Bien avant l'arrivée des Espagnols, cette île faisait partie d'un sultanat englobant (en tout ou en partie) Mindanao, Bornéo, Palawan et certaines îles de l'archipel Sulu (ben oui, un sultanat musulman ici, à cette époque). Pour faire une histoire courte, le dernier sultan a signé un traité avec les Britanniques... qui ont ensuite décidé des frontières des pays de la région.
Pays tropical, soleil entreprenant, végétation luxuriante, eaux du Pacifique d'un bleu presque indécent. C'est une île volcanique avec des sommets impressionnants. La malaria y fait rage... la même souche que j'ai attrapé il y a plusieurs années (taux de mortalité élevé lors de la contamination, mais ensuite très rares crises saisonnières).
Je suis en ce moment à Puerto Princessa. J'ai passé la journée dans la mer à m'initier au snorkling!!! (plongée en apnée). Dès que j'ai mis le masque de plongée et me suis mise à respirer librement sous l'eau... j'ai été aspirée dans une bande dessinée avec des couleurs surdimensionnées!!!! Des poissons fluorescents verts et mauves, de la mousse violet profond, de tout petits poissons plats jaune moutarde, et j'en passe. J'avais aucune idée de la couleur du monde marin. Moi qui pensais que tous les poissons étaient gris ! C'est hallucinant la beauté de ce monde sous l'eau. J'ai été initiée par l'entraîneur de l'équipe olympique de nage des Philippines. Je n'avais pas vraiment peur de m'étouffer sous l'eau.
J'ai aussi rencontré des Japonais supers agréables et 3 philipinas... merveilleuses!!! En fait, hier soir, lors d'une fiesta locale, nous avons joué à un jeu. Si on retournait en arrière dans le temps, qu'est-ce qu'on ferait différemment et pourquoi. Même la grand-maman s'est volontiers prêtée au jeu. Fascinant de voir l'expérience de vie de 4 femmes d'horizons différents qui, le moment d'une fiesta loin de chez elles, jouent au jeu de la vérité ! Pendant la journée d'hier, nous avions rigolé à prendre dans nos bras des crocodiles, examiné des papillons, visité une prison (avec une section à sécurité maximale) et nous sommes promenés dans la ville. Ce soir nous allons à nouveau nous réunir.
Tiens, une pluie torrentielle vient de s'abattre sur la région.
Ça nettoie tout sur son passage.
Hier, j'ai fait une niaiserie... je suis un peu gênée de raconter....
Je parlais avec des gens de l'endroit. On m'a fait goûter à un fruit qui sentait le bonbon. Sur le dessus du fruit, il y a une noix protubérante. On m'explique qu'on extrait de cette noix une huile qui est excellente pour la peau et qu'on applique sur les boutons!!! Moi qui me suis mise à bourgeonner depuis quelques années.... alors, j'ai dans mes mains un de ses fruits. Je suis seule dans ma chambre d'hôtel. Je tente de fracasser la noix avec mes doigts (pas suffisamment de pression), je regarde autour de moi pour trouver quelque chose qui pourrait faire l'affaire. Je prends un verre et j'écrapouti la petite noisette. Il en sort un jus huileux et collant. Je l'applique illico sur mon menton et le tour de mon nez. Sur le coup tout va très bien.... C'est environ 2 minutes plus tard que je réalise que le stuff en question est super fort !!! Ma peau est en feu !!! Je me lave le visage environ 10 fois (rien n'y change), je me mets de l'huile et la retire tout de suite (enlever le produit en profondeur)... je me mets la face devant l'air conditionné que je mets au maximum.... ouf! un peu de soulagement!!! J'étire la main et j'ouvre le minibar. J'y attrape une bouteille d'eau que j'enroule dans un chiffon et dont je me sers comme compresse. Ouf, quelques secondes de confort. Sur le coup je me demande quoi faire de plus. Je suis supposée rencontrer mes nouvelles amies dans quelques minutes de l'autre côté de la ville, au capitole, et je suis en train d'essayer de me décaper le visage de la substance que j'y ai moi-même mise. Je réfléchis un peu, j'ai un tube de produit analgésique à utiliser en cas de méga coup de soleil.... je ne sentirai plus ma face!! Option retenue! Je me maquille ensuite un peu les yeux et mets du rouge à lèvres (histoire d'équilibrer un peu les couleurs sur mon menton et mon nez - ce n'est pas trop pire - on dirait que j'ai pris du soleil)…
Ce matin, je vais mieux.... je vais avoir une petite croûte sur le menton... ça m'apprendra à tout vouloir essayer tout de suite... Je ne le ferai plus !
Magnificient Palawan
I arrived yesterday in Palawan. It is a mythical island in the Pacific Ocean.
Long before the Spaniards arrival, the island was part of a sultanate encompassing (in whole or in part) Mindanao, Borneo, Palawan and some islands of the Sulu archipelago (oh yes, a Muslim sultanate here, at this time). To make a long story short, the last Sultan signed a treaty with the British ... who then decided of the borders of countries in the region.
Tropical country, enterprising sun, lush vegetation, Pacific Ocean waters of an almost indecent blue. It is a volcanic island with impressive peaks. Malaria is currently raging here. The same strain that I caught several years ago (high mortality rate during the contamination, but then very few seasonal crises).
I am currently in Puerto Princessa. I spent the day in the sea, getting a snorkel initiation! As soon as I put on the diving mask and started to breathe freely under water, I was drawn into a comic strip of oversized colors!! Fluorescent green and purple fish, deep violet moss, tiny yellow mustard flatfish, and so on. I had no idea of the color of the marine world. I thought all fish were gray! It's amazing the beauty of this under water world. The Philippines Olympic swim team coach instructed me. I was not really afraid of drowning with him around.
I also met some really nice Japanese and three Philippines that were … wonderful! In fact, last night, at a local fiesta, we played a game all together. If we got back in time, what we would do differently and why. Even the grandmother was willing to try the game. It was fascinating to hear the life experiences of four women from different backgrounds who, the moment of a fiesta, far from home, played the game of truth! During the day, yesterday, we were laughing holding crocodiles in our arms, we examined butterflies, visited a prison (with a maximum-security section) and we walked around the city. Tonight we'll meet again.
Just now, torrential rain is pouring down.
It cleans everything in its path.
Yesterday I did a silly thing. I am a little embarrassed to tell....
I was speaking with people from the place. They made me taste a fruit that smelled sweet. On top of the fruit, there is a protruding nut. They explained that from this nut, an oil can be extracted that is great for skin care, and which can be applied on facial pimples! For me, who has had such problems lately, I was interested in trying it out. Alone in my hotel room, I try to smash the nut with my fingers, but it doesn't work. I look around me to find something that might do the trick. I use a glass and squish the small kernel. An oily and sticky juice oozes out. I apply it on my chin and around my nose. At first, everything is ok ... 2 minutes later I realized that the stuff is super strong! My skin is on fire! I wash my face about 10 times, and nothing changes. I apply a facial cleansing product. I stick my face directly in front of the air conditioning, which I put on "maximum" ... whew! Some relief! I stretch my arm and I open the mini bar. I grab a bottle of water, wrap it in a cloth, which I use as a cold press on my sore face. Whew, a few more seconds of comfort. Then I wonder what else I can do. I'm supposed to meet my new friends in a few minutes on the other side of the city, at the capitol, and I'm trying to scrape this substance from my face. I think about it for a minute and come up with an idea; I have a tube of analgesic for use on mega sunburns. The problem is, I will no longer feel my face! That's what I'm going to do! I put on a little make-up and lipstick in order to balance colors on my chin and nose. I think I'll be fine. It only looks as if I got a bit too much sun today.
This morning, things are ok. I'll have some peeling on the chin. That should teach me a lesson not to try everything right away. I won't do it again!
I arrived yesterday in Palawan. It is a mythical island in the Pacific Ocean.
Long before the Spaniards arrival, the island was part of a sultanate encompassing (in whole or in part) Mindanao, Borneo, Palawan and some islands of the Sulu archipelago (oh yes, a Muslim sultanate here, at this time). To make a long story short, the last Sultan signed a treaty with the British ... who then decided of the borders of countries in the region.
Tropical country, enterprising sun, lush vegetation, Pacific Ocean waters of an almost indecent blue. It is a volcanic island with impressive peaks. Malaria is currently raging here. The same strain that I caught several years ago (high mortality rate during the contamination, but then very few seasonal crises).
I am currently in Puerto Princessa. I spent the day in the sea, getting a snorkel initiation! As soon as I put on the diving mask and started to breathe freely under water, I was drawn into a comic strip of oversized colors!! Fluorescent green and purple fish, deep violet moss, tiny yellow mustard flatfish, and so on. I had no idea of the color of the marine world. I thought all fish were gray! It's amazing the beauty of this under water world. The Philippines Olympic swim team coach instructed me. I was not really afraid of drowning with him around.
I also met some really nice Japanese and three Philippines that were … wonderful! In fact, last night, at a local fiesta, we played a game all together. If we got back in time, what we would do differently and why. Even the grandmother was willing to try the game. It was fascinating to hear the life experiences of four women from different backgrounds who, the moment of a fiesta, far from home, played the game of truth! During the day, yesterday, we were laughing holding crocodiles in our arms, we examined butterflies, visited a prison (with a maximum-security section) and we walked around the city. Tonight we'll meet again.
Just now, torrential rain is pouring down.
It cleans everything in its path.
Yesterday I did a silly thing. I am a little embarrassed to tell....
I was speaking with people from the place. They made me taste a fruit that smelled sweet. On top of the fruit, there is a protruding nut. They explained that from this nut, an oil can be extracted that is great for skin care, and which can be applied on facial pimples! For me, who has had such problems lately, I was interested in trying it out. Alone in my hotel room, I try to smash the nut with my fingers, but it doesn't work. I look around me to find something that might do the trick. I use a glass and squish the small kernel. An oily and sticky juice oozes out. I apply it on my chin and around my nose. At first, everything is ok ... 2 minutes later I realized that the stuff is super strong! My skin is on fire! I wash my face about 10 times, and nothing changes. I apply a facial cleansing product. I stick my face directly in front of the air conditioning, which I put on "maximum" ... whew! Some relief! I stretch my arm and I open the mini bar. I grab a bottle of water, wrap it in a cloth, which I use as a cold press on my sore face. Whew, a few more seconds of comfort. Then I wonder what else I can do. I'm supposed to meet my new friends in a few minutes on the other side of the city, at the capitol, and I'm trying to scrape this substance from my face. I think about it for a minute and come up with an idea; I have a tube of analgesic for use on mega sunburns. The problem is, I will no longer feel my face! That's what I'm going to do! I put on a little make-up and lipstick in order to balance colors on my chin and nose. I think I'll be fine. It only looks as if I got a bit too much sun today.
This morning, things are ok. I'll have some peeling on the chin. That should teach me a lesson not to try everything right away. I won't do it again!
Très drôle ton histoire d'huile à boutons! C'est peut-être vrai que c'est bon pour la peau, mais tu aurais dû t'informer de la posologie!
ReplyDeleteLa plongée en apné! J'ai découvert cela l'hiver dernier au Mexique et je comprends ton émerveillement. Quel monde multicolore et paisible!
Jean-Luc
Et bien Elise, tu sais me faire tirer des larmes, mais aussi des éclats de rire...
ReplyDeleteHere is a comment from Nanay Trani -
ReplyDeleteUsing the new mini-laptop:
Elise, the fruit with the nut you tasted could be "CASHEW" OR KASOY. There used to be many of them in Bato "Trani's Garden". The dried nuts are sold by the kilo in Manila at high price.
Nanay