Mindoro Excavation

Last February, I was lucky to have been invited to the on-going archaeological excavation in Mindoro. I've been wanting to go but I'm a bit shy in asserting that to the project director even though he had helped me before in my lithics paper and in return I arranged his books and created a digital inventory of his collection.

a statue of the tamaraw outside the airport

The moment I stepped out of the airport feeling a bit sick because I just had my period early in the morning before my flight, I was greeted by a statue of a tamaraw and I was excited. I was thinking that I should see a tamaraw during my ten-day stay in Mindoro but that didn't happen, unfortunately.

Ilin Island where Bubog I and II are located

Right on my first day, I was tasked to carry excavation tools aside from my personal belongings up to the site in Belat Cave. It hurt a little and I curse at my girlhood for being such a nuisance to activities I love best. Still I carried on and never whined about my condition until we were safely in the resort because I had need of sanitary napkins!

The trench in Bubog I where we got sediment samples per layer

On the second day, I was glad that I was assigned in Bubog II in Ilin Island. After working there, we were treated to beach time! Yay! So glad I brought my swimwear with me.

Ah the ship... I mean banca

Photo of a volunteer by yours truly: super proud to have done this :)

We have the freshest seafood and other food for lunch prepared by our local boys. Sometimes we have grilled fish, sometimes ensalada which was awesome (to think I don't normally eat ensalada in Manila), sometimes we have grilled pork... And the sauce that the locals make are soooo good! I never have any want in energy because we ate healthily. We even had crabs on my first day there. It was such a pleasant surprise.

sea urchins, gecko?, various shells recovered from Bubog II

sunset at a nameless sandbar: stopover before returning to the resort

a dramatic shot of sunset

What I will certainly miss about the Mindoro excavation is... Okay scrap that. I miss so many things in Mindoro. The weather, the sunsets, the funny and witty German director, the visiting archaeologist from Germany who also speaks Spanish and French so we got to practice those languages together (and I visited her in Mexico), the food (fresh seafood!!!), the beaches (who doesn't love the beach?),  oh and simply being able to wield the trowel and be an archaeologist again! I love doing permatraces. I would love to really master the total station.

local kiddoes who greet us everytime we return to the resort

a view from my hidden sanctuary in Inasakan Beach also in Ilin Island but on the other side of the Bubog sites

Hoping to be able to participate in next year's excavations. I was again invited this July but I chose to attend the conference in Mexico and promised the director that I will definitely join next time. Beautiful Mindoro will always be special in my heart. Also, did I mention that what I love about the project is that it's got not many volunteers so I'm not stressed with people that much.

sunset at Inasakan Beach