My Saudi Arabia sojourn (Part II)

It was the onset of the summer season of 2009 when I got to Saudi Arabia to work for a year. I immediately felt the suffocating heat whenever I went outdoors.

Thankfully, I did most of my work from my computer in a moderately large office cubicle I share with a few other Filipinos. The first few weeks allowed me to adjust to the working conditions and office culture.

The company employs many Filipinos, as well as Saudi Arabs, Palestines, a Venezuelan, a Nigerian, and quite a number of Indians, Bangladeshi, and Pakistani, among others.
To my relief, the company is a bit lax when it comes to office formalities. There is no bundy clock, but office workers do follow a more or less 7am to 5pm schedule. Employees, especially when not busy on a project, are free to mill around.

I soon found out that the “work cycle” involves a lot of free time, but when work does come in, everyone would be busy. It is also good to note that the company is output oriented.

I am not good at ranting about work, but I found it fascinating how some office employees, particularly those in the lower rung, tend to emphasize their perceived importance in the company, which I think is only natural.

The weekend starts on a Wednesday, when work is only half-day, until Thursday and Friday where there is no work at all. Interestingly, the work week starts on a Saturday.

Most foreign workers have to make this adjustment because as a Muslim country, Saudi Arabia observes Thursday and Friday as its rest days.

My work week was mostly uneventful, and for a good half of 2009, my routine is mostly ordinary and regular.

Travelling to a second home in Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija

About five years ago, we left our hometown in San Miguel, Tarlac City, to live in Sta. Rosa in Nueva Ecija.

My fondest memories of childhood will always be in San Miguel in that small compound where I grew up with my uncles and aunts, and cousins.

But I slowly learned to love Sta. Rosa with its wide rice fields, open roads, and rural beauty. I consider myself lucky because the modest lot my parents were able to buy is literally standing in the middle of rice paddies with a backdrop of mountains and hills.

The house my parents now live in is still a work in progress, but visiting Sta. Rosa will always be like getting a breath of fresh air for someone like me who works in Manila.

In my parents’ small lawn are a few mango trees, some guava trees, and a rather colorful fruiting macopa tree, among others. My mother has a small area for her gumamela, euphorbia, and orchids, all flowering at the same time. My parents also have a few chickens and ducks, all with chicks and ducklings.

A small pond with tilapia and the uninvited mudfish and catfish welcomes the few neighbors that often come to chat. My mother would often invite them for breakfast or coffee as the early morning sun begins to shine.

My father loves to trim the grass along the small lawn so that his grandkids can run around and play, while Blacky, our dog, ever loyal to his masters, stands guard.

The rice fields are a sight to behold, at least for me. I often stay under the shade of a mango tree, stretched upon a hammock just enjoying the calm, soothing breeze, as I watch the chickens and ducks run around searching for food.

In the afternoon, nothing beats having coffee and some light snacks with my old folks as the sun begins to set.

It said that happiness and contentment are always subjective. I could not agree more.

My Saudi Arabia sojourn

I decided to work in Saudi Arabia thinking it would be a quite a learning experience for me. I have been in many countries, but never have I stayed more than a few days away from family and friends.

To me, the chance to work abroad is an opportunity that does not come too often. I also see the opportunity to test my resolve and go through what millions of Filipinos all over the world have gone through.

So one clear day in July, toting my trolley bag and a backpack, I was heading toward the airport off to a foreign land to live and earn a living for a year.

My younger brother and my parents accompanied me to the airport. It was an uneasy feeling as I bid farewell to my family.

The flight was quite long and sleep was too difficult.

After eight hours, I finally arrived in Saudi Arabia, trying very hard to remember all the things I needed to do and preparing in haste all of the documents I needed to show.

A Saudi immigration officer passively browsed through my papers, and in a few minutes, I was off to the airport terminal.

Waiting for me was a jolly Indian fellow, who quickly grabbed my trolley and tossed it at the back of the car.

I was brought to my hotel, where I will be billeted for the rest of my one-year stay.

I was tired and spent, but it took a while for sleep to come to me. My mind was too occupied thinking what tomorrow might bring, my first day of work.

A visit to quaint Pundaquit

The coastal barrio of Pundaquit is becoming a popular destination in Zambales.
Located some 7 to 8 kilometers away from San Antonio town, the village typifies a small, quaint community where fishing is the main source of livelihood for residents.

It will take almost 4 hours to reach Pundaquit from Manila. The roads leading to Subic and other Zambales towns are generally well-maintained. It was a nice surprise to see the smooth and very straight tree-lined road leading to Pundaquit after we arrived in San Antonio.

For both sides of the road we saw rice fields resembling a massive chessboard of light brown squares.

Boracay it is not, but Pundaquit is slowly embracing tourism. It has become the take-off point for island-hopping to nearby Anawangin Cove and Capones Islands, to name a few.

But the beach in Pundaquit is truly scenic, with cottages and huts and colorful boats lined up along the sea shore. The view is more picturesque with mountains and faraway islands serving as a backdrop.

The sea itself can sometimes be quite rough, with at least six-foot waves regularly crashing in on the dark sand beach and retreating back to the ocean.

Surfers have found a haven in these waters, and when the waves are too rough for the boats, one can see a few brave souls, both local and out-of-towners, toting their surfboards to hit the massive waves.

Revisiting Potipot Island in Zambales

First visit to Potipot Island

I first visited Potipot Island in the late 1990s, back when the small island was yet to be developed and transformed into a major tourist attraction of the province of Zambales.

Potipot Island lies off the coast of Candelaria, Zambales, and is a part of Barangay Uacon.

Back then, there were only a handful of people, mostly locals, who know about Potipot. A distant relative told us about the island, which was said to be a favorite picnic spot for locals.

I distinctly remember that the island was not yet "commercialized" and that to get there, we had to find and bargain with a local fisherman hoping to hire his small banca to take us on a 15-minute trip to the island.

We secured the banca, a small, cramped motorized outrigger. The fisherman had to scout for a good place to dock his small boat. There were a few pitched tents when we landed. We brought along our supply of packed lunch and water.

A backpacker's paradise

Potipot Island back then was a backpacker's paradise. There were no lights, no electricity, no houses, and no comfort rooms. Coconut trees abound, as well as wild bushes. A few fruit trees are scattered along the beach with overhanging branches providing shade.

It was easy finding a good spot along the beach since only a handful of beachgoers were there. We swam in the crystal blue water and walked along the white sand beach, after pitching our tent.

Potipot Island is small but unique. One can actually walk and explore the whole island in about 20 minutes.

What is unique is that on one side of Potipot is a stretch of white sand beach, while the other side is "rocky," where corals and massive drift woods are often seen lining the shore, particularly during low tide. This rocky side of Potipot Island also provides a nice view of the sun at it sets on the horizon.

Return to Potipot Island

After almost 10 years, I was able to visit Potipot Island again.

By now, the island has been made into a full-pledged tourist destination, thanks to ample "exposure" from mainstream media, and most recently from the Internet, via numerous blogs.

From afar, the island is still a beauty to behold.

But the signs of commercialization are already there. A portion of the island has been made into a small dock, where colorful boats ferry local and foreign tourists.

Tourists

The traffic is brisk as boat after boat "unload" tourists to and from the mainland. According to locals, numerous hotels have sprouted around Candelaria town, and a day trip to Potipot Island has been a staple fare for hotel guests.

As soon as you land, somebody will approach you and ask for a 50-peso entrance fee per person for a day trip, or a 100-peso fee if you plan to stay overnight.

There is now a clearing at the center of the island, where a huge tree house and a few cottages stand. Potipot Island as well as the massive tree house are said to be owned by a prominent individual.

There is a comfort room for men and women and numerous nipa hut-type cottages along the beach that are for rent. There is a cooking area and a large grill that beachgoers can use. And if you happen to forget to bring some supplies, there is a sari-sari store nearby.

Finding a spot on the beach is now a bit of a struggle as numerous families and groups often had to compete for space.

The beach often buzzes with activity, as jet skis and ferry boats often whiz past.

Still a clean beach

Thankfully, the island local government seem to know the value of Potipot Island. Despite the onslaught of commercialization, caretakers are able to maintain the cleanliness of the beach.

One can only hope that Potipot Island retain its beauty for years to come and for more visitors to enjoy.

Getting to Potipot Island

Getting to Potipot Island is now easier than ever, thanks to the NLEX-SCTEX link that motorists can take. From Manila, you can travers NLEX all the way up to Sta. Ines, Pampanga, and take a right turn to SCTEX. From there, go straight to the last exit, which is Tipo Exit, which is already a part of Olongapo. Simply follow the road going to Candelaria town in Zambales and you are almost there.

Skimming Boracay’s waves in a paraw

Heavy commercialization and the continuous flow of tourists may make some frown on what Boracay has become.

But when it comes to water sports, Boracay is still the prime destination for snorkeling, diving, kite boarding, parasailing, and skim boarding.


For the more laidback type, nothing beats coral walking and of course, sailboating with a paraw, a native outrigger with huge colorful sails.

I was with my family on a long-awaited vacation in Boracay and after a few haggling with a local paraw operator we don our life jackets and got on board a blue and white paraw.

It was supposed to be an off peak season in Boracay a few months after the summer months. But it was ideal, as an overcast sky, and a frisky breeze powered the sailboat around the island.


To a jaded traveler, this seems not at all exciting.

But feeling the waves beneath you and the wind blowing the sailboat to skim at decent speeds is still exhilarating. An added bonus is seeing your kids experience the thrills and spills as the paraw sails catch the whistling wind.

You can feel the power of wind tugging the sailboat as we take a circular route to Boracay. The trip took less than 2 hours, although our captain, a seasoned paraw operator, said the trip could have taken longer if not for the wind.

At the onset, one can feel the turquoise seawater and the corals beneath one’s feet.

As the sailboat go further to the open sea, one can have a nice vista of the surrounding islands, the other sailboats and a lone fisherman with a quaint banca.

It was touristy, but it was an adventure.

The ridge at Tagaytay

It has been raining for the past few days and the rains have been drenching the city.

But a nice ray of sunshine peeking through gray clouds and the prospect of cool weather prompted us to drive to Tagaytay one weekend.

It was bonding time for the kids and for the grandparents. So off we went, traversing the famous Edsa, not very early, but early enough to dodge the equally famous traffic associated with this historic thoroughfare.

At the back of the van, the grandparents and the kids chatted merrily.

We reached one of the exits of the South Luzon Expressway in less than an hour, deliberately traveling at a lazy pace.

We were soon traversing the road to Tagaytay, passing by ritzy subdivisions, malls, restaurants, and roadside stores.

After sometime, we were soon passing by quaint houses, improvised fruits stands, souvenir centers, and craftsmen’s shops, as we got nearer our destination.

You know that you’re almost there when you see the modest resthouses, small hotels, and inns, all surrounding the ridge.


We passed by the famous Rotonda as we enjoyed the early morning view. We doubled-back, as we headed to go the popular Picnic Grove.

Unfortunately, the place was still drenched by the rains of the past few days.

What we found however was a simpler, nicer place.

It was a roadside eatery, just beginning to open. The owner graciously allowed us to take one of huts and our packed lunch. We ordered con gee to go with our lunch.

We talked as we ate, as cars loaded with weekend travelers, like us, passed by the road.

We were soon on our way to a nice spot to view the world-famous Taal Volcano.

No matter how many times you have seen the volcano, you do not get tired of its ethereal beauty.

We spotted the volcano, nestled in Taal Lake.

But the view took a drastic transformation, as fog begun blanketing the surroundings, carrying with it chilly air.

We linger for a sometime and took pictures.

As the afternoon rolled by, we headed to a famous burger house for snacks.

We were soon heading home, but not after taking some more pictures at some isolated spots along the ridge, against the backdrop of the Taal Volcano.