Marie is a Chinese doctor, who teaches German language in Taiwan. She always comes to Mnila for her holiday, but this year she didn't realize her passport was due to expire soon. When she saw that it was close to expiry, she went to the Swiss Embassy in Manila to renew her passport, the Consulate told her she could still stay for a three month holiday in Manila. So Marie began looking for a place near Manila where she could have a 'staycation'. After checking Google, she found our resort and sent me an email, then booked a five day stay with us.
I met her in Tabangao, and while waiting for the boat we had an interesting conversation. She is a cheerful person and not shy, so there were no no dull moments when we were together.
On her first day, after having her lunch she took a walk in the local community with Hikaru as her guide. Hikaru showed to her the rural life in Isla. When they were in Mahabang Buhangin, they passed the house of Gean, who is celebrating her birthday and she invited them to eat and since Marie doesn't eat red meat Gean offered her a cake.
Marie does not eat red meat, but does eat fish so because she loves fish, I prepared some special food for her. Stuffed milkfish with green veggie salad, tuna cooked in cocunut milk with radish salad, grilled cunning fish with Japanese sauce, sarciado, a fish fried and sauteed with tomatoes, onions and eggs, fried fish with eggplant salad, carbonara with deep fried fillet and the Isla Verde express, its a seafood prawns, squid, clams with cocunut milk hot and spicy. For veggies she had a taste of sauteed mixed veggies, brocolli with mushroom and oyster sauce, Sayote with tomatoes and she likes miso soup very much. Marie said that the food at our resord was delicious.
Marie, brought a diary with her, where she writes her daily activities. She even showed to me some paintings of a few of the fishes she saw while snorkelling and of the boat she had in coming here, the St. Paul.
She was fond of snorkelling with Niña and Hikaru. They went different spots for snorkelling and never tired of swimming everyday and enjoyed watching schools of fish and star fish among the rocks and corals.
Niña took Marie to visit their place. While she was there, Marie had a taste of coconut. It was a new experience for her and happily she liked the coconut juice and ate the coconut meat She even asked Niña to bring some back to the resort.
And before she left, she wrote something in our Visitor's Book:
"I stayed on Isla Verde for five days and I enjoyed it so much
Tita Jo's food is delicious and everyday I went snorkelling with Niña. Jaka alwaya set a very romantuc table and the sunsets are stunning. When I woke up at night I saw the milkyway and little Jaro who is still a puppy but who guarded my tent very well.
I will dream of yhe blue, blue sea and the colorful fish when I'm back in Taiwan anf hope I can come back next year.
Marie Louisr Martina Marbach
Switzerland"
