sisterhood2 3Speak Podcast: Recent Episodes

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https://3speak.tv/watch?v=sisterhood2/lpcqbbzn

Hello dear Hivers!

Are you a flower lover like us? If you are, let’s take you to this dreamy, dazzling place that comes alive with the brightest of flowers in springtime - the Flower Fields of Carlsbad, CA.

Each year from March to May, these fields fill up with rows upon rows of ranunculus flowers in a rainbow of colors, covering a vast area of about 50 acres. It is a truly mesmerizing place to visit, take gorgeous pictures, or just walk around.. for hours! It’s like a wonderland.😊

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We visited the Flower Fields before the onset of summer, one clear sunny day, which took us a one-hour drive to the south. We got there close to midday and the place was already filling up with visitors, the parking lot almost full. We scored a parking space near an unpaved lot, and we had to walk a good distance to get to the entrance.. which we did not really mind. The ticket cost us $22 each. As soon as we got in, and saw the vastness of the colorful fields, we were in absolute awe. There were lines and lines of reds, yellows, and pinks - varying varieties of the ranunculus blooms- as far as the eye can see. Have a look-see!

Are you wondering what a ranunculus flower is? It looks like a rose (to me) or perhaps a cross between a rose and a carnation. It has crepe-like petals and is also commonly called buttercup. Here is a close-up of one red gorgeous ranunculus.

There were wagon rides available to tour the flower fields (for an additional fee) but we opted to walk, on a slow stride, and pore over the flowers up close, instead of just passing them by. What was the fun of that? We took photographs and videos and we just took our sweet time.

It was an expansive area, and we strolled from the end-to-end, before we came back, making sure to take the walking paths, and not trample on the delicate flowers. We would take breaks, rest on benches and make sure to stop and get hydrated. We took almost two hours to come full circle. It was a lot of walking.

After viewing the flower fields, we took notice of the smaller gardens near the entrance, also blooming with flowers other than buttercup. They were likewise showy, radiant, and.. oh so fascinating!

Some gardens even had planters - designed like Greek head busts-standing among the flowers. There were also flowing fountains and a display of pergolas in a variety of designs, very apt complements to this vast beautiful place.

We had a great fun day! Swollen feet, maybe. But happy.

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https://3speak.tv/watch?v=sisterhood2/krluymis
Let me share with you our fantastic experience in Bohol, this unforgettable night of sumptuous dinner in the sand and a blazing show with fire.

DINNER After beachin during the day, we wanted to see what's the nightlife like at Alona Beach. There is Jasz Bar and Restaurant where they serve seafood and there is a nightly performance by a live band. You can even jam with them if you are brave enough to sing in a crowd. Oh, and there is fire dancing performed right in front of the bar. Sounds fun!

We reserved dinner at Jasz for a party of 18 and requested it to be set up by the shore., which they did. We ate while waiting for the fire dance to start as it is performed at night time when it is dark so that the audience can see the nuances of the dance.

FIRE DANCE It is believed that the art of fire dancing originated by the people of Polynesia particularly the Maori of New Zealand. They were the originators of poi (Zen Arts)

Poi, a Maori word meaning “ball on a string” was originally used by warriors to train for battle and hunting. Swinging the poi develops wrist strength which helps in handling various weapons or tools. Gradually though, it became a tool for fire dance.

Different cultures around the world have used fire and dance for sacred purposes, festivals, celebrations, parties, and even for healing. As the popularity of fire dancing continues to spread, the poi, hoop, fire whips, and other tools were modified to adapt to their modern uses.

The art of fire dancing typically involves tools or types of equipment with wicks at their ends. These wicks are designed to sustain a flame large enough to create a visual effect. It includes skills based on juggling, poi spinning, and other forms of fire manipulation. It is usually performed at night so the audience can see the nuances of the dance.

Fire dancing also includes skills such as fire breathing and fire-eating.

After the dancers' performances, they asked volunteers from the audience to participate. Our family members excitedly jumped into the fun.

What a day!!! Delicious food, set in the refreshing sea breeze, and spectacular entertainment.

Thank you for the read. Till next time.

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https://3speak.tv/watch?v=sisterhood2/bmlhhllw
We’ve heard that the Sardine Run in Moalboal is one of the best attractions in Cebu, Philippines. South Africa has the greatest Sardine Run in the world, and Cebu is considered the 2nd best.

The best time to visit Moalbboal for the Sardine Run is between November to May. So off we went there on April 2022. We rented a boat and it included vests and snorkeling gears. It was a sunny day, with clear skies and our boat sailed on calm waves. The saltwater air brushed gently our hairs and filled our lungs with fresh oxygen.

The boat rental package included a lunch of grilled seafood. The boat docked on this spot and had our lunch on it. Good food, nice weather! It was fun!

Then we headed off to the Sardine Run spot.

About 30 meters off the coast of Panagsama beach in Moalboal, millions of sardines make a run along an underwater cliff coming down from a shallow reef. The boatman cum-guide went down into the water with our group who are brave enough and can swim well. Others including myself just stayed in the boat and waited to view the video taken from our GoPro.

The sardines getting tightly packed in a spherical formation is their defensive means to stay safe in the ocean against predators.

But when they spread over they seem to be like racing gracefully towards the top.

The sardine run is a natural activity (no ethical debate on this) because they swim without luring them with food.

To preserve their population there is an agreement between the fishermen and the Tourism Office to catch fish only with the use of hook and line. No net fishing.

After the sardine run, we moved to see and swim with sea turtles. The boatman cum-guide said that there are also sea turtles in this area, but unfortunately, we did not see any. We decided to swim instead. The water is clear and inviting.

Then it was time to go, get a good night's sleep, and get ready for the next trip. It was truly an exciting day!

Thank you for the read!

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https://3speak.tv/watch?v=sisterhood2/rujfessj
Swimming with the whale sharks in Oslob is a very popular attraction not only in Cebu, Philippines but all over the world. Oslob is a small coastal town, now world-famous because of the whale sharks...the largest fish on earth.

We made sure to include this in one of our vacation itineraries. So the whole gang is excited to not only see them up close and personal but also to swim with them!

Our whale shark tour was arranged by the hotel where we were staying. The driver picked us up at 4am because it is a 1.5 to 2 hours drive to Oslob, plus we have to register and attend a compulsory short briefing before boarding the boat. And feeding time with the whales is only from 6 am to 12 pm.

The orientation room There is a limited number of boats going to the feeding area and each one with 10-person capacity. You cannot just rent your own boat and go directly. We have to wait for our turn in the cottages/sheds along the shore.

We didn't wait long for our turn to board the boat. We were taken to the feeding area which is about 200 meters from the shore.

To lure the sharks, our tour guide dropped the shrimp. It's fascinating how the whale shark ate...opened its mouth moved forward and swallowed everything in its path.

The boatman told us when he saw whale sharks coming toward us, to get down and swim with them. We were told to continue to hold on to the boat's outrigger but if we wanted to go and swim a little further, we can but only for a short time and distance. Make sure though that it is easy to reach the outrigger at any time.

It was scary when we saw them approaching, they are so massive but they glided calmly through the water. It was truly a mesmerizing sight.

There is an ethical debate about this industry. Although there is a huge impact on the town of Oslob, in terms of the funds generated, environmentalists contend that there might be malnutrition due to the lack in diversity of their natural diets, behavior change as sharks have associated boats and people with food and actively go near them and spend more time at the surface making them more prone to diseases. But studies have shown it to be inconclusive.

Cebu on the other hand is trying to mitigate measures without losing its source of economy. There is a limit on the number of boats allowed in the feeding area, and a compulsory briefing before boarding the boat on the dos and don'ts in swimming with the whales:

• Don’t come within 5 meters of the whale sharks or touch them.
• Don’t wear any sunscreen or lotions when you’re swimming, as the residue of these lotions can be harmful to the whale sharks.
• Don’t swim more than 5 meters away from your boat and you should be able to touch the boat at all times.

A certain percentage of the profits go to local authorities and use the funds to employ sea wardens to protect the whale sharks and coral reefs.

Even as the rest of us just stayed on the boat watching these 'gentle giants' feed, swim, and play with the braver ones amongst us, we all agreed that this was an experience of a lifetime. This one's for the books!

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