Bohol Island is a small island, shaped like a potato, only about 60 km across. Its over a million inhabitants have to make do with whatever available realty for agriculture in the hope of being self-sufficient. Some ricefields were made out of what was once a part of the sea -- swamps! Almost 100 smaller islands dot its periphery, and there are cases in which smaller islands have been fused into the main island. Just imagine Panglao Island - only a few meters separate it from the main Bohol island at Tagbilaran - with its narrow channel drained of seawater. My place on the eastern part of Bohol island has a similar situation, something like this: It was once an island that had swamps -- therefore, had seawater around it. Then, within historic times, the seawater ceased to reach some swamp areas, the island fused with the main Bohol island, and a connecting road was made possible. Soon, people made ricefields on the dried-up swamps. In June, when the tide is highest (coincides with the feast of San Juan), seawater reaches these ricefields. Well, the connecting road needs no bridge at these times, because the seawater is just as if a brief heavy rain has occurred.
Bohol Island is a small island, shaped like a potato, only about 60 km across. Its over a million inhabitants have to make do with whatever available realty for agriculture in the hope of being self-sufficient. Some ricefields were made out of what was once a part of the sea -- swamps!
Almost 100 smaller islands dot its periphery, and there are cases in which smaller islands have been fused into the main island. Just imagine Panglao Island - only a few meters separate it from the main Bohol island at Tagbilaran - with its narrow channel drained of seawater.
My place on the eastern part of Bohol island has a similar situation, something like this:
It was once an island that had swamps -- therefore, had seawater around it. Then, within historic times, the seawater ceased to reach some swamp areas, the island fused with the main Bohol island, and a connecting road was made possible. Soon, people made ricefields on the dried-up swamps.
In June, when the tide is highest (coincides with the feast of San Juan), seawater reaches these ricefields. Well, the connecting road needs no bridge at these times, because the seawater is just as if a brief heavy rain has occurred.