Liz Cervantes Portraits

Watercolor Original - $150

Watercolor Original - $150

Line drawing with digital watercolor - digital ($45) and print + digital ($50)

Line drawing with original watercolor - $55 (print)

Original Watercolor - $150

                                    

Original Watercolor - $150

Original Watercolor with two faces- $200 (+$50 per extra face)

Line drawing with digital watercolor - digital ($45) and print + digital ($50)

Line drawing with digital watercolor - digital ($45) and print + digital ($50)

Small Islands and Scooters

The boat was leaving in 15 minutes and I am at the wrong port. I arrived to Cebu a little less than 12 hours before with my eyes set on Siquijor Island. I was told to take the bus/ferry from Cebu City to Dumaguete and from there a ferry to Siquijor. That is two ferries and one bus and over 7 hours. I thought to myself there has got to be an easier way. I boarded the bus before the sun rose in Cebu, loading up with snacks and water to stay hydrated in the humid heat of the Philippines.

The bus ride was relaxing. When we finally reached the port of Bato where I eyed a huge poster reporting that a ferry left directly from a nearby port to Siquijor in 15 minutes. I grabbed my backpack, determined to make the ferry, and flagged down a motorcycle taxi. The driver promised to get me to the boat on time, he flew down the windy road abutting the beach towards Liloan Port, which on google maps is 12 mins away.

I made the boat. and saved myself 3 hours. This story is a common occurrence on my wild worldly vacations. Two and a half hours later I was standing at the port of Larena in Siquijor looking for a scooter to rent. Of course the selection is much better in Siquijor city, so I found a taxi to take me. I found the perfect scooter for 350 pesos ($6.50) for a little over 24 hours. After a quick tutorial on the scooter controls, I donned my orange helmet and speed off into the humid air to my first destination.

The scooter was easy to control and the breeze felt nice on my skin as I followed the main windy road that circumnavigates the small island along the coast. I made frequent stops to take pictures of the rice fields and beaches, checking google maps for the turn-off to Salagdoong Beach. On the way I stopped in for some food at Hard Rock Cottages.

Salagdoong Beach and resort is known for cliff jumping. If you dare jump from a 15 meter cliff into crystal clear waters it's the place to be. Tucked into a forest this resort has many different water activities. I found a small private room at ocean level with views of the small cove for $20 a night with free scooter parking outside my door.

After a few rounds of cliff jumping, I laid in a reclining chair to watch the sunset and read over a plate of adobo squid. It was quiet without too many people. I was exhausted after a long day and with hopes of waking up early I went to bed.

I rose as the sun rose. I ate a small breakfast provided by my hosts and set off again on my small white scooter. My first destination was Cambugahay Falls. After a instagram feed full of pictures of these aqua blue cascades, I had to see them for my own eyes. I arrived early, parked my scooter and hiked down the stone stairs. A bunch of men asked if I need a guide.  After a handful of "No Thank you's" I made it to the first of the three cascades. It was around 8am and there was only one other person.

It was beautiful, the water was truly an aqua green color and warm. For $1 you can have unlimited swings on the trapezes set up around the falls. I floated on a tire enjoying the sun and the sound of the water crashing down.

It was time for the next destination. I hiked back up the stairs and mounted my scooter. As I was heading back to Lazi I saw a sign of another waterfall called Kawasan. I followed the sign to find a small shack with a couple women waiting to guide tourists to the falls. Another group arrived and we headed through the jungle to a small waterfall with a cave and a trapezes. We lazily floated in the warm water before our hike back up out of the jungle.

With all this exercising my stomach started rumbling and it was time to search for lunch. I wanted a restaurant right on the beach. This wasn't hard to find since the island was small and most of the towns were built next to the ocean.

I found Coral Cay Resort Restaurant and it was exactly what I was looking for.  I had fresh fish and a mango shake as I admired the clear blue water. In addition they had free wifi. I strolled along the white sand beach before I headed back to the restaurant for an iced coffee.

I had an hour before I was to turn in my bike and catch the ferry back to Cebu. I stocked up on souvenirs and drove one of the scooter shop owners to the ferry port. Siquijor was hands down one of my favorite places in Philippines. Still not well known and rugged, yet easy to navigate and plenty of options for sleeping and eating. All of the people I met on the island were very nice and laid back. I would definitely recommend a trip to Siquijor.

Puddles and Palm Trees in Tayrona

The hammock swung smoothly back and fourth as I listened to the rain falling on the thatched roof above me. Only a foot to my right swung a stranger who I had yet to meet, on my right a woman I had met only the day before on the bus traveling from Cartagena. We all swung like pendulums from the wood beams, staring into the sheets of rain, debating running to use the restroom which was a good 100 meters from where we hung.



Twenty four hours earlier I was riding a shuttle with my backpack to the trailhead at El Zaino to Tyrona National Park. My only plan was to hike. I had no reservations, no hiking group and just my backpack filled with items procured on my trip through Colombia. It was on this windy road I would meet my  hiking buddy.

When we arrived we booked our hammocks for Cabo San Juan de Guia at the entrance of the park, and set off on our two day adventure. The first part of the trail took us through the forest before it spit us out onto the beach. From there, the trail skirted the beach winding back and fourth into the jungle that abutted the sandy beaches. The strong sun beat down on our skin and the cool blue water tempting us to jump in as we trudged through the sand. Halfway to our proposed destination we stopped at a small wood stand under the palm trees for egg and cheese pupusas with a view.

Finally after six hours we wandered onto the grassy meadow of Playa Cabo San Juan de Guia. We were shown to our hammocks, immediately changed into our bathing suits and ran to the beach. Cabo San Juan de Guia is famous for its rock formations jutting out of the light blue water. After a long nap on the beach and dip into the Caribbean we turned in for a warm meal of arroz con coco y mariscó with a glass of jugo de lulo (which of note is now my favorite natural fruit juice). After a filling meal we turned in for bed.

The air was warm and humid, the hammocks comfortable. I fell asleep quickly with my backpack between my legs and my travel pillow under my head. The thunder and lightening started in the night, the rhythmic rain only soothes me deeper into sleep.

That morning we waited patiently as the rain subsided. We dressed, acquired a new hiking partner, and set off back to the entrance of the park. We quickly realized hiking with shoes was impossible. The rain turned most of the trail into either a river or ankle deep mud. I hiked through the palm trees feeling the mud squish through my toes. The small streams that we crossed the day before, transformed into deep fast rivers. We waded through the water keeping our eyes out for crocodiles.

Again we stopped for pupusas enjoying for the last time the beautiful beaches lined with rocks and palm trees before we dove back into the jungle to meet the bus to Santa Marta.

No Sleep in El Capital - Bogota

La Candelaria 

I arrived in Bogota after a long red eye flight from LA. I arrived at at my hostel The Cranky Croc exhausted ready for a nap, but before I knew it I was hiking up the hilly streets of La Candelaria and drinking chicha from a gourd. Let's rewind ...

When do I ever choose sleep over adventure? If you know me ... it's never. The first day should have been a warning of how dangerous Colombia was going to be for my sleep. I started off my first day on the Free Walking Tour of La Candelaria, Bogota, Colombia. We walked the narrow cobble stoned streets of the colorful and historic district of La Candelaria. On the way we tried various Colombian drinks and street food. 

The first stop was in a small restaurant to share a gourd of chicha. What is chicha? Its fermented maiz drink, originally produced after chewing and spitting a portion of the maiz juice and allowing it to ferment. It tastes a bit like Kombucha but much stronger.  

We then headed deeper into La Candalaria to see the graffiti and street art. In Colombia Graffiti is currently legal, artists are even paid to create works of art on the streets of Bogota and Medellin. It's absolutely beautiful and only adds to the already colorful Candalaria streets. 

Bells rung around the city at each change in hour. Over 90% of Colombians identify as Christian, therefore churches in Colombia are almost as common as coffee shops. We stopped by the famous Iglesia Nuestra Senora Del Carmen to view its elaborate architecture and interior design. From the church we headed to Chorro de Quevedo, a small plaza lined with cafes and groups of people. One of our tour guides Fredy bought us coca tea to combat the altitude. 

Next stop was the Palacio de Nariño where we had a photoshoot with the guards. After which we wandered down the streets trying almost every street food in sight, including: 

• Obleas which is queso fresco, arequipe (dulce de leche) and jam
• Bunuelos, which are balls of fried dough, 
• Yuca Rellena - stuffed yuca with beef and veggie

After we were completely stuffed we walked to Plaza Bolivar. to one side of the plaza is Capitolio Nacional which houses the congress, Palacio Justicia (the justice building) which has a long tumultuous history and Cathedral de Colombia, which was began in 1802 by the Spanish and completed after Colombia's independence from Spain.

From La Candelaria we wandered into the heart of downtown. Food traffic picked up and the quiet streets of La Candelaria transformed into the hustle and bustle of downtown Bogota. We passed by the museo de Oro, the famous gold museum.

We ended our tour at Distrito Chocolate and Cafe Magola Buendia, where we tried an assortment of chocolate and the famous chocolate con queso (which is exactly as it sounds cubes of fresh cheese dropped into a cup of piping hot chocolate. We ended the tour with a round of Tejo a famous bar game. This game is similar to cornhole, but instead of holes you aim heavy weights at small paper packages containing gun powder. The goal is to hit the small paper packages which creates a loud popping noise. It was much harder than I thought.

If you are interested in this free tour you can find them by searching: The True Colombian Experience - ask for Fredy he is great!

Monsarrate 

Overlooking downtown and La Candalaria is Santuario Monsarrate, a large white traditional spanish style church perched at the top of a mountain overlooking Bogota. Its one of the most popular and famous tourist attractions. To get here you must first get to Funicular and Cable-Car station. Depending on the time of arrival and tourist season be prepared to wait in line. We got there mid-day during low season and still waited approximately 1 hour before we boarded the Funicular.

There are two ways to get up the mountain: the funicular and the cable-car (check time tables as they operate at different hours of the day). I suggest you try both. On the way up my friend and I rode the Funicular which is a train that is pulled up the side of the mountain on a ground level track by a rope. It is very steep and at one point dives into a tunnel before arriving to the top of the mountain. The cable car on the other hand is a gondola which is suspended in the air several tens of feet off the ground. 

When we arrived at the top we spent several minutes in awe of the view. If you haven't realized how big Bogota was yet, this view will give you a great perspective. with over 10 million people, Bogota is the largest and most populated city in Colombia. Even on a clear day it's nearly impossible to see where Bogota ends. The large downtown skyscrapers seem like toys as you look down from Monsarrate.

If the altitude and height as not incapacitated you yet, continue up the stairs to the small white church. Unlike Iglesia Nuestra Senora Del Carmen, Santuario Monserrate is very simple, with its white washed walls, simple paintings and lack of stained glass windows, though its peacefulness gives space to pray, think or meditate. 

If you dare to continue further up the hill, the small street is shrouded on each side by souvenir venders and food places who will not let you pass until they ask you 3-4 times to buy something. Overall it's a great tourist destination, if only for the view and the ride up/down!

A Pirates Life for Me

Are you ready to board the most dangerous pirate ship in the world? Hopefully you won't walk the plank before you reach your destination.

It was a warm night on Gili Air. I decided last minute that I wanted to join a pirate expedition to Komodo Islands. After being told by several agencies that I would have to wait for a couple days I finally found an agency with a boat leaving tomorrow. I handed over 170,000 IDR ($135 USD, which was to include all park entrances).

I went to bed early under my bug net and my dreams were filled with scenes from Pirates of the Caribbean. In the early morning I packed my bag and set off across the small island of Gili Air to meet the ferry that would take me to Lombok. In Lombok I found a man who took me on the back of his motorcycle to a parking lot where I was to load onto a bus with my new pirate family.

Day 1

It was evident from the start that this lot of pirates was going to be dangerous. I loaded onto the bus with new pirate recruits from all over the world. We headed on our journey across Lombok to the port of Labuhan Lombok. Here we met our home for the next 4 days: Floressea Kencana. The large wooden ship hailed two large masts. The exterior was stained wood with a red tint. It had three levels: the hull which consisted of the engine room, small basic cabins and a storage room; the main deck with kitchen, cabins and a large covered deck with seats along the edge, and an open small deck at the bow; the top deck had a small covered deck towards a he stern, several higher-end cabins and the helm where the captain could be found. 

As we boarded we were handed a small packed lunch of Mi Goreng. From that point on all the food we ate would be cooked directly on the boat. We set sail to our first destination: Kenawa Island. Here we donned flip flops and hiked up to the top of the small hill in the center of the island. Once done with our short hike we spend a couple hours bathing in the clear waters surrounding the small island. Kenawa was a very peaceful island with very few people.

We headed back to the ship for our overnight cruise to Moyo Island. This was the hardest night to fall asleep. The rocking of the boat was soothing but the winds were strong along the deck. I tucked the thin blanket around me as I lay on the questionable thin vinyl covered mat that was distributed to us before dusk.

Day 2

In the morning I was awoken by the call for breakfast. Breakfast consisted of dry pancakes or sandwiched banana in toast. Tea and coffee was set out periodically through the day for extra hydration and energy. Soon after eating we anchored off the island Moyo. Here we put on walking shoes and climbed into the thick forest to find the natural freshwater waterfalls. Here clear water fell over smooth rocks and tumbled into natural pools below the shade of the densely grown forest.

We walked back out to the beach for snorkeling where the fresh water river met the open ocean. After several hours of sunbathing and swimming we headed back to the pirate ship to take us closer to Komodo Island.

During the day as we sailed onwards we relaxed on the deck soaking up the sun, getting to know each other over tea and coffee. The second night was much better. The rocking of the boat soothed me and the thin vinyl mat seemed to grow more comfortable.

Day 3

The following day we woke for our Komodo Island trek. Immediately when we landed on shore we saw one of the monstrous Komodo dragon lizards strolling along the beach. Guides with long sticks walked with us as we learned about the deadly beast. Just a couple weeks before a man was killed after being bitten by one of these huge lizards. The bacteria in their mouths sufficient to kill large animals with one infectious bite.

Later that day we headed to Pink Beach, where we were able to relax after a long hike on Komodo Island. Here crystal clear water lapped against the pink sand created by fragments of red coral washed on shore. We enjoyed a couple Bintags and snorkeled with cuddle fish and clown fish. From here we headed to Labuan Bajo where we were to dock for one night. For the first time we were able to eat dinner off the ship. We headed first for ice cream at La Creperie. Then we headed to the open air fish market for grilled red snapper coated with a sweat sauce. After a satisfying meal, we headed for drinks and dessert at Bajo Bays Fisherman’s Club, where they also have free wifi.

Day 4

In the morning we embarked from Labuan Bajo to Rinca. Rinca is the second island inhabited by the Komodo Dragons. Similar to Komodo Island, we were led by guides with long sticks on a trek through the island.

As a reward for our search for Komodo Dragons, we headed to Manta point to snorkel with manta rays. With goggles and snorkel on we waited for one of the ship guides to yell jump. On command half of the boat jumped into the strong current below. Large waves and strong currents pulled us away from the ship. We searched keeping our eyes peeled for the infamous manta ray.

The waves were strong and it took a lot of effort to stay afloat in the deep water. Many gave in to exhaustion, boarding the small dingy to take them back to the ship. When I was almost about to give in, one of the girls in out small group began to scream and point. Only ten meters below us on the ocean floor a massive manta ray swam effortlessly against the current. Like a majestic bird its large wings beat slowly. I swam hard trying to keep up. In a matter of minutes she was gone. Satisfied I boarded the last dingy back to the pirate ship.

We headed back to Labuan Bajo on a small boat, stopping at Angel Beach for a short swim and snorkel. Sad to part with the Floressea Kencana pirate ship and my new found sea legs a group of us headed to Centro Hostel only a block from the marina. This hostel boasts one large room with over 50 bunk-style beds and very little privacy. After a refreshing shower we headed to Bajo Taco for fish tacos and milkshakes. The view of the sunset from the third story balcony over the Labuan Bajo harbor was an excellent way to wrap up the day. Despite being exhausted we headed to Paradise Bar for live music and drinks before returning to the crowded dorm.

Day 5

The next morning we decided to head off on our own small pirate ship to Padar Island. We hired a small boat for $12 each or 100,000 INR ($77) for the 8 hour trip to Padar Island. We awoke as the sun just peaked over the ocean. Our guide arrived at our door to let us know he could not find petrol for the boat. After he ran around town for over an hour trying to find petrol our chances of leaving for Padar Island seemed bleak. Finally he returned with cookies and bananas and told us our boat was ready.

Known as one of the wonders of Indonesia, Padar Island boasts one of the most spectacular views I have ever seen. After the three hours boat ride on the obnoxiously loud wooden boat and a 30 minute hike up the steep mountain in the humid heat we arrived at a breathtaking view. Three coves of aqua blue water each with different color sands were partitioned by jagged mountains covered with soft yellow grass. After several pictures we headed back down the mountain and back to Labuan Bajo.

Overall I was sad to leave my seafaring life back to the realities of life in the USA. Overall Komodo Island pirate cruise was worth it and I would do it over any day. It’s no wonder why Komodo Island is one of the New 7 Natural Wonders of the world.

Tips:

• Make sure that you have in writing on your receipt that the amount you paid covers both entrances for Komodo Island and Rinca Island.
• Sleep on bottom deck when moving to avoid wind and upper deck when at port or anchored for ventilation. Scope out our sleeping area early.
• Don’t spend extra for the cabins in the hull, they get very hot from the engines and most likely you will move your mattress up to the deck for fresh air.
• If you get motion sickness bring medications. More than 75% of the passengers got sick the first night.
• Take a life jacket to Manta Point if you are not a strong swimmer.
• Sunscreen.