Visayas Islands
Tagbilaran
Now we're off to Tagbilaran, capital of Bohol Province. The name is a contraction of Tagu B'laran which means to hide from, or be shielded from, the B'laran people. Everyone has someone they consider to be right bastards, even if you yourself are head hunters.
The city is also known as the city of Peace and Friendship, and this stems from a chance meeting in 1565, due to a confluence of unfavourable winds and tides, between the Basque Miguel López de Legazpi and the Bool Datu (Chieftain) Sikatuna. They cut their arms and dripped blood into a cup of wine, which they then drank promising to be BFFs. The Order of Sikatuna is nowadays bestwoed upon visitng dignitaries.
So that's the backstory; let's go see this place.
Just a quick fly-by of Iloilo and the mandatory rice paddies.
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And then right back into the soup.
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Up ahead is the Island of Negros (NEH-gross). The Negranese army, led by Generals Juan Araneta and Aniceto Lacson, and carrying rifles carved out of palm fronds and cannons made of bamboo mats rolled and painted black, stormed the Spanish in Bacolod in a classic pincer movement in 1898. The Spanish surrendered. Boy were they pissed later when they checked the weapons. The newly formed Cantonal Republic of Negros endured for almost a half year until the States took the place over.
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Clouds suck.
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Mostly they're fluffy, but some have pointy bits in them.
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Leaving Cebu Island, kind of a touristy resort island. That means we're close to our stop for the night.
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Just up ahead.
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And there it is, Tagbilaran.
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So that's it for the night. Time to do something touristy.
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