by the time we reached the shore of this island whose name i do not know except that it was where cudugnon cave was located, the sun meant serious business in pouring forth a little too much sunbeams down our faces and our backs it hurt. but then again, between a baking temperature and a rainy day, i’d take the former anytime i’m out visiting islands in el nido no less. otherwise, a rainy day suits me just fine.

the shore was pretty small. cozy, in fact. it’s perfect for those who don’t like to see too many people at any given place. i saw several nipa cottages there but i’m not sure if they were for rent or something. it wasn’t exactly a resort. maybe it was just a place to chill. i don’t know. the guides we were with were pretty shy and i didn’t want to bring them out of their shells simply to ask them what those nipa huts were there for. well, i could have, but the truth is, it never really crossed my mind. you know those times when you see things and you just kind of accept that they’re just there and you don’t really wonder much about the how’s and why’s of their existence? it was like that. i wasn’t exactly hungry for knowledge at the time. i was just hungy, period.

to get to the cave, you have to take a short walk in ankle-deep water, depending on the tide. it’s a relatively short walk so it’s cool. plus, the water’s soothing and the view beyond is pretty so there’s really nothing to complain about.

what you have every right to complain about, though, is the narrow opening of the cave. to really get inside the cave, you see that hole in the right photo? you have to squeeze yourself through that. yes, squeeze. because it’s really kind of tiny. the orange life jacket there is used as a cushion to prevent you from scraping your ass or whatever body part that comes in contact with the rock.

i don’t remember anymore how i made it inside or what calisthenics i performed but the moment i saw the opening, i seriously doubted if i was gonna fit. kuya ervin and aleth were already inside. if they did it, so could i. if there’s one thing cudugnon cave has the power to bring out in you, it’s the power of positive thinking! (aja!)

it has been said that this relatively small, smelly cave was once an ancient burial site as human bones and several artifacts were found here. they’re not there anymore. some of them were probably looted while the rest must have been preserved somewhere else; safe from the damaging curiosity of the human mind.

all in all, cudugnon cave is an interesting place to check out if you’re into spelunking or anthropology but caves aren’t really my thing. they do interest me to some degree but probably not as much as i am into old spanish-era houses. that’s just me, though. i subscribe to a different kind of drug.