Mr San Francisco

Birthday Party with my Foreign Exchange Family 11/01/2025

My Philippine Family threw me a little birthday party. We cooked a traditional meal over an open fire and made a bukon fruit salad with fresh coconuts from the backyard. Meal prep began with a tall lanky cousin that looked like a monkey climbing the trees to gather the coconuts. Then the girls filled up on coconut while separating the meat from the juice in a frantic effort to keep up with coconuts the father kept slpitting with his machete.

Shortly after the mother cooked Philippine Spaghetti over an open fire. First the noodles and then a delicious sweet cheese sauce.

The boys prepared more cheese and spice while enjoying some Tanduay in the kitchen.

An amazing cake from the locals on Boracay made the meal complete.

Romblon Island 08/30/2025

Another early morning and we headed to Odiongan Port to catch a boat home to Caticlan and then Boracay. We paid a little extra for tourist/comfort class because they have Air Conditioning and it had gotten a little hot on the first boat from Caticlan. The seat/beds were comfortable but being indoors made it difficult for the tour guide, who is an aspiring entertainer, to practice her singing.

Romblon Island 08/29/2025

The day started early because the tour guide woke up before 6am with a craving for Jollibees... and we still had the rental car so we drove around Odiongan, Romblon waiting for the restaurant to open. The place actually had really good pancakes. Here is a picture of their parking lot and a picture of a great donut store that was not overpriced.

The rest of the day was uneventful other than a swim in the ocean next to the Odiongan port.

Romblon Island 08/28/2025

I decided to rent a car so the tour guide could show me the rest of Talisay, Romblon. It isn't that big, but it is much larger than Romblon Island, Romblon. We drove towards Ferrol until the paved road ran out. From there we headed to Looc, Romblon which was actually a cool little town and appeared to have a boat back to Caticlan.

I call this picture, "Caticlan or bust"

I was told there were only boats to Caticlan from Odiongan, Romblon and Santa Fe, Romblon. Next town we stopped in was Santa Fe, Romblon where we picked up some pork chops at Athena's restaurant. Santa Fe was about the size of Looc. We were having so much fun that we decided to continue the drive around the island, back up through San Augustin where we caught the boat to and from Romblon Island, Romblon just a few days before. We even visited our old motel to reminisce.

We stopped in one more town and decided to call it a night.

Romblon Island 08/27/2025

I switched to another room at the hotel which was cheaper because it had a shared bathroom and my ocean view was booked. My tour guide was feeling better so she negotiated a price with a tricycle driver and took me around the town.

Romblon Island 08/26/2025

2 nights turned out to be enough on Romblon Island, Romblon, even though I didnt make it to the famous sand bar. An overpriced motorcycle taxi arranged by the hotel got me back on a ship called the Montenegro which took me back to San Augustin, Romblon.

From there it was only a short van ride back to the Harbour Court... my favorite place in Romblon (affordable, good food, location, and a friendly atmosphere). The new room was even facing the ocean.