In my last post "Relaxing by the pool on a Sunday Afternoon", I mentioned the importance of taking a break on weekends, especially on Sundays. Last Sunday, we spent it in a swimming pool. Today, we spent a few hours in the afternoon at Palina Eco park, to celebrate my brother-in-law's birthday.
Edited using Pixteller.com
Image Credit: artbytes via Bitlanders
It's not the first time that I went to Palina Eco-park. In fact, I have already written a blog post about it before.
Our brother-in-law along with the family and some neighbors went ahead to Palina around 11 in the morning. Since my wife still has an activity in their school, I decided to stay and wait for her.
We arrived at the park at one in the afternoon. Immediately, we informed the person at the reception table that we are joining one of the rafts that are already touring the river. We were asked to wait for a while for the bangka that would take us there.
Marine life at Palina
While waiting. I took some photos and videos of the area. Then I noticed a school or rather schools of fingerlings alongside the bamboo raft. The river is full of marine life. I believe it's because of the mangrove forest along the riverbank.
Image Credit: artbytes via Bitlanders
The community at Palina also takes care of the mangrove trees. The mangrove trees are the natural habitat of the fishes in this area. Just imagine these fishes would grow into full adults very soon. There will be plenty of food for the people in this area.
Our Bangka has arrived.
Image Credit: artbytes via Bitlanders
After about half an hour of waiting, our bangka finally arrived. My wife and I boarded the bangka. The boat is small but very safe because of the bamboo outriggers that keep the boat well balanced on the water. Since it is driven by a motor, it took us only about a couple of minutes to reach our group's raft.
Image Credit: artbytes via Bitlanders
Riding a motorized bangka.
Video Credit: artbytes via Bitlanders
When we arrived, the kids and the teenagers are already playing on the sand. The tide was at its lowest at the time, thus the sand is very much visible.
Food food food!
Image Credit: artbytes via Bitlanders
There were lots of food on the table. There were grilled pork chops, chicken, shrimps and prawns, pancit, a birthday cake and more.
Though we already had our lunch before we went to this place, I grabbed a few small slices of the pork and other foods. The prawn was sweet and spicy which I loved.
Hermit crabs and shells and other marine life.
I saw on the table a couple of variety of clam shells. (I'm not sure if that's the correct name, just see the photo). I noticed then that my four-year-old son has gathered some hermit crabs.
Image Credit: artbytes via Bitlanders
That's one thing I love about this place. It's littered with marine life. Also, there are a number of bird species in the area. Those kinds that love to eat fish.
Estuary
The river actually is an estuary- where the fresh water from the river meets the salty sea water. The water is always shallow and the bottom is covered with fine gray sand like on the beach. When the tide is low, the sand is visible and you walk almost all the way back to the shore.
Image Credit: artbytes via Bitlanders
However there is always a deeper portion where the bangkas always traverse, and people could swim.
For the safety of the young guests, they always anchor the raft on the shallow portion of the rivers. That way the young kids and even the toddlers can safely enjoy the water and sand.
Eat, Swim and Eat
For a couple of hours, we eat, jump unto the water and swim, then go back to raft for more food.
I have not noticed earlier that there are more oysters on the table. Since not has been raining for the past few weeks, the oysters are not that big. They were small but still, they were delicious.
Image Credit: artbytes via Bitlanders
There was some beer too. I drank a couple of glasses only. I still have to drive later.
I spent more time in the water and on the sand playing with my son. How I wish I had a waterproof camera with me.
They brought the little one too. Apparently, he was eager to go to the water also.
Time to go home.
Well, some good things has to end, sometime. The swimming part of the tour is good for two hours only. At three in the afternoon, it was time for us to go back to shore. We all went back up to the raft and grabbed some more food and drinks while waiting for the bangka that will pull our raft.
Image Credit: artbytes via Bitlanders
The trip took out five minutes. When we docked there were other guests on another raft waiting to depart.
Before we left my son asked me to take a photo of him in front of the empty "Nativity" stable, which was made out of oyster shells.
It was another n filled and relaxing Sunday afternoon. Indeed it is good to relax at least once a week.
Now, I am ready to meet another work-filled week.
Looking forward to the next weekend.
Thanks for reading.
-o-o-O-O-O-0-0-0-O-O-O-o-o-
John Reynold Loberiza (a.k.a @artbytes) is a freelance graphic artist, web developer, and blogger. He is also a licensed Financial Adviser under Insular Life.
The content of this blog post is the author's original work. Proper credit is always given to the respective sources of information and images. Please feel free to check out my other blog posts: http://www.bitlanders.com/Artbytes/blog_post
If you have any reactions or inquiries regarding the subject of this post, please write it in the comment or send the author a private message.
For more information or questions you can also:
- Visit my personal blog: https://jrlcentral.xyz
- Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jrlcentral
- or email me at jrlcreativeideas@gmail.com
~°~°~°o0O0o°~°~°~
Join Bitlanders
If you are not a member of Bitlanders yet and you are a content creator- a writer, blogger, photographer, an artist or a hobbyist, you can earn from your creations (blog posts, photos, artworks, or videos) by uploading them in Bitlanders.
You can join Bitlanders by clicking this link-> http://bit.ly/Join_bitlanders
