After The Typhoon - Lots of Good News (from Nanay Jo)

I am sorry there was nothing posted for a while.  But we are catching up again now  :-)



After Typhoon Ruby passed over Verde Island on December 8th, some of the recently planted trees were blown down because they had not had time for their roots to anchor into the land.

So after the typhoon we started to replant them.  At the same time as replanting the trees, we planted more flowers too, and soon they will bloom and make our surroundings even more beautiful.

Orchids are grown by people all over Isla Verde and indeed the rest of the Philippines, and we have added some very pretty orchids to our landscape.

 A portion of our seawall was damaged, so we started to rebuild  it making sure it is thicker and much stronger.  We also widened the walking path, so it looks more relaxing and it is easier for visitors to sit on the pavement and let their legs hang over the edge so their feet can dip in the water at high tide, as they watch the sunset. 

  Typhoons are a scary experience when they hit, but it taught us that in a big storm like Ruby, the resort was safe.
The café, which is made of stone and cement, was safe, and even the kubos, which are bamboo and palm thatch, were not damaged.  

We expected in such a strong typhoon that perhaps we would have to repair those buildings.  It proves how traditional lifestyle and building fitted into the Philippines ecosystem, and is one of the reasons we chose Kubos for guest accommodation.

Visitors from other countries can experience a little piece of traditional culture, while the staff can teach them to sing the Kubo Song, and tell them about the meaning of this national song.

 On January 5th, Ate Tess, (my Sister Tess), came to visit her resort and inspected the progress.  She brought with her, some of her business staff and together for the first time they got to see how the overgrown block of land has changed into the beginnings of a pretty resort that still blends into the island. 

They could only stay for two nights because of other commitments, but there was time for them to enjoy some beautiful weather and to take many photographs and Tess was very pleased with the progress of the resort so far.

They enjoyed being able to sleep peacefully with the sounds of the waves and the gentle tropical sea breeze like a lullaby.  It is much better than any sleeping tablet!

The cafe is also becoming a mini art and cultural centre with some interesting displays. The latest addition is a small statue of a Samurai warrior, and alongside it, a Kabuto, the traditional Samurai head gear or helmet that was worn with Samurai armour.  



One of the highlights that early visitors to the resort are happy with is the cooking.  The meals are not fancy expensive meals that visitors cannot understand, or afford, but tasty attractive dishes created from foods available in season, and in various styles to suit a number of tastes.  Tess and her guests enjoyed the meals cooked and served to them at the café, and they discussed some plans to promote the resort locally and abroad, including online promotion.

We added a new feature, a Japanese bath tub in our resort, which our guests will enjoy, bathing as they have the view of the sea. 

There will be more about this traditional bath in another entry to be posted soon, and information about the Kabuto and some photographs .

Pictures and more posts are being prepared.  Please join us again soon to see!


from Nanay Jo, Tess, Papa and RossD.
Blog Post by Nanay Jo.