Yanx and Vanz

" For some, t he river is just a body of water and nothing more. But for others, it is the source of food, livelihood and drinking water. For them, the river is life in itself" - yanx and vanz Boac River seen from the Bridge Do you remember the Marcopper incident during the '90s? We were very excited to visit Boac River after more than a decade and see for ourselves if there is any improvement after the Marcopper mine spill. Years ago, we were not allowed to go near the river due to possible effects of the mine spill. We still remember  severe skin irritation that our cousin experienced after swimming in the river. Upstream Few hours after we arrived at Marinduque, our father invited us to visit Boac River. It came as a shock since we know the warnings of our relatives. Lo and behold! Boac River slowly breathing life! Family portrait with Boac River as a background Before the Marcopper mine spill, the local folks remember the abundance of fis

" If you want a vibrant night life, don't go to Boac or any place in Marinduque for that matter. Chances are you would get bored and head to Manila the morning after. If you want a peaceful night and experience the countryside but still have little semblance of sub-urban living, the Town Proper of Boac is the place for you."  -  yanx and vanz Marinduque is sometimes referred to as the Heart of the Philippines due partly to it's shape and geographical location. Boac is the provincial capital of Marinduque. Since we are still mourning, we decided to take a closer look at Boac and skip other beautiful destinations of the province for the meantime. Grid pattern, anyone? Like any town proper in rural Philippines, the town proper of Boac seem to impose an automatic curfew on itself. Stores and restaurants are closed by 6PM save for a few establishments like Mercury Drug and some sari-sari stores. Streets are very peaceful except for some night owls

Marinduque from afar at dawn We have always wanted to visit Marinduque during the holy week in time for the Moriones Festival to trace our roots and check with our relatives living in the island. Catching the sunrise at Marinduque We made the trip to the island earlier than planned due to the death of our grandmother. With just a camera, few clothes, very small budget and limited knowledge about the island, we went as a couple for the first time.   GETTING THERE We learned that one can either take the plane or combination of bus and ferry to get to Marinduque. Zest Air offers flights to Gasan Airport. JAC Liner and JAM Liner offers trips to Lucena - Dalahican Port every 15 - 30 minutes from Kamuning/ Kamias (along EDSA) or Buendia terminal. Normally, trips to Lucena- Dalahican Pier lasts until 11PM except for JAC Liner at Alimall. Unfortunately, taking the plane is more expensive than taking the bus and ferry. We checked the Zest Air website and estimated