Stories from Bolobadiangan Islands

"Each affects the other, and the other affects the next, and the world is full of stories,

but the stories are all one."

-- Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet in Heaven

10AM. The tides finally rolled back in. The motor boat that was once stranded on the sand had to be anchored properly now to keep it from floating away. Mang Sonny walked us to it and told us that Mang Mode (pronounced as Moh-dë) and another boatman (that I have regretfully forgotten the name) will take us to the other islands. The island tour will cost us PHP1,000. And, I am hoping that it will be worth it. We hopped onto the boat, more confidently now and more relaxed than the first time we were in it. While our two boatmen were busy maneuvering it away from the shore using long bamboo sticks as lever, I was giving my husband the "Yehey! this is it" look.... He knew I was excited...... I can't help it.... Watching these raised masses of earth scattered all around, I can't help but ask --

 "What's the story over there?"

Notes from Sandbar Island beach

...."I slept soundly hearing the crashing waves but woke up at 5:28AM because I couldn't hear them anymore.  Nervousness rushed over me because I knew that it is a bad sign when you don't hear anything, especially if you're in an island. And, experiencing a 6.9 earthquake a day before with continuous aftershocks surely didn't help calm my nerves quickly ---- 
my first thought of the day is a tsunami hitting this small island between Panay and Negros. 
Good thing, I was able to rattle around my half-asleep self and remembered what Mang Sonny, the caretaker, said last night --- low tides in the morning. And, true enough, when I opened the wooden window of our humble shanty, the water had receded so much that all I can see are some rocks and seaweeds left behind by the ocean we have swam at yesterday.

sweet, sweet hammock, Sandbar Island beach, Iloilo City