Shoreline Serenity: Campfire by the Lagoon

Hello there fellow hivers! It's me, @iamjkk. How are you? Stressed? Drained? I hope you are all in a good stability. I just got back into blogging. I had an extremely exhausting week. Our teachers assigned quite a few of school activities and assignments, especially as the research defense week approaches. We need to revise and work on our papers, particularly the data. We were drained, stressed and pressured. That's why we decided to take a break, even if only for a day. My pals and I decided to start a campfire by the shore in Silot Lagoon, Liloan.

Just a little description about Silot Lagoon. Silot Lagoon, also known as Silot Bay, is located in the municipality of Liloan, Cebu, Philippines. It is a shallow body of water surrounded by mangroves that is connected to the Camotes Sea along a tiny waterway known as the Liloan River.

Actually, this is not our first visit to Silot Lagoon. We weren't prepared when we at first went there. It was an unplanned journey. We did not carry any food, water, or even clothing. As a consequence, the experience wasn't really enjoyable. It was as if we never found what we were looking for.

For the second time, we planned it a few days earlier to ensure that the outing would go well. From my boarding house, I took a beep (modern jeepney) to Consolacion mercado, where my friend was waiting. We went to the market first to buy three kilograms of pork belly to make sinugba(grilled pork). We also bought red onions, garlic, banana ketchup, pepper, and lemons to marinate the pork in.

After that, we bought junk foods for snacks and two bundles of wood for the campfire.

After buying everything we needed, we went straight to our friend's house in Liloan. The Silot Lagoon was just actually right next to their house; just a few steps into the backyard and we'd find the elegant lagoon. We initially intended to relax at their property, but when we discovered the lagoon, we realized it may be an awesome site for a trip.

We then marinated the pork, and while waiting for the others, we cooked enough amount of rice for our dinner at the lagoon. At noon, we prepared the marinated pork, soft drinks, and other supplies, placed them in a bucket, and then walked straight into the bay.

The lagoon provided a really pleasant view. The mangroves added a scenic touch. It is a heart fulfilling and unwinding experience.

To traverse the lagoon from coast, we must immerse half of our bodies in water. We need to get to a small mangrove island where we will be having our complacencies. So we have no other options but to soak in the water (we were going to bathe in the lagoon anyway). It took us less than 15 minutes to cross the Bay.

When we arrived on the small mangrove island, we immediately started the enticing activity. We began to ignite the charcoal and grill the marinated pork belly. Others went for a fun swim while we were cooking our meal. Actually, I was the one in charge in supervising the foods. I was also busy capturing photos and films to document my wonderful times with my pals. We also went swimming after making the dinner.

We found and captured small, adorable fish, seashells, and even crabs. However, we released them later; they need to mature before they can reproduce. It was a very heartening experience because we got to spend an unwinding yet a fantastic day despite feeling worn out from schoolwork.

As the moon peeks in the horizon, at exactly 6 p.m., we brought the wood for preparation for our campfire activity. We made circles near the shore with stones to support the wood. Prior to shaping the wood, we placed little chopped branches in the center. We located them in the small island's corners, where mangrove trees stood. More details were added (as if we were creating an artwork), and the wood was ready to light up.

The wood were ignited, the sun sets, and the moon glows in the lovely evening. Before we ate our meal, we had our prayer first, thanking God for the blessings and the modest gathering.

We had our dinner, the grilled pork, one piece of fish, pancit canton, and rice. I also made a spicy sauce to share with the group.

We also had s'mores later that evening. One thing I really liked about s'mores is that it has a creamy fluffy texture that plays appropriately in the surface of my mouth. The flavor was also enhanced when heated and much more enjoyable.

Everyone was having a great time at the lagoon. The boys were busy bathing their bodies in the water, some were sitting and having profound chitchats, and I (of course, I love doing things on my own), was snapping pictures of the mesmerizing moon and the calming view of the lagoon.

In the end, I can say, no matter how worn out you are from work, studies, and what makes you busy in life, do not forget to rest. Empty your mind and free yourself from problems. Go out with your friends and try something new. Because that's what life is all about: discovering. This ends here, my fellows. It is indeed a great day! See you in my next blog and enjoy your day Hivers!