Southern Philippines

The Land Below the Wind

There’s no soft, spectacular sunset over Sabah this afternoon. No wisps of crimson, or feathery touches of pink.

Dusk is settling like a heavy orange yolk suffocating what’s already been an oppressive day. 

The mackerel-coloured sea is choppy, leading the small boats moored around the harbour in a syncopated dance. Their lights begin to come on…looking like fallen stars twinkling on the bobbing cobalt ocean.

The boardwalk is now dipped in colourful neon, and the stalls in the waterfront market begin to raise their rainbow tents. They look like the large colourful sails of the traditional vintas from Zamboanga in the southern Philippines. It’s where many of the vendors originate from. No surprise then that’s it now known as the "Filipino market".