Speaking of beaches, the Philippines is endowed with many.  What with the 7,107 islands on low tides and 7,100 during high tides, one can just have so many options to look up to.  So, last weekend, by unanimous decision, my family decided to spend a day in the nearby Gumasa beach, about an hour drive from where we are, Gensan City.

Undeniably, the white sand beach of Gumasa is a far cry from the world-class Boracay beaches in Caticlan, Aklan. But it’s the cheaper alternative hereabouts.  No fancy hotels, foreigners, cottages and bars.  Just plain, natural white sand beach with affordable native-inspired budget rooms and food suited for lowly government employees trying out a little luxury take home pay can buy.

So, when we reached the area, we settled at Coco Beach Resort, one of the budding resorts being developed in the area.

An open cottage of this type costs around 500 pesos (USD 10).

We chose this type,  cost  us only 200 pesos (around USD 5)…ha ha ha, cheap? You haven’t seen the best yet.

The magic of seaside breeze is truly a gift of mother -nature to mankind.  Value-added on  the physical and mental relaxation you get when lying down on the shore is the chance to make bonding with the children, whose school schedule and requirements so cardiac nowadays, and with dear wife, who lately, had been nagging me for a date, alone,  with the kids…

But surprise of all surprises is meeting a long lost relative in an unlikely place such as Coco Beach.   Perhaps,  not long lost but, more accurately, a newly found relative,  Dr. Delfin Besquillo, Jr., whom I never had a chance to meet  before.  He’s  a retired skin doctor a la Vicky Belo, according to him.  Now, a senior citizen at 78 years of age who finally decided to spend his retirement days developing a beach resort.  Ironically, he owns Coco Beach!

It’s like this.  My late paternal grandfather Juan, may his soul rest in peace, was such a Valentino in his younger days had  he had three wives.  Not at the same time, of course, but successively married  one after the other.  In his first wife, he had 3 children and one of whom was the mother of my aforesaid cousin, Dr. Besquillo   My father was an offspring of my grandpa Juan with his third wife, Grandma Vida…That makes me and Dr. Delfin Besquillo, Jr.  first degree step-cousins…proud descendants  of the great playboy Grandpa Juan…  Interestingly, he looked so closely similar with my late father that I had goose-bumps looking at him.

So, by late afternoon, after a few hours of catching up family affairs with cousin Doc over some bottles of San Miguel Lights, plus tuna sashimi and  grilled panga (tuna jaw) and after finding my kids sun-burnt already , we decided it was  time to head back home.

Whew, what a day…It’s not only that I found a relative and a father incarnate in one person, I did get 50% discount off the regular rate everytime I show up there, courtesy of cousin Doc!   Lol…You never can tell what will happen in any one day away from home. It was one unforgettable weekend for my family.

In fairness, I love Coco Beach…

Thank You for reading at Bottom Lines. I look forward to your return visit.