effortless Baler

Baler went beyond my expectations. before i got to visit it, i had this prejudice of the place as boring and just plain historical. i was right that it's a little boring there, but it's not just all about the remnants of the past that the place can offer. and i'm not just talking about surfing for which it is also known. Baler has magnificent spots which it can truly boast about.


i went there with one of my closest friends and very first travel buddies, Mash, just to try surfing. that's just what we were excited about because we're both first -timers. we decided to make it the last part of our trip to save the best for the finale, we thought. it still was the best but we didn't think that going to Aniao and Lukso Lukso Islets and Dicasalarin Cove would come really really close. to be amazed by these places' beauty, i thought Baler is way too underrated for its potential to be a main tourist destination in the country.

one reason i could think of why that is so is its people. i say effortless because the people there were very relaxed and somehow apathetic. of what? maybe of life, as a whole. hehe. we were there during Christmas and we didn't witness any joyous feasting. most of the families didn't bother to decorate their homes. and when we ate breakfast in a tapsilogan owned by an old couple, the husband declared, "yang Pasko, lilipas din yan." that somehow proved my theory valid.

and this apathy is reflected in their tourism efforts. i only saw two souvenir shops and not one establishment that offer tour packages. although i find it good personally that one just has to hire a trike and transact with the driver about the tour, i think it would boost not just their tourism but as well as their lifestyle if they do something more than just that. but every place has its own personality and if they like to preserve their status quo, i'm fine with it as it makes the the place, itself, really unique.

sorry for being a little critical there. i just enjoyed the sights and the action this wondrous place has in store and i wish more people can get to experience the same things i did. and despite the lack of warmth from the people, we were still thrilled to bits. so, effortless talaga!