Feeling a little sad and disappointed for not being able to take pictures of the famous Bolinao Falls, we drove back to our accommodation house.

It was around 5:00 when we got back to our lodge and we went to the beach again. This time, the waves were even bigger because it was already high tide time. The sun was setting and there was the spectacular view in the sky—the  late December sky, looking so mighty and high, was bathed in clouds that were showing off the beauty of the tropical sunset—-orange, yellow, blue, gray, pink—against the giant blue waves with white foams.

I could not take a picture of the sunset I am now writing about. We did not expect to see such a beautiful sight. Besides, we wanted to play in the water so we did not bring any camera. The picture I posted here is NOT the same sunset that we saw. This sunset picture was taken during my solo trip in the same place in April 2019, again of course using my 2008 Panasonic Lumix Digital Camera.

For a while, Lee and I forgot all about the big wave that were crashing on our face and we just stood there in awe, admiring, almost breathlessly, the beauty in the sky.

Finally, the sky turned a little gray and dark. The bright pink and red sun was sinking into the horizon.

Lee and I played in the waves again. The waves were bigger and rougher than they were in the morning.  We played the same stupid game again, the I-will -dive –for- some –seaweeds- and –smash- them –into- your- face game. We eagerly waited for the big, big waves to come and smash us again. We were screaming “Onda! Onda!” repeatedly, which means “It’s coming! It’s coming!” in Korean. When Lee got tired, he went to the beige sand and lay there down to have some peace even for a while.

And then, I saw it, I saw every detail of it.  A big, big wave came crashing to the shore and it COMPLETELY covered Lee for almost 10  seconds. I did not know why it took so long for the wave to stay ashore and go back to the ocean. I could not see any part of Lee for seven seconds, I could only see a mixture of foamy water and beige sand everywhere.  The waves just stayed there, taking their sweet time, covering the area along with the massive man named Lee. And then finally, there… I could see him moving, albeit totally covered with sand, like a beige zombie, crawling, struggling to go back to the water to wash of the sand while I was watching him, almost suffocating, my lungs almost collapsing because of  uncontrolled laughter. I knew it was not a laughing matter but I couldn’t help it.

He sat down for about 4 seconds underwater so that the water would shake off the sand and seaweeds. Just as he stood up, a very big wave hit the back of his head and as a split second reaction, he looked back but as he looked back, the right side of his face was slapped by yet another big wave. With clenched fists he looked at the sky as if to protest, and his saliva oozed out from the right corner of his mouth.  I had another good laugh that almost collapsed my lungs. I was laughing so hard that I did not notice that mucus was already flowing out from my right nostril. It was Lee’s turn to be grossed out.

We played some more but it was already dark and the waves started to look like monsters. Lee said that it was time to go back to our accommodation. At the lodge, we again ate the leftover rice and sinigang which, until up to that point, miraculously did not go bad. Lee drank soju as usual and I drank pineapple juice as usual.

After I cleaned the room that Lee messed up, we exchanged good nights and off to dreamland we went.