Siquijor, also called Isla del Fuego (Island of Fire) by the Spaniards before, is a small island in Central Visayas known (or probably "infamous") for mysticism and magic. Black magic to be more precise.

Mention the name of the island and most Filipinos would associate it with witchcraft and black magic.  In fact during the Holy Week, throngs of "healers"/shamans and sorcerers (and other practitioners of the black art) would flock to the island to make their potions and healing materials during Good Friday and Black Saturday.  A huge poster that welcomes visitors in Siquijor's pier includes a warning about activities related to black magic.

I have always been fascinated with mangroves - they are sturdy and resilient against the harsh waves and winds that sometimes battered them. They stood there silently, as if watching guard.

A recent trip of Siquijor gave me the opportunity to explore "The City of Gentle People" even for just a couple of hours.

Two days of idling by the lake side just after sunrise, having coffee and striking a conversation with some of the fisher folks so that they'll let me in their property and shoot at their "front yard".

I love these lotus flowers, interesting things they are, only opening up for a few hours after sunrise. Just before noon, they close their beautiful flowers, as if saying: "Tomorrow again".

Another church to visit in Siquijor, if you are doing a "vista iglesia" during the Holy Week, is the Larena Church. I purposely did not include in the the post "siquijor churches: on the heritage trail" because the church is fairly new, except for the original bell tower some distance away from the current church.

For an island mostly known unfortunately for its black magic and witchcraft, Siquijor sure has some of the most beautiful churches I've seen. People flock to the island during the Holy Week for the wrong reasons: trying getting a glimpse of the black magic. But I hope folks who find themselves on this beautiful island during the culmination of the Lenten season would do the Filipino tradition of "visita iglesia" instead.