Undecided



The weather was rather overcast so we delayed our decision to go kayaking. We went for a walk through the village and the 'Pastor', who is also a tour guide saw us. He asked if we liked coffee as apparently he had come to our accommodation this morning so we could try some of his local coffee. We said we drank coffee any time so he said at some point he would bring his 'coffee tour' to us.
We carried on walking around the bay and not long after, the Pastor returned, with his mobile coffee tasting. He explained the beans are grown on the other side of the island, he showed us the freshly picked beans and the ones he had roasted and then the ground ones. He made us a coffee whilst we sat on the sea wall, it was rather good.
He then told us about the history of his family, with both his grandmothers having had leprosy. He explained that when he was at elementary school every 6 months all the children were lined up and checked for lesions by a prick test. If they found anything they would first poke it with a folded piece of paper and the children had to say whether they could feel it or not. They would then prick it with a sharp point and if they could not feel it they were segregated as it was likely they had leprosy. He said the children who could feel the prick were given sweets and the ones who couldn't were given chocolate!
He then told us about various snorkelling places around the island and the possibility of getting a private bangka back to Coron, stopping to snorkel along the way.  He told us of a Dutch man who runs dive trips and suggest we spoke with him.  We headed off to find the Dutch man but he was just going out and asked us to come back later.
We headed back to our accommodation and decided to go kayaking to the other side of the bay to a reef known as Crowning Glory. We hired 2 sit in kayaks from the accommodation next door and off we set. 
It was lovely and calm but still overcast.  Once on the other side we donned our snorkelling gear and got into the lovely warm water.  We swam over some sea weed before reaching the reef.  It was very pretty, lots of  colourful hard coral but a distinct lack of fish!  We saw a few clown fish and some puffer fish but none of the usual colourful reef fish... very strange. We then had a leisurely kayak back, waving at all the local fisherman in their bangkas who were also making their way back.
After showering we headed back to see the Dutch man.  Unfortunately it turned out it was not possible to visit the 2 snorkelling sites we wanted to see, combined with a trip back to Coron as one of the sites was completely out of the way... we therefore decided to stick with the local ferry.  
Back at the accommodation we settled our bills as we would now have to be at the ferry port by 7am.... Luckily it is only 100m from where we are staying!  Then followed the usual routine of food and a movie as there is no night life in Culion.  By 8pm the streets are empty!


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