No Juan Is An Island

Artist Jason Mraz once shared, “My home isn’t about being grounded in one corner of the planet. It’s about being in love and being lost in the middle of an amazing adventure, witnessing sunbursts over horizons of every time zone”. I couldn’t agree more… Spot on words that have never been spoken.

There’s nothing like the joy you feel when on the road, heading off to a strange new place, either alone or with friends. And so one weekend, I decided to hit 2 of the beaches in Burgos, Pangasinan — each possessing a unique character to boast. These 2 beaches are not frequented by people. Moreover, they are tucked in the outskirts of Western Pangasinan making them a little kept and more pristine.

TIMAPOG na BATO

First stop – the gigantic, screaming rock towers of Timapog na Bato. (Timapog, a local term, as I understand it, could mean “water that strongly splashes through the rocks”). The humongous rock formations, carved by nature’s elements and time, are the main features of the coastline. Nestled between the towns of Dasol and Burgos in Western Pangasinan, the place is a perfect avenue for relaxation and serenity. No houses, no crowded sight of people (only a fisherman and his boat) – instead, the sound of the waves, the gentle wind whispering to my ears and the shutter of my camera were the only reverberation I could hear. It was perfect, just the way I wanted!

CABONGAOAN BEACH

Next stop is a white sand wizened beach in a cove-like shape. Cabongaoan Beach is pristine and paradisiacal. It is indeed true that some of the most beautiful sights are found in the outskirts, continuously being protected by Mother Nature from being exploited. Crystal clear, aquamarine waters and fine, ivory sand greeted me when I arrived at the place. It was yet another unspoiled beauty of nature. It made me realize that Pangasinan really have a lot of hidden getaways getting ready to be discovered. This is definitely one place a beach enthusiast would love to bum around.

The trip to these beaches reminded me to rekindle the waning spirit of serenity in me.  And bumming around for a few moment made me felt stress-free and glee. Reminiscing how serene these beaches are, made me realize to be more optimistic in life. And the reason for this particular blog was to share the beautiful things I have experienced and seen, that eventually brought about positive effects

So if you feel like life’s just becoming one big grievance session; when you feel like you have not looked for the serenity in your life for the past years; when you feel like you have been focused on the downbeat things and you’ve lost sight of your confidence – take that less traveled road. There, you might just find what you have been looking for. It might not be an obvious inspiration, it might be a hazy spark that is yet to be discovered, but it is there, somewhere.

Life is too short to wait on the highway… Hit the beach, explore the caves, climb the mountains, and discover the unpaved…