Boracay is such a wonderful place. And for almost a month I would experience the serenity of this paradise.At our condotel investment sales office, Nandana Boracay Resort, Inc., I have the perfect view of the sea. The gradient of blue as it goes from light todark, colors the sea while waves ripple and kiss the shore one by one. The wind whistles a soft melody that makes you throw away all your troubles in exchange of the tranquility it brings. And the sun shines so bright illuminating the crystal sea making its color livelier.  The scene makes me want to run and jump into the water and stay there all day (which I would do after I finish this blog). 

One of the things I need to do while I am in Boracay is to write a lot. Write about Boracay, write about things I see and experience. I have to blog and blog and blog and make use of the time I am here. Ambiance here is perfect for writers – it’s peaceful and quiet.People here live such a simple life.

I was sitting in our condotel investment sales office and was trying to think of something to write about when the sea called me to look at it. It was leisure for my eyes. As I was de-stressing my eyes with the view, I caught this peculiar woman by the shore.I noticed that this has been the same woman that I have seen for the past 3days. And I think she’s been doing the same thing for the past 3 days. She’s making sand castles.

I decided to turn the laptop offand do a little stretching and see what she’s been doing. I grabbed my videocam as I went out of the office. Fine sand cushioned my heels as I walked towards the woman who is shoveling sand into a bucket full of water. I turned on the videocam and recorded everything what she was doing. This is what I’m going to write about.

Apple at 40 years old seems to be young as she trowels sand as if they’re just fallen leaves. She’s been making sand castles for almost 15 years now and it has been her way of living ever since. She didn’t finish school and only managed to make it up to the 3^rdgrade. But when you look at her masterpieces, it seemed that she graduated from some refined art school.  For almost 2hours, armed only with bamboo sticks of varying width, together with her husband, she carefully molds and sculpts the sand to her desired shape. It’s a wonder watching her while she’s doing it because the sand appears to be like clay, slowly taking form easily. Sand castles are very popular photo souvenirs.You can have your picture taken with it and you don’t have to pay much for it.All you need to give is a little donation as appreciation for the efforts and talents of these locals.

According to Apple, she sent her only son to college using money she got from making sand castles. It’s not much but it did made ends meet. There are also competitions held for sand castle sculpting and her family holds the title as the best sand castle maker in Boracay. Apple makes sand castles everyday – as in EVERYDAY. And proof of that would be the date they sculpt into it. So when you take your photo, you have hard evidence that you were indeed in Boracay at that specific date.

She normally starts digging around late afternoon when the water has gone down. They can only do it during these times or else the sea will just wash the castle off. They normally finish around 6pm and they accent the castle with gas lamps to give light to it at night. When you walk by the shore at night time, you can’t help but notice these yellow flickering lights from the lamps. Before midnight or when there are no more people around, the castle will be demolished and the sand will be back to how it was before. Apple would then end her day and would start making her castles again tomorrow.

As I was talking to Apple, I found out that they are being reprimanded by town officials for making thesesand castles. There have been stories about putting tax on these sculptures and people who make it should have permits first before they can sculpt anything onthe beach. It’s actually saddening to hear such news because I find these sandcastles to be major tourist attractions and they do help in the tourism of Boracay.

It is now night time and Apple has finished her castle for the day. Now people are coming to admire her work and have their pictures taken with it. She even offers to operate the camera for tourists who came alone. She seem proud and every compliment washes away the tiredness she felt. I had Taygwer’s picture taken with one of Apple’s sandcastle. It will be his souvenir of his adventures in Boracay (but I might upload it when I get back in Manila).

I expect to see Apple again tomorrow, by the shores...with her sand castles of hope and dreams.

P.S. I will be posting pics as soon as i get back in Manila. This photo I got from the web is temporary only.