After two nights in Dumaguete, we crossed the sea to reach Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte. There are several shipping lines doing business in this parts and one fast craft. The fares as follows:
Ocean Jet - Pesos650, two hours
Montenegro Lines - Pesos262, 4 hours
Because we are in no hurry and are frugal, we chose the later.
M/V Maria Beatriz which was scheduled to leave at 4pm, left promptly at 4. We also arrived in Dapitan on schedule which was 8pm.
On the vessel, what we have as fellow cruisers are the not well off Filipinos and a Caucasian couple. At first, we sat on the airconditioned part of the vessel. I noticed a lot of men including my husband laid on the cushioned long seats and were sleeping as there was a lot of seats to be had. More people are outside or in the other sitting room where there was no aircon but a tv was on. Once I decided fresh sea breeze is better, I stayed outside and chatted with a young gay guy, named Leo, who was going to Zamboanga to start up a restaurant called Chicken Ati-Atihan. When I asked him about where he came from, he said Bohol and because it was related to what we were talking about, he told me about his mother who left when he was a little boy, came back 12 years later, said she's going to come back but that was five years ago. Sad! He grew up under the care of his grandparents.
On M/V Maria Beatriz, here's how I passed the time:
played sudoku
talked with Leo
played Free Cell on the laptop
talked with Mar about Leo, etc
listened to music simultaneous with playing Free Cell
The crossing was a little scary because the vessel's motion was not smooth, on the contrary, the motion was like your brain is going to be scrambled like an egg. We also thought of the shaken child syndrome in which a child's brain gets damaged after being shaken hard physically which could lead to death eventually. Beacause Mar was lying down, he felt it more and said he felt his brain is going to go mushy or something like that.
At past 7pm, the vessel stopped. We were wondering why but can't find anybody to ask. By this time, we already can see Dapitan (Dapitan's lights actually) and I figured, we can easily be rescued because we are no longer in the middle of the sea. Maria Beatriz did not stop long and she went on her way.
On the port of Dapitan, transportation to go anywhere is tricycle which is Pesos40 per person to go to anywhere in Dapitan or Pesos50 per person to go to Dipolog. It was already really dark and late to be anywhere arriving in a strange place. We found our tricycle, we were brought to the following pension houses in Dipolog:
Pension Jose - internet says double with ac and bathroom cost Pesos550. The lady was charging Pesos700 but the main reason we did not take this place was because the bathroom was filthy. Don't go here because:
1. they are not honest
2. dirty
3. far from the city center
Pension Ranillo - the guy at the lobby was pleasant and smiling which was a welcome treat coming from a tiring and "life threatening" situation. Double here with ac and CR is Pesos500 something. No luck here because the room of our choice is not available. We did not see the room. City center located.
Pension Ragin - pension is located on the second floor, clean, freshly painted, acceptable. Room for two persons is Pesos520 with ac and CR. If you want a tv, pay Pesos80. This is 1/2 block to a clean public market, 1.5 blocks to center where shopping malls and Jolibee is located. We stayed here for two nights.
Sunset taken from MV Maria Beatriz
The city we left behind
