Traveling Around Olango Island

vol.4

• Around Cebu Province

Olango Island is 20 minutes away by banka boat from Mactan Island. Time flowed by gently as Olango Island came into view. When I was walking in the bright sunshine, I met a woman coming out from the house. "Are you Japanese?" she asked with a smile. "Yes" I responded. "Anata no namae wa nan desu ka (what's your name)?" she asked in halting Japanese. I told her in Japanese her Japanese was very good and she beamed with a great big smile. After that, everyone I saw, adults and children, passed each other with a smile.
I saw a group of a few people having fun at a karaoke bar. Everyone here seems to loves karaoke, regardless of age or gender. On the roadsides, jackfruit, rimas, and chico grow; coconuts and bananas are everywhere as well as many BBQ shops. There are no mountains so it's easy to go anywhere by bicycle, tricycle, or motorcycle.
There aren't any streetlights so when night comes, it gets dark. However, people chill out and play cards by their house lights. The island was enveloped in silence momentarily; the ripples in the moonlight gave me a peaceful feeling.