A Summer Experience in Bolinao

Going to the beach has definitely become the foremost destination for summer outing, what with the heat and humidity driving hordes of vacationers into the sea for comfort and relaxation.

In our case, I and my Dagupan-based colleagues decided to hold our outing in a beach resort in Bolinao in the province of Pangasinan. We left Dagupan City in very early morning of May 19. We were in a convoy of three vehicles.

Along the highway, sights of greenery, rivers, farm animals and mountain silhouettes – pleasant views that I hardly see in the bustling metropolis – kept me awake for the rest of the trip. I really enjoy watching rural scenery ever since my childhood days. In fact, my favorite objects to see then were cows and carabaos.

In a few moments, we finally reached our remote destination. All those mild leg cramps and backache I incurred due to an hour of sitting had suddenly gone as I stepped on the grounds of Del Rio Farm. The beach resort is located in Patar, Bolinao. It is bounded on the north and west by China Sea.

Everyone was excited. The long trip that we endured has worth the while. The panoramic view of a clear aquamarine sea with rolling hills and plateaus as backdrops served as a soothing relief to our tired red eyes. The chirping of birds and rustling of leaves seemed like music to our ears as we walked down the bend to go to the shore.

We ate our breakfast, after which some of us decided to take some rest. It was past 10:00 a.m. when I decided to go out of the cottage. The sun was barely above our shoulders. While others were busy basking under the sun, lolling on the beach and poking fun with one another, I and some colleagues decided to stroll around, burning not only calories but our skin as well. I brought my DSLR camera with me as we roam about the place.

I took dozens of pictures all around the beautiful resort. There were no bad pictures to be taken in Del Rio Farm, not with its gleaming white sand, vibrant blue sky, verdant bushes and rocky hills. The bright reflected sunlight wove magnificent patterns on the azure waters. If I were to paint a picture of the unfolding landscape, I would simply run out of colors.

We headed back to our cottage at around 12:00 noon for to take our lunch, consisting of daing-na-pusit, green mango-tomato salad with seaweeds as a side dish, steam rice, and fresh coconut juice.

After lunch, there were still a few who opted to continue swimming and get sunburns, but many of us took an afternoon nap. It was a lazy afternoon, indeed. The wind was wafting through my hair as I took a nap on a bench beneath a shade. The bench was too narrow and short for my built, yet I surprisingly did fell asleep even in an awkward position for a while.

At around 2:00 p.m., I woke up and joined some activities like beach volleyball and swimming. We were all revving up our enjoyment for we will be leaving the place any time soon.

We left at about 5:00 p.m. It was indeed a rejuvenating one-day affair!

While on our return trip, I can't help myself but to look over and over again the picturesque view of Del Rio Farm in my camera's LCD screen. Although, the Bolinao beach needs further enhancement to make it at par with the world-class amenities of Palawan and Boracay beach resorts; however, sometimes it's not the place and what it offers that matters, but the experience we associate with it.

It's my first time in that place. Normally, we tend to remember our “first times”. So, how could I ever forget my first summer experience in Bolinao? Hence, this one will surely linger in my memory for quite some times.