My three-day training Cum Refresher and Solidarity Program for Coaches and Technical Officials of the 2024 Cebu Provincial Sports and Cultural Festival has just concluded today, Saturday 24th. (Yes, this is a 3-day-old blog, . . sorry, I didn’t have the chance to check for it once more due to how packed my schedule was.) As the name of the seminar suggests, I am one of the coaches and am lucky to be part of this refresher course, though not a refresher for me because this was my first time learning the know-how and the nook and cranny of Athletics Sport in a Provincial level. And I believe the whole training was very comprehensive for newbies like me. It was all I needed in this new hat I was wearing.
Well, in this blog, we will not be talking about the training for it might bore you (hehe) but instead, I'll share with you today a glimpse of the venue and the interesting things and activities that come with it.
For starters, I was having second thoughts about coming and joining this training, because aside from that it's 3 days long, and it also consumes my weekend, a time supposed to be spent cuddling and hugging my adorable 3-year-old daughter (Oh, how I miss her during the whole training🥹) and a mountain climb or a trekking maybe to destress and rejuvenate. Second, the training will be held a thousand miles away from home, I'm exaggerating things here, because it just felt that way!
So, I programmed and wired my mind that there is nothing to worry about the training but instead look at the positive side of it and find a Work-Life Balance during the training. And I was more than happy and grateful that Balamban, the venue never failed to provide me with this.
Balamban is one of the beautiful towns that is located in the Western Part of Cebu Province. This town is composed of vast lands and has majestic highlands with a very high altitude which made the town experience a fogging, a close to the sea of clouds experience. This is how I know Balamban and this is what makes my heart flutter every time I hear the town's name.
And sooooo, before every training day commenced, I seized the opportunity to walk around, meet locals in the morning before the sun could even shine, and witness the activities that made them bustling very early in the morning. And where could I find this? In the market and along the streets.
For two mornings I stayed in Balamban, and I got to learn and discover the life of this town. Knowing Balamban, which is secluded and mostly composed of mountains, I was surprised to discover that the Poblacion, or center of the town appears like that of the big cities of Cebu and how lively its market is in the morning.
I started my stroll at 6:30 AM to see how beautiful, calm, and crisp the morning was in this town. I started hiking in the oval which I was able to finish 7 laps and then I went straight ahead to its seaport to enjoy the morning view.
It was seldom, as in once in a blue moon for someone like me who lives in an area surrounded by mountains to hike along the sea, so the view that I witnessed at that time was so very calming and beautiful. The whole morning view brought relief and comfort to me.
As for the activity in the morning sea, I saw only 2 fishing boats; one docked on the side and the other was a small one with fishermen busy catching the fish. I wonder if it's for their breakfast or if is it for sale.
The other fascinating thing I learned about this town, is how busy the morning could get in their market. For the two mornings that I hiked in the Market area, it was always filled with a vibrant scene of locals, sellers, and vendors busy unloading their fresh vegetable harvests.
Locals are unloading their various crops and arranging them in the market. I was surprised to see an activity like this as this is only possible in big markets just like in cities.
And there I learned that Balamban town is one of the suppliers of vegetables in the province of Cebu. Because of the town's cold temperature, growing vegetables and flowers have become abundant providing the people their livelihood.
And so that is why, the market always gets the "TABO" Vibe almost every morning because of the abundant supplies the town has!
On my strolls, I was able to see how the people of Balamban get super energetic and bustling very early in the morning morning which also reflects the livelihood and status of the town.
On this walk, I was not only energized but more so, I was able to discover a part of the town and its activity. Indeed, through this early morning walk, everything has twice its usual value!
📚She is a public school Teacher on weekdays, a Jill of all trades on weekends, outdoorsy on holidays, a mother, and a blogger in between. 😉
🍃She's in love with nature and the simple life of the countryside. As a lifelong learner, as she is, she is attracted to learning opportunities and growth. ❤️Join her as she shares life's simple joy and its beauty through traveling, exploring nature, the wonders of creating things through some of her DIY, the good things about countryside life, a glimpse of being a Public School Teacher, and more!
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