Adventures of a Bygone Era: The Philippines in 1984 (page 2 of 9)

Amazing! I love the photographs and the accompanying text.

This is amazing, Christian! I literally feel like I’m being transported back in time when I read this travel journal—it really was a different world back then! 🙂

Extra Christian !

A big thank you to everyone—Régis, Raph Karon, Isabelle, Christine, Bluequark, Anne, Muriel, Pascale, Fabienne, Nathalie (hope I didn’t forget anyone😛)—for your posts showing me that this weird idea of a travel journal from the last century wasn’t completely crazy. Clearly, many of you are discovering a country very different from the one you’ve seen on recent trips.

Thanks to those who pushed me to do this (exchanges between participants in Régis and Pascale’s travel journals), because even though the idea had been nagging at me, I lacked the courage and also didn’t think these ramblings would interest anyone.

Okay, we’re not at the Césars, I’ll stop with the thank-yous 😎

As I’ve already mentioned, the Philippines in 1984 was still the Wild West (not just because of the guns), and even after plenty of trips, we’ve never encountered conditions like that from start to finish or a country in such a state (and yet, dictatorships and impoverished countries aren’t exactly rare in our travels😠). On pretty much every trip, we’ve had one tough day, but never situations like that from beginning to end. I’ll try to keep the same tone with photos and anecdotes, some of which are still pretty special (in journalism, they call this "serializing" 😊)

To answer Régis, no worries about it going too fast—my previous journal on Vietnam also started strong last November... only to wrap up painfully in March. This one will go faster, though, since I have way fewer memories and photos stocked up. I’ll pick it back up next Thursday or Friday after work (or telework).

A little plug for the Vietnam journal: A month in Vietnam: From the northern mountains to the Mekong Delta

And while I’m at it, here’s a pretty exotic destination: The Moluccas: Splendors (and struggles) of an archipelago unknown to tourists

Hi Christian,

It’s always a pleasure to follow your stories and look at your photos. They bring back some memories for me since I took a short trip to the Philippines in 1983—but nothing as adventurous as yours! I remember the mixed reception we French travelers got because our country’s TV had just aired a report on the streets of Manila, and it wasn’t exactly flattering. Dubai was just like you described it, and the jewelry stores in the airport sold pieces by weight! The only price displayed was per gram or per kilo. You’re right about those numerous layovers to get to Asia, too. Thanks to your travel journal, I’ll get to discover what I missed back then. Thanks again, and have a great Sunday! Eric

Thanks so much for sharing—both the story and the photos. It’s fascinating to read such a "distant" firsthand account! I’m hooked and can’t wait to read more... But there’s no rush, right? !

Hi Eric,

Thanks for your reply—I see you’ve kept the same memories of Dubai and the Paris-Manila omnibus from your 1983 trip (1900 hours, wow!). Speaking of Dubai, I’m not even sure I’d heard of that city-state in ’84 before stopping over there. Back then, we just talked about "the Emirates," a country formed 10 years earlier to group a few desert towns together ... so many changes since then!

Haven’t been back to the Philippines yourself either, right?

Christian

Hi Christian,

Yes, it was practically in 1983 for me too, on my way back from Japan!! I went back in March 2019 for a month: Luzon (written in Filipino!!) for the rice terraces, Coron and its surroundings, and finally Palawan. However, I still haven’t explored the Visayas, which is why I’m so interested in your stories. Even if I had been there, I’d still follow you because I love your perspective and how you share things. I really enjoyed reading about your return from Vietnam, which I know a little, and your Indonesia trip, which I’ve got on hand to plan future travels in that archipelago. Have a good evening, Eric

I also really loved this travel journal—I adore the Philippines, and the place that stuck with me the most (among others) was Boracay. A long time ago, there were only three shacks, and we arrived in some kind of motorized outrigger canoe, 10 of us crammed together under the blazing sun for hours on end—absolute horror—with dolphins playing around us, racing past. But the gift at the end? Wow. Almost alone on the island. I think it’s "ruined" now 🏴‍☠️

Thanks again for all these memories. Sending hugs… no… no… elbow bumps are more appropriate these days 😛

Boracay Beach is still just as beautiful! Yes, I remember Boracay 39 years ago—it was fun when you're in your twenties... but it was warm beer and Coke too. No fan, let alone a fridge, because there was no electricity! Showers were with seawater or water from tankers that smelled of rust. Now there’s a pipeline supplying water from Panay, and electricity is 24/7. If you're looking for a deserted island, there are still 2,000 available, but with the downsides mentioned above. Honestly, Boracay is still worth the trip, especially since the big cleanup in 2018. I’ve already planned to go back next March—I loved my stay there this February.

I also really loved this travel journal—I adore the Philippines, and the place that stuck with me the most (among others) was Boracay… back when there were only three shacks, and we arrived in some kind of motorized outrigger canoe, 10 of us crammed together under the blazing sun for hours on end… absolute horror, with dolphins playing around us as they overtook the boat… but the reward upon arrival—wow—and almost alone on the island. I think it’s "ruined" now 🏴‍☠️

Thanks again for all these memories, big hug… no… no… elbow bump is more appropriate these days 😛

In '81, there were still more than 3 shacks. So it was before then? And for the hours-long crossing, were you coming from Tablas?

In '81, there were 5-6 small resorts, mostly bungalows. And a restaurant called "Yap's" that served omelets with "magic mushrooms"—fantastic! It was like LSD, but it only lasted 3-4 hours. What a blast! 😉😛😏

What month in '84 were you there?

In February, we took a boat from Manila to New Washington, then a jeepney to Caticlan.

Yes, Boracay with its dozen palm-thatched bungalows (empty), no electricity, lined up under the coconut trees and opening onto a long white sand beach where only a few kids were splashing around... what memories! 🙂🙂🙂... Photos and chit-chat to come at the end of my travel journal.

However, like Juanmarco21, I was surprised by the outrigger canoe crossing times—it seemed we docked from Panay in less than an hour. The longest part was getting to that pier at the far end of Panay. 😛

15 min from Caticlan to Boracay White Beach.

You could come in a big outrigger boat. When the sea was rough, it was impressive!

To leave Boracay in 1981, we took a big bangka to get to Kalibo. Before departure, a good omelet with "mushrooms"😉 That was epic with big waves. 3 hours of travel. I also did the trip from Caticlan to Tablas in a big bangka in 2011.

Hello, hello, Yes, back in the '80s or even the '70s, I think. We came from a "revolutionary" island, we’d slept in a brothel—we only found out during the night. The "clients" were coming down from the mountain (!!??) with big guns and their bodyguards 😮. We didn’t sleep a wink with all those weapons and all that "marching noise." The owner’s name was Anna; she’d promised us a boat, but it was a canoe that showed up. We thought it was just to take us to a boat—well, no! The crossing took almost the whole day… for a fortune 😐. We couldn’t stay on that island!!!! I still remember the owner’s name; I’d promised her "a taste of her own medicine…" And Boracay remains one of my best memories 🙂

And... did you give him that dog?