest. Someone was so proud that a forest also can be planted that this is now a tourist attraction. It is actually a neat Mahogany forest.
http://www.bohol-philippines.com/mahogany-man-made-forest.html

Chocolate Hills.
The most famous of Bohol attractions.

(Check back in about 2 Month. Then the hills will be brown, resembling chocolate kisses, hence the name)

Loboc Lunch River cruise.
Very touristy. They have about 20 of these things where about 60 persons can eat from a buffet. At night the entire stretch of the river is illuminated.

Baclayon Church and Museum
Very nice. Completely different from Einsiedeln. The entire church is green from moss (?) on the inside.

Blood Compact Commemorative Shrine
Just a bronze monument.

Ada : “wänn ich nö so rich wär …”
Papa : “wi riich bisch dänn?”
Adan nach einer Studierpause : “ich ha nüd”
(dann würde sie von einem gewaschenen Bananenblatt essen)

Lena : “warum dünd d’Frauä alles beschtimä?”
(Frage ich mich auch)

We are at a relatively small island at the south tip of Bohol, called Panglao.
Close to Alona Beach our Resort Olivia (http://www.oliviaresort.com/) is rather on the posh side.
We are staying here for a couple of days to relax from travelling.
Relaxing does only mean no travelling, there is still a lot of work to do.
– sorting pictures (back to Australia)
– planning the rest of the stay in the Philippines
– planning the Cambodia, Vietnam, Lao part
– diary
– Tons of E-Mails
– Ada going to school (some questions left)
Philippines is still an open issue. We have to leave latest 30.03. We could prolong by getting a visa. (Strangely the visa is expensive, overstaying penalty would be cheaper).
However, Eastern Sunday is 31.03.2013 an School vacation is after 24.03. An as in all good catholic countries the week before Eastern is very busy. Meaning: no accommodation at the beach after 24.03, and all flights are expensive around Eastern.
But enough complaining.
We can walk here in about 15 minutes:

To go back we take a tricycle for 1.15 $ (after negotiation).

Andre drove us securely through all of Cebu with Marlyn as Guide

Always a sure bet with kids, balloons

These balloons however were the source of trouble, see later (patience)

I am not even trying to explain what we saw, because the beauty of this trip trough Cebu where the many big and smaller things one normally does not see. Of course, the must see “Magellan cross” was also part of it. The explanations how the city works, who owns what and how everything is connected where marvelous.

At lunch we had a wide variety of local dishes and we liked every one of them.

Thanks a lot.

[only regret: we some managed not to make pictures of Jadine and Joe]

Ah yes. The security threat.
Our Hotel is 4th floor and above. We have to go trough a Mall to enter our Hotel. Like in all malls here there is security at the entrance, with gun and visible ammunition. (Tried to make a picture but “it’s forbidden”).
He would not let the kids pass through with their balloons! So I made them both cry and he let us pass. Ok, that is a lie. We just had to explain that we go to the Hotel, that was enough.