Weekend in Galera

On Saturday afternoon last week, my workmates and I braved the tides of Oriental Mindoro to enjoy the beaches of Puerto Galera, a getaway haven to most Manila urbanites. We took a 2-hr bus ride from the terminal at Taft Avenue to Batangas Pier. I thought we were lucky to catch the last ferry trip at 4:00 P.M. but, drat, we spent almost 2 hours in it. The ferry didn’t go straight to White Beach, where we were destined, but had to make a stopover at Sabang Beach. One of the passengers exclaimed he would be kissing ground when we reach “harbor”. We didn’t kiss ground but it felt like touchdown getting off the ferry and feeling the sand with the soles of my feet.

On Sunday morning, we went snorkeling and visited an island devoid of the party atmosphere found in White Beach. Since there were more than 10 of us, we only paid P150 each for a big bangka (pumpboat) to bring us to the site. There were a number of smaller bangkas waiting there, willing to bring you around the site for P70 each. All we had to do was hold on to the bangka’s sides and experience the beauty that lay down under. We saw corals, clownfishes, big blue starfishes, anemone, gigantic(!) sea urchins, and a lot more I could not name (unfortunately). Their magnificence right in my face…

We had dinner at Italian Pizzeria, a new addition to White Beach since I first visited it last year. The pizzeria is situated at the end of White Beach, just before you cross over to Tamaraw Beach Resort. My friend Migs texted me and said the view was not to be missed. I didn’t. The view from up where we dined was the perfect culmination for an enjoyable morning.

We had Aglio e Olio, Pizza de Pirata (with ham and Italian sausages), and Hawaiaan Pizza. The two pizzas were great, straight from the oven. The pasta on the other hand was not al dente; if it stayed 2 minutes more in boiling water, it would have been perfect! I thank Dave for giving the waitress special instructions for my Mango Shake– more of the mango fruit and a little bit of dairy. Apart from the fact that I am lactose-intolerant, my shake was better than Regina’s. I think each of the 5 of us shelled out around P300, not bad for a good meal. Oh yeah, we scored a slice of Tiramisu each (on the house!) as courtesy for Dave’s inconvenience; his cappuccino was the first to be ordered but served last.

We went back to the center of White Beach and found a not-so-sober Maki, tattooed and braided, calling on us to get a henna tattoo from this shop just beside the White Beach Restaurant. She made friends with the manager and artists. She got discounts for friends who decided to get a tattoo. J and Dave had theirs done permanently, and Nicca had a henna of her name on the ankle only for P100.

Later in the night, the people at a nearby bar, Miko’s Bar, got excited. We went to check it out and found a show that just got started. I don’t know what it’s really called except that it was hilarious and fun to watch– three drag queens doing impressions of Beyonce, Mariah, and Tina Turner. Dave, Regina, and Cathy decided to stay (and drink) and told me later the queens had a silly dance step of a popular station ID, “Makulay and buhay...”

By the way, don’t miss Mindoro Sling, it’s the cocktail while (you’re) in Galera. It’s a concoction of rhum, orange juice, mango juice, grenadine syrup, and Sprite, served with slices of apple. Get the pitcher if you’re with a small group, which makes it cheaper than ordering by the glass.

When it started to drizzle, I knew I had to call it a night. My Galera getaway ends the morning after, back to Manila I will and back to the corporate jungle I shall.

To Do/Go List next time I visit Galera:
* Tamaraw Falls
* Diving (for Oscar)
* Drink, Drink, Drink