EXCITED

I am getting excited about our trip to Bohol! I have already started packing and even if Ruther does not share my enthusiasm in that regard, I'm still psyched that in 4 days, I'll be hitting the beach, soaking up the sun and just spending quality time with my family. Ooooohhh... Am I like, drooling?

Anyway, Chocolate Hills and visiting the Tarsiers are the ones I am looking forward the most when we'll have our nature/historical tour. Here are some tidbits about those:


Chocolate Hills

The Chocolate Hills is an unusual geological formation in Bohol, Philippines. It is composed of around 1,268 perfectly cone-shaped hills of about the same size, spread over an area of more than 50 square kilometers. They are covered in green grass that turns brown during the dry season, hence the name.

The Chocolate Hills is a famous tourist attraction of Bohol. It is featured in the provincial flag and seal to symbolize the abundance of natural attraction in the province. It is also in the Philippine Tourism Authority's list of tourist destinations in the Philippines.

How the hills were formed according to legend

The first legend tells the story of two feuding giants who, in battling with each other, hurled rocks, boulders and sand trying to destroy their foe. This fighting lasted days and exhausted the two giants. In their exhaustion, they forgot about their feud and became friends that when they left, they forgot to clean up their mess in the battlefield, hence the Chocolate Hills.

The much more romantic legend tells of a giant named Arogo who was extremely powerful and youthful. Arogo fell in love with Aloya who was a simple mortal. Aloya’s death caused Arogo much pain and misery that in his sorrow, he could not stop crying. When his tears dried the Chocolate Hills were formed. (Wikipedia)


Tarsiers

The Philippine Tarsier (Tarsius syrichta), known locally as the Mawmag in Cebuano/Visayan, is an endangered tarsier species endemic to the Philippines. It is found in the southeastern part of the archipelago, particularly in the provinces of Bohol, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao, Philippines. Its name is derived from its elongated "tarsus" or ankle bone.

Its geographic range also includes Maripipi Island, Siargao Island, Basilan Island and Dinagat Island. Tarsiers have also been reported in Sarangani, although they may be different subspecies. Believed to be about 45 million years old, and perhaps one of the oldest land species to continuously live in the Philippines, it was only introduced to western biologists in the 18th century.