Discovering Lake Sebu with Culture Shock PH

I admit the reality of Lake Sebu does not fit the image I had in my mind. I have never seen a photo (not even 2018 Ms. Universe Catriona Gray's promotional pictures, sorry) but I have heard about how incredibly beautiful it is. So, I kind of expected it to be a placid lake with blue waters and boats docked on its shores. I imagined myself taking a dip in its waters and a selfie with the sunset in the background.

Oh boy, was I wrong? It was nothing like I expected at all! Totally...but wait, I got something right! It is very beautiful and worth a visit. If you travel for the gram, as one major news network says of most millennials, then the lake is just for you! Go canoeing in the early morning and you would get wonderful photos worth posting on your social networks. Or, if your aim is to be with yourself and commune with nature, the smooth glide of the canoe, the splash of the paddle as it hits the water and the lily pads everywhere transport you to a different realm. It is like being in a fairy tale. Personally, I kept peering at the lily pads hoping to see a frog. I wasn't fortunate enough for that sight but I bet if I was persistent and patient,  I would have seen one.

Early morning canoeing at Lake Sebu.

So, what did I get wrong?

First, the lake is not a place for swimming. It is a major source of income for the people in its surrounds so it has got fish pens everywhere. I heard the nearby Lake Lahit is more ideal for swimming but I am not really sure.

So, what else did I get wrong? Oh ya, here is another. Sorry, but the lake is not for sunset viewing. Not even sunrise. It is Lake Seloton that has got the sunrise view, As for Lake Sebu, it is in some sort of a valley with low-lying hills which impedes the view.

Third, Lake Sebu does not refer to the lake alone but is actually refers to a whole municipality with three lakes-- Lake Sebu, Lake Lahit, and Lake Seloton. I did not get the chance to check out Lahit and Seloton so it must mean I am going back there for another visit.

So, was I disappointed that it did not meet my expectations? Kind of. A dip in the cool waters would have had a cooling effect as we visited the place at the peak of the hot season. On the other hand, the disappointment was offset by the adrenaline rush after ziplining at the Seven Falls near Lake Seloton. The view is just A-MAZING. You get to see not just one but two of the seven waterfalls. Added to the view is the height. This particular zip line is considered to be the highest in Southeast Asia.

Thinking it through, I realized that one does not visit the place for its lakes and waterfalls alone. There are more beautiful lakes, ones with sunset views! There are other falls out there with a greater volume of water. What I consider to be the greatest attraction of Lake Sebu is the unique culture of its people deeply rooted in traditions and living in harmony with nature. This affinity with nature is reflected in their local songs and their dance which often mimics the birds and the monkeys.

The T'boli people who inhabit the place are one of the many ethnic communities in the Philippines. Just like any other ethnic group around the globe, they are not immune to globalization where the younger generation is slowly integrating with the values of a world being shrunk by technology and cheap air travel. Neither are they spared from the evils of capitalism. If nothing is done to entice the younger generation to learn the skills, their art of t'nalak weaving will soon be endangered like the tattooing skills of Whang-od, the "mambabatok" or tattoo artist from the north of the country. T'nalak is a special tapestry woven by the dream weavers of the T'bolis. They use abaca fiber which is naturally dyed using the tie-dye method. Unlike synthetic fibers, the abaca easily breaks so it takes patience and a particular time of the day to weave it using a backstrap loom. It is a process requiring expertise, tranquility of the spirit and a dream (hence dream weavers) inspired by Fu Dalo, the spirit of the abaca. No wonder it costs more than commercially processed fabrics; and here lies another challenge brought about by capitalism, an incentive for younger people to learn the art is monetary returns. However, to be able to make money selling it to a bigger market, there are two ways to go-mass produce or go upscale with couture fashion. With the former, the art is compromised. With the latter, demand has to be created.

The master dream weaver Tita Barbara with Tita Sima working on the loom.

Aside from the dream weavers, the T'bolis are also known for their brass casters. The art of brass casting is usually a family business handed from one generation to the other. They make everything from trinkets to bells and the local dagger known as kris.

Ms. Blunto demonstrating the first stage of brass casting which is putting the design in wax.

Luckily for me, I got to witness the dream weavers and the brass casters in action. I even had the chance to design my own brass bracelet. I would have wanted to learn the art of weaving the t'nalak but it really is a complicated process involving the stripping the abaca fibers to dyeing, knotting and so on. Tita Barbara,one of the oldest dream weavers in the community says that it is a process learned for years.

Maria Todi playing the kulintang during the cultural night of our trip.

Anyway, I really have to give it to Culture Shockph, the travel company which arranged for our cultural immersion. The activities included in the trip gave me an opportunity to interact with the locals which gave me a deep appreciation of the T'boli culture and what the locals are doing to make sure it is handed down to the next generation. Its partner, the School of Living Traditions (SLT) which took care of our accommodation and meals including most of the activities, is primarily a school and a homestay managed by Maria Todi, a local who is championing the preservation of the T'boli culture. Income generated from the homestay is used to run art, music, and dance classes for the children of the community who report to the school every Saturday. Meanwhile, homestay guests get to interact with the teachers and the students on a cultural night which is part of the immersion. It is a brilliant and sustainable concept. One that I hope gets replicated in my own community up North. One of these days, I would be returning to the place again. Most likely, still with Culture Shockph. The three days immersion was just an introduction. There is still a lot to know. I was thinking, next time would be a good time to start learning their language. 

Traveling the Chiang Mai-Sukothai- Ayyutaya route

A visit to Thailand would not be complete without checking out two of the three UNESCO cultural heritage sites in Thailand- Sukothai and Ayutthaya. Originally, both were not included in my meticulously laid travel itinerary but then an old friend I met up with while in Bangkok highly recommended both places. With a spontaneous 'Why not?' echoing in my thoughts, I reshaped my itinerary bidding farewell to my plans for Chang Rai and Pai. I guess that is the joy of not making reservations ahead of time. You can just wing it and anything can happen!

It took a bit of readjustment in my travel plan since I went to Chiang Mai first. Searching the net reveals that the usual route is Bangkok-Ayyutaya-Sukothai-Chiang Mai. It makes sense because then one is slowly making his way up north but doing it the other way around worked for me as well which is great. This reverse traversal injected a thrilling twist into my travel as I journeyed from north to south unveiling the landscape in an entirely novel rhythm.

Chang Mai to Sukothai

Arcade Bus Station in Chang Mai

Leaving Chang Mai, I made my way to Arcade bus station which is on the outskirts of the city. What I love about the places I have explored in Thailand is their well-organized and centralized bus terminal- a convenience often elusive in many parts of the Philippines. 

Navigating through the Arcade bus station, I booked a ticket for 207 baht with the Win Tour bus which is highly recommended in the different travel sites. There is another bus company, Esan Tour, which also travels from Chiang Mai to Sukothai but I already got my ticket with Win Tour so I did not bother asking about their fares.

Win Tour bus to Sukothai

With a bit of time on my hands, I settled into a chair at the station to wait for my bus scheduled at 12:50 in the afternoon. The station wasn't so busy, so I was able to relax while observing people coming and going, wondering the things that await them in their destinations.

By 12:50, we hit the road. It was an uneventful journey. Through the window, I saw houses and some farms here and there, a simple yet captivating tableau. A few times, there were short stopovers between stations (by short, I mean five minutes). It is a good thing I drank water sparingly so I did not have to use the restrooms. 

Somewhere along the route, I dozed off and the passage of time slipped away. By the time I woke up, it was past five in the afternoon and we were passing by the old city of Sukhothai. Ruins of temples and Buddhas can be seen from the bus window which got me excited, a preview of what I will see the next day. I was lucky that our bus passed by the old city (that is where the ruins are--which I guess is the reason it is called the old city). Some of the websites I checked mentioned that at times the buses go straight to the new city where the bus station is located, without passing by the old city.

In my case, I booked a bunk at the mixed dorm room of Rueng Sri Siri Inn which is just a few steps away from the bus station. I  ignored reviews stating that there is no place nearby where one can get decent food to eat. Just outside were actually local restaurants which I checked out.  The prices were cheap prices but admittedly the lateness of the hour meant very few options. I am not picky with food but since the places were a bit grimy I opted to go further. I found one a few blocks away. The owner was about to close the shop but he was kind enough to accommodate me quickly preparing my order of chicken cooked with Thai basil and rice. It was not the same quality as the meals I had in similar food stations in Chiang Mai but it was not bad! I  am just happy that the owner accommodated my request for a meal. As for my room at Rueng Sri Siri, it was once again a moment of "you get what you pay for." Sufficing to say that I decided to check out early the next morning and went to book a room at the Old City Guesthouse, located right across the entrance to the National Park.

Sukothai National Historical Park

Sukothai ancient city depicting both Buddhism and Hinduism monuments  flourished between the 13th and the 16th century. The ruins and the relics are well preserved and in 1991, the historical park was declared by UNESCO as a world heritage site.

The most common mode of transport within the historical park

is the bicycle. 

A more expensive transport within the park is this vehicle. It charges by the hour and does not usually stop at the ruins. It just drives around the park.

This is another choice for transport.

After a hasty breakfast, I walked to the gates of the park and bought an admission ticket worth 100 baht.  Sukothai Historical Park is vast and visitors would usually rent a bike in one of the rental shops. However, since I cannot manage to balance myself on one, I had no choice but to walk. It was not a problem and a decision that proved rewarding except for the intense and stifling heat of the sun!

Since I had the whole day, I took my time in the most impressive of the ruins, Wat Mahathat.  Though there were myriad other ruins of antiquity in the park, I think they pale in comparison to the grandeur of Wat Mahathat. Wandering around the gigantic stupas and Buddhas, I could not help thinking about the early civilization that established the place, the kind of lives that they live and the things they believed in. 

In the midst of such profound surroundings, I could not also help but wonder, what architectural wonders would our own civilization bestow upon the tapestry of time? Would we carve our mark as gracefully as those before us, inspiring admiration and reflection for generations yet to come? As I strolled upon the remnants of history, these questions played in mind, casting a layer of introspection upon the landscape before me, and causing me to linger causing me to miss visiting the other temple ruins around the old city and the museum right across the historical park. Despite these, I still consider the day well spent. My mind and heart were full. 

As for my accommodation for the night, I stayed at the Old City Guesthouse. I consider myself lucky for the owner decided to give me a room with a double bed for a bargain since she did not have guests booked for the day.

Sukothai to Ayyutaya

Embarking on a fresh day, I bid my goodbye to the Old City Guesthouse. My feet lead to the Win Tour bus office a few blocks away from the guesthouse where we were picked up at 8:20 by a bus that is headed to Bangkok but is passing by the turnoff to Ayutthaya. The same bus would also pass Sukhothai's new city bus terminal to pick up other passengers.

An inquiry from the lady at the ticketing office informed me that the trip would take 6-7 hours. Bad news! I was hoping that was a very conservative estimate and that the information from some sites on the internet telling that it is a five-hour journey would be true.  Well, it turns out she is right. The bus fare was 310 baht. Compared to the Chiang Mai-Sukothai trip which only cost 207 baht, this leg of the journey is definitely longer.

By 3 pm, the bus dropped me along the Asia highway where I can take another transport to Ayutthaya. With only a few hours and with rain clouds threatening on the horizon, I took the fastest way to the city--via motorbike taxi. There was a language barrier between me and the driver but the language of money is universal. He made his offer. I made my counteroffer and he nodded his head. I, then, hopped on his motorbike and we sped away.  Without bothering to ask me where in Ayutthaya I am headed to, he just dropped me where there were tourist guides with song thews milling about. Well, I couldn't complain. He got me to my destination. By then, droplets of rain were starting to fall from the heavens so wasting no time, I chose to go with a driver who managed to speak to me in English with a ready-made itinerary.

Originally, the driver said he could take me around to visit five of the more popular sites given our limited time but rain suddenly poured while I was at the Wat Yai Chaya Mongkol forcing me to take shelter near the gigantic reclining Buddha. By the time the rain subsided allowing me to run to where the song thew was parked, I only had enough time to visit two others.

Wat Yai Chaya Mongkol

The reclining Buddha

With the little that I saw, I was surprised to see how much more ruined the ruins of Ayutthaya were more than those of Sukhothai. In Wat Mahathat (yes, same name as the one in Sukothai), there were a lot of headless Buddhas, a very famous one is stuck on the roots of a tree. Seemed like the Burmese invaders did a grand job of lopping of the heads which is really a shame. They do look vandalized. Same in the case of Wat Phra Si Sanphet, though it seems that restoration efforts are underway. 

I regret spending so little time in Ayyutaya, I would have liked to wander around the city a bit but it wasn't meant to be. Three hours after my arrival, I was paying my 210 baht train ticket for Bangkok. Another two hours and 30 minutes and I was in Hua Lamphong train station.

The train station at Ayyutaya