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Cebu: Where My Camera Got Sweaty and My Soul Got Wet

@Sarah Bloom3/1/2026blog
Cebu: Where My Camera Got Sweaty and My Soul Got Wet

okay so i landed in cebu with my film camera and two bottles of insect repellent-classic overpacker move. the air hit me like a wet sponge right outside *mactan airport, and honestly? i lived for it. i just checked and it's... 87% humidity so thick you could spread it on toast, perfect for that dewy skin everyone raves about. locals call it the 'sweat tax' for breathing here.

person wearing gold and blue bracelets


my first morning was a blur of lechon grease and tricycle rides. driver pedaled like his life depended on it (maybe it did?) while i gripped my camera like a baby bird. passed fort san pedro with its stone walls sweating history, and some guy in a stained tank top yelled 'tourist tax!' at me. heard that the real magic's in the back alleys near carbon market-where they say you can haggle a whole roasted pig down to the price of a beer.

a dog walking along a wall next to a body of water


if you get bored, oslob and moalboal are just a short drive away-think whale sharks and sardine tornadoes. someone told me the snorkel guides in oslob feed the sharks bread, which feels... ethically iffy? but then again, when a 20-foot shadow glides under your snorkel, you kinda forget your principles.


nighttime meant street food karaoke wars in larsian bbq. heard that foreigners who try to eat silog like locals end up crying into their vinegar-drenched rice. i did it anyway. the garlic rice alone made me weep tears of joy.

sea turtle underwater photography


currently nursing a mango shake while my film dries in the humidity. found this dive bar called poblado bar where the owner claims he once made a sandwich with durian and hotdogs. didn't try it-camera gear was too precious. but the local gossip? he's also a retired smuggler who hides rum in coconut shells. crazy right? anyway, off to shoot sunset at kawasan falls*. heard the water’s so cold it’ll reset your brain cells. worth the trek? you decide.

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About the author: Sarah Bloom

Collecting ideas and sharing the best ones with you.

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