Negros Oriental (Philippines)

I took advantage of Philippines Airlines' great fares and service with a smile to fly to Negros, one of the large islands in the Visayas region, just north of Mindanao. Negros is divided into Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental; I went to Oriental. It is not an area that sees huge numbers of tourists, like Boracay or Cebu.

The main city of Dumaguete is a pleasant, breezy city facing the sea. The Rizal Boulevard that follows the East coast was a great place to walk (something not possible in Kabul!) and meet a selection of vendors, beggars and - after dark - young females keen to chat.

Rizal Boulevard

As a university city (the Silliman University, which occupies much of the centre, is apparently a prestigious one), this city attracts a range of students from developing countries keen to learn English in a fairly cheap place. So, somewhat bizarrely, Somali and Iranian students are a common sight.

The markets were a treat. There was the main market in the centre of Dumaguete city - where I feasted on mangosteens, buko (young coconut) and lanzones (not sure what the English is. They are sweet-sour little brown fruits that look like longans).

Dumaguete main market

I took a bus to Malatapay, where a huge weekly market takes place every Wednesday. There was nothing there I actually wanted to buy, but often the most interesting markets are like that. I have long been a fan of markets and bazaars, and always enjoy wandering around and looking at all the different produce on sale. Not being able to wander around bazaars in Afghanistan is one of the most frustrating things, where I'm sure the bazaars must fascinating.  Here, there was everything here, ranging from clothes to fish pastes (the smell hits you long before you see it), from pigs to bananas. The animal section was thriving, with all sorts of creatures being hauled onto trucks and driven off to their fates on other parts of the island.

Malatapay market

Having feasted on some succulent pork lechon (roasted suckling pig) with the hottest chilli I have ever experienced (it was a mere one centimetre-long, and I was told to crush it in a soy sauce and vinegar mixture to go with the pork. The little fella had more kick than a bottle of Tabasco), I got a jeepney back towards Dumaguete, stopping off at a scenic mountainous area around the small town of Valencia, 6 km south-west of the city. With waterfalls, jungles and ravines it was the kind of place I would like to spend several days. The climate was deliciously cool - a welcome contrast to the heat of the coast. The area often smelled of sulphur, from the natural hot springs that are evidently abundant here. The Japanese - big fans of hot spring or onsen - would surely love it here. The real treat for me was a swimming pool next to the Pulang Bato falls, where I refreshed myself before the ride back to Dumaguete city.

The swimming pool next to Pulang Bato