Makati City, Philippines
I've been sending cheap cameras out to net pals all over the world in the last 3 months or so and the photos coming in now are good enough to show off a bit.
It's a genuine challenge for both the photographer and for me in getting their skills up to speed, many of whom have never taken pictures before even with film cameras, let alone a digital. The camera itself is just a cheapie and has specific limits and weaknesses. It took a lot of trial and error for me to be able to get good photos out of this model camera. Having exactly the same style and model here with me that was sent, I was able to immediately spot technical fixes for symptoms seen in the images coming in.
It's also true that some people just have a knack for taking good photos while others do not.
Anyway, these are from the Philippines. There are more available here than you would ever care to see but I thought you might appreciate these.
Look at the billboards. The one to the right is an ad for "Desparate Housewives". Interesting. The second is just a shot of some of the trees there. Very cool
These are shots of the Philippine "Jeepnys" . Part Jeep, but mostly bus. This is the cheap way around metro city Philippines. The street scenes of the cars are of particular interest to me. Everything is small. :)
Nice pics.
It would seem your shooter likes to shoot down from a height.
I'll pass the compliment on to her. The overall quality of her shots have improved greatly in a very short time.
As for the angle, there is a walkway that runs around the malls. Many of these shots were taken from there. A few of the others were taken from the train station walkway.
Here are a few shots of the walkway.
Bravo on the concept, Slang. More! I think the results are quite passable. Thanks for the careful work and consideration in putting these here. Seeing people's pics from around the world is one of The Cellar's most satisfying aspects for me.
What cameras, how cheap, and where sourced? Reply in private if you don't want to reveal in public?
Remimd me to tell you about a jeepny ride from hell some time ,
Dude do you have the collection posted any where , like Flickr ???
Dam Zip. I just get here to Makati city and what do I find? Seems like you've made quite an impression on the Philippines. Dont worry though, what happens in the Philippines stays in the Philippines. :)
Hey if anyone wants photos of something specific that wont get me arrested or sent directly to HELL, let me know. This is a very interesting place and I'll be here for a long time. I have enough batteries and memory cards to take about 650 million photos so sound off if you are looking for something specific.
Don't bother my sweat shop workers !!!!!!!
Can you take some pictures of street food vendors? And markets...?
Partly because I like looking at other people's dinner, but also because I think the way people cook & sell food is a good introduction to their culture.
Zip - I havent found much middle between rich and poor here. If you have a job of **any** (legal) kind, your a step ahead of most people.
SG - Yes, I'll get exactly those sorts of photos as this type of thing also interests me. It grosses me out and makes me vomit sometimes too but it's interesting in a car wreck sort of way.
The only photo to post right now is lame and not even of the Philippine Islands but Japan from quite a distance up from the flight into Narita airport.
More to come.
Slang , you HAVE to try the Monkey meat on a stick !!!!!
A little BBQ sauce and Chim Chim on a stick tastes pretty damn good !!!
Slang, if you wanted Philippines, my best friend over there could give you Philippines to make your head spin. And Luisa already knew how to take pictures.
Nothing against your pen pal, but did you have any idea that she has only photographed the ONE enclave in the entire country which is fit to live it? The rest of Manila, all 10 million plus inhabitants, is crumbling infrastructure, open sewers and incredible filth, shacks built in the middle of streets, total gridlock in the midst of crater-like potholes, armed roberies in broad daylight on crowded sidewalks and in malls, more than 50% of the city is homeless, and diseased people wander the streets freely, going to the bathroom anywhere they feel like it.
Makati is the expat area, where NON-NATIVES live and shop in heavily-guarded gated communities with 10-foot walls. Makati is the only place in Manila where consumer goods of any quality are available (for astronomical prices), and likewise where PEOPLE of any quality can be found, so that is why the insurgents target this place. In their near-yearly coup attempts they always try to blow up Makati, and a few years ago there was a major gun battle to recapture the hotel there. Nope, Makati is not the Philippines. No more than if you took photos of Rodeo Drive in LA and never saw Watts.
P.S. Guess what I am giving my Filipina friend for Christmas this year? The stun gun everybody reccommended and several martial arts VCR classes.
Hi Sundae Girl. Listen, Filipino food is not for the faint of heart and stomach. If you thought the food served on Fear Factor was bad, you have not dared to try eating the local Filipino delicacies like Dinuguan (pork blood with pork entrails like liver and spleen) which are usually served to guests at home in a formal meal setting. There is also Kilawin (spleen stir fried with white raddish).
If you get hungry for a snack in the street, there is always Adiddas ( grilled chicken feet), Bituka ng manok (Grilled chicken intestines), Grilled pork blood, Fried chicken bottoms/ tails, and the ever popular Balut (unsuccessfully hatched chicken eggs steamed to become soupy), Let's not forget the Penoy (duck egg fried in an orange batter and dipped in chili vinegar). that's just the tip of the "street food" iceberg. In fact, there are 2 streets in Manila, Quiapo and Blumentritt, that are lined with vendors and their pushcarts hawking the above wares. These 2 places would be the place to go to get the best pictures of local street food and more. both places are about an hour or 2 away from Makati. Provided your driver knows where to go.
If you are in the mood for local rice soup, you can always try the pushcarts in Blumentritt and try the Lugao (sticky rice) with pork or beef intestines. Another place to get good pictures of people enjoying a street meal is the local wet market. They have food stalls there that serve stuff even I don't recognize. But the people there eat with gusto anyway.
I could go on and on about the local street food but I warn anyone who wishes to try it, proceed with caution. These foods are not exactly cooked under the most hygenic circumstances. The food is cooked in the middle of the street and tends to soak up the pollution from the passing cars. The ones served at the local wet market are somewhat cleaner but then the air is not that good to breath as you have to figure out what that scent in the air is. Ameboiasis and Hepatitis are a real threat when ingesting these foods.
The places and food I mentioned above will never be found in the Makati area. Makati is an expat district and the government wants them to think that the country is all lollipops and roses. The places I told you about are the places the government wishes would get swallowed up by a typhoon one time. It is an embarassment to them and they would rather sweep it under the rug. I can get pictures of these places for anybody who wants to see it. The things I mentioned above usually make it to CNN as part of a special report on the hardships of Filipino living documentaries. You will have to see it with your own eyes to believe such foods are eaten by human beings. Usually, the street food is eaten by people who can't afford anything else.
To eat the best of the HEALTHY local food like various sinigang (sour soup) dishes, pinakbet (Mixed Filipino vegetables in coconut cream) and local ensiladas (salads), it would be best to ask your host family to prepare a meal for you or trek to the local Barrio Fiesta or Kamayan restaurant. These 2 restaurants serve the best of Home Filipino cooking in a Fiesta atmosphere. Those restaurants are frequently visited by the tourists and expats. That I would highly recommend.
Can you take some pictures of street food vendors? And markets...?
Partly because I like looking at other people's dinner, but also because I think the way people cook & sell food is a good introduction to their culture.
:yum: :worried:
SG - ( this keyboard is nearly worthless, please keep that in mind will all replies ) i went out into the city today and found the things that you asked for .....and more. Some very intersting and some very frightening food items to be sure.
i dont have the data cable for the cam now but those pics are coming soon.
Zip - the chances of me eating monkey on a stick are approximately the same as me throwing this hotel over my left shoulder in the next 3 seconds. Sounds wonderful, but i'll pass. nothing personal.
Tonchi - i'm aware that this place is not utopia in any stretch of the imagination. Yes, makati is a protected city. No, i'm not too sexy to get away from here and see what life is really like. We went to pembo yesterday as her relatives are from there and LaUnion. Not at all a great place to live but great people there. I've been well cared for here so far and everyone is very friendly and helpful.
it seems likely that even pembo is a "nice place" compared to what's out there but i'm not here to bask in the sun on bleached white sand. I'm not here for the comforts and sights of the US, i can experience those back home. I'm here to meet people and learn what this place is about, good and bad.
Do i have the expectation that all filipinos are going to be great to me, no. Will that prevent me from experiencing life here for what it really is and not some tourist ad, no.
i'm a big mother fucker and have been in hotspots before. while it's obvious from my smile and general manner that i'm here to be friends, it's sometimes obvious that i'm not here to be fucked with either.
it's funny how things work out for me on these trips. The police officers are "safer" to talk with than most others and often have a bit of time to make suggestions regarding what to expect in a given area. Sometimes they even come with me ( off duty ) on my photo exploration strolls.
luisa - as for the faint of heart and stomach, i agree totally and everyone will soon know what we are both saying from the photos that will be posted of these native "food items" :)
it's 3;10 am here now and i have to go get ready to heckle the sweatshop workers at Zippy International.
slang: Get a job! Get a real job and stop smoking those cigarettes, you dont want to stunt your growth, do you? :D
not reality but sounded funny in my head.
See you all later.
Slang, it's good to know that you are one big mo fo, and you are right, that will protect you in many subtle ways. You have discovered the most important way to operate in the Philippines: Intimidation. They are used to being threatened and mistreated there, it is deeply ingrained in that culture. So if anybody even looks like they could enforce their will, people will automatically get out of his way. Money is a key also. You could be on a shoestring by US terms but you will seem to be a god to the people there. The problem with money, though, is that although the people will defer to you and smile and offer you all kinds of considerations, their drive is to separate as much of that money from you as quickly as possible. I have discovered over the last 8 years that their generosity is very two-faced. What they are doing is creating a "debt" which you will owe them FOREVER. Luisa has told me about traditional social relationships there which guarantee your debt to a person or clan who has "helped you out" unto the third generation of your descendants. Filipinos will hotly deny this if confronted, then they will talk bitterly about your "ingratitude" behind your back and will slander you to the neighbors.
Please understand that I am in no way profiling your hosts, I don't know them and can't in any way tell you what they are thinking or how they were raised. After all, my best friend and sister is Filipina, and she is as fine and honest a person as I have ever known, although she will be the first to admit that she is deeply hated by many in her extended family because those characteristics are an obstruction rather than a virtue in their view. Your judgment of people must be finely honed by now, anyway, and I sense your appreciation of individuals and their diversity. There are still some fine people inside that society, and those who worked with the Americans when they were in charge are in much better shape to deal with now. But the majority of the country operates on the most depressing Third World level and seem determined to sink even lower. Poverty, filth and ignorance, when there is no exotic jungle/tribal setting, is just best avoided. This is unfortunately what "modern life" in sprawling cities has done to so many cultures around the world.
Dude you ain't got a hair one on your as if you don't eat at least ONE Balut while you are there !!!!
I assume that zippyt is aware that the locals say the balut increases your sexual potency? :D
Although why scarfing down a chicken hatchling which has been boiled alive in the shell is going to increase virility .... guess it must be sufficient for a Filipino. At least they aren't running around hacking the penises off tigers like the Chinese do :neutral:
Balut,,
It makes you STRONG like BULL !!!!!!!
Tonchi - you have some good points to consider but there is no time for me to write a decent reply AND get these photos posted.
Zip - just call me "hairless ass" then man. Some things can be done, others just cant. Maybe if there was some type of reward but even then, it'd be iffy.
Severed pig's head; it's what's for dinner. Looks yummy doesnt it?
Those people that were boiling the pig's head invited me for dinner. It was tempting as you might imagine but I had to politely decline.
Welcome to Manila, please ride our silly horsecarriages because without those tourists doing so they might starve.
The funny thing about this photo op was that the driver had come over to talk to us as we were facing the opposite direction. As he said "that's my horse and carriage over there", while pointing in that direction, the horse was urinating a large puddle.
Perfect timing. No closeup of the puddle though, sorry.
It's cold there in the states now but it's hot here. Hot and humid. The water here is supposedly potable but we all know that an American cant drink it without being on the can for hours and hours.
This is my slang sized water barrel. Not a bad size for $1.25, 6 litres.
This woman caught my attention. She's just washing a dog but the dog looked so annoyed by the bath that it was quite funny.
This area of Makati might be "middle class" but the whole area looked like something out of a horror film.
The people there were friendly and didnt seem to mind if I took their pictures if I'd ask first.
This is just one of another new friends I have here now. This one, "Eddy boy" was drinking a beer sitting outside his home. Oh, and he had a fish with him. Who am I to think it's strange to be drinking a beer, smoking cigarettes with a fish out next to the street at 6 am.
Very nice fellow but wouldnt take no for an answer for drinking a beer with him. The fish was kinda cool too.
This is per SG's request although I dont have what the foods are. The first one has a patron at an open air diner eating what looked to be bleeding worms.
I had my translator ask him something about the food and he asked that I take his photo so that he "can go to the US", if only in pictures.
Cast iron stomach AND a sense of humor.
The second photo is from a vendor's cart in the Korean section. I was told what the packages are but they were so strange I forgot them.
The vendor thought it was quite funny that we'd want photos but my shyness about getting strange pictures has long passed.
This is just outside the hotel. It's a very interesting place at night with many interesting people wandering around.
Hot looking women never seemed to be so interested in me back home. I must be more interesting and handsome with age. :D
Most of the people here seem to want to be included with the photo somehow. If they see me taking a photo of something of theirs, like the motorcylce here, they want to be in that picture too.
Much different from the US.
The glass cleaner/ squeegee guy just asked as we were passing, "hey are you going to take my photo too".
How could I deny such a hardworking and friendly guy?
Thanks for you attention and interest. Thanks to Mr Toad too for the server space.
dude put up a flickr site then you won't be burning up UT's server space ,,, just hyperlink the pics .
Hogs head soup ,,,,,,,,, Yummmmy !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Get some pics of the girls intrested in you in front of the hotel !!!
Gosh, Slang, the food you photographed looks really appetizing and certainly no more dangerous than I have seen in Mexican mercados many times. They have wrapped it very nicely, and that helps a lot because in the wet markets you have to beat the flies off the food in order to examine it. One of the things I hope you can photograph is the LECHON, the roasted piglets which are tremendously popular there for parties. They are truly delicious, but you have to purchase the one you want before it has been standing out on the street in traffic all day. Lu has some great photos of those which she sent me before, maybe she can post them here.
Zippyt, yes, balut make you strong like bull. Filipino bull maybe, hee hee. But I have heard that the people who can't even afford balut have ANOTHER gross delicacy that they scavange as a substitute. It is so gross that I doubt Lu can be persuaded to tell us about it. There is also a tradition of releasing all the dogs in the pound to the homeless beggars on Friday afternoon. Yes, so they can have dinner :headshake Luisa's aunt rescued one of their own pet dogs from such a fate after it had escaped from their compound; she actually had a tug of war with a man who was just about to begin butchering the mutt.
Just some random thoughts from the day....
slang: So.... can you tell me again why is it that we're walking in the street as cars are passing when there is a sidewalk?
FR: That's what we do here. That's how we do it.
slang: Would you be terribly upset if I were to do my own demonstration of how we "do it" back in the US and walk on the sidewalk?
In Pembo climbing into a tricycle......
FR: Come on in, there's room for you here (points at a small space next to her)
Slang: Yeah but we'll need a rope to pull me out of that little space when we get back. ( I climb in hesitantly trying not to inhale the 2 stroke engine exhaust )
The driver hits the gas hard....and it stalls from the big load. Me. Kickstarts it, revs it up high...lets the clutch out and we start moving slowly as the sidecar brackets flex away from the bike.
Slang: I'd bet a peso that I weigh more than the two of you (pointing at the driver too)
FR: Dont be silly slang, you're fine
Slang: I'd bet another peso that next time we ride one of these fucking things I'm wearing a blindfold, holding the "last cigarette" in my lips, and have a crucafix dangling over my head.
...and the driver laughed out loud.
Silly boy, sidewalks are for cars passing in traffic or for parking, all Filipinos know that ;)
yes, what was i thinking?
im posting this from a cafe in pembo. the keyboard is very bad. we just took lots of photos of the wet market here.
im still looking for the pigs slit wide open and prepared for partys food. :)
more later.
Silly boy, sidewalks are for cars passing in traffic or for parking, all Filipinos know that ;)
At least the ones who've been to South Philadelphia.
They let Filipinos into Sout' Philly? When did they start doing that?
Slang, the slit pigs that Tonchi was speaking of can be seen lining the streets of La Loma in Quezon City. They don't mind you taking shots of the pig. Just remember to include the butcher in it. Ask your friend if she knows about the Christmas lights lined village in Policarpio St. in Makati. (I could accompany you as well There are ways to skip the tricyle ride. How you managed to ride it without kicking a hole into the cab is a puzzlement to me.) It is a street where all the houses are decorated for the holidays and the home owners sell stuff flea market style ( Remember, bartering is key to buying anything on Philippine sidewalks) and you also get street food galore ! While you are here, try taking in some Bibingka (Glutinous rice cakes) and Puto Bumbong ( Rice cakes from a bamboo cylinder). Those are traditional holiday fare here that is available at street corners from November to December. You eat it with Salabat (ginger tea).
Keep that iron clad stomach ! And stay away from anybody drinking a beer and offering you food. Tourists get conned into eating either dog or cat meat with beer. Don't eat anything offered by street drinkers to be on the safe side.
FYI guys,
here is what a typical lechon in the Philippines looks like.
Don't eat anything offered by street drinkers to be on the safe side.
My guide finally allowed me to drink the beer with fast eddy that morning. This was after explaining that I only drink to capacity and not socially and always alone.
Reluctantly, I had one beer with no food.
Two hours later I was poised in front of the throne sweating bullets wondering how a tall, athletic American asskicker such as me could possibly be so negatively affected by ....one beer.
I dont think there was anything wrong with the beer but just the jetlag, anxiety from the trip prep and the total change in climate and location tweeked my system. Now I only smoke dope with the natives that want to be social and flatout refuse beer or food. :)
Reluctantly, I had one beer with no food.
Two hours later I was poised in front of the throne sweating bullets wondering how a tall, athletic American asskicker such as me could possibly be so negatively affected by ....one beer.
Did you by any chance have breakfast that morning before taking the beer? Filipino beer is known to give you the foreigners tummy aches and runs if you have it on an empty stomach. I warned you the local food and drinks isn't for the faint of heart and stomach. Fear Factor ain't got nothing on us. Filipino men specially seem to have intestines made from the highest grade of non-corrosive material on the planet, they could drink beer all day sans food and it won't have any effect whatsoever on them.
Did I mention that the first and last time I humored my friends and took a swig of beer, I was really sorry? not only did it look like urine but I believe it tasted the same as well. Horrid ! I'm never doing that again.
Play safe next time and tell them you would rather drink a Cali Shandy in either ICE or Pineapple flavor. That is a local cocktail that is made from malt but won't get you drunk nor give you the runs. It is a teen agers preparatory drink before graduating to the local beer.
:eek3: :eek: :vomitblu:
Wow! Thanks for the pictures, and the description of the food from Luisa. Needless to say, coming from a proper East End (London) background I am not really shocked by what other people eat, even if I wouldn't fancy it myself.
Offal is big news again in the more expensive restaurants here - River Cottage HQ served braised tongues & hearts as their Valentines Special for example :)
I've had trotters in my time & would certainly consider some slices of that pig's cheeks. Then again, thats probably the best cut.
I don't know how likely I'd be to eat food cooked at the roadside - would have to go with the opinion of someone I trusted. I had rampant diarrhea after having soup in a restaurant in Spain and yet no problems at all after eating from raod-side stalls in Sri Lanka. Go figure.
Keep up the good work Slang, whether its here or via a link to a website. I doubt I'll even go to the Philippines, so its a good chance to see something I won't see on the holiday programmes. More prices would be intersting (I can convert them into £ sterling).
Filipino men specially seem to have intestines made from the highest grade of non-corrosive material on the planet, they could drink beer all day sans food and it won't have any effect whatsoever on them.
San Mguel was tastey if i rember correctly , well it was cheap any way !!
They had a special edition out when i was there ( early 80's ) called redhorse , GOOOOD STUFF !!!!!
I bet it was the famaldihide that they put in the beer over the international date line to keep it from rotting in the bottle that messed with his stomic , you drink enough and after a few days you sound like you have a gravel truck in your throat !!!
They still make it !!!!!!!
http://www.redhorsebeer.com/index.asp
Good stuff , if i rember correctly , big bottle , strong stuff !!!!!
Red Horse Beer for MEN BUILT LIKE A HORSE! I was told it has quite a kick and only men used to stronger types of brews will survive it. Served in tall chilled bottles. Also comes in Junior sizes nowadays.
There are no descriptions with all these photos and they dont make a lot of sense without them.
These are the things that I'm seeing here. If you have a question about something post it and I'll try to answer.
I'm leaving the city tomorrow and moving into a "non-tourist" hotel in Pembo. There are cafes there but they suck donkey ass, bad keyboard, machine crashes out every 10 minutes, etc.
The photos directly before the hanging cow intestines shows the entry to the wet market. This was the point that the smell made me dry heave. It gets much worse after you get inside.
I saw a rat run from one floor drain to the other but couldnt get a shot because he was too fast and I wasnt expecting him.
exactly ***************************nothing************************** is working as it should and I just dont have the patience to monkey mother fuck around for hours and hours and god damn fucking hours for the simple things that should work without effort or thought.
Will post in a few weeks.
Slang, for heaven's sake and your own sanity, send Luisa a PM so she can help you. She even has cousins who own internet cafes and she has a car. Don't suffer unnecessarily, the *necessary* suffering is bad enough in Manila ;)
The intestines are usually used when cooking Kare-Kare, kilawin and other dishes that call for entrails, or boiled in vinegar and then deep fried and dipped in vinegar with chilis then eaten with steamed rice. Quite a delicacy. The same thing is done with chicken instestines.
I've regained my sanity if only temporarily.
We went to China town today in Manila and it was very interesting. I have about 300 photos from Manila just from our trip today.
It's a shame that some of them cannot be prepared or posted here now.
I moved into the cheaper hotel closer to her home today. The view from the roof shows all the homes and streets around that area.
It's not beautiful but interesting. Or sad, depending on your perspective.
Her nephew has told me that he can download the images and burn them on a CD.
With the use of his ( working ) computer some descriptions with the photos should be able to be prepared for a better presentation here.
I'm having a great time despite the rainly, hot weather but the computers here, even at the "upscale" cafes, are just not up to what Americans are accustomed to using.
More later.
This is from the biker bar here in Manila. It's nice to see full sized bikes for a change.
These were taken during the day and there werent many people there so I stole a few pics.
This one goes out to our very own Griff man and his goat farm. No, I didnt inquire about the goat.
It was advertised with several signs which must mean there is a lot of interest or none at all.
It was a funny thing to see out here anyway.
There are buildings here that just catch my eye as being cool. I dont know why because they really arent all that interesting compared to those in the US. This is one of many that were taken on a walk into Comembo
Simple concrete structures with rebar reinforcements. Some have some nice windows and some dont. Most of the block and mortar work are left ugly instead of adding some kind of stucco or something nice to see.
There are often downpours here that last 15-30 minutes and come without a lot of warning. The sun shines bright as normal but then it starts raining without the dark clouds that would normally indicate a storm coming.
I was stuck without cover in one of these downpours. One of the kids gestured me to come stand under the roof ledge for cover. I was much more concerned about the camera than getting wet as the rain always cools me off.
These are some pics of the kids playing in the rain. The saying "too dumb to come in out of the rain" kept running through my head but experiencing this firsthand here....it doesnt have the same significance as home. The rain will only fall for a short time and one doesnt risk getting a cold as the weather is so hot.
The kids here are very well behaved with me. Not one from away from the city has asked for money or tried to sell me junk.
The do however, tend to stand in the road around me. Yesterday I had to send them all home because they wouldnt stay out of the road as I walked around.
They may be well knowing kids here but in my mind I'm resposible for them and I insist on them not walking or playing in the road.
I've become a party pooper in two countries now.
Here is one of my favorite little actors. Though I wont likely see him again, he was very funny in actions and voices during one of my walks.
Those people that know me know how much I love to take photos. Not just photos but things different and also from differenet perspectives.
A few days ago I went to the hardware store to buy a board to attach the camera to so that the camera can be lifted into high positions for better shots.
Most everyone here thinks that this is the most ridiculous thing they have seen with me walking around with an 8 foot board with a cam attached.
Some of the photos with this technique have turned out pretty cool though.
These are some taken from about 15 feet above the street level.
Though this place is very poor with very low wages, natives and visitors seem to be willing to spend money on fast food.
Most of the fast food chains also deliver foods. This is from Wendy's down the street from the hotel.
If only this service was available in the US, i might not have to come out during the sunlight hours at all.
This man was fueling his taxi during one of my walks. It seems funny that the Coke bottles are used for most anything, even diesel fuel.
It wasnt clear where the bottles were being filled from. Inside a shop of some type.
One man's noise in another man's music. There was a band rehearsal here the other night and when you are playing in a band and someone is in range with a camera...it's just natural to want to be a star. :D
The volume inside was so loud I just wanted to shoot someone. To keep the peace and my freedom, I just left.
Pretty cool kids even though the sound wasn't refined quite yet.
This collection of photos includes many animals and most of dogs. The dogs here have tough lives like all the people.
This is the closest to starvation that I have ever seen an animal. Dehydrated and starving, it must be sick with something.
It sqatted to pee and left bloody urine. At that moment I only had one peso to buy something for that dog to eat and that was not nearly enough. After running back home for some money the dog was gone.
The locals didnt understand why I might be looking for such a sickly dog.
"to give it some simple comfort before it obviously dies a very painful uncomfortable death"
Thanks for this slangster. We often forget how good we've got it.
Here's one of my favorite dogs here. He's in this exact spot every day at the pet store.
Normally he's a friendly dog but the last photo he started growling at me.
The owner said that maybe I should not show up for a few days just to give this guy a little rest.
It's funny how the names at the cellar just stick with you even if you know that person's real name or even if you dont really follow that person's stuff.
These are two cellar names as businesses here.
Here is the view from the roof of the hotel. Notice the contrast in the high rise buildings and the squalid commoners homes.
The only way to stay cool aside from an air conditioner....wear wet clothes.
From the moment I get up until the time the sandman comes, this place is HOT and HUMID. What's the solution? A soaked shirt before going out.
No, this method would not work for all but aside from the concern that everyone has that I might catch cold, this works great.
The no smoking sign is not that surprising here but the Wendy's help wanted sign requires an applicant to be a second year college student and to be at least 5-2.
To serve food you must be a second year student. To serve food :eyebrow:
Thanks for this slangster. We often forget how good we've got it.
As bad as things are for the people here, the natives are very happy for those things that they have and tend not to focus on what they dont have (like a typical American would).
Most everyone knows someone or has a relative now or in the past that has been working in the US. They know from those people that it's work, work, work and very different from life here which almost no one seems to care what time of the day it is muchless have a list of things to do for this day.
It's appealing for a vacation to see this. Living like this and having so few things of living comfort and entertainment would not be fun.
Regardless of what China and India are doing now, the US is still the most desired country to live in. Will that change? Who knows, in time maybe.
It's tuesday night now. I'm drunk. Not just drunk, piss drunk.
It's very cheap and easy to be drunk here. The exchange is very good. The Filipinos, very friendly and forgiving.
We took 80 or so new photos today but I was too intoxicated to process them.
We're having a great time here despite the rain.
More photos coming soon.
Sycamore, you are an ass. :)
Just kidding.
More soon.
Wow! Fantastic pics.
As you brought up the topic of drink - what's the beer like there? As in what size bottles/ glasses is it served in & what strength? I've been amazed at how much a common drink like beer varies country to country.
I know you had the one that made you sick - have you acclimatised, or is there something else on the table?
My hectic life pace lately has caused me to overlook the hottest thread on The Cellar until lunch today. Slang...dude...you're a wild man. Great pics, and I hope you'll do us all the honor of stashing them somewhere online en masse so we can mull them over.
When are you coming back? Or *are* you coming back? How many of your camera recipients have you met face to face by now? Is the exchange rate for...um...escorts as good as it is for everything else? Not that you'd have availed yourself of one or more, of course, but I figure you'd find out just to add to the big sociological picture.
. Not just drunk, piss drunk.
Do the locals steal from you when you get into your pints? Hmmm... sounds like a retirement scenerio...
I can't speak for The Slangster , but from My experences in the early 80's as a stupid young drunk Marine .
The exchange rate when i was there ( early 80's ) was 18pesos to $1 on the street , but we had just gotten paid as we pulled into port in Singapore , so i walked in to a bank , the exchange rate was 30Pesos to $1 , I droped a $100 on the counter , 2 weeks of liberety !!!!!!! I don't rember much of it !!!
you could get a COLD beer for 7 pesos in a high class rock and roll bar with live bands , clean girls , etc,,, if you went to the dives I went to you could get a beer for 3-5 pesos , and if you were feeling REALLY adventures you could go to the corner stores and get a beer for 2-3 pesos , give Momason the bottle back and she woulg give you a peso back .
You could make a $20 LAST that way !!!!!
Girls were cheap ( sorry ) $9 for the night( but they could be had for cheaper , actualy once for a cheap Timex watch ) , hotel rooms were cheap $5 for the nite ( no fan , no radio , community bathroom down the hall ) up to about $20 a night ( AC , TV , pool , room service , full bath room with a NICE shower and tub , etc,,,,,)
As I said i was doing the stupid young drunk Marine thing around So East Asia , I wish I had kept my self togather better and seen some sights , gone to some intresting places .
Oh well ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, the follies of Youth !!!!!! :sniff:
Oh and the drink of choice when you got tired of beer was mini pitchers of mixed drinks , CHEAP , i don't rember the prices , but i do rember my fave , it was called a bull frog , rum , vodka , black berry brandy , and hell i don't rember what all else , they were GOOOOOOD !!!!!!!
Wow! Fantastic pics.
As you brought up the topic of drink - what's the beer like there? As in what size bottles/ glasses is it served in & what strength? I've been amazed at how much a common drink like beer varies country to country.
I know you had the one that made you sick - have you acclimatised, or is there something else on the table?
Good question SG.
The beer that I drink most often is San Miguel. It's not a great beer (not German) but it's common and cheap. It would be compared to a Budwieser here, the most popular but not the favorite. The bottles are small and I've been too drunk/distracted to compare volumes, sorry.
The SM is not very strong but after about ......a few, life is good.
I've had some Red Horse beers a few days ago and I like them much better. More bang for the buck, if you know what I mean. :) The RH is more like dark beer that I'm used to. Powerful.
The brandy is also ok but a very good deal here. I had some "15 year old" brandy yesterday that I bought at the drug store (!!). The cost was about a buck and a half for a flask which in comparison is about 8 bucks back home.
The beers from the first day that made me sick were not from the beer. I've had
two or three ( :blush: ) here after that and all is fine with no praying over the throne.
The water dispensed as "mineral water" from the coin op is also fine.
The video card to both home computers went out today but we took a ride on the rail and got some good photos even though they cannot yet be posted.
We're going into Makati city tomorrow to buy another video card and should have some more photos soon. They are piling up in the time the computer is down.
My hectic life pace lately has caused me to overlook the hottest thread on The Cellar until lunch today. Slang...dude...you're a wild man. Great pics, and I hope you'll do us all the honor of stashing them somewhere online en masse so we can mull them over.
When are you coming back? Or *are* you coming back? How many of your camera recipients have you met face to face by now? Is the exchange rate for...um...escorts as good as it is for everything else? Not that you'd have availed yourself of one or more, of course, but I figure you'd find out just to add to the big sociological picture.
Thanks for the compliment Ep.
There are somewhere around 1500 photos of various places of interest (or non-interest) on her home machine now. About half are not clear or not centered etc and arent much to look at. The remaining, along with the MPEGs of street scenes and the TV programs here are cool to see and will be available somewhere when I get back.
It has been my goal to capture as much of the Philippine people doing all those same things we see and do at home. These activities range from going into market for food to seeing what the hospitals here look like.
I'm doing a study of how things are different and the same here in all aspects of life for a variety of people. A large part of the exercise is to show people in the US how things work here now and to show our common ground.
Once they are all catagorized as needed cellarites will have full access to the collection.
The official exchange rate is 54.something to one dollar. In Pembo just yesterday I changed some dollars into pesos and got the rate of 53/$1.
Now that I'm out of the city there are no prostitutes around. I dont have any idea how much they cost but could find out. If I can find a rate without getting into a hassle, I will.
They are drop dead gorgeous but I'm not here for that sort of fun. Many that I have seen would easily fit into a men's mag.
Some of them are aggressive and I've had to forcefully remove them from my path/ romove their hands from me.
A few have been polite at my reply of "you're very nice looking but no thank you, I'm not here for that" and quietly disappeared.
This is the first of my net pals that I have met face to face. This is the only woman that I've sent a camera out to and would expect to meet more in the future as the rest are western wise young men looking for honest friendship/opportunity.
I will return to the US and start working again once the military budget for fighter jet development rolls into the next fiscal year.
Do the locals steal from you when you get into your pints? Hmmm... sounds like a retirement scenerio...
Another great question.
In the city a white guy is a target for all sorts of scams. Out of the city I'm very well received and friendly with all of the Phl nationals.
I dont drink without having a "babysitter" here. It's not that it's very dangerous here from the people but as I have said before, the everyday hazards are often deadly. Big holes in the street with no warning, rebar hangind or falling out of buildings. That sort of thing. Things that could easily kill you without malice but that you're still just as dead.
Though the locals dont consider me one of them they have all been very fair and courtious.
As the US retirement system creeps deeper and deeper into uncertainty, yes, retirement here would be a viable option.
I'm looking at real estate here now but not the fancy tourist sort. There is a Frenchman here that I (argue about Bush and ) talk with that has built several homes here. He has gone through all the problems and I hope to learn something from the things that he has to suggest.
...you could get a COLD beer for 7 pesos in a high class rock and roll bar with live bands , clean girls , etc,,, if you went to the dives I went to you could get a beer for 3-5 pesos , and if you were feeling REALLY adventures you could go to the corner stores and get a beer for 2-3 pesos , give Momason the bottle back and she woulg give you a peso back .
You could make a $20 LAST that way !!!!!
Sorry Zip, I've run out of time.
SM beer15 peso
hotel room with private shower/bath (no hot water), no TV, ceiling fan that rotates like a Huey with a fire escape that doubles as a terrace - $6.36 night
I bought a half gal of ice cream today for 99 pesos ($1.80)
Tricycle ride from her place to the hotel - 20 pesos $.37 (it's about 3/4 mile)
sorry man, got to split...more later.
1. Have you heard the President Arroyo corruption proof tape?
1a. If yes, have you heard it as a ring tone?
Another great topic of discussion here.
Many of the locals are critical and or suspicious of president Arroyo. These people tend to be older working class people that see her as a corrupt elitest. This older group has heard all the hype from Arroyo about moving forward as a country and seen this society stagnate or regress.
Foreign investment is increasing sharply. More filipinos have jobs. My guess is (that means I havent seen any numbers or paid close enough attention to say with confidence ) that the fast food jobs and the imported (junk) shops are giving people here the most jobs.
The more people that have jobs, the less critical they are of what the president does. This seems to be a universal human truth.
Back to your original question, no I havent heard the tape. There have been a few Filipino news programs that have talked about it though. Most of these news shows are in Tagolog so clearly most of the footage is lost on me.
If I talk politics with someone here I ask about where they stand on Arroyo and the corruption case. The educated young working people could care no less about it and see it as total folly. These people are building condos, selling computers to a growing market or own some type of money making business. They're too busy to care.
Those not directly involved with the "new economy" or the increase in the standard of living are most critical.
I'm not in a position to be critical of the president here or even have any desire to dig into the details of the "proof" tape but the case seems weak, irrelevant and only an issue with people that need to crucify someone for their lack of progress here.
Sounds much like another little situation that we're all a bit more familiar with.
As for the ringtones.......
Have not heard the proof tape ringtone but the cell phones are so common here that it's beyond annoying.
The younger people dont talk on their phones as much as they text message one another. Now the new thing is sending photos over the phone. There's something that can keep my attention for more than 20 seconds.
You see people holding cell phones in front of them with both hands, playing games and texting at every turn here.
Slang: Hey! it's a cell phone...talk on the God damned thing already! Kids today.
I butchered that reply but hope you got something out of it.
My back and ass are killing me from this kindergarden chair. :blush:
More filipinos have jobs. My guess is (that means I havent seen any numbers or paid close enough attention to say with confidence ) that the fast food jobs and the imported (junk) shops are giving people here the most jobs.
Not fast food or imported goods jobs. This was a major oversight on my part. The large employers must be the building trades and contractors of every sort. Buildings are going up in large numbers.
These are two examples of the many choppers and commercial planes flying all around here. If you sit on the roof of the hotel and watch, you can clearly see the planes taking off and landing.
The frequency of big commercial planes coming and going is about one every hour or so and I always wonder what the natives here really think about all these foreign people coming and going. My guess is that only a very small amount of Filipinos are in these planes going to far off places.
Is there attitude one of hope that all this development here will lead to better things for most Filipinos or just seen as a bunch of people that dont belong here and dont really care about anything or anyone in the Philippines, just taking advantage of the strong exchange rates and warm weather?
This is my funny tricycle ride. It's only a 100 cc motor trying to cart me and a sidecar, a driver and 3 passengers up a hill.
"tell him to give it HELL or we arent going to make it"
Must be something was lost in the translation because he just wouldnt rev it up enough to get us all up the hill.
two more from the same event
These are from a butcher shop right next to some friends of ours. We were both talking with them when a refridge truck stopped in next door and we all saw a small Filipino man carrying a large pig on his shoulders.
Notice if you can how clean this place is. It's got all stainless countertops and they clean the floor for real every night.
It's the only place that I'd even consider buying meat.
Here is the American Manila cemetery. It's a very somber place and despite many requests to get specific photos of the cemetery we took a walk around and just left.
The rows of markers are unnerving. I snapped a few photos of names on the walls and quietly left.
The whole facility is very well cared for and those that come to visit are very respectful.
Looking for the cheapest ride in town? This would seem to be the one. There are many busses that travel to the hotspots around town but for just getting to the local market and such, this is the most economical.
And you wonder why the Asians are all so thin?
What needs to be explained with this shot? Anything?
Ever seen a sign that you thought was so amusing that you had to have a photo of it? When I saw this I just broke out laughing. Sometime after the photos were taken the sign disappeared.
This was taken at the third floor of the Durban St Inn, Makati.
It seems that everyone here wants their footprints in any new construction. So much so that very few steps or sidewalks here dont have some writing or footprints or some type of creative expression hardend into them.
This is a tricycle driver that was asking me if we wanted a ride. To be more specific, just after we both said very politely....no thank you, her in Tagolog, me in English.
As the trikes pass they almost all slow down to see if the only white guy in town might like to ride instead of walk. Those fatassed American guys like to ride and have the money to pay, right?
It gets downright annoying with everyone asking or slowing down to gesture "do you want to ride"? It happens every time I go out walking and they should know that I have the ability to hail a trike. At least I'd make eye contact if I was wanting a ride.
So this is one of many we politely turned away only this one has a little girl attached. Very cute.
This is the only golfcourse that I've seen so far. It's really nothing special by American standards but the thing that caught my attention was the grounds keepers.
They do a great job at keeping the grass nice and short. They keep the leaves off the lowermost branches too and I'll bet they're cheap to have working for the golfcourse.
There are more but just as before....I just dont have the patience to work with these machines. If the chair is good, the mouse doesnt work worth a shit. If the mouse actually works, the fucking keyboard sucks goat ass. If everything seems to be working well, the machine crashes constantly.
What a mother fucking pain in my ass. :)
And another thing while I'm all pissy and bitching.....
There isnt ONE SINGLE God damned table here that doesnt rock back and forth when you put your drinks down on it.
[SIZE=1]ok, I feel a little better now. I'll go have a cheap beer on a table that shifts 5 degrees back and forth and back and forth and back and forth.......[/SIZE]
You should really be carrying shims so they know you're serious about your drink. (match books may suffice)
Just don't put the drink down. Drink it until empty, the order another. Lather, rinse, repeat, fall down.
Or just use the tried and true method of standing while drinking thus giving one an idea of about how drunk they are by the difficulties in standing.
One of many walking hazards that you might easily bust your ass completely in while drinking and not paying close attention to what you're doing.
The hospitals here are not the same as the US either so after busting your ass, there's not nearly the chance that some talented doctor can repair it without shipping you back home.
My home away from home, hotel Frenchman.
How's my driving? Is that what you call this. Looks a lot more like parking to me. In any case, there's an offshore callcenter that listens to your bitching and complaining about the many things that might annoy you about the driving here.
The fact that these lumber wagons actually have some kind of certification was mildly reassuring, despite the fact that the stickers block a substancial portion of the already small windshield.
Then you read the small print only to find that this "certification" has expired nearly two years ago and not been replaced.
Ahh, but they are cheap as dirt and more fun than an amusment park ride.
So how is the light rail, you might ask? A great deal. The railcars are clean, cool and cheap to ride.
Very interesting. Much different than home.
So we stumble across a man that has a fighting cock out in front of his barbershop. She asks if I can take some pictures, he says yes....and I resist using the strangely akward, but totally culturally acceptable phrase...."nice cock ya got there".
Taking photos here and there in the midday heat, just minding my own business and enjoying all the fascinating things to see here..
Next thing I know, a motorcycle cop rolls up and politely asks me what I'm doing taking all the pics.
slang -"Just very interested and curious about Makati, Ma'am"
cop - "No more photos....this is private property"
slang - "ok, I've not come all this way to get arrested, how should we fix this? Do you want the photos erased?"
cop - "no, just......no more pictures please...have a nice visit...no more pics please"
Fair enough.
How popular might a movie about cold weather be here?
The SEA games were in Manila this year. Hooray for parking lots in the streets and cabs waiting for half hour intervals without aircon.
Ever been outside the US and not speak the native language....and realize you probably should before you go out like you belong there?
I have now.
This is the line at the MRT, light rail, in what I can only assume was some type of spot check for terrorists.
We all know how many Americans like to blow things up....but not with little body bombs. Not our style.
So the line that normally moves quickly is now slowed down to a crawl because of a (outter) body and bag search in which there is only one officer conducting the searches.
The Filipinos were all pretty patient about the whole thing but let me tell you, I'd have taken a freakin' cab if I knew the line would be moving that slow and to take another 45 minutes.
We went to to the volcano yesterday. The little one that pokes out of the ocean.
We didnt get more than 2 miles away though due to my extreme frugality and the expense of taking a boat to the island and then riding a horse up the hills, etc, etc...
It's a very nice looking area there so the photos came out pretty good.
You should really be carrying shims so they know you're serious about your drink. (match books may suffice)
shims are cheap too. I'm all over that suggestion Griff.
The hospitals here are not the same as the US either so after busting your ass, there's not nearly the chance that some talented doctor can repair it without shipping you back home.
That is because all of their talented doctors fled the country and are here working in the US being paid by insurance reimbursment, rather than in chickens and pigs.
OK, Slang, by mutual agreement Luisa and I will not be making any further comments on this thread. I thought your decisions were "strange" in the beginning, but now it has moved through "weird" and gone to "surreal". Because I choose to believe you are actually an intelligent man, I have to say you are doing all this as part of a deliberate plan :headshake
Luisa says:
Crap! Bonifacio city! What was he doing taking pictures at a military camp? ?He wan'st int he comemrcial district. He was out of bounds on military proeprty. That was no cop. That was military police!
Tonchi says:
what did I tell you
Luisa says:
Of course nobody else would be telling you this.
Luisa says:
I now believe he took those pictures for a reason.
Luisa says:
That is the entrance tot he camp
Luisa says:
Jesus christ!
Luisa says:
I am inspectign the photo he took where the cop approache dhim.
Luisa says:
He was at PACES. That is our rapid response Kidnap team.
Luisa says:
They are called in for immediate action on terrorist threats.
Tonchi says:
Accidentally there, of course
Luisa says:
What in the blazes!? If he weren't american he would have been hauled in for questioning and beaten to a pulp at the very least.
Tonchi says:
maybe he was, or at least arrested
Luisa says:
No. he said he wasn't.
Luisa says:
American's don't get arrested here.
BTW, you don't have to kill us now, we're already on the same side ;)
....gone to "surreal". Because I choose to believe you are actually an intelligent man, I have to say you are doing all this as part of a deliberate plan.
The plan is what it always is when I travel. To understand and be able to fairly compare that country in all aspects to those things in the US. For understanding of those people and that culture as much as possible in the short time that I'm there.
That's always the prime directive although most everyone thinks I'm with the CIA or some spook BS.
Not true. I'm just curious and have a camera with a large memory card. :)
To capture all those seemingly insignificant things that I see that are somehow different but are of little or no consequence.
I've got over 2 gigs of "common" photos of all sorts of uniquely Pinoy sights and things.
There's only been one man at the barangay that's even asked a single question about the numbers and sorts of photos that have been taken aside from the nice lady on the motorbike.
After an hour of conversation and a few follow up chats, he's comfortable with me hanging around now. :D
Still dont have a photo of him though.
Crap! Bonifacio city! What was he doing taking pictures at a military camp? ?He wan'st int he comemrcial district. He was out of bounds on military proeprty. That was no cop. That was military police!
And what a lovely military cop she was. Not great with English but very pleasant.
That shot was taken 100 feet away from "market! market!" and there were exactly zero signs on site or on the net that no pics should be taken there.
A truly lovely area I might also add. The most "fun" and pleasant area that I've seen here so far.
BTW, you don't have to kill us now, we're already on the same side ;)
No doubts about that. Aside from some wiseasses, people here take good care of me. And when ever possible we stop to chat and answer questions people might have.
That is because all of their talented doctors fled the country and are here working in the US being paid by insurance reimbursment, rather than in chickens and pigs.
Yes, the chickens here are tastier but nothing like getting paid in solid western currency.
Dont let them hear you say that all the talented docs came to the US though, they get a little defensive when you reach the boundries of that conversation. :)
No objections from me. I acknowledge the fact that we have a major brain drain going on here. Doctors have actually stopped being doctors and started studying to become nurses in the hopes of getting the better life anywhere but here. In fact, at this rate, we have the practicum nurses outnumbering the practicum doctors at any given time in any given hospital. Pretty soon, we may have the nurses doubling as doctors.
Now if only these doctors turned nurses would remember that they were hired as nurses and stop messing with the REAL (read as accredited to practice in that country) doctors prescriptions and diagnosis in whatever country it is they are in so they would stop getting black listed and deported in shame then coming back here and telling horror stories about why this and that country is racist and bad.
:headshake :redface: :
That shot was taken 100 feet away from "market! market!" and there were exactly zero signs on site or on the net that no pics should be taken there.
Okay Slang, just so you know, Market ! Market! is located within the "demilitarized" zone of FORT BONIFACIO. It is located within a military camp and right now, nobody really knows where the boundaries stand. Long story, has to do with some unpaid real estate taxes and idle military property and stuff. Too boring to tell. It really seems to me that you found yourself within, if not too close to, the military zone. Be glad you are a tall, well built American, the cop did not dare try to shake you down for a "picture taking fee" or anything. He probably figured you could hurl him into the place he was guarding with one hand tied behind your back and cut his losses before you got wise to him .
:D
I should have taken a photo of the military cop asking me questions but I take that sort of inquiry much too seriously to fuck around.
It surely would have been a keeper.
Pretty soon, we may have the nurses doubling as doctors.
:headshake :redface: :
We already have those here, Luisa. They're called "Nurse Practitioners", and they're the result of incredible increases in medical profiteering...um, I mean, expenses brought on by government regulation and unrestricted litigation. Insurance companies decided that anyone could give a shot or prescribe for the sniffles, and...voila! Nurse Practitioners.
Pretty soon you'll only see the doctor for brain surgery or if you happen to be their caddy.
Or service and wash their Caddy. ;)
Els, what's happening in the Philippines is completely different from the situation we have here. Filipino Education is a contradiction in terms. You buy your grades and diplomas. History, Geography, and Literature do not exist in their schools. (What more can you say about a country that has NO literature to study?) The only thing which they really pretend to teach is science: computer technology, medicine, biology, that sort of stuff. The problem is that with stone-age equipment and teachers who never practiced what they teach (Luisa was actually FORCED to teach a class in programming at a school where she was hired to teach Business English instead). Add to that: NO health insurance, NO malpractice liability, NO nursing staff in all but the luxury expat hospitals (if you are so unlucky to be hospitalized, your relatives have to feed, bathe, and turn you and empty the bedpans because the so-called nurses will refuse). If you check into a hospital there, you are more-or-less committing Suicide By Physician. Doctors do not use the drugs or equipment that we take for granted (but you can buy all except "hard narcotics" in any street corner "pharmacy" without prescription or regulation), and sanitation is very poor.
As a result, becoming a doctor in the Philippines does not qualify you to practice anywhere else. Even the Chinese peasants wouldn't have you. But it does not take long for Filipinos to figure out that the US, England, and Canada are desperate for bodies to fill the low-end nursing positions. Like you said, Els, profiteering hospitals here are cutting costs wherever they can so the CEOs can get their bonuses. As a result, ALL the supposed "nursing schools" are filled with people looking for a visa out. The US used to take them all, before 9/11, and allowed them to take classes in the USA to qualify them for positions here. Now it is another story. To get a visa for a nursing position now, they have to take 3 tests, including English language skills. To say the least, almost nobody can pass those tests due to the abyssmal quality of their education, and since those "nationalistic" Filipinos have decided that English need no longer be taught in the schools, most students could not even read a bed chart in English. The nursing students who DO get visas really must pull some strings, because of the crew of SIX Filipino nurses who were on my floor at UCSD Thornton Hospital this summer, two of them couldn't speak English well enough to talk to patients or understand them, and had to take instructions from other nurses.
THIS is how former Filipino doctors end up in the US or England as nurses -- nurses, not Physician's Assistants -- because THEY have just enough practical education to get through these nursing schools and pass the tests required to be hired abroad. They just want to get OUT, any way they can. But as nurses, not doctors, and that is what they can't get through their heads. They are used to ordering other people around and making often-erroneous decisions which can't be questioned back home. So they end up being disciplined for taking unauthorized actions in the hospitals where they have been hired. Filipino males have already been raised from birth to think they are omnipotent, they can't be challenged or contradicted, they are deferred to in everything and are waited on hand and foot by all the women in their families. They think their shit don't stink, and they don't follow other people's directions very well. As a result, an alarming number of these former physicians-turned-nurses are being charged with insubordination, having their credentials stripped, their visas revoked, and are being deported back to the Philippines. It has become such an embarassment that even the newspapers in Manila are writing editorials about it.
Cultural patriarchy plays in a very interesting manner here in the US. I mean, we are still largely a patriarchal society (God is a man, so men are the bosses, I believe is how the reasoning goes...go figure), but compared to Third World nations, we're a matriarchy. Chauvinism is probably not a job skill here in the US in most organizations...not overt chauvinism, anyway.
The state of Phillipino education does sound abysmal, and that being the case, I feel compelled to compliment Luisa's English writing skills and her overall command of the esoteric. She seems to have done very well indeed in the face of considerable odds. Or am I misunderstanding that she is a native Phillipino?
Luisa was born in Manila, 32 years ago. Although she has a birth certificate showing two Filipino parents, which having been redacted by Filipinos is inaccurate and gives her the wrong name as well, our theory is that she must have been switched at birth. Hospitals there are rather sloppy, after all, and there seems to be no other explanation why, of her entire extended family (a considerable number of people, as typical of all constantly reproducing Filipino families), she is the only one who seems to have a functioning brain. She certainly behaved like a changeling, all her relatives will testify to that. But due to her very small stature and facial features, it's obvious that she was the actual child of her parents. Much to her misfortune.
Her first word seems to have been "Why?" During her often unbearably stressful young life, that family has done everything in their power to beat the living daylights out of her and to crush any spirit of inquiry. They failed, but they nearly killed her trying. As I told everybody in another thread, your family is your worst and most dangerous enemy in the Philippines, and Luisa fully intents to crack the skull of her biological father if he ever tries to get near her again. She would gladly shoot him instead, but in the Philippines a woman is not allowed to lift her hand against a man, so SHE would be the one to go to prison instead of the scum who would have held her for ransom or sold her into slavery. The rest of her story will make a great book one of these days, maybe she will be the Filipino equivalent of Amy Tan ;)
Luisa is the only one who is truly fluent en English in her family, she passed the TOEFL on her first try with a nearly perfect score. Her education and upbringing was in English only, because her grandfather, apparently a very wise man for the times, decreed one day that his Spanish-speaking household would from that day forward learn English and speak it exclusively. In those days the Americans had just liberated the Philippines, transportation and schools actually functioned, there was an economy, and America was where it was happening. Unfortunately the Americans left, successive Filipino governments destroyed the economy, stole the entire treasury, let the school systems become a joke, rule by law as we know it ceased to exist, and the lowest common denominator of life forms there had a population explosion which swamped the cities and dragged under the last vestiges of public services. Grandfather died, and the rest of his household reverted to "traditional Filipino values" while managing to lose or spend any of the security and prestige that their branch of the family had in the 1950's. Poor Lu came into existance during the downward spiral at the end. A helpless girl-child had the resentment and stupidity of the entire family fall right on her head.
The fact that she is still existing can be credited to the internet. Without it, she would have never been able to maintain a window on sanity, education, and a degree of normalcy. We are going to get her out of that hellhole some day, soon I hope. She is worth saving.
just checking here here.
Drunk off my ass, once again or still...depending how you see things.
Went to Quezon city today. Nea4ly died from the pollution and from the traffic. Took lots of pics and clips. Rode the mrt again, without getting arrested this time :)
Saw a movi3 last night at market market. It was good and cost 80 pesos about 1.6 us.
I'
m going north on lfridayt to another procinvne, la union. Her relaitives there have property and businesses there with motoribikes that I camn ride.
More latyerrr. This keyboard sucks assneck.
There is a table in Makati that doesnt need shims and it's in an upscale bakery at Market Market.
We bought some cakes today and I nearly fainted as we placed our things on the table waiting for the cake. No shims or additional fabrication required. Simply amazing.
"Quick....someone find me a beer so I can experience the elegance and refinement of drinking while sitting at a table that doesnt rock and roll"
More photos to post today but without descriptions, sorry.
This is the church in "downtown" Pembo. Nice church but it was a bit strange seeing "no vendors" sign.
from our trip (almost) to the volcano
cute cute
The first is a proud father and cute child
The other is of the kids singing caroles at the resort. A bit freaky without cold weather and or snow.
Not complaining mind you, it's just a bit freaky. :)
In the rural area of LaUnion now. It's nice and not nearly as congested as Manila.
There are goats everywhere here. So many strange things here to see. We even saw a woman washing clothes in the river....not on a rock though, in a metal bowl.
The cafe here is also much nicer and the equipment actually works.
More later.
Washing clothes the old fashion way.
Cheap is nice but this is ridiculous.
This is the china sea beach. The people living in these shacks use the fishing boats.
Not exactly a beach resort but a nice place to catch the cool breeze coming off the sea.
This is the wild lizard that was found in the house yesterday.
Me in LU drinking cheap gin at some tiny bar here in town.
1. Why is the lizard blurry but the mat in focus? That's a pretty damn fine focus distance, there big guy.
2. Were you even aware that you were drinking gin with orange soda, and are you alright?
Great pics, as usual. When are you coming home?
I tell you what , put a hammock on the porch of EATHER one of those shacks and I could hang there for a LONG TIME !!!!!!!
1. Why is the lizard blurry but the mat in focus? That's a pretty damn fine focus distance, there big guy.
2. Were you even aware that you were drinking gin with orange soda, and are you alright?
Great pics, as usual. When are you coming home?
It never fails to amaze me how shitty one computer can be in some nice looking big city cafe and how reasonably well one way out fucking no where under a palm tree works better.
Anyway....
We went to Baguio yesterday and that trip was very interesting we both had a great time. Dont try to use the cafe at the SM mall though if you have the unreasonable expectation that your machine will work and that there wont be structural beams at about your nose height that you will nearly knock yourself unconscious with just trying to get in and out of the place.
1. The cheap cam has manual features and the focus distance and clarity is always hit or miss. Add to that the fact that if the camera is not perfectly still while the shot is made it will still come out blurry even if all other conditions are otherwise perfect.
This is my first trip here and I didnt want to bring an expensive camera not knowing all the situations that it might be vulnerable or too combersome.
We've got almost 6 gigs of clips and photos from here now with more than a week remaining. Honestly half are not of any interest but much of the clips from the winding mountainous busrides all over here many would find amusing.
As we enter any given mode of transport, I get a photo of the lic number and the driver in the event there are any problems we have something to supply to the police here. Whether or not even that info would be of any value is not known but it gives me just a bit of peace of mind.
2. Dont try this at home folks. Yes the orange seems to mix well with the cheap gin and at home we even have ready mixed Tang drink to add to the gin. It's pretty tastey but then again....who am I bullshitting....like it really matters, right?
Everything is fine though.
I wont be home for Christmas but will be coming back shortly before new years day.
There are still many photos that would be of interest for viewers there but there's no where to shrink the photos to postable size.
That would take all day at the palm tree net cafe.
More later.
I tell you what , put a hammock on the porch of EATHER one of those shacks and I could hang there for a LONG TIME !!!!!!!
There are some hammocks on those shacks with people sleeping in them as we pass sometimes.
For me, speaking as one who has been here for one month basically doing nothing productive, there is a limit to the liesure time that I can spend here.
There's not really much going on here, even in the city. Without booze, it's nearly as boring as watching C-span....with the sound down.
I'll see if I can sneak a photo of one of the hammock snoozers. Maybe someone can shop Zippy T into that image. :)
As we enter any given mode of transport, I get a photo of the lic number and the driver in the event there are any problems we have something to supply to the police here. Whether or not even that info would be of any value is not known but it gives me just a bit of peace of mind.
Don't bother. All the police want you to supply them with is a large payoff. They do not "investigate" traffic accidents, and there is no such thing as auto or liability insurance anyway so it wouldn't make any difference what the "investigation" turned up. Your only bet is to chase and collar the perp, beat the shit out of him or threaten to do so, and negotiate a payoff to "compensate you for your injuries". Then spend the next 10 years trying to collect it :mad:
The only time you want to count on the police is if/when you are an American who happens to get kidnapped or murdered. THAT they will do something about.
Well, if (Gods forbid) Slang gets killed or kidnapped by a hack driver, at least he's got that initial piece of evidence for the cops to go on, for all the good it will do him. :eek:
No he doesn't. That camera and any other possessions will disappear from the scene long before any police are notified. Wanna know how? I think "into thin air" just about describes what happens to anything of the most minute value in the Philippines the minute you blink. Wanna know how bad it gets? Luisa's family was having construction work done on the family mausoleum this summer, and while they went to lunch, all the metal attachments disappeared from the coffin of her uncle and the clothes were stripped from his corpse. All this within full view of the workers and "caretaker" and all the mob of squatters who live between the graves. Uncle Eddie spent the rest of the construction time in a plastic trash bag which was kindly provided by the "caretaker" while what was left of his worldly goods no doubt went straight to Market Market :mad:
The fact that Slang is still with us is due not so much to the fact that he is accompanied by a native as to the fact that, even drunk, he is capable of ripping the head off any Flips who mess with him. They are neither strong, nor large, nor brave. And as said before, they know Americans do not disappear unnoticed.
Okay...point taken. I then change my statement to, "At least pictures of the hack driver who last saw Slang before he was killed or kidnapped will probably end up on the Internet after the camera is stripped from his nude and bound body."
I don't think I'm going to visit the Phillipines anytime soon. It doesn't sound like much fun.
What is happening in the Philippines is the totally predictable result of massive corruption, frightening overpopulation, poverty and ignorance, added to Nationalism whose only base is "everybody has victimized us". Stir into this lovely brew an Islamic insurgency - not really much more than South Seas pirates on drugs but with real ties to Al Quaeda - which controls a lot of the boondocks and which wants to take the entire country back to the 16th Century where men were men and women were trade goods, before the Catholic Spanish conquerors came. The situation is unfixable, you would have to completely wipe the slate and start over. And it is being repeated all over the world right now, as tribal wars can rage unchecked due to the easy availabilty of weapons and corrupt rulers control the only resources and siphon off all the money. Eventually, all the infrastructure remaining from "the conquerors who oppressed us" will have disintegrated and nobody will remember that it was ever different from "the way things just are".
The breakdown of government and traditional cultures is often a result of the "vacuum of power" which results from the withdrawal of a strong force which kept the center together and inforced the laws, in the Philippine's case it was the USA, but it also happened in Bosnia, Rhodesia, Iraq, and much of Equatorial Africa. The next phase is the total breakdown of the ability to govern, which also has its up-side because without interference the people can create very original ways to rise to the top, and eventually another "strong man" or conquering presence will take over and restore order. HIS version, that is. Since very few non-expat Filipinos take vacations in the Philippines, most of the world will not notice that this country is self-destructing since there is no oil and we no longer need their ports and military bases. We will only notice if the Muslim insurgency overthrows the government and starts exporting terrorists. China and Korea will soon own anything that passes for an economy there, and the massive outpouring of Filipinos will continue to any countries who will accept menial laborers (Kuwait and the Emirates have more Filipino servants than they have native residents, and treat them like dirt because they know the people are desperate for work under any conditions).
Fun place to just lounge around in a hammac on a tropical beach and stay drunk? Sure, if that's your thing. If you have money and don't have to work, you can be God until your money runs out, or until you need a toilet, hot water, uncontaminated food, or a policeman or doctor. No responsibilities, no timetable, great environment. Nobody there has a job either, they'll understand perfectly ;)
Just for the record....
Not one time (have I noticed) that someone was trying to chop my head off. :D
More later, I'm out of time here.
I don't think I'm going to visit the Phillipines anytime soon. It doesn't sound like much fun.
I'm not going to argue with a native about their perspective of life here. They obviously have much more experience here than I do.
It's not paradise nor hell here from my experience though. Many interesting things, some sickening, some horrifying....but most certainly real life.
So is Uganda :(
If you haven't noticed, I am a "cultural relativist". I believe strongly that all native peoples should be left alone by the rest of the world, and specially the misguided super-powers and their missionaries, so they can do what they do the way they have learned over millenia that they are best served. But that only goes as far as the point where one of them comes after ME, or somebody I care about. At that point, I will majorly kick their ass so that I can escape and get as far away as possible. That's the way I feel about the Philippines right now. I can neither fix anything there or convince the people that there is anything THEY might do to prevent the misery and ignorance which they accept as normal. Nor is it my right or duty to do so. As soon as we get Luisa out of there, that whole place can get on with their self-destruction and they won't hear another word from me.
sarcasm We can leave 'em all alone, as soon as they've accepted Jesus as their personal savior, or died in the effort. /sarcasm :mg:
I'm sorry for your troubles there in manila tonchi. Life for me is certainly different.
Best wishes to both of you.
[sarcasm] but things might be easier if you accepted Jesus as your personal saviour [/sarcasm]
I have more photos from La Union but not prepped for posting.
More later.
I just went back and looked at all the pics from this thread. It makes me wonder what in gods' name made me decide to visit central Europe in WINTER instead of somewhere warm like the Phillipines.
Gin and orange soda are one of life's great pleasure. It's good to know that it's also a world-wide sentiment.
I'm sorry for your troubles there in manila tonchi. Life for me is certainly different.
You bet it is. And the best part for you is, YOU are going to walk away from it. Gates do not slam in the American faces. You have that all-precious visa and a bank account so you are GOD. They will worship you, be delighted with anything you say or do and fall all over themselves to provide anything that will please you. That is the #1 fact of life in the Orient. For as long as you have more money than those around you, you will be able to glide over the heads submerged in the cesspool. But the minute nature takes its course and the events around you succeed in removing the money from your wallet and absorbing it into the surrounding environment, Life would be VERY different for you indeed. You'll never have to find out, though, how nobody over 30 is allowed to even apply for a job in the Philippines, because you do not HAVE to work there. You have everything all set and secure and your plane reservations confirmed, your escape is guaranteed.
None of my business of course, but how many Filipinos have already been working on you to get them a visa to get out? By the "cultural norms" I'm familiar with, every member of her family will now consider you their "ticket" ;)
Jeasus Fucking Christ !!!!
Tonchi, If you hate the fucking place SOOOOOO God Damn bad , then FUCKING LEAVE Any way you have to , legal or illegal !!! And take ANY body else that you feel you have to with you !!!!!!!
But i get the feeling that Any where you go you would be missrible ,
pissed off that there is NO gold in the streets for you to pick up !!!
Slang is trying to have an adventure !!!!
He seems to be experencing the difference in the cultures quite WELL if you ask me .
Third world countrys can SUCK , we GET IT !!!!!!!!
Just my 2 cents .
I think that Tonchi's focus is on getting Luisa to leave.
Zip, you have not been reading this in any other sense than a WHITE sahib who likes/liked to go to the "exotic" Orient, where by means of your money (and to no small extent your maleness) you fondly remember how you could stay drunk and lazy and dirty and nobody cared, and where women would wait on you or sleep with you without the hang-ups of the civilized world. In other words, the Shore Leave mentality. Well good for you and all your male acquaintances, because you were contributing to the Third World economy in one of the few ways they have one. And like I have said, you make the mistake of thinking that because Orientals smile and bow that means they respect you or are enjoying your company. You are drunk and on "an adventure" or just trying to block out the way your life is elsewhere, so it pleases you to think that because the women are so friendly and easy that means you are a really cool dude, life is good, and these kind of women adore you. King for a Day. King for a DOLLAR.
I'm talking about YOU now, not Slang. Although I don't believe he is telling us everything he is seeing or doing because he can't, Slang is on a mission, he has a job to do which he chooses to make into a series of adventures. I admire him for that, he obviously does it well. But YOU, my dear, have chosen to attack me on a personal level because I do not swoon over the Sailor in Paradise fantasy. Well, you have already told us elsewhere what your life was like in "those days" and also what the extent of your substance abuse was. I did not attack you for that, nor make personal slurs nor tell you to get a life. I did not curse at you or make assumptions about your personality or background. So knock it off, OK? Illusions are a way of life and an industry in the Orient. The Sailor in Paradise fantasy is just that - a fantasy. Glad you enjoyed your fantasy, you were supposed to, but you could just as easily have ended up rolled in some alley depending on the opportunity you gave somebody.
I have no illusions about these fantasies, because I am too well aware of their cost. My best friend could have been sold as a bar girl in Manila, her aunt got a very good offer for her. After all, what else can you do with a worthless girl when nobody is around to marry her and you would rather save the money it takes to feed her? You see, WOMEN are not allowed to have "adventures", in NONE of the places Slang has told us about. They are only permitted, culturally and legally, to have "profitable acquaintenances" and if they don't turn out profitable the woman is labled a whore - even to her face on the street - and that definitely limits her chances in the future. No, I never lived in the Philippines, something else you missed in translation, and for very good reasons I never intend to visit it. Why would I want to? I will not be going to India, San Salvador, or Africa either. That is called smart, not prejudiced. People who DO live there are giving even their lives to get out, "any way you have to, legal or illegal". And one way or another I WILL get my friend of 8 years out of that place. Like everything else in the Third World, all it requires is money and time.
And please don't make any further assumptions about whether I would not be happy anywhere, because you don't have a clue about all the places I have lived and worked and studied and the hundreds of people from countries all around the world who I am in touch with because of my job as a monitor elsewhere. If any of those places HAD been mentioned here I would have been glad to tell you about them. I'll even start a thread about FRESNO, at least I have some great memories of how it was in the '70s.
Point taken , I appoligize for my ASSumptions , I was out of line .
Best of luck getting your friend out and safe .
I'm drunk off my ass again......
Just thojhght that I';d check in ....
Merry Christmass to all ......
I just went back and looked at all the pics from this thread. It makes me wonder what in gods' name made me decide to visit central Europe in WINTER instead of somewhere warm like the Phillipines.
Gin and orange soda are one of life's great pleasure. It's good to know that it's also a world-wide sentiment.
Dont decide on another vacation without us talking about whether or not you might like visiting the Philippines.
I could help you stay safe, sound, entertained and drunk (if that is your desire) with all the good contacts that I've made here.
This has been a very good trip for me. The people here are very good....and many understand English enough to be very, very funny.
I will surely be back. Hopefully you would seriously consider visiting too.
None of my business of course, but how many Filipinos have already been working on you to get them a visa to get out? By the "cultural norms" I'm familiar with, every member of her family will now consider you their "ticket"
This is a fair question and deserves a reply, though I'm truly sorry that you are so unhappy here.
From the first moment I meet everyone here I make it chrystal clear that I am " a very very small man in the US", without wealth or influence. This is believable not only because it's completely true but also because it's obvious.
What American would ride a Jeepny or a tricycle that's rich and famous in the US? What American would stay in a hotel without hot water if he were truly rich or looking to be "God"?
It's bordering on insulting that people would even assume that I'm here to give Filipinos crap for their having been born in a third world country and that somehow I'm just here to have my ass licked becuase I have a handful of pesos.
From the beggining of this trip and my trip to Pak it has been my goal to make contacts, friends and to open the possibility of doing some kind of business in the growing Asia.
I make it clear that no one is coming back home with me and that I dont have power, money or influence to get someone a visa. Period.
What I might be able to do though, that would be mutually beneficial to me and the locals is to look for small business opportunities that we might be able to work at through the net.
This is not a small job though, as I am reasonably good at designing things but completely suck at business.
There are people here that I believe would be able to help me with my "fantasy project" of making computer animations. There isnt time for me to put into doing all that's required to make them.
Many of the locals here though, have all the time and skill to do such things without the money to buy the software to do that specific work.
There are still many details to be worked out and I honestly dont know if this project will ever be a reality but it seems most logical that non- americans would appreciate having regular work (making computer models), be completely satisfied, even grateful for small wages as opposed to none, and be willing to grow a small production company with me over time into something great.
That's my mission.
It's working with the trends of today. Asia is emerging. The US is in decline.That doesnt mean that I'm going to sit back and bitch and moan that there is no longer opportunity in this world....just that it looks different now and there are different challenges.
(steps off soapbox )
Slang, I always thought of you as a knight in shining armor and admired the fact that you even TRY to learn about other countries and cultures. Most Americans have a sense of cultural and personal superiority when they are abroad that is truly depressing, as well as dangerous. You have been able to do in person what I can only do on the internet. I never doubt your sincerity and good will, I just have been wondering why you couldn't see the obvious in the place where you are now.
Yes, Asia is emerging, but the Philippines is sinking. Education as you know it does not exist, English is no longer taught in the schools, grades are purchased, there are no textbooks. Anybody with true abilities or experience has left the country. "Business" is defined as what the rich do to siphon off all the money and opportunities. Software like we get everywhere is not purchased in the Phils, they get counterfeited copies from China. People who are graduated (or buy a diploma) in computer/software subjects can't pass even the simplest qualifying exams and are never considered for positions which Korean, Chinese, or Singapore nationals so completely outclass them for. If you are 30 or older, no company may hire you and training institutes will not accept your application. Multinational companies will not keep branches in the Phils anymore because they can't get educated and reliable employees and the taxes and extortion and kidnappings have driven them to safer countries. The taxes were just raised again by 15% and a plebecite is scheduled for next year which is expected to further consolidate the power of the government against the people.
The Filipino people are NOT stupid, they are not inferior, it's the country which has the problem. People have to start their own businesses because there are no jobs, and they have endless imagination as to extracting gain from any situation, any object, any person. It is deeply ingrained in the Oriental cultures, quick wits and quick hands. They live in an impossible situation and they make the best of it in any way they can. Unfortunately, too many of them accept deception, counterfeiting, cheating, and using other people as part of these necessities of life. They are also torn between being grateful for assistance and being suspicious of the motives of the assistor. In other words, they don't know if they should use you or avoid you when you try to "help" them. I have seen both of these faces in my dealings with this group of people.
I wish you luck, Slang. Your heart is in the right place. Just one more word of caution: Don't simply write a check. Accountancy does not exist there, and money evaporates into the pockets of every person in the extended family because what you would consider a whim is considered an "emergency" to them.
Just one more word of caution: Don't simply write a check. Accountancy does not exist there, and money evaporates into the pockets of every person in the extended family because what you would consider a whim is considered an "emergency" to them.
Thank you, but a young man from Pakistan has already taught me that lesson. I'm sure there are some good teachers of that class here in the Philippines but I took that class last year. Passed with flying dollars too. ;)
I'm going back soon and may not be online for a few weeks. I'll have about 5 million more photos and movie clips that will be posted on my own site for people to see the wonder and excitement of the Philippines. :)
trip officially complete and I'm back home in the US (and exhausted from the flight).
welcome home, safe and sound.
Welcome back. Make sure you go to your doctor and get the extra strength penacillin shots. You don't know where those girls have been.
Thank you, thank you.
It wasnt that kind of trip Wolf, really.
I have some small trinkets for you PM me.
Welcome back. Please make sure all international warrants on you have expired before the next GTG.
When the guys in black jump out and start shooting at me, hit the deck Rich.
There are 20 CDs of photos that I'm still f**king around with from the trip. The vast majority will have zero appeal for you all. Just pics of common places and things that are different from here.
That whole effort is still in the works though. Dont have any idea when it'll be ready though.
Given that after you left Pakistan there was a massive earthquake, and your departure from the Philipines preceded the mudslides, you may have trouble going to any other foreign lands for a while ... ;)
(Can't wait to see the pictures, but I'll wait anyway.)
Maybe a trip to Philly would be in order. Just to visit though.
It *has* been quite awhile since Philly had a major natural disaster... :worried:
You think I chose this area for the historical importance? Pennsylvania is about as geologically and meterologically stable as we get here in the U.S.
And it's been a while since any cops there dropped bombs on row houses...
I'm near Philadelphia, not in it. There's a reason for that, too.
Pennsylvania is about as geologically and meterologically stable as we get here in the U.S.
But mentally stable......(ba-doom, pish)
Well, Slang, the Philippines is on lockdown today because of the latest coup attempt. Brought you these links so you can follow the ballgame, you can't really tell what is happening by reading the politicians' speaches but it will give you a pretty good idea of who's on top right now.
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=30832
http://news.inq7.net/breaking/index.php?index=1&story_id=67303
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=30832
http://news.inq7.net/breaking/index.php?index=1&story_id=67278
Constitutional issues aside, President Aroyo could put an end to this constant plotting if they would just shoot a few of the people who want to shoot her and be done with it. But Noooooo. That's not the way they handle things there. Because the backers of the plotters are always very well placed, from prominent families or with lots of money stashed outside the country, the government rounds up a few army officers and just sweep them under the rug and so nothing ever comes to an end. The deposed president, a former action-movies star and notorious drunk, who stole practically the entire Treasury and wrecked the economy before he was removed by a coup, has never even been brought to trial and remains in his mansion, enjoying his booze and women, while his supporters in the Senate prevent any judgment from happening. So the Philippines is always in a state of limbo, neither the "good guys" or the "bad guys" actually win and the citizens lose instead.
Anytime the Philippines is in the news now there is a constant stream of people stopping by my desk to talk about it.
Several people have said that they have seen something on the news about the coup. We dont understand the whole situation and generally dont have a great interest here.
It seemed to me while I was there that these anti-Arroyo people sound a lot like the anti-Bush people here and I tuned them out after asking more than a few people about their thoughts on the subject.
There were some that were sympathetic to the ouster movement but most had little interest or thought that these people had little influence.
The most disturbing thoughts expressed was by a man lamenting the "good ol' days of Marcos".
He was serious too. At that point I just accepted the fact that I dont understand their politics and stuck to wandering around (drunk) in wild fascination there.
Not that I dont care but it's just not my fight and I dont understand the history.
Some of the photos from Quezon city were interesting to see in the net news but only because that setting looks so familiar.
Hopefully things iron out there. That's unlikely though.
Thanks for the links.
SOME people in the Philippines actually were better off under Marcos. That is why they would welcome a return of that family to power. Of course, Ferdinand is now dead and buried, but Imelda is still rabble-rousing around the country and there are plenty of people willing to support a take-over similar to the old Marcos regime. The common people, i.e. 99% of the inhabitants, forget that the reason things were so great during the Marcos days was the USA was still in charge of security and OUR money was the engine which drove the economy there. At this point our "occupation" is a distant memory and they could bring back 500 Marcoses and nothing would change. But Filipinos are not strong on logic, unfortunately, the great unwashed electorate there is not capable of figuring that out. They just want ANY change, they are easily influenced by promises and to this day have not been able to figure out that the last person who promised them a Cadillac in every hovel (deposed president Estrada) never gave them anything and instead stole the entire Treasury and sent it abroad with his buddy crooks. President Arroyo is a disgrace but she is the best of the worst and she is our firm ally. She will continue to see attempted coups for as long as she remains in the Philippines, simply because others there want to sit in her chair and pocket the money that SHE is pocketing now.
Luisa for Pres!(?)
umm......maybe not, ok.
Why? Are you and your contacts willing to finance the coup? ;)
We can schedule it for next Wednesday if somebody else isn't already having one.
If we can make that happen with 5000 PHP, then yer on!
It's not easy to be living in the Philippines right now. The government has been doing warrantless arrests and everyone is living in fear. Former president Ramos called the events "Marcosian" after the deceased dictator whom he served under as well. He can see the handwriting on the walls. Former president Cory Aquino also said we deserve an explanation and clarification. Is this undeclared Martial Rule?
In the meantime, I am cautioning everyone I know of to not be too vocal about being anti-government and taxes in public right now. It is a dangerous and tension filled time. You never know who might try to turn you in on a trumped up charge. 100 people have been hauled in for questioning since Friday and some have not been released yet. Others have escaped arrest or gone into hiding. A newspaper office was raided midnight of Saturday and all the copies of the issue of the day were confiscated. After that, the police have been keeping a tight watch on their office as well.
I hope this all blows over soon.
Big typhoon damage there in Luzon ( may-nee-lah, Makati..etc, etc ).
Has there been a relief effort set up yet ( That I can send money and "stuff" to)?
I'll post what I wrote to Slang in a PM before realizing he had also posted on the thread here.
Thanks for your good thoughts, Slang. At this point the destruction of the communications network in Manila is so extreme that they haven't even been able to assess the damages. Only 28 deaths reported so far seems way short, in a good winter storm they usually lose a hundred squatters to garbage slides at the landfills so I expect the toll will rise. All electricity for 40 million people went out and I lost contact with Luisa's house at the height of the storm (we were texting each other while the typhoon was shaking their house so badly that they thought the roof would go any second). At the time her cellphone failed they still had the roof but lots of water leaking in on the top floor and the air outside was swirling with debris from all the shacks which 50% of the population lives in.
Last night Luisa and her aunt went out and bought a phone card so that we could speak for 15 minutes and they could tell me they survived and the house is still standing. Fortunately they built on one of the highest areas and the floods did not reach them. Their street is knee-deep in debris but they have electricity again, one of the few areas of the city that has, but all the phone lines and therefore the internet is down. She may not be back online for a week, but at least they have food and a way to cook it. The sun is shining and it is a beautiful day outside, she says. It was her birthday when the typhoon hit.
As always, the government will be unable to do anything meaningful. The mayor of Manila is mostly upset because all the trees he planted in the parks are now blown away. There is no word yet how to send aid to the people who didn't fare so well. Even the papers online, like the link I sent you for the Philippines Star, had very little information when I checked last night. I suppose there is a Philippines Red Cross, but right now all offices and schools are closed or have no phones or electricity. If I hear anything else, I will let you know.
Luisa did tell me last night that there is a brisk business in the streets where squatters are gathering up the roofs or furniture of their former neighbors in order to reconstruct their own hovels.
I'd like to again remind anybody that sending "stuff" of any kind to the Phils is futile, they will either steal it or "tax" it to the point that your recipient would be better off with the cash. But you can't send cash through the mail either under their latest "laws". What I do is send a Western Union remittance in $US which can be deposited directly into accounts at several banks, making it impossible for the agency who retrieves your WU from charging you "fees" for the privilege. I'll also remind you that most agencies in the Philippines are as corrupt as any other part of the society there and money sent to them will not necessarily go any farther than the pockets of the officials.
Luisa did tell me last night that there is a brisk business in the streets where squatters are gathering up the roofs or furniture of their former neighbors in order to reconstruct their own hovels.
Mostly roof and window damage from what I'm hearing.
Most of the requests for recovery items and supplies that I've recieved have been passed on to Santa Claus.
How does one re-roof a house with a projection TV? :eyebrow:
Those that I know personally have not been severly affected.
The projection TV request is because squatters who use a newspaper placed on the street for their toilet are more likely to have televisions and other toys which they operate on stolen electricity. More than 50% of the electricity generated by the national utility is channeled off to the hovels of the enterprising or tapped from the line of a neighbor who IS paying. Being out of commission for a month will probably SAVE money for Meralco, since all the thieves will have nothing to take from them and their honest clients.
Meralco is the electric supplier? :confused:
Yes, the electricity supplier.
They are a most unusual bunch, a perfect example of life in the Philippines at the mercy of a government burocracy. The low percentage of paying customers have to shoulder the expenses of the entire system, the rates go up BECAUSE you paid and most people don't. Meralco is unable to disconnect non-payers or remove the hundreds of thousands of illegal taps on their poles because the police can't be there to protect them from the mobs of squatters, their transformers are constantly exploding (probably also caused by overloaded tappings) and causing fires, they often just make up the amount to bill you and you have to pay it anyway, and if you make a service call to remove the taps which others have put on your line they often "discover" that your entire house has dangerous wiring and will probably burn down any minute if you do not pay them to "correct" it. During certain times of the year, the linemen go around threatening subscribers in order to get cash for themselves; fortunately, Luisa's aunt is even more scary than the attempted extortionists so she has managed to get rid of them so far. Because squatters build huts right in the middle of the street and because any empty space may suddenly sprout a cinderblock and wood building with stolen electricity, the utility can't possibly estimate power requirements and so power failures are commonplace. The so-called government of the Philippines never makes any attempt to control the destruction and squallor which these squatters and criminals cause because every single body in that place can vote (or rather, sell their vote) so all the "laws" are for the benefit of the lowest common denominator and not the people who are trying to lead honest and legal lives.
Just for the record, that person that asked for the TV is not a squatter.
He's a clown when I'm trying to be serious, but not an electro-thief or such.
Don't worry, we never thought he was ;) But if he DID have one and he had to evacuate the house during the storm, you can be sure some squatter has his tv NOW.
Well, a week after the storm and still no sign of any fund drives. Still some areas without electricity but there doesn't seem to be a real need for fund raising as those who were severly affected (the squatters) simply rebuilt from the debris on the street. Rampant electrical, telephone, television cable stealing though. Junk shops are being searched for stolen items. Electricity restored in 90% of the city, cellphone are aso 90% functional. This is going to be a long rebuilding road ahead for the city. I'll keep you posted!
Just now getting some photos in from the storm damage.
Roof, siding and tree damage more than anything else. And the loss of power for over a week. :(
Here are some photos from Makati.
Just for the record, I'll be avoiding the Phils during the new year's celebration here on out.
O-B-E-Y the Pinoy Princess.....or else! It's difficult to get mad at the PP even though we've spoiled her beyond recovery.
A nice place to visit but not a great place to live. The sad reality for millions there.
"I'm so bored not being the center of attention....maybe I should sing again" :lol: :lol:
:confused: New year's celebrations get out of hand?
New year's celebrations get out of hand?
No more than normal I'm told.
The random image #1 from the previous post was not out of control and in fact was one of countless types of fireworks displays there.
Do you remember seeing the footage from Baghdad in the first hours of Gulf War 1? All the noise and the streaming tracers flying everywhere?
That's what their celebration reminded me of. The fireworks are so cheap that nearly everyone can buy them. Firecrackers were going off during the day and night. Sometimes right under your feet when walking around .
You need to take a cab or a tricycle somewhere? There's a million kids throwing firecrackers at random at vehicles in the street. Care to take a walk around? These little jokesters follow the hapless white man firing the little noisemakers off here and there.
I'm sure it was very funny seeing me dance all those times. I'll pass on future NY's festivities though. The days approaching future NY's as well.
Maybe more beer would have made it all better. And a good set of safety glasses.
Just adding my New year's experience to the mix. I almost lost my hearing one afternoon when a bunch of kids fired a BOGA (Exploding) Canon into my ear. The cannon is made from PVC pipes and can be as small as a hand held gun or as large as a military issued bazooka. They have handles on it that allow you to hold it like a real fire arm. The explosion is caused by alcohol swabs that were saturated by denatured alcohol, shaken to heat up and then the cotton wick is lit up and you wait for the BANG.
Well, I was walking home one afternoon and unconsciouly walked slow enough to be their moving target. The next thing I knew, I was reeling and hearing a constant BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING in my ear that stayed for a whole 2 days. I was so mad I threw a straight punch at the kid aimed in the face. Then I hit him with my umbrella. He dropped the canon and ran!
I can hear better now. But I probably lost hearing capacity in my left ear permanently because of these stupid people who think blowing things and people up is FUN. :mad:
Anyway, things got so out of hand with the BOGA because drunks and adventurist people started putting projectiles into the cannon and injuring people throughout the country. So the police stepped in and started confiscating the offending pyrotechnic instrument and arresting anybody who used it. That made my New Year's Eve :) Watching them get rounded up on TV was the best sweet justice justice I could have asked for.
The next thing I knew, I was reeling and hearing a constant BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING in my ear that stayed for a whole 2 days. I was so mad I threw a straight punch at the kid aimed in the face. Then I hit him with my umbrella. He dropped the canon and ran!
That made my New Year's Eve :) Watching them get rounded up on TV was the best sweet justice justice I could have asked for.
I know walloping the kid who damaged your hearing was scant repayment, but good on you all the same. Despite technically believing that violence solves nothing, I know that a well placed smack with an umbrella is worth all the Government Safety Adverts in the world.
And yes, I would have been rubbing my hands with glee watching the TV too :)
I can hear better now. But I probably lost hearing capacity in my left ear permanently because of these stupid people who think blowing things and people up is FUN. :mad:
Anyway, things got so out of hand with the BOGA because drunks and adventurist people started putting projectiles into the cannon and injuring people throughout the country. So the police stepped in and started confiscating the offending pyrotechnic instrument and arresting anybody who used it. That made my New Year's Eve :) Watching them get rounded up on TV was the best sweet justice justice I could have asked for.
These things were there when I was visiting. The first few that I saw were about 3 inches in diameter and about 4ft long. They make a good bang for sure.
Then....I started seeing tubes about 8 inches in diameter with much louded bangs.
You'd see these jackasses walking down the street with them, putting the bore through windows and such. Then you'd see people whacking them in the head with an umbrella. :)
When I would see these "kids" or when they would see me and start walking toward me with that big shit eating grin I'd point very sternly and shout "nakamamatay", only because I dont yet know how to say..."if you don't want that tube jammed straight up your ass, stay clear of me".
It's not often that Filipinos annoy me. The fireworks did mildly but those boomtubes were downright irritating.
Wish I'd seen one of them get taken by the police. The only news reports that we saw was of the emergency room and those injured by fireworks.
This is one of those threads that I enjoy reading and keeping up with but don't want to post anything in it for fear of derailing it.
Carry on.
A trip to the "PI" just wouldnt be complete without a little (or a lot) kerioki
The garbage man here (Guadalupe) hit me up for a donation. His plea was so funny that I took this photo.....and gave him 10 pesos. :)
Ever think your bed is a bit hard?
Maybe these little bikes arent too small for me after all.
I see the bike picture is flipped. Do they drive on the left there?
My guess from what I've seen so far would be they drive wherever they damn well please. :)
Glatt, this photo came from my background image folder and has been flipped so that I can see the background image and my icons on the desktop.
CF
If there is no oncoming traffic any lane can be used by any vehicle. This also applies ( apparently ) around curves. :worried:
The divided road, two way traffic concept is lost here.
There are also only the physical limitations on things that might be transported by a given vehicle. If you can put it in or on the vehicle, then go with it. No flags or safety procedures apply.
The attached photo shows a tricycle carrying steel poles approx 20ft long. A tricycle is about 5 ft long.
There are examples such as this everywhere and yet I've only seen one accident. Amazing.
Ever wanted to own a gas station? This is a mini station outside of Dreamland ( yes, that's it's real name ). The Coke bottles are filled with gas. I cant remember what the different colors are.
With all the smoking and fireworks going off all over, this was the closest that I came to this little venture.
Dreamland. Where all your dreams come true. ;)
A friend in the US has photos of cemeteries from across America and asked for some pics from the Phils.
Little did I know that people actually live in cemeteries there. People don't seem to fear their dead either.
Little did I know that people actually live in cemeteries there.
I'm with Beestie. I love this thread.
Thanks to both of you.
Having the chance to explore far off places makes the crap that I have to go through 10 months out of the year worth it.
Having people appreciate my mildly interesting photos is surely worth the time posting them. :blush:
These are from the Manila North Cemetery.
This is the final resting place of Ronald Allen Kelley Poe, the politician that Arroyo stole(?) the election from.
Same cemetery
The oldtime fighter Pancho Villa
Heritage Memorial Park - Taguig
This is a private but upscale cemetery.
The grass was as green as well kept as the golf course that I visited.
I dont even know what you would call these little buildings but some of them are very nice. This one was close enough to go get some photos of.
There weren't people living here and hanging their clothes up on the memorials. :D
Not a very big place to come visit your loved ones but certainly very nice.
Labingan Ng NGA Bayani ( close as I can tell, the Philippine Arlington Cemetery )
There are memorials for presidents, dignitarys, cabinet members, supreme court judges and military officers. Most of the graves marked by crosses are unmarked.
Being assigned here at the cemetery is either very boring and something that you want to avoid.....or easy duty that allows you to rest up from drinking beers offduty. :)
Rest in peace Mgen. and to all those lost.
Rice and fish!? I dont think so.
There is juice in a bag there that's cheap and good tasting. It's called Zesto and I bought about 8 cases of it during the trip. Each bag is $.20
Over the holiday we'd give out Zesto and grapes to family and friends.
The grapes were from California and honestly the biggest grapes that I've ever seen. Very tastey too. Everyone loved them.
They cost 300 pesos per kilo ($2.75/lb) but that might be the "white dumb guy" price. :blush:
Cant remember how much the oranges and cucumbers cost. Nothing was expensive.
The sippy cups have SM gin in them. [SIZE="1"]not really :blush: [/SIZE]
Talkin' on the phone, driving recklessly.....probably has a credit card tucked away somewhere too. :)
If the front seats were taken out, these little cars might do.
By the way.....
I take photos of nearly everything. The camera goes with me everywhere and the batteries are always on charge.
Sometimes there is a request that I not bring the camera.
Pinang: Hey, why dont you leave the camera here while we go out?
Slang: :eyebrow:
Pinang: You already have about a million pics.
Slang: Yeah but I'll see Elvis or Jimmy Hoffa.....or a spaceship will land right in front of us if I dont take it. Then I'll feel like a total jackass for not having a cam during that moment.
Pinang: I'll be your witness if we see those things. You wont look silly, I'll verify your story.
Slang:A good photo of a Marsian might be worth a milllion pesos.
Pinang::eyebrow:
Slang: Ok, how about I keep it in the bag? :blush:
The oldtime fighter Pancho Villa
I got confused and had to look it up in wikipedia, because I was pretty sure Pancho Villa was an old Mexican dude. Looks like there are two. Duh.
Both bad asses to be sure. :)
This is the Makati City building.
The steps at the entrance are very slippery. I fell flat on my ass walking down them after a light rain.
That would have made a good photo.
What's the food like there? It's different. Even those things that are normal in the US are different there.
Most imported things are diluted or in small packages but even after that, things taste different.
These are burgers cooking in a pan of oil.
No, no not BIG oil, cooking oil. They taste better than balut but they just don't taste the same as home.
Let's take a peek into the freezer.
1. Rice a Roni. The rice there is kinda boring so 10 packs came with me. What's in doing in the freezer? The ants seem to love it too. :blush:
2. HUGE glasses for slang. BIG frosted glasses for water or beer after returning from having firecrackers thrown at my feet or taking enough photos to arouse the suspicion of local law enforcement. The pinoy sized glasses are too much work. Fill and empty...refill and empty....refill and empty. :blush:
3. Meats from Market Market. This replaces the meats bought at the wet market which is so smelly that you gag passing it. There are pork chops and steaks! :)
4. Spaghetti. The freezer keeps the ants off from it. :rolleyes:
Let's see what other "Philippine" foods might be in the fridge.
1. M&Ms fresh from the US. The big bags were on sale just as I was prepping for the trip. Fifty bucks worth of M&Ms is quite a bit.
2. Milk by the liter. It's not common there and in a week or two we had completely comsumed the local Uni Mart's supply. It's about 75 PHP ($1.5) a liter. There were no gallons of milk to be found.
3. Pinoy sized corn flakes. The big boxes are not available here. You can probably find many of those things that you like from the US but the size and cost are much different.
4. Hershey chocolate syrup and kisses. The syrup goes good with those day old deep fried baby chicks. :D
It looks like someone painted this dog. Poor doggy, pink. Tough break.
I love this stuff slang. Keep it up.
The poem in post 226 is usually attributed to
Mary Elizabeth Frye. I did think it was interesting that the Phillippine version doesn't use the 'diamond's glint on snow' line.
It's great that people are enjoying these. When I check from the main menu how many people are viewing, it's normally just a few.
Maybe the view counter would be a better indicator of how much interest there is.
Anyway, I'm happy to organize and comment on these.
This is another example of someone carting something unusual around with a tricycle.
We just rebuilt her family home so this is how the materials were delivered as she tells me.
The plywood there is cheaper than in the US but it's also very flimsy. There are a variety of 2 thicknesses with the standard size sheet, 4ft x 7ft or there about.
More vehicle shots.
The first one is a dune buggy that was zipping around the cab. The image is all blurry and it was out of site before another could be snapped
The second one is 3 people on a motorbike. That's fairly common there but it might not be legal.
These are from the Fort Banifacio area (ritzy part of Makati with active nightlife).
The next 4 are from the Army base. The mural is about 100yds long all with scenes from the army.
I was working my way down the sidewalk snapping one section at a time when an MP (politely) told me that my slippers (flip flops) were not allowed in that area. That it was not a great offense to him but if his superiors came by and saw me with them on in that area that it was technically an infraction. Being barefoot was not an option either as that was worse.
Maybe next trip I'll get the rest of it.
I like to walk around all parts of the barangay just to see the buildings and talk to those that would like to try their English.
Most people that are out will chat for a bit and are surprised to see me in their humble area.
During one of walks these girls were trying to work this .....thingy. That paper thingy that you twirl around, you know.....that thingy.
After rolling the paper up on the stick a bit they were able to spin this (thingy ) enough for an action shot. :)
Do people ask me for money? Not normally. Most offer me something to drink, sometimes beer sometimes cola. They also like to have their photo taken which is not a problem. ;)
These two are taken from a walkway over the street in Quezon City. There are quite a few of these as there are no American style crosswalks.
There is often some type of surprise on the overpass too. This one had some smelly dog poo but someone selling something that you'll never need would also be a possibility as well as a homeless person.
We have met homeless people in Quezon and it's disturbing to me. A few of them have been just plain raving crazy and unable to function. If someone has family, that family will normally at least give them somewhere to stay out of the rain.
We met an old woman last year that just looked pitiful. We passed and Pinang was talking about something and I told her that we must do something for that woman.
She put some peso bills in the old woman's hand but said that "there's just no one there". In the end we had someone call the church and gave some money to care for her.
I've not seen people in such pitiful welfare as here in the Phils.
Anyway....this is a shot from the overpass with the smelly poo. :)
We have friends in Quezon city. During this trip we went to their apartment.
This was the first time that I'd seen the inside of a rental apartment so I was very curious, looking here and there.
They are small for sure. Most of the "extras" are absent, like a handrail for the stairs. Overall no bad though, IMO.
This apartment is home for our two friends (man and woman ) and his sister.
They have a TV, fridge, sink and all that basic kinda stuff. One thing that strikes me is that the paints are often so dreary that it's depressing. A coat of paint before renting a unit might be standard here in the US but it's extra money for the owner in the Phils.
This apartment rents for 7000 php a month ($140) and heat is included. :lol:
Sorry no interior shots of the apartment. This is what the outside looks like though. Look at all those wires running around!
The first photo is in the hallway looking at the building next door.
The second is the front door which is pretty nice. The woodworking is normally pretty cheap as most of the labor is done in country where the rates are cheap.
Next door to our friends this cat and rooster were both looking at each other.
Some things that the animals here do are pretty funny to me.
The cat is thinking..."I could eat fresh chicken tonight if I could only lift that gate".
At some point in the Christmas celebration with relatives here, we were invited to another party.
The party was at someone's apartment building. The top of the building to be more specific.
These are taken from the 4th floor of aunty ?'s building. The birthday party is for cousin ?, who just happens to be gay ( ba-ding ).
This trip, quite by accident and without any objection we just seemed to run into many gays.
They would completely ignore me for a while, checking my reactions I suppose. Who knows, I might be one of those knuckle dragging, heartless Republican gay bashing bastards!
Pinang would razz some of them playfully and eventually with some beer they would talk to me and ask some questions.
Ba-ding: Hey....do you know any gays in the US
slang: (eating the chicken on a stick like a man that hasn't seen food in a month) Yeah
Ba-ding: Do they annoy you?
slang: No more than all the other assheads....HEY, CAN I GET ANOTHER REDBULL OVER HERE!? YES PLEASE, THE GRANDE SIZE!
Ba-ding: Oh. Cool :D
The food and booze there was pretty good.
1. BIG plate of plain rice
2. Chicken on a stick. No Zippy, it's NOT monkey on a stick. :rolleyes:
3. Chow mein kinda noodles
4. Very well done fish cooked with head still attached
5. Medium done fish cooked with head still attached
I saw this guy at the party and assumed that he was a black guy. He was a dark Filipino.
I didnt see one single black person and I was looking. They would probably be very popular here.
West Rembo
Walking around just after Christmas and all the little boys had their toy guns out in the street shooting the neighbors.
Ah, it's nice to see I tell ya.
"Hey Joe" [Bang! Bang!]
I returned fire with a borrowed sawed off shotgun seen in pic 2.
The toy guns there look remarkably real and have no red tip. "That looks just like my Glock!"
Oh and a sidenote to Wolf. One of the malls that we were at has a gunstore in it.
We were walking by and I saw some short shotguns in a display.
"What the.....!?, we gotta stop in here for a minute!"
With a license, a Filipino may legally own a handgun and this shop sells them.
There were Glocks and Smiths on display in the case. The proprietor said that one must have a license and to get a license you have to be Filipino.
Anyway......
Here are the kids and their guns.
Another sidenote. The kid in pic one is drinking out of a plastic bag, which is quite normal as the beverage is poured into the bag at the store to retain the returnable bottle.
OK, there is the shooting, now lets check out an ambulance.
This is the Makati Ospital ambulance. It looks nice from the outside but the inside doesnt have nearly the same amount of life saving equipment as we have here in the US.
This is very hard to see but what is inside is basically a cabinet and a tank of some kind.
Just for the record during the time that I was across the street snapping pics, there was a patient loaded into that very ambulance on a cart.....and....it....was....very....hard.....not to go and get his pic! :blush:
Party, party, party, everyone's having a party.
The next door neighbor invited us to a party for his niece. She's turning one year old today....but the important thing to know is that there is free food and booze there.
Cool, we're there!
To be polite until everyone has at least one pass through the buffet, I dont load up. After that...it's every man for himself though. :)
It seemed funny to me that the family just set up the tables and parked the cars to block the traffic from the street. This street sees a fair amount of tricycle traffic.
With very little warning or hesistaion everything was set up....right in the middle of the street.
This was my first pass through the buffet. Chicken, rice, fish. :neutral:
There was plenty there though. The chicken as seen on my plate was the best. When everyone is busy eating and not paying attention to me, the plate was nearly completely loaded with the sweet saucy chicken. :)
No, it's not monkey Zip!
This is the family that the party was for. Don't ask me their names, I dont remember.
The man is Filipino and the woman is Chinese....the little girl is just out_of_control cute.
Everything looked great and everyone seemed to have a good time. So good that they didnt see the strange white man loading his plate full with chicken.
Looks like the little girl's name is Kristen. :)
OK, dinner is over. What next? CLOWNS!!!
Clowns singing,dancing and telling very bad jokes. :eyebrow: The little girl shown in pic 2 is from Canada, both Phil parents.
She was exceptionally bright and spoke English very well. If I remember correctly her parents were moving BACK from Canada. They are both professionals of some type.
Last one for now.
This man was pedalling down the street in Pateros (next to Makati ).
You will see these guys riding bikes selling all sorts of things. There is a man that sells "dirty ice cream" (that's what Pinang calls it, home made ice cream ), balut :greenface , dirty corn and various other specialty foods and drinks.
Most of them have a special ring. The corn man has a special sounding bell, the ice cream man has another. Everyone has their own proprietary bell so that you know who is riding around outside ringing.
They all have the same kind of bell even far outside of the area. They must have a franchise of sorts going. If you want to sell dirty corn you get a holder for the corn....and that special bell. The "Hey, I've got dirty corn" bell. :)
This man sped away before I could get a good look at those things on his cart.
Most all of these vendors has been very nice to me. They show me what they are selling and go out of their way to answer silly questions. If they let me take pictures most of the time they get 20 or 50 pesos as a tip. Nothing bought just the tip for letting me see what they have and taking a pic.
2. Chicken on a stick. No Zippy, it's NOT monkey on a stick.
No, it's not monkey Zip!So you THINK !!! HA !!!
Just kidding about the monkey meat on a stick dude !!
I can thruthfully say the ONLY time I knew I was eating Monkey was when the PI Marines shot and cooker one , I HAD to try it , it was TASTY !!!
So Slang , I might have missed it but are you in the PI again or are these just pics from your last trip ??
Eather way it looks like you had FUN !!!
Oh and who is that Little Quitie ? Yours , Hers , Yours/Hers ??
Wait a minute, you actually ate food at a buffet? I can hear your conversation with your doc back home. "Yah it all started after I ate buffet style in the Philipines..."
So Slang , I might have missed it but are you in the PI again or are these just pics from your last trip ??
Oh and who is that Little Quitie ? Yours , Hers , Yours/Hers ??
These are from this last trip, 3 weeks long. The next trip will be in August and I'll be staying for 3-6 months.
The objective is to learn enough and to prepare myself for moving there long term. As America changes into....whatever it's morphing into, I want options. There seems to be a polar shift in politics, hard left - hard right, every 8 years. On the off 8 years, I'll be gone. ;)
Learning Tagalog is a priority now as well as history and the workings of the government there. How do you get things done there? Who do you speak to? What are the systems there? All these things will be important when I'm there long term. There is much to learn.
There is no plan to change citizenship, just geographical location. A place to get away from those things that I find completely unacceptable....like Dem policies.
There is plenty of time to build a place that I'll be happy and that is exactly what I'm doing.
The little girl is Lorin, she's my neice.
Pinang and I are collecting and saving money (I'm collecting and she's saving :lol: ) to build a comfortable life there for us. With a little luck and planning there will be a time that we're just as comfortable there in the Philippines as a middle class existence here in the US.
We're both pretty easy to please as far as lifestyle goes. She's more frugal than I am and that's saying something.
My work nowdays is becoming more and more intense in the way that employers ( that pay anything anyway ) want you to work 100 hours a week to get things done or corrected....then they want you to go away until the next time that they need you.
Shareholders don't want people on the payroll that arent contributing (IE the old way of doing engineering projects, 40 hours a week even when things are slow) and when they DO need you, they pay. This works for me! Six months in the US, six in Luzon.
Being a US citizen will also help with certain assignments and I'll have the flexibility that few Americans can afford, six on six off.
That's fine. The life that I'm building will work around that quite nicely. Everything is paid for and hopefully for the first time in my life I can fucking relax for a few months without stress of paying for the stupid shit that I never really wanted in the fist place.
The land and housing is still cheap in rural Luzon. Her relatives have some influence and have been accumulating land there with the monies sent back from US by family.
Will it be the US? No. Will I personally like it there? I dont know. When the taxes jump up to 50%, I'll just clap the dust off my hands and say fuck it, I'm going home.
Any way we look at it, it's a win. As things deteriorate in the US, I'd expect many more to do the same.
Wait a minute, you actually ate food at a buffet? I can hear your conversation with your doc back home. "Yah it all started after I ate buffet style in the Philipines..."
It's strange that every trip the food doesnt bother me until a day or two before the trip back.
That day before there is a lot of time on the can, without fail.
It works out well because on the long flights over, I dont even like to get out of the seat. No potty stops or anything.
Once back in the US, a few hits of Imodium cures everything back to normal.
No food troubles in the long run. Good stuff and cheap too.
A few observations from the trip.
1. People are getting FAT over there like Americans. Many have seen increases in their salaries. Not nearly enough to afford things like a new home or a car but more than enough to eat better tasting foods.
2. The adverts here in the US frequently feature Asian looking models, especially women. The adverts in Manila frequently feature American looking models, especially women.
3. If I'm going to have a conflict with someone during the flight, it's going to be some American asshead. No question about it. The Chinese are curious and friendly more than others but everyone has been extremely nice to me, except for aggressive Americans.
4. Filipinos that have moved to the US, become citizens and are visiting "the old country" often treat the locals like dogshit, and are often confrontational to even me. They are rude and condecending to the point that I have to tell them to fuck off (something that is normally reserved for home in the US)
Just going through the collection again and have a few more to add here.
Pizza Hut and Burger King.
I've not eaten at a Pizza Hut here but the BKs are almost the same as the US. Everything is smaller, tastes a bit strange and comes with rice.
The BEST pizza that I personally have had there is from
Shakey's Pizza. Although that "belly buster" pizza was actually the same size as an American medium, it was fantastic. Deep dish pizza with all the meats on it ( except monkey ).
The total bill for one good pizza, 4 cold medium sized beers, 2 sprites, and two chicken and rice meals.....just under $18. Not bad.
The beer was cold too, something that's not always the case.
What's it like there riding around the city in a cab?
It's hard to describe accurately but here are some things that are fairly consistent.
1. The cab is going to be small. Not "Pakastan" Suzuki car small but small.
2. If the driver is an older man he's going to be listening to American Music from the 1950s and 60s. That sort of music is not my interest but was recoznizable. Dean Martin, Sinatra...the old style music where the artist could actually sing.
3. The driver will try not to activate the meter. Check the meter right after to tell him where you want to go. You should see it register "30" (pesos). If it's not, just politely ask him to set it. Trust me, you want them to set the meter. You can be generous or stingy as you want with a tip but make damn sure the meter is set. The cabs are cheap as far as cabs go, but they CAN be expensive if you get the "dumb white guy" rate. Take a second to check.
4. You will be sitting in the car in the street for much of the trip. Notice that I didn't use the term "traffic". The definition of traffic has the word "movement" in it. What you will be doing in the cab is sitting in the car, in the street. :)
5. There will be delivery bikes riding around you as you sit in the street waiting for whatever the fuck is holding up the flow.
This might be from some jackass unloading commerical goods from the middle of the street or someone trying to rebuild their jeepny on the fly.
The bikes will wiggle between the cab and the traffic in the next lane if possible and as soon as you stop many will jog around the traffic.
It was surprising to see what is available at their malls. We were in the electronics section of one of the biggest mall chains (
(SM, a Chinese company.) and they have a wide selection of LCD and wide screen TVs. The biggest one cost 1.5 million PHP ($30k).
Who is buying these if things are so bad there? I don't know. I would have but we couldnt find the one that I wanted.
These are pictures from the street of the SM malls.
This photo is from the Fiesta part of the Market Market mall in Makati.
It's the food section of the mall.
There is a big roof as you see that covers the food shops and seating areas. Under the roof are smokestacks belching out bbq smoke visible in the photo.
If the wind doesnt blow the smoke smell is very strong and distracting. This day the wind wasnt blowing much.
There is also a reasonably big sign that says very clearly that there is no drinking of alcohol. Imagine turning the camera 90 degrees to the right.
There is a vendor that sells a variety of domestic and imported beer. :)
What? You're supposed to take it with you unopened from the mall to drink it?
Yah right. :eyebrow:
This is the Uni-Mec grocery store in Comembo.
There is a grocery store, drug store, fruit market, bike shop, bakery, pawn shop, Infotech office and police station right here on the end of this block.
It's one of my favorite places to sit back and watch people.
The grocery store has a line of tricycles next to it. When you exit the store you can step right into one, no muss no fuss. Not exactly perfection because of the size and quality of the trikes but convenient for sure.
This store as many others also has a room out in front that you can leave your bags of goods from other stores. Step up and put your bag on the counter. They take it and put it into a space underneath and give you a plastic card. On the way out grab your other bags and you're off.
Once inside the UM store you'll find a very packed store but it is air conditioned. The carts are small and there's normally a lot of kids playing around either with the carts or each other.
As I've said many times before, Filipinos dont know how to flow. This is true in the street and on foot. People stop right in the middle of the flow and start talking to someone or answer a cell call all the time. In the US it's generally regarded as normal to get the fuck out of the way of the flow when you have to do something other than move forward. They don't flow.
Once you get around 50 people screwing around doing this or that you'll find the items that you're looking for...and 50 people will somehow be unable to get around YOU. :lol:
Everything is tight Everything is small.
But the great part of it all....
Everyone is polite and smiley. :)
Here are a few more of the Ospital.
Quite a modern looking building considering this neighborhood. I've been inside and it's modern and nice looking inside too but I've not used any of their services.
Pinang says it's a good (H)ospital but she's never been to the US.
These are the little Bas-....um, I mean kids that were tossing the firecrackers at me.
The kid in the white shirt had quite a sassy mouth on him too. Where'd he learn to be so obnoxious? Had to be some American.
From the cab. Just a sign about what the local government is doing there.
We were in a grocery store somewhere, not the Uni-Mec, and they had a small section of American sorta things.
The price was about the same as home and I totally forgot to check the sell by date.
There was some interest by others in the family in eating the pancakes in the morning but overall, I liked them the best.
It's a good idea to get a good breakfast before sitting in a cab in the street for hour on end. :D
These are some other things we bought at that same time. We were going to try to make our own pizzas and cakes but lost interest.
Do you golf? I see golf as one of the dumbest games on the planet but I DO have the photos of the Army golf course. ;)
I dont like golf, I dont understand how it works and I dont care to learn so....if you are a golfer you'll have to interpret what the photos are yourself.
Thinking about moveing to the PI , cool consept ,
Hell we know all about white flight , we not only left the city we left he whole state , the whole Damn area !!!
But to leave the country ???
That is a BIG step !!!
Luck to ya Bud !! ( oh and keep the pics comeing !!)
Some serious ball washers there. :)
That is a BIG step !!!
It's all about options man. Most of the sailors that I've talked to would LOVE to move there.
As much as things are kinda on the downturn here, they are on the UPswing in Asia. I've got a lot of studying to do but I'm thinking that the option of going there for 6 on, 6 off will work out well.
Check out those rules...and rates!
Another observation from the trip. Maybe this has been covered.
When I see westerners they generally avoid me. They avoid eye contact, they don't speak to me, they normally completely ignore me.
In Makati city with all the "adult entertainment" going on with the westerners, that would be logical but nearly everywhere not many speak.
Not a great loss for me because I deal with Americans enough in America. It's strange though.
Slang I reread this thread throughout the day yesterday, it's my favorite right now. Can't wait to see more :thumb:
Thanks Jinx
This is a shot that I passed up before.
We're walking through Comembo and Pinang is leading on foot and I'm snapping.
This woman in this restaurant was waving to us and I asked "do you know her"? Pinang said no, seems she just wanted her pic taken. Maybe she thought that these pictures would be in some fancy famous magazine or something.
Sorry ma'am....just here at the cellar. :blush:
It's common to have people want their image in my camera, and then for all of you to see. Most don't wave as this nice woman did though.
Ever hear about the pollution in Manila? It's bad in some places. In others it's very bad.
There are ditches that run along many of the streets. It's not a storm drain but it's not the sewer either. It's just bad grey water.
Many times there is a very large sign that instructs you not to put your trash in this "stream". Most of the time no regard is paid to it though and you see it piling up, in one case that comes to mind, directly under the sign.
About half to the crap that's along the banks of the streem here is bio garbage and the other half is styrofoam and plastic.
Not this but another place in Comembo there is a strong odor 20 - 30 ft from the portion that crosses the street exposed at the sidewalks.
It's not nearly as bad as many streets that I'd been to in Pakistan.
Coconuts are very popular there. This has to be one of the top 5 growers of cocunuts in the world, if not one of the top 3.
In the rough they sell for 10-15 php ($.20-25) each. They are popular for their juice and I've seen people collect it from them to cool in the fridge and drink.
I've not tried it unrefined so I cant comment on the taste.
Beer is cheaper by the liter so why bother?
Most of them just pile them up in the street with a bike and sell them.
Not something you'd see in the US, but common here.
It's great that people are enjoying these. When I check from the main menu how many people are viewing, it's normally just a few.
Maybe the view counter would be a better indicator of how much interest there is.
Anyway, I'm happy to organize and comment on these.
If you go to "User CP" at the top left of any page and click on "attachments" under the "Miscellaneous" heading, you can see how many times each of your attachments has been viewed. That's a better gauge than the view counter for the entire thread, especially when the thread has been around for a while.
Pictures I've attached within an IotD thread get hundreds of views, but if I start my own thread in the Cellar and stick pictures in there, I'll usually only get 1-2 dozen views. Sometimes less if it's a thread without much of a broad appeal.
Interesting. Thank you Glatt.
Billboards. They tell a lot about what people want and don't want. Some are cool to look at as well.
The Philips bb always seemed to be in exactly the wrong place. This one is in West Rembo, not an affluent area.
Why would people care to see a very big ad for something that they could not (easily ) afford?
Maybe the two billboards together should be considered. :D
This is one of those hotels that rents by the hour. It's a chain hotel there but I'm not sure how many there actually are.
There was a Sogo that we looked at in Guadalupe but didn't stay at.
We walked into the lobby past restaurant style boths towards the front desk. There were people sitting in the booths but I wasn't paying much attention.
No Zip, the floor was not sticky. :rolleyes:
slang: We'd like a room please.
clerk: (Looks at Pinang) How long would you like Miss?
Pinang: (Looks at me)
slang: Two days. (flexes bicep ) :)
clerk: :eyebrow: wow. (hands me a "take a number card") Have a seat and a room with be available soon.
I just wanted to see what it was like there. It's actually pretty funny.
Then we checked in at a nice hotel just off Ayala. Pinang was relieved. :)
These are from the Stressmas eve party.
There is some type of cylinder that explodes confetti and candy up in the air ( and on top of your head if you're not paying close attention )that the host used at this party.
The hazards of this are twofold, the initial concussion of the candy cannon with the resulting fallout and then the rush of kids to get to the candy that landed on or near you. They'll bowl you over if you're not paying attention ( or are trying to take photos and not watching ).
You want to make sure that you are clear of where that candy lands. :smack:
It was a big hit with the kids and was fun to see them having such a good time with something so simple.
Gas prices in the US got you down?
Regular unleaded was $2.95 at the time of this photo.
This is what a new apartment building looks like. The rooms can't be more than the size of a normal sized US hotel room.
The rent is 7-8k PHP a month.
That rock facade doesn't look fake at all. :eyebrow: It is wallpaper?
I would not live in that apartment on general principles, just because of the butterfly and heart motif on the security grills.
It is wallpaper?
It's rock Glatt. If I have time I'll post a closer image.
I would not live in that apartment on general principles, just because of the butterfly and heart motif on the security grills.
Let me see if I can find a shot of one of the local metal shops. They can bend/weld/paint bars as seen on the apartment into many different shapes. Possibly even a handgun. :)
A freshly ripped heart with a hand holding it might be tough though. :3eye:
Dude get her a Hello Kitty set and You will be Golden !!!
I didnt have time to look for the images now. I've got a major disaster to deal with. The CDs are right on the desk when I get the time to search through them.
What in the monkey f**K is a hello kitty? :eyebrow:
This link was just sent to me. They show pictures of the rice terraces known as banaue.
Take a look. Some great images here.
The work disasters continue to mount so I've not been looking for the reference photos described previously.
I've put the word out for more links and personal photos of the Philippines and would expect to add more here now and then.
They probably arent going to be of the thread title, Makati, but if you like these you'll most likely enjoy the others.
What in the monkey f**K is a hello kitty?
Your kidding right ?? you know Wolf and you don't know what hello kitty is ??!!??
http://www.sanrio.com/
Prepare to be grossed out !!!
Dude get her a Hello Kitty set and You will be Golden !!!
Physical security with the side effect of trapping the protected isn't my style.
Even if HelloKitty is involved.
I've been sending cheap cameras out to net pals all over the world in the last 3 months or so and the photos coming in now are good enough to show off a bit.
It's a genuine challenge for both the photographer and for me in getting their skills up to speed, many of whom have never taken pictures before even with film cameras, let alone a digital. The camera itself is just a cheapie and has specific limits and weaknesses. It took a lot of trial and error for me to be able to get good photos out of this model camera. Having exactly the same style and model here with me that was sent, I was able to immediately spot technical fixes for symptoms seen in the images coming in.
It's also true that some people just have a knack for taking good photos while others do not.
Anyway, these are from the Philippines. There are more available here than you would ever care to see but I thought you might appreciate these.
My moms from Manila.
Does she take good pictures, racer? :D
My moms from Manila.
Manila proper or NCR?
Have you been there to visit? Do you have digital photos of anything Filipino?
Slang: So, have you ever seen snow fall from the sky?
Pinang: No but I'd like to. It's very pretty
Slang: Trust me, it's over-rated.
We're staring down a potential foot or so over the next several hours... ya'll could fly in.
We just missed it. It's a cold raw rain here. Yucky, but at least it's not snow.
We just missed it. It's a cold raw rain here. Yucky, but at least it's not snow.
The Occoquan river runs behind my house. It's raging today.
There's about an 8" step to my front door and the storm door couldn't swing out this morning because the sleet was too deep. :eek3: Fortunately not all over.
The door is at the intersection of two roofs, evidently the sleet rolled off both of them, rather than getting deeper, after some point.
Big Philippine adventure coming up in a few months.
I've been shipping stuff over there in advance to the point that everyone at the post office knows me and where my big packages are going. :blush:
The plan is to have so many interesting things avaible to do or to go see that boredom wont set in after a few months of just drinking cheap booze and singing Margaritaville on kerioke.
We have rented an apartment in Makati since we cannot agree on what lot we want and how much we should pay. I don't really care about the costs of the lots as most seem like a good deal. However, with the low cost of renting vs owning, it does indeed make more sense to rent at least for a while.
The apartments are small and all concrete but there are so many American "enhancements" that it will surely be comfortable if not roomy.
The electric was just connected over the weekend. There are boxes of stuff all over inside just waiting to be installed/unboxed and set up.
Has anyone used the Rosetta stone program to their satisfaction? The online version impressed me but I didnt have time to complete all the lessons. I'm hoping with the RS plus the emersion in Tagalog speaking peoples that I'll be functional with it several months into the big adventure.
It's just 2 months away now and I'm allowing myself to get excited. It's still too far away though so I should just relax. :D
I'm flying out Aug 23.
Everything is set up there. Now the biggest pain the the ass is getting these two last packages on the plane and keeping track of them with all the stops that are scheduled before hitting Manila.
The only thing killing my excitment is going through all this last minute crap and knowing that I'll be jetting across the US before actually going to the Philippines.
It's been very hot there and humid. Just about like the weather here in Cocoa.
Rock on Slang !!!!
Drink a San Mgoo for me !!!
Thanks Zip, I'll surely do that.
This trip is going to be a bit more involved though. It's not going to be a booze fest or even a photo fest.
This trip ,with the tools and books that are now there for me, will be a long term field trip.
There are so many things that I don't understand about the history and the workings there. This will be a great opportunity to study the whole society right there on the spot.
My wife will be there and we'll have some sustained quality time together, I'll have the chance to learn Tagalog and the other languages of the Phils, I will not be directly or indirectly responsible for engineering / design projects and I will be totally removed from the American environment for months on end. I'll have the time and money to do those things that I like to do, which is rare here in the US.
The trip over there is going to be a pain in the ass but once I'm there everything's going to be great. :)
Sounds like a cool adventure man. Enjoy yourself!
I'm off across the country now. There are some aging family members that I'd like to visit before leaving for the Philippines.
Here for a day, over there for another few.
See you when I get settled in. :biggrin:
yes, you will
[/mr burns]
Slang will be arriving here just as Typhoon Sepat leaves the country for China. I hope his plane does not encounter another typhoon on the way. I know he will hate to be detoured till the storm passes.
Hi Luisa, my condolences on the invasion.
I'm flying out Aug 23.
Everything is set up there. Now the biggest pain the the ass is getting these two last packages on the plane and keeping track of them with all the stops that are scheduled before hitting Manila.
The only thing killing my excitment is going through all this last minute crap and knowing that I'll be jetting across the US before actually going to the Philippines.
It's been very hot there and humid. Just about like the weather here in Cocoa.
I was living there about 20 years ago. They used to nail a person to the cross in Manila every year for Easter and parade him through town. I wonder if they still do that. It's best to keep your money on the inside of your clothes with safety pins when going through the city. (any major city) It is hot and humid there year-round.....please get used to that, and very large roaches. Oh- and don't worry if you get lice....everyone does at least once. Just take care of it...no biggy.
I was living there about 20 years ago. They used to nail a person to the cross in Manila every year for Easter and parade him through town. I wonder if they still do that.
Yep. They still do. It is an event that was even covered by Ripley's Believe It or Not at one point and is shown all over the world each year over CNN.
It's best to keep your money on the inside of your clothes with safety pins when going through the city. (any major city)
Or you can choose to do it the modern way and buy yourself a traveler's safety pouch at the local mall. You wear that inside your shirt and it holds your passport, credit cards, and cash very securely.
It is hot and humid there year-round.....please get used to that, and very large roaches. Oh- and don't worry if you get lice....everyone does at least once. Just take care of it...no biggy.
Not so hot and humid right now since it the start of the monsoon season. As for the lice, as long as you don't wallow in the squatter areas and borrow combs and brushes from people (Why anbody would do that is beyond me), you can avoid the lice.
I still live in Manila and can bring you up to speed if you want any updates about what you remember from 20 years ago :)
Hi Luisa, my condolences on the invasion.
No condolences necessary. My worry is if Slang will survive a year here without tearing his hair out because of the marked cultural differences. Specially when it comes to doing business and government service. The latter being non existent in this country :thepain:
My middle name is cultural differences. :)
The AC is installed and tested. It's a 2 hp Carrier (18000 btu). That should take care of the heat in the house anyway.
This is not my first trip there, this is the longest.
With all those things that I've sent there in advance I hope not to be bored too often.
I normally stay out of the tourist places and don't have troubles with the locals stealing from me as most consider me (at least in part ) as one of them.
On my way to the second leg of the trip today.
Ingat.
My middle name is cultural differences. :)
The AC is installed and tested. It's a 2 hp Carrier (18000 btu). That should take care of the heat in the house anyway.
This is not my first trip there, this is the longest.
With all those things that I've sent there in advance I hope not to be bored too often.
I normally stay out of the tourist places and don't have troubles with the locals stealing from me as most consider me (at least in part ) as one of them.
On my way to the second leg of the trip today.
Ingat.
Ahhh. I see.....I wish I could go to "The Orchid Farm" again. Touristy- yes. Awesome? Yes.................Good luck on your travels!
Salamat po Luisa ....Can I ask how many American bases are there now? Just Subic maybe? I heard that the old Clark AFB installation is now a golf resort...is this true?
My flight to Seatle has been cancelled and rescheduled to arrive Wed afternoon, 4pm or so.
I belive that Subic has been returned to Philippine ownership.
Most of our trips here have been in the southern portion of Manila. Maybe a trip out to Subic should be on the list of places to go visit and snap pics.
Here are some pics while I'm just sitting around waiting for the next flight.
This is Ramon Magsaysay.
He is thought of as the most popular Phils president. Admittedly was assisted into power by the CIA but was a very interesting man.
Salamat po Luisa ....Can I ask how many American bases are there now? Just Subic maybe? I heard that the old Clark AFB installation is now a golf resort...is this true?
Hi Cicero,
All the US bases in the Philippines have been turned over to the Philippine government and were subsequently converted into resorts, golf courses, and shopping mecca's for the moneyed expats and OFW's, as well as the rich business men of the country. Subic also now has it's own yacht club and dolphin show as well.
I was able to shop at both ecnomic zones back in the 90's before it was turned into an exclusive area for the elite so I am not sure about how those places look at this point in time. Subic is said to be a nature lover's paradise and Clark is the golf mecca.
My flight to Seatle has been cancelled and rescheduled to arrive Wed afternoon, 4pm or so.
I belive that Subic has been returned to Philippine ownership.
Most of our trips here have been in the southern portion of Manila. Maybe a trip out to Subic should be on the list of places to go visit and snap pics.
Slang was 15 minutes away from my house :D Had you told me that you were going to the north cemetery, I would have suggested that you drop by the plot of Manuel Roxas, another former president, FPJ- the actor presidentiable, and my own families mausoleum which is considered one of the simple yet elegant stops there.
If you find yourself near the CCP complex, you may want to hop on the boat for a ride to Corregidor Island, a focal point of the war with the Japs.
I've hit the ground and am getting settled in now.
My bike has survived the flight over with just a slight tear in the seat. Not bad considering all the rough treatment that it probably had.
It's HOT and raining slightly but everything is looking good.
More soon.
It's 3:30 am here now and I just woke up.
The first thing on the daily schedule is a bike ride. From 4 to 5 am there are not many people out on the street and the temperature is about the coolest that it will get for the day.
Most of the people that I see on the rides are delivery people. The most memorable of those delivery trucks are the pork trucks.
Their cargo area completely open with zero refridgerations, which doesnt surprise me at all, but being open to the outside without any containing walls.
These trucks are both funny and disgusting. The hogs are often not even secured in the cargo area and flop around back and forth as the truck turns corners.
This is the meat that the middle class Pinoys eat here. No, I do not and cannot eat these foods without going directly into the ICU ward of the ospital.
I'm taking a camera out on the ride today. Should have some pics soon.
Could I be successful with a dinosaur bbq franchise out there?
Surely, but only if those dinos can be euthanized with one of your fancy fencing swords. :)
Have to go. I'm late for Tagalog class.
These are from the bike ride this morning.
It's not a good promotion of the Philippines to show these photos but still, this is what things are like in the citizen's towns.
I think that I've shown this type of photo here before too. Just remember that this is the life for the natives and that life gets much better if you have money.
This is the business side of the front gate here at this apt. It's not particularly all that dangerous of a place but there are regular petty thefts.
Last week the neighbor had a (junk) bicycle stolen. All of our belongings are locked up inside the apartment and the windows are all boarded up.
The windows also have bars on the outside but are also closed to block the viewing from the outside.
The first sharp edge is basically a broad head arrow, though not nearly as sharp. The second protrusion is a much thicker steel but not nearly as sharp as the first.
We went out to Quezon city today and while there this sign popped out at me.
New Orleans (St) after the hurricane.
These puppies were playing out in the street in Q city today.
They thought that my camera was some type of dog food and came walking over as I bent down to take the pictures.
Luisa had sent me her phone number to have a micro-CGTG after getting settled in.
There are some tasks that need to be completed at the US embassy tomorrow and then afterwards we plan on having some Chinese food. Luisa says that the Chinese places are the safest.
After lunch I'm hoping to take some photos of some places of interest in Luisa's area. There are some that I've been to before and some that she suggested, one of them being the POW museum.
With a little luck we can all have a good photo taken together to post here.
This was lunch Monday. It's the "A" meal at Greenwich, a fast food/bakery place.
The pizza there is very good although for this ocassion just the light meal was plenty.
The cost? Just over $1! Nearly perfect.
The pizza looking items is pizza bread with pineapple and some unidentifiable meat slices. The spaghetti was served with a meat sauce and mushrooms.
As my waistline has increased over the last months it seems like the pinoy sized meals will be the norm while I'm here.
This is me and Luisa at her aunt's home.
Another micro-CGTG compete. Second one in less than a week.
Dude, you're like a virus! A really big one...
Hey Slang! Where is the chicken head? You can NOT miss posting that hilarious shot. :eyebrow: It was a fun day that we had. I hope we can do it again before you leave. I'll stock up on the ice cream! Next time, we will plan it better so that we can head to other places that you might find interesting ;) .
Everybody pelase pardon how I look. I was not expecting to have my picture taken on such short notice. Man I have such large teeth :p
Griff, I felt like a Lilliputian standing next to him. I was thinking he could pound me in like a nail anytime :thepain: (Joke!)
You look darling, Luisa!
Now, what's with the chicken head? :worried:
Slang ordered steamed chicken and ham for lunch. Took them a full hour to cook the thing. My aunt joked that the chicken was still avoiding the hatchet man in the kitchen which was why it took so long to get the food ready. Slang wondered if he would see any live chickens in the kitchen.:p It was quite fresh and juicy when it was finally served.
When it was finally served, we all dug in and then lo and behold! I spotted a chicken head on the plate.It was part of the presentation of the dish. Slang took some really good shots of the posed chicken head. it was hilarious! :D
Wow, I love chicken but seeing its head laying there might be a bit much. But, my family would launch into a never ending barage of chicken-head related jokes!
You have got to see the pictures to believe the amazing poses a chicken head is capable of doing in the hands of Slang :)
Chicken head.
We all ate (and I drank beers ) at the Wan Tsi tea house in Binondo. The Chinese section.
The chicken was fantastic as it was so fresh.
No Zippy, I didnt eat the head. :rolleyes:
This is the Intramuros area, one of the oldest in the city.
Mrs slang was standing in line for some errands which left me some time to wander around aimlessly taking pictures.
This is Felipe. Some one thought so much of him that they made a statue of him with his globe. :)
You may be able to read the lettering on the arch but it reads "Filipino Chinese friendship arch"
One might expect a statue of two people having a beer or the like but this is it, the friendship arch.
It's interesting but doesnt bring friendship to mind.
Check out the nitro bottle on the tricked out bike there. :D
I wonder how dangerous that is? Cool pics fella. It is great that you met Luisa!
I wonder how dangerous that is? Cool pics fella. It is great that you met Luisa!
Danger is not a big consideration here. I see people doing things all the time and cringe for their safety.
Yes, Luisa and Aunte are very interesting to talk to and generous with alco drinks / ice cream. :)
Shes got a b-day coming up so I would expect to get some folks together for that too.
And, Luisa speaks very clear English. Not just compared to a pinoy but even for Americans.
No Zippy, I didnt eat the head.
Lite Weight !!!
Check out the nitro bottle on the tricked out bike there
And the tricked out exhaust and the hand grips and the such , all color coordinated and the such !!!
Thats a STUD MOBILE if I ever saw one !!!
The chicken heads frighten me.;)
I think that's an oil tank piped into the case.
I believe that you are right Bruce. A nitro bottle sounds so much faster than an oil tank though. :blush:
More Felipe
The plaque tells the reader in Spanish and Tagalog that the statue is that of King Felipe the II of Spain after whom the country was originally named (Filipinas).
Slang, try to catch a picture of 6 people plus a newborn baby speeding by on the motor bike or scooters. It is amazing how nobody falls off considering they look like they are sitting on the wheels already. :headshake
There should be a photo almost like that a few pages back.
This is one of the native cakes that sells around here. Everyone tells me the cakes are wonderful but they don't look like what they are supposedly made from so I just take the pics and let someone else comment on their goodness.
One man's "delicious" is another man's dry heaves. :)
The firehouse in Comembo has been a regular place to stop in and visit.
We have firefighters as well as cops in my family and well, they all say that they stick together. Maybe not from all countries but yes, from the Phils.
We handed off some gifts from the firefighters in the US and they gave us this patch.
Very cool.
Have a little (SM ) beer, sing a little song, dance a little dance.
Drinking the beer is cheaper than running the AC all day. These little pinoy beers hit the spot after pedalling around.
Billboards in Guadalupe.
Cannon digital
Hair restoration
Pinoy soaps
Rap music is growing in popularity here.
Rap can often be heard from inside of cars much as the US.
Last week we ran into one of the rap producers in Manila. As we packed into the light rail I saw him texting on his phone
When he was finished I made it a point to speak to him and to get his contact info. It seems that he's had a top 10 rap hit on radio here.
If he invites us to anything rap oriented I'll bring the camera and the sound recorder. I'm guessing that is has a unique sound coming from here.
This photo is a promotion of an event that is not the rap star's.
Rap? Dude, you are being too open-minded.
That's what my right brain keeps telling my left, yes.
We completely missed the rap session that was on the board here but have some great photos from Intromuros and the old churches there.
The Manila Metro church seems to be the most impressive with architecture but the St Agustine church has far more relics.
The interior has many historical paintings and figurines of the era.There is one statue of Jesus that is so lifelike that I felt for one moment that maybe it was true that a man named Jesus once lived in the world and he was indeed the son of God.
All the history and the relics were worth the P160 for admission. IMO, absolutely fabulous artwork in every direction.
Photo soon.
This is a relatively new statue there.
Here is the info: Lapu-Lapu
The figure itself must stand 20-30 ft tall.
Sorry for the crappy pics the weather was not helpful at all.
This is "Jesus at the pillar" from St Agustine Church, Intromuros, Manila
Many people here touch Jesus on the cross here ( which I personally find a bit weird ) but seeing this figure of Jesus with it's realistic eyes...it's overpowering.
If you ever did believe in Jesus, seeing these eyes of Jesus would reassure you.
I suppose you have to be there for the full effect.
The following are from the Manila Metro Church.
Some people at the cellar may think that I'm very religious when posting such photos as these here.
Maybe to a degree but today Pinang completely ignored me after saying this directly outside the church.
Slang: God, dammit it's raining again! How am I supposed to get good photos when it's always fucking raining?
The rain and the persistent vendors are always a source of tension at these tourist-ey places.
The lighting inside the church is very low. To get a decent pic like this I have to play around with the manual settings.
The church management does not mind having photos taken in the church but does not allow flash shots.
You may notice that the images are not crisp and the colors not clear. It's because I have to eff around in the dark to program the shutter speed and apeture setting.
And ... the camera must be held very still for the extended exposure.
All of these things are difficult inside the church.
This is St Peter.
When I see figurines of Peter I think of that old saying "rob Peter to pay Paul" and start chuckling.
Pinang pretends that she does not know me most of the time inside the churches. :)
Inside the Manila Metro Church.
Lovely architecture. Not as old as St Agustine though.
More from the same church.
These are from long exposure shots. I didnt even know the organ pipes were in the last shot until looking at the digital record.
It's your photos man but if I were you I would turn off the date function. It distracts from what you're trying to show. The date is still available in digital photos... it's kept in metadata.
A memorial to the thousands of civilians killed at the end of WWII
It's your photos man but if I were you I would turn off the date function. It distracts from what you're trying to show. The date is still available in digital photos... it's kept in metadata.
XOB had suggested that before and I had not considered the internal information on all the photos.
It's a good idea to remove this information and I'll turn off that function on the camera.
There are still many photos to post with the date on. Yes, I could and may remove it via cropping.
If it distracts from the subject then it must be removed.
Thanks.
cool church dude ,
and I agree about the date ,
slight distraction from the pics
These are from St Agustine Church, Intramuros, Manila
The removal of the date stamps on the photos is a good idea but I have them on many of the upcoming images and am too drun-, ....I mean, I do not have a good program to remove the stamp at this time.
This is the last collection that will have the date stamp on the image. It's a good idea to remove them and I've de-activated that function on the cam.
Here again there are no flash photos allowed. These are the best of many trying to get the settings right.
From inside the chapel.
There are many more non-church pics coming up after this series.
Even if you are not a fan of the Catholic church these are beautiful (IMO)
The inside of the chapel is awesome but the fans on the sides of the pews did not work.
Also Pinang acted as if she did not know me after I set the camera on the podium to steady the camera for a shot of the altar.
The burial markers are a bit unusual IMO as they should not be a part of the church.
Jesus on the cross at the back of the chapel.
There are so many Jesus's in this church it's confusing. They are all nearly life sized too.
The metadata is capturing more and more information. Most people don't know it's there, included in every digicam photo. There's even talk of including GPS information in the future - which would be especially nice for news images, where you could work out exactly where the shot was taken.
From the Manila museum. They do not allow photo of the inside of the museum.
These are of the cobblestone in the front. I don't know how old they are but probably from early 1700s.
Nice but they are very slippery when wet.
Mrs Slang has just asked me if I'm still drinking beer....and still posting photos to the cellar.
We all know what that means.
More later.
Maybe something was lost in the translation?
It still makes me a bit nervous to see guys walking around with M4s.
This was at the gas station. He was there to protect an armored car.
Many of the others that I've seen here are in full tactical and are looking much more serious than this young fellow.
Carefull takeing pics of the armed folks , some my take umbridge !!!
Dude get some pics of the transport , jeepneys, trikshawa , etc,,,
Scratch that.
I've found something that may be more interesting and funny than photos of the transport here.
These are out of the newspaper here and I've prepared a few that are a bit out of the ordinary for Americans.
These are just a few pages of the overseas job ads.
Notice that there are jobs for the native Filipinos in a very wide variety of countries.
A condo advert and a car dealership.
If you are curious about the real estate here ( and you have lots of time to allow the site to load ) take a look at www.cityland.net.
Some more ads for homes.
LA = Land area
FA= Floor area
1sq m is about 10.9 sq ft. These are pinoy sized homes and are small by American standards. There are millions of natives that would LOVE houses like these.
1 million pesos is about $20k
This would be more for a foreigner. It's much bigger and the interior is most likely better than the cheaper homes but still not as nice as a normal American home, say like Mr Toads luxurious pad. :)
Some ads for computers and parts.
Not nearly as good as the machines available in the US.
In need of some companionship. You're in luck. Someone is looking to "entertain" you here. :)
No Zippy, I do not have pictures. :rolleyes:
Looking to save a little cash here and there? Here are some coupons.
No Zippy, the escorts do not have coupons for you. :rolleyes:
Random ads that you might find interesting.
It's somewhat good to know that US products are selling somewhere if not in the US.
No Zippy, the escorts do not have coupons for you
Ahh but how much should I charge THEM !!!!
We went to see a movie tonight. It was Disturbia.
Cost per ticket, P110
Water and soda P50 ea
It's not stadium seating but it's new and comfortable. The AC works well and there are no kids throwing crap around the theater and making noise.
A good night out for less than $10. I'm happy. :)
No Zippy, the escorts do not have coupons for you
Ahh but how much should I charge THEM !!!!
Not to disrespect your maniless here Zip but those "pros" that I've seen wandering around and in the clubs are not in need of attention.
You may want to hand them a coupon just to show them that you have a sense of humor but the reality is that most here in the city are just drop dead gorgeous.* Breast "enhancements" and all.
[SIZE="2"]* - But of course not nearly as beautiful as my lovely wife. :) [/SIZE]
This is the view from the MRT ( above ground subway ) terminal today.
The weather was good and we went to Quezon city tonight to have dinner with friends.
These next two pics are from inside a Wendy's hamburger joint. I've been seeing these aux AC units here and there and they are quite effective.
This is a cycle that caught my eye in Qcity. I'm always looking for something out of the ordinary no matter what the case may be and today this rang out to me for photos.
It's a custom bike of some sort. I do not know the make or the model of the motorbike but it's very custom.
All the effects are of fire flowing. There is a speaker where the passenger seat would normally be.
Very cool. I looked around for the owner but he was surely inside the mall at this time.
If I'd have found the owner the first question would have been "where was this bike customized?"
custom bike from the rear.
We went to dinner at Shakey's pizza. It's the only place that I know of that you can have good pizza and beer served at the same time.
The franchise started in the US but then gained success here in SE Asia.
The pizza is good and the beer is very cold. That's something new here in the Phils, there is cool beer and then there is COLD beer. Shakey's has COLD beer all the time.
Here in the Philippines the servers give ice with the beer so that you may add it to keep the beer cold.
I've told them every time that I don't want ice cubes in the beer but it's the custom here.
Fortunately at Shakey's Pizza the beer doesnt need the ice anyway.
This is our favorite location of Shakey's and we come here for special ocassions.
The pizza this time was a bit of a disappointment as they gave us thin crust. We didnt ask for the deep dish as we normally do.
This is the belly buster pizza in the largest size. It's got every thing on it that is available except for the cheese, which I've opted to leave off.
Overall it's good with all the toppings and costs about $9. Next time we'll be sure to specify the deep dish.
There was a birthday party going on downstairs and there were some clowns going here and there.
By the time that the beer was flowing they were standing around near us, and that means that we need some photos of them with us.
After the beers kick in I wear the sunglasses whether we are with the clowns or not.
Then, after chatting with the clowns the Shakey's mascot comes to our table.
I can tell you with great confidence that it's no accident. When we go out to eat pizza and drink beers we don't monkey ef around. If you are anywhere near our table, you are in our "party".
Pesos here and there are not spared in the pursuit of our festivities.
The Shakey's mascot knows where the action is.
I've got many more photos from the trip home and the MRT ride but don't have the time at the moment to re-size them.
Thanks to all for your interest in our adventure in the Philippines. :)
Here's some of the cars from the MRT.
Yes, I suppose that I have some type of picture of everything here.
Some people may even go as far as to say that I take too many pictures and this embarasses them when I am around them.
More boring MRT car shots.
Early morning pics from Ayala/EDSA
There are pedestrian overpasses that are great for taking mildly uninteresting photos from.
It's also a good stopping point and the half way point for the morning bike rides.
There are a good number of early morning bikers and joggers in the Fort area.
More pizza, more French.
A funny thing happend about 2 weeks ago in Guadalupe. We boarded the MRT and saw 2 westerners.
The 3 of us gathered together to exchange info for getting together later. One was a Frenchman and the other an American.
My wife and I contacted them both and the Frenchman replied.
We went to visit them at their home in Rizal today and it was "interesting".
The French men and their pinoy wives were all very nice. It was an afternoon of good foods and good conservative coversation ( to my surprise).
One of the French men is a supporter of private ownership of firearms in France.
As he described the gun control situation in France I questioned if he might be American. The arguments were exactly the same.
A very bright man on the issue of international gun rights actually.
The photos are of the Pizza Hut where we bought some of the lunch before meeting them.
It's a very comfortable and cheap location that we will likely be visiting again for great ( pinoy sized ) pizza and good times.
For those that have ever been curious, this is what the PH looks like here.
A good deep dish pizza with everything, about 14" dia was $8.25
With places like this to eat, the pinoys will be fat like us.
Oh, and I did actually see a black American today, a woman. We didnt speak because we were both on the escalator in opposite directions but she smiled brightly and said hello when I looked at her in disbelief. :eek:
No, I didnt ring the bell but wanted to. :blush:
This PH is small but very nice. The manager didnt even call the police when I was taking these photos. :)
This is the pizza that we took to Rizal for lunch, on the seat of a Jeepney.
The Frenchmen both liked the pizza and also made an onion and garlic spaghetti sauce that was delicious!
A long political discussion even ended peacefully as I made my case for the Bush ( W ) policy in Iraq.
Rush hour traffic in Makati and the horizon.
Billboards of fashion ads. It's surprising since the natives have so little money for high cost clothing.
Maybe LJ can do someting with these.
A simple ride on the MRT turned into a visit to the Mall of Asia today.
It's listed as the 7th largest mall in the world but it's amazing to see here in Manila.
We are much closer to the Market Market mall near the Fort so we don't normally even consider travelling to another mall unless we're in that area visiting someone.
The MoA is BIG, it is very nice, and it is very cool inside the mall shops ( as opposed to the shops that face the outside )
There is construction underway on the Manila bay side of the mall which will surely be very attractive when complete. It's a mess now.
We walked nearly all through and there are many specialty shops that I don't have any interest in and many choices of restaurants.
It was surprising to me that there were not many more people there. The walkways and stairs are much bigger to accomodate many more people than the MM mall.
There is also access to very cheap transportation so that most any pinoy can visit the mall even if they cannot buy much.
Just being inside with all the AC was enjoyable. It's a very large space to have cool.
Most people don't drive or own a car here but they still go to the malls in large numbers.
These two pics show the terminals for the Jeepneys and FXs. The Jeepneys are the least expensive but are very rough riding and are without AC. The FXs are normally a van that 8 or 10 people ride in ( say for example in the US it may be a van with seating ) with relative comfort. The FXs will normally run with the AC on so that you can sit while waiting for the other people that will bring the vehicle to capicity.
The FXs are generally twice as costly as the Jeepney.
The following images show the terminals where the FXs are.
I'm not too sexy to ride a Jeepney and often do. My major complaint is that their widows are too low for me to look out from.
This is the "SM marching band".
They march around the mall every half hour.
A bit much IMO.
Some sights from the grounds.
The huge globe is not something that I see very often this size. It's much better looking after dark when the panels light up in different colors.
The IMAX sign is sorta cool because the big projection screen running within it. The photo doesnt do it justice.
These are some shots of the cheapest of the cheap rides here. I suppose the pedcab is cheaper but motorized, this is the least expensive ride.
They are called chop-chops.
My wife says that they are Japan's junk.
Aparently Japan cuts their old vehicles into large parts by cutting torch. The large parts are shipped here to the Philippines as scrap junk metal. Very cheaply.
Once the "junk" is here workmen weld the parts back together making the junk parts into a vehicle.
In this way the pinoys can avoid the taxes on the vehicles and have something very affordable, if not good looking or fully functional to use here.
A "new" chop-chop will sell for about P170k ( about $4, 000 ).
All the pinoys that I talk to HATE them but dammit, I'd have one if my wife wouldnt throw a fit about it.
The motor in this one is a 3 cylinder. It's an old Mitsubishi engine and frame.
The sad reality here is that there is no manufacturing "owned" by the pinoys. They dont like things from here, they hate those things. What they really like is imported things.
Things not imported as junk parts to be welded back together though. :blush:
Another example of roughing it here.
This sort of thing goes on a lot more often than I have the chance to catch in pictures.
In a way I cringe when I see this but then I can respect the fact that this is often the only realistic option for many.
Just found these.
This is the Mitsubishi Adventure that we rode back from the MoA. It's a 2003 model and fits 10 people inside.
Mind you, they arent "me" sized people but there were 10 in that "FX" on the ride home from the mall.
The fare was P40 and the ride was about 1/2 hour.
About a week ago our bill appeard at our doorstep. It looked like our bill anyway, until we looked at it.
It was actually the neighbor's bill and less than half of our total bill. I thought surely that someone else had received our bill and would be happy to return it, being much more than the normal bill here.
It didnt happen.
We asked here and asked there, "did you get our electric bill ?" but no one had it.
That's sort of a problem here if you don't have the bill because the convenient way to pay the bill is at one of the "bill pay" centers. If you do not have the original bill there's no way for them to tie into the system and record your payment.
I don't believe that mailing the bill in is an option or if it is possible if it's just not popular as going to the payment centers.
Anyway.....
If we didnt get the bill this month by some mysterious hiccup in the routine, then could we expect to receive one the month after? How about the month after that?
It annoyed me that everyone else in Makati seemed to get their bill but ours was no where to be found.
We ended up going all the way into the city to Meralco to pay it at the office since that's the only place that paying without a paper bill is possible.
A copy was provided to us and it ended up being a minor pain in the ass.
The original showed up a few days after without explaination.
The one line of this bill that caught my eye was the "system loss" line with the figure of P142.98 or 8.8% of the total bill.
It is also true that the KwPhr is $.19, a bit high for US rates.
There is another family in the next town that are good friends of our family here and they cook foods for sale, as many do here. The following few pictures are from their place a few days ago.
This is stuffed milkfish if I'm not mistaken. The cost is P70.
People walk by the bbq all night and buy these chicken parts. It's as natural as buying a burger in the US.
I dont eat these things but my wife does. It cant be all that bad. Not good enough for me to try out but not all that bad. :)
Chicken heads to the left, chicken feet to the right.
These were the jokesters of the evening. They'll do anything to get into one of my pics.
[SIZE="1"]Seems like even the kids know that little gesture, even if they have it a bit confused on the direction[/SIZE]
Back into our neck of the woods...
This is the only place that's open late at night and serves food. There are people cringing at the thought of eating at a place like this but like the food and the folks there.
We normally order the Chixilog which is chicken, rice and one egg. I have also tried the Porksilog and have no ill effects as of yet (fingers crossed).
A pinoy sized meal at a pinoy sized price, about $.65
The drinks on the left are probably familiar, Sprite-Coke-RC. The tiny 200 ml cokes are all that my wife can drink. I've not ever seen that size in the US.
The drinks on the right are not seen in the US as far as I know. The Sarsi reminds me of root beer and I've not tried the others there.
All in glass bottles. Do you remember those days?
This is one of the most popular denominations of bills here. It's the 100 peso note, or the $2.22 note as I like to think of them. :)
All foreign currency is interesting to me but this bill has the US flag directly on the bill with the Philippine flag.
All of our history with the Phils is not great but most of those that I meet here are very friendly to Americans, American products and ideas.
Just imagine the uproar if there was a Brit flag on any of the US currency! :eek:
Water.
We all need it. If you are a caucasion here you realize how much! The sodas and beers are mostly cheap to guzzle by the case but there's no substitute for pure, clean water.
This is the container that it's delivered in. Pour it into a plastic jug and make damn sure there's some cold in the house.
This jug is about 5 gallons and costs P40.
The "store" that it's purified in has all the high tech looking gadgetry and is busy through the day filling and sealing these water jugs.
When you are empty, call the tubig lalaki (water dude ) and he'll stop by on pedicar with another sealed jug for you.
My personal consumption is about a gallon a day. More if we're out walking around.
If every expat doesnt have these cheap but colorful fish somewhere in his home, he should have.
No, I wasn't drunk when I bought them Zippy! :lol:
The store owner swore to me on a stack of bibles that they were NOT made in China too.
What's the temperature like indoors for me here?
At our home which is an apartment that is just under 500 sq ft, the AC does a great job at keeping the air comfortable here.
Our AC unit is a 2 HP Carrier rated at about 18000 btus, plenty for this place.
It was on constantly when I first arrived but with time we came to a better use, on for one half hour, off for one our. That's on a timed schedule mostly at night.
The compressor seems to freeze up when it's left on continuously even with the cool setting at the lower ranges.
With a pedistal type fan running most of the time that we are inside here, it's pretty consistently cool and dry.
When we leave the setting on the AC goes to off. When first getting in it gets set to manual on. Once it cools off the setting goes to auto, 1/2 on, full hour off, repeat.
Any more than that at night and my wife coughs a lot.
On average we are only here for about 10 hours a day anyway.
Even with our own electric bill we save tons of money compared to a hotel. Most of the rooms that we've stayed in are much smaller than this also.
This is a good intermediate step before buying/constructing a house of our own here.
A few of my personal goals have not worked out well as of yet.
Riding the bike even with the hydration pack is extremely hot. For all that the pack carries in water ( 3 l ) it also is bulky and tough to move around with.
The Cygolite "premium" bike light has also been a disappointment as it's much cooler to ride in the early morning. Even with the 110V transformer the light does not seem to hold a charge and the light's effectiveness is almost zero after about 15 minutes.
In the US it would stay charged and bright for well over an hour with little signs of dimming.
I'd still like to ride the bike more but the crazy heat makes it a big challenge here.
Another specific goal was to use the Rosetta stone program for learning Tagolog.
The full sized PC that I'd intended to use with the program has failed miserably and I've given up on taking it to another computer tech.
Replace the HD then there's another problem. Replace that problem then there's another.
This laptop will run the program but the memory is low and this machine is better suited for e-mail and posting photos.
I've not given up on the Tag lessons either but am continuing to look for practical solutions to use the RS program.
The upside has been the books that I've brought here. Yes, there are many books about the history here but they are difficult to find and in bad shape many times.
The exact titles that are here with me now are a good start and acceptable range of relevant topics.
The Manila atlas has proven to be an enormous resource as well. I left the mini sized atlas in the US and replaced it reluctantly with the full sized new one.
As I explore the area it's a great help to use the atlas to tie routes together.
Time with my wife and inlaws have also been extremely enjoyable and is expected to continue on for the coming months.
Despite all the pitfalls here I like being here very much.
My wife has also said that I don't search out and photograph the beauty and history of the Philippines which is true and I hope to change that in coming posts.
It's not all dirty and rough here but in this area that's much of what I see. There are also events and locations that are much nicer to see but that we have agreed will not be posted on the Cellar.
I hope that you enjoy the photos and commentary and that you will not hesitate to ask about specific items or locations. I may not be able to address those questions immediately but will in time.
I hope that you enjoy the photos and commentary and that you will not hesitate to ask about specific items or lacations. I may not be able to address those questions immediately but will in time.
Slang, I'm enjoying this thread. Please keep the posts coming. I have no plans to ever visit the Philippines, but I feel like I am through you. No questions yet.
Thanks Glatt.
I've got some nicer areas and topics to cover soon.
I like it too. Don't stop.
Thanks for the updates and photos, slang. Keep them coming!
There are also events and locations that are much nicer to see but that we have agreed will not be posted on the Cellar.
Why is this? I'm sure there's a good reason, I just can't think of it.
No, I wasn't drunk when I bought them Zippy!
Dude !! I ain't saying Noten !!!
[COLOR="White"]Just dont tell folks about the stuffed wood duck on our wall [/COLOR]
[COLOR="Black"]Yeh , keep it up , glad you are haveing a fun time exploring your new home !!!!!
Street food is the GOOD FOOD !!!
You are NOT in Kanasa any more DORTHY !!!!![/COLOR]
200 ml is about 6 1/2 oz which is the size of the heavy glass bottles in the old coke machines.
XOB -
Do you know when they disappeared in the US? Late 80s? Late 70s?
I do remember the glass bottles in machines but not that tiny.
Clodfobble -
We are less than a mile away from the Global city which is the richest part of the Philippines. The streets are wide, the buildings are new and modern, there are nice parks with green grass in them.
These are also the only parts of the Phils here that I've had the local law enforcement forbid me to take photos.
Maybe I can get some decent pics being very discreet with the camera.
This is not the part of the city that I like to spend time in anyway. If you are white and in the Global city it is assumed that you are filthy rich, are here in the Phils for business and or generally don't care about what's going on outside the limits of this rich area
For the events...
There are many photos of us and our inlaws but we don't post them. Some are very funny.
For instance, my father in law is 77 years old and is suffering from Parkinson's disease. He was a man that liked to drink and sing in his younger days but now he mostly watches TV.
Two days ago a relative had a birthday party in back [yard] of the main house. There were 5 people drinking beer and eating pork. Inside the house they could be heard talking and laughing.
While we all were not paying much attention, my FIL snuck out back to sit and drink with the party goers.
As I came out to check on the beer level I saw him sitting in his chair just a ways away from the action.
I asked him if he wanted some vodka and he smiled big and nodded yes.
He sat in his chair with a big grin drinking the imported vodka and I took several photos of him. He's not allowed to have booze nowdays but not because of reaction to medication, because of worry for his safety when he is tipsy.
I took the photos of the party and my FIL and later downloaded them into the laptop.
They were so funny that we both laughed out loud. The funny photo could have had a thought balloon over his head that says..
"That's right, I'm drinking booze....and you can kiss my ass, I'm having fun!"
Those are the sorts of pictures that we don't post here.
This is one of the pair of cats that we call "ours" here.
The orange one is the daughter of the black one. They do not have names and are referred to as mga pusa (the cats) .
Their role here is much more utility than asthetic. They are mouse and rat chasers and not much else.
I heard from a radio talkshow host that was living in Manila that the life of a cat is much different here. Seeing the cats in the streets here, that's not hard to believe. They are often nasty dirty scavengers and don't care to be around people.
Our pair are not that sort of cats. Both of them are amazingly clean, healthy and trim.
When I first met the cats I tried to pick one up. Everyone looked at me strangely. Like no one had ever picked them up, because no one had.
"I don't know how to tell you this diplomatically kitty cats, but if you are to continue to be on the dole here, I'm picking you up. If you don't like it, too bad." ;)
The black cat seems to like being in my lap and getting brushed. This seems like a totally new concept for everyone here because......it is.
No one seemed to know the purpose of the strange wire type brush that I brought home until seeing it used on the cat.
I think my MIL wondered if I was going to use it myself. :lol:
Their life of liesure is not complete however as my wife called me to watch them in action with a big RAT!. They both pounced on the rat one after another and it scurried away quickly.
"That's why we don't have rats here", she smiled. :)
"Ok, so they are useful.....I'm still picking them up to pet them", I said.
Champion rat chasers resting comfortably.
We went to a birthday party today and it was a very pleasant surprise.
I dont even know the family or the child and thought that maybe we along with everyone else in a 5 mile radius might have been invited.
As we arrived the kids and clowns were going full blast with their games and singing.
As it turns out, the birthday girl was the most polite and gracious of all the guests. She's cute and very good with people.
It was a good time that I was not expecting.
Do clowns work birthday parties in the US? I've not seen any but don't have a lot of exposure to kids there.
The clowns here are fantastic! Sing along, dance along...win gifts and balloon art with these clowns around.
I havent a clue as to how much they may make for a given party but these clowns were especially good.
The kids and the adults were all so very well behaved. Not that most of these turn into fistfights but some are better than others.
This little darling held her arms out to me and smiled. How could I resist holding such a cutie?
Here is the foods from the party. I didnt eat any of these foods for my policy of waiting until everyone has had a first pass before I finish everything that's left.
There wasn't much left by the time I stepped up to the plate anyway.
An example of one of the balloon creations and one of the dancing girls from the party.
Ok, party's over...
This is a house under construction just down the street. It will be the home of one of the extended family.
There is a crew of about 8 men that work on this house during the week.
All concrete, very simple. Three stories with a roof pad. Guessing about 1600-1800 sq ft.
Will the finished house have stucco or some pleasing looking covering over the concrete blocks? Stay tuned to find out.
One of the toughest things to do here (for me ) is to keep a regular schedule.
I've zero responisbility, no where that I have to be, no one to see, nothing of any consequence to do.
It's a nice feeling, don't get me wrong.
Sleeping whenever you damn well feel like ( same for getting up ) is something that everyone should experience for a while.
It's 6am here now and I've been up all night reading books about the Philippines and posting on the cellar.
Life could be much worse.
XOB -
Do you know when they disappeared in the US? Late 80s? Late 70s?
I do remember the glass bottles in machines but not that tiny.
They started to fade in the late 50s in favor of larger bottles. Then can machines became popular with the advent of pop tops. Plastic bottles killed the glass ones, of course.
The last machine I saw with the small bottles, at Hanum's Harley Davidson, was in the 70s. Of course the "nickel Cokes" were a quarter, or more, by then.
Sleeping whenever you damn well feel like ( same for getting up ) is something that everyone should experience for a while.
It's 6am here now and I've been up all night reading books about the Philippines and posting on the cellar.
Life could be much worse.
Get a JOB ya BUM !!!! ;)
Living the life of Riley ???
I gots a Job for ya , document those cats in action !!!!!!
Ya lucky DOG !!!!!
My job nowdays is quite different than in the US. It is now to entertain, to teach Tag-lish, to laugh with and to eat with all of the relatives here in the Phils.
Not a bad job at all.
There are also many books that I'm in process of reading regarding the Philippines, past and present.
Fascinating reading with good commentary from the locals here.
Tomorrow we go into Maynila once again to take pictures. This time I'm hoping for better weather but know that it rains here every day and is overcast much of the time.
We went on a mini tour of the city today and have some mildly interesting photos but first, let's take a look at this.
Mobile billboards
These MBs are moving around all over the city but this it the first chance to actually catch a few pics.
I like the concept and it seems like a likeweight job for the driver. No pressure to load or offloads goods, no rushing around to keep a schedule.
Has anyone seen anything like this outside the Philippines? It cant possibly have started here but I've not seen them away from here.
Our little adventure today took us to Roxas Boulevard around the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).
In the process of trying to find parking for the Coconut Palace, we stopped on the boardwark area and found this floating restaurant.
Here are all the "official details".
The Jumbo Kingdom is a cool looking attraction. It's not a building, it's not a traditional ship. It's something cool looking at a section of the boardwalk that the water is not all that good smelling or clean.
The website gives all the history and some better looking photos of the JK, but trust me, this is what it really looks like.
In all fairness we did not eat there. The food could well be heavenly.
Just a few hundred feet away is the Song of the Islands, bar and restaurant. A pinoy booze cruise.
It probably doesnt matter to the boozers that the water looks so crappy around the shore. It seems such a shame to me because I'm guessing that with a small amount of money and effort the trash could be fished out to improve the area.
There must be some sort of cleanup once it builds up but at what level does someone say, "OK, it's getting too polluted now, it's time"?
The smell is not nearly as strong as other places that I've been but it's bothersome.
To be fair, a significant part of the problem is that there are few containers to throw trash into. Tidiness is of very low importance to people here because of the many other challenges in their lives.
I often find myself keeping junk, wrappers, bags, bottles, to be tossed in a back pocket until there's a suitable place to put it.
Sadly, much of it ends up here.
There are some very nice looking things to post soon but I had to get this out of my system.
Has anyone seen anything like this outside the Philippines? It cant possibly have started here but I've not seen them away from here.
I see them driving around Nashville quite a bit.
We arrived at about 1pm, found a parking space and talked to the guards about a tour.
The next tour would be at 2pm and costs P100 ($2.22) each.
After a little looking around it was time for our tour.
This property is absolutely beautiful.
Here is the link from the Phils Tourism site.
Guests are not allowed to photograph the upstairs, which was a disappointment for sure. All the rooms are of the same basic floor layout but with their own unique furnishings according to the name of the room.
They are named after regions or islands.
There are a lot of images to follow. They don't do the palace justice. It's a wonderful place.
According to the tour guide, about 20% of the building materials and most of the furnishings are made from the coconut tree in one form or another.
The guide continues to explain that the original purpose of the palace was to use the coconut in as many ways as possible to show the people of the Philippines the beauty of all of its forms (that they would never be able to use in their own homes or lives because Mr Marcos was hoarding all the money and killing/jailing objectors)
The guide also gave that explaination while we were in the Marcos master bedroom, likely standing feet away from where his power and influence kept millions of people hungry.
Did I mention that I'm not a Marcos fan? He was a great friend of Reagan and they had a long history which I don't completely understand yet, but will soon.
He was also the only Philippine president to be re-elected.
There is a lot more reading required before I can come to a final opinion of the man, but it's not looking favorable.
To many in this neighborhood, he was the best president. Very confusing.
It's only when I edit these pictures that I understand how mediocre this camera is.
It's takes decent photos with good light but in low light as seen in the following 4 pictures, it's disappointing.
All coconuts. Wood, pulp, coconut shells. Very cool looking furnishings.
Just outside the dining room here.
Shells here in the chandelier. Could use a good dusting too.
The cooling fan appeared to be made from plastic but I didnt ask the tourguide about it.
She seemed a bit annoyed at my comments and suggestions. :biggrin:
There are a large number more to post. More of the palace and other places that we went today.
More later.
Thank you Zippy.
The collection of the CP is so large and shows so much of the ground floor that it's ridiculous to post any more.
It's a fantastic place to visit. If you have the opportunity, do spend the P100 and go to visit.
Now for the next amazingly almost interesting item on the list of places we've been lately.
This is the Manila floating hotel and restaurant.
It's not in it's best condition here now but
take a look and the history here.
By the time these pics were taken the troops were grumbling about walking around all day and we did not actually board the ship ( this time :biggrin: )
It's certainly something different to see and is a large ship by stds of the 50s when it was built.
It's takes decent photos with good light but in low light as seen in the following 4 pictures, it's disappointing.
I forget what kind of camera youre using slang - can you not get a flash attachment for it? Makes a
huge difference for me on mine.
We did not stay long enough to enjoy the lights after dark at the ship and the Manila Hotel.
It seems like a safe place for tourists as the hotel is very big and established but also with a full time police station adjacent to it.
That could be a good sign or a bad one. Sometime I'll go down there and stroll around after dark.
I forget what kind of camera youre using slang - can you not get a flash attachment for it? Makes a huge difference for me on mine.
Hi Jinx,
I'm using a Kodak Z710 "slr-like" camera which was pretty cheap and overall worth the money.
There is no option for an additonal flash but as I gain confidence that a good camera will not disappear or be damaged, a good quality camera will surely be the next one.
I'm thinking Nikon D70 or better.
Just down the street is Rizal Park. There may be other posts of it here.
This is Jose Rizal and his importance to the Philippines.
On this day, the Marines are standing tall and looking fresh even in the extreme heat. :thumb:
The Marines are not standing guard in the rain and this day it's not raining when we pass by the memorial.
It's good to see them here. They bring honor and respect where ever they are here in Manila.
This is not the only monument to Rizal, it's the biggest with it's own honor gaurd.
I'm confused. Are they US or Filipino Marines? Why would US Marines have this gig?
They are Philippine Marines Griff.
Here I refer to our Marines as US Marines. In this country they are assumed to be Philippine when using the term "Marines".
Ok, enough Marines.
This next "area of interest" is the Chinese Garden which is not visible from the walkway of Rizal Park but is listed in some of the travel guides ( that I don't read or we would not have gone to visit ).
The cost to enter was only P5, which should tell you something before you even enter.
It's possible that we missed the memorable portion of the garden for all the people sleeping on the benches and the swarms of hungry mosquitos.
At one time it was surely a pleasant place to visit.
There are two complaints with the garden:
1. There is stagnet water throughout in ponds that are a haven for mosquitos.
2. There are people sleeping on the railings of the pavilions, setting up cardboard shantys and appearing as this is their mailing address.
On the upside, those that were there seemed in good enough spirits to smile when we walked around and there were some people reading books and magazines.
If one had a five gallon pail of chlorine and were to give each of the 5 or 6 ponds a little dash of it here and there, it might improve the overal enjoyment of coming to visit.
There are also some interesting looking ( Chinese ) pavilions and the walkways are brick or cobblestone instead of just some poured concrete path.
Many of my daily pictures are of traffic and different looking things that I see.
Sometimes those different looking things are cars that are not seen in the US and sometimes they are cars normally seen in the US but not often here.
This is a very bad shot of a vette that zipped by before I could adjust the camera for an action shot.
There may be a lot of Vettes here but I've not seen them with my own eyes very often.
Someone explained to me today that the nicer looking Jeepneys often have sealed windows instead of being open to the outside or having plastic over them.
The nicer looking ones like this have AC, so they cost a bit more, are a bit fancier, etc, etc.
When we get into one, you can be sure that there will be photos here of it from the inside. :)
Here are some night shots from the lineup for the taxi at the Glorietta Mall.
This mall is not nearly as big as many here. The only reason that we ended up here was to go to a specialty shop that is not at other malls.
There are booths you may call them, simple displays with goods on them. Most of them are women's items or cell phone accessories.
As you pass ( if you are a white man ) the girls say hello and then politely say what they have there, as if you could not recognize the items by simply looking at them.
It's ok at first but it gets old after a while.
Example:
Hello Sir, Maam...gold watches?
Hello Sir, Maam...Handbags?
Hello Sir, Maam...shoes?
Hello Sir, Maam...gold rings?
Hello Sir, Maam...high capacity Glock mags?
Ok, so I made that last one up. It's absolutely true about the other items though.
It's only when I go with my wife that they seem so friendly too. :blush:
-----
There are normally "security" officers outside that write the name and the number of the taxi on a form for you as they guide you into a cab.
This gives the passenger some reassurance that the driver will not be a complete ass during the trip.
Tonight the security people were not only writing the cab info on the form to give to the passengers as they entered the taxi, they were also taking pictures of them getting in.
I had seriously hoped to get a picture of the security gaurd taking our picture but they stopped just before we stepped up the the head of the line
Billboards from the EDSA highway
Ok, this is out of the car window but what the hell. Here it is.
This is a spanking new Chevy Suburban. What's the big deal? They sell for $75k here. In a country where the median yearly salary is $1400.
Take a look at some
other prices on American cars here.
The prices listed may not be competetive but that's all I have to go on.
The stupidass stuffed animals on the dash are not mine Zippy. :rolleyes:
Here's something a bit different.
There's a joke for drivers. When it's lunch or dinner time they warn each other to stickly follow all the rules.
This is what one of the passengers in a car might say to the driver.
"Hey Slow down you jackass! It's lunchtime...don't you know!?"
The complete meaning of this "joke" has completely bypassed me until a few days ago.
There were 5 of us in a Kia Adventure on EDSA, I was in the front, a pinoy was driving.
We were in traffic that slowed down and the driver merged into the right hand lane to avoid the traffic jam. He very purposely merged out of the traffic and into a split in the highway to take a different route.
A police officer ran out into the highway to halt the car. It was 12:20 pm.
The driver yelled, "Oh Fuck!! It's lunchtime!"
Whatever.
He pulls the car over. The officer comes to the window.
Liscence, registration.
I was thinking to myself, what is the problem here but activated my STFU button for the duration of the "traffic stop".
The officer takes the L and R....comes back....speaks Tagalog for about 5 minutes with the other passengers.
His citation pad is out....he's writing something and speaking in a more serious tone in Tagalog.
I see the driver hand over a P500 note which the officer quickly crumples into his hand.
Then the officer says....OK, I've giving you a warning this time. I have to go eat lunch now. :biggrin:
Not really. Not about saying that he has to go to lunch. That is the only part that didnt happen.
He didnt need to say "I have to go eat lunch with your money for a warning, for an offense that you didnt commit"
I just laughed out loud.
I told the driver in all my miles on the road in the US not one single time has anything like that ever happened to me. That in all the backwoods billy-bob states and counties, in the north, south, east and west not one time has that happened to me and that I was truly a bit skeptical that it does happen here.
He laughed with me for a second or two.
"How do you know how much to give?" I asked.
He said normally he gives P100 but no one had any smaller bills today.
So now whenever we drive around, I make sure to have a few hundred peso notes.
With a "rich" white guy in the front seat, this will surely happen again.
At about 4 o'clock, just by coincidence I'm sure, we saw 2 other motorists buying the police dinner. :3eye:
Just been catching up on this thread - keep them coming Slang, fantastic details.
Thank you SG. These are just the sort of mildly interesting things that I'd like to read from someone's trip.
There were no special trips planned today, no one visiting and no one to go visit. Sort of a boring day.
I woke and got up at around 11 am today. That's when I effing felt like getting around after reading late into the night.
All meals are prepared by my MIL at their house which is just a few doors down. We all like to eat together and it's my MIL's purpose in life to provide good foods and clean clothes for all of us.
That's not sarcasm, that's just the way it is here. Her role here is respectable caring for all of us.
We left the apt to go for breakfast as we often do at this time.
The neighbor across the street is working her way slowly from her front gate into the back of a very pinoy looking Jeepny. She's a very old woman and a slow mover.
Her son is holding her arm to steady her. She's teary and her voice breaks up as she tells me...
Theese my son home from Amerika.
The son, John, an electrical engineer working in the San Fransisco area.
My eyes adjust to the bright sun after crawling out of our cave and I shake his hand.
"Do you drink beer" I asked.
He shook his head no. "How about Pepsi?" He smiled as to say yes and we agreed to get together to chat in the coming weeks.
He'll be around for 3 weeks.
Before moving on to the house for breakfast, I looked in the Jeepny. There was a small boy in the back looking very uneasy.
It was John's son, 3 years old. This was his first visit to "the old country" and I could just read his mind.
"I don't like this vehicle, it's very hot here, this is not home, I don't know all these people, it smells bad here" :lol:
We both commented on the boy's expressions and then went on to breakfast.
After breakfast and an unusually hard rain, complete with lightning we take a trip.
It's just about 4 pm and I'm looking for a cheap distraction for the next few hours.
We are very close to some nice places here but we always go there and I'd like to explore a bit today.
The MRT is cheap and runs through some territory that we don't normally visit, why not take a little trip for a few hours?
Off we go. Tricycle to a Jeepny, Jeepny to the MRT station.
The goal in my mind is to ride the MRT to the outter reaches of the line or lines.
Today that means MRT down to Taft Ave then to catch the LRT and all the way up to Monumento.
Here is a quick link for the MRT
I'm a big fan of all of the public rail system here. It's cheap, air conditioned and the tracks are above the street level much of the time so I can look out the windows in amazement at those strange things that are out there. :blush:
Today we enter at Guadalupe.
The train rolls to a stop and the doors open. A uniformed man works his way out of the railcar with an M16 with a tac-sling. It's a very dark green but not black uniform.
Right hand over the reciever, left hand over the muzzle he wiggles through a gang of people boarding the railcar, trying not to push the weapon into anyone.
He breaks free from the crowd and disappears in seconds.
"I wonder how effective someone with an M16 could possibly be in such a crowded situation" I say to my wife.
Then after thinking a moment agree in my mind that it's probably a deterrant by showing force.
It's surely a strange thing for me to see. I'm not fearful of these soldiers and SWAT people, it just seems very unusual.
Nowdays the whole city is more familiar to me and it's getting very comfortable to go to all sorts of places in Manila.
We switch to the LRT for a ride up the coast. The tickets cost about $.40 each one way to the last stop on the line.
The LRT is older than the MRT. It's the original public rail system here and the roughness of the ride is a big difference from the MRT.
As you look forward into the next car, you see ( and feel ) the cars moving back and forth. It's as if the tracks are bent but that seems improbable.
Looking out the window the older parts of the city are passing by. The old Spanish style buildings are much more common here and the churches are bigger.
This trip I see what turns out to be the old Chinese cemetery. It's so old and run down that it's only after seeing the sign and the gates that I recognize it.
Eventually we arrive at Monumento. To me it appears as run down and dark as many other parts of the city. Lots of lights, cars, jeepnys and people moving in something less than a smooth orderly way.
To my wife it's not a pleasant place to visit, so we head back soon after arriving.
It's surely been worth the forty cents to look out the window at the older portion of the city. My wife doesnt share my opinion on that though.
Once back at Guadalupe everythings fine again.
This is just a little something that I noticed while reviewing a series of photos taken recently.
It's a good idea here to read the signs. The systems of warnings and notices are not nearly what they are many other places in the world.
Take a look at how the hose is just sorta flopped on the truck too.
Maybe it's not acid, maybe it is. It's strange in my mind.
We pass this little shop when riding the MRT.
Do they know what pot is in the US?
I would like to make a little reefer to put in the lips of the big smiley. :joint:
I didn't know squids have white balls.
You didnt know that they smell like sweaty ass either did you?
:lol:
Yeah, a bit strange. I'll have to ask about that.
It has been far too long since I had a Yummy Yes Delight
We covered some distance today. We rode the jeepnys, we walked the uneven sidewalks, we took the pictures.
We came home exhausted as usual.
Is it that fact that I'm out of shape that fatigues me so quickly nowdays or does the pollution and the dreary overcast skies drain me?
Probably both.
This is a group shot of some of the
Pulis Oyster people on Burgos ave in Manila.
They are all over the city and one cannot avoid seeing them.
I thought that this program was some kind of punishment from the pulis but that's not tha case as I find out now.
It's a public service. One very much needed with very little appreciation.
Thank you to this group of Pulis Oysters as well as the countless others that are sweeping and picking up trash. A very humble yet pleasant group of pinoys.
Getting close to dinner time in metro Manila.
The destination for the day was the Philippine National Museum, which is directly across the street from the City Hall here.
The unique feature of the city hall building is the clocktower which I didnt get a picture of.
Imagine that, a lost opportunity.
There is a website in progress
here.
There is a new mayor in town and in a TV clip he says to the citizens of Manila....
Cooperate or evaporate.
That is in reference to the new plans for Manila.
Once we find a path to cross the street, we're off to the Natianal Museum.
It's a shame that they do not allow photos inside. There are some very beautiful and interesting paintings and artworks inside but no photos are allowed.
Many are very old paintings and some are new abstact sorts of pieces.
They were all very nice looking or interesting to see.
The galleries are kept very cool to preserve the works. The hallways are very hot because they are open to the outside.
Hot, cold....hot, cold.
Just get a sweat going and then WHAM, you're cold again. :biggrin:
This is not what I would consider a must see attraction but it is a nice place to see a variety of artworks from native artists.
It's also free which is always a bonus.
It would surely be a benefit IMO if they had some type of broshure to list the works.
They are from artists that I cannot remember and there isn't one single painting or sculpture that I remember the name of.
We'll probably get there again in the future and I'll have to write down some of the information.
Oh, here is a link
The
Spolarium is four meters in height and certainly worth the cost of entry.
The jeepnys are cheap and available nearly everywhere and we ride them often.
The biggest reason is that I'm a cheap bastard at heart and I cant see spending money on a ride.
The secondary reason is that I'm on a mission of another sort, to meet and be seen by the natives. Some sort of PR campaign you might say.
There are so few Americans that ride jeepnys that some pinoys may come to the untrue conclusion that we are "too sexy" to ride the cheap and common transport.
It's true that they are often crowded and the ride quality is BAD, that they don't have AC and that the windows are very low for someone of American height.
The ONE THING that really kills me in the jeepnys is passing all these buses.
Many of the bus's engines are in the rear. Most we'll say. I'm not an expert on that.
And with the engine being in the rear they have a radiator that takes in the air to cool the engine.
At idle in the street the discharge from the radiator from the buses is brutal. Where is the air intake for the radiator? On the side? Why does the heat flow out of that duct? Is this the exhaust duct for the cooling air?
It doesnt make sense to me that this duct would push air out but whenever we pass one of these buses and it sits at idle while we're waiting for traffic to move again, it's like an oven in the jeepny.
It's brutal hot in proximity to those radiator ducts.
They are cheap though. :)
I found this today.
It's one of the forms from the taxi line at the mall.
I suppose it means that I'm running out of stuff to post when I have to show you all this dumb thing. :blush:
What other dumb little thing might I post here next?
Ah, golf.
Is there anything dumber than golf? A good walk spoiled.
Here is a small portion of the Intramuros Golf course.
Every little thing is interesting. For example, it's all in English. Is there anything - a sign, a menu, anything - you've posted, that's not in English?
Taking pics out the back of a jeepny to review later so as to learn the landmarks.
Every little thing is interesting. For example, it's all in English. Is there anything - a sign, a menu, anything - you've posted, that's not in English?
Most everything here is in English. There are exceptions though.
Take a look at frame 529 of the plaques for city hall. Two of the three are in Tagalog.
I'll make a note to try to get more tagalog signs. Many times I already look for them so they can be translated.
Think about it though, the descriptions in the National Museum, all English.
Street signs, directions... What isn't in English? I'll try to find some more examples of Tagalog.
Here are a few examples of Tagalog or Tag-lish.
This is from Roxas Blvd. It's on the wall of the Rizal Park.
There's no English on it.
Would you believe that I have a lot of photos here at my disposal?
Would you also believe that I take pictures of nearly every sign that I can focus on?
I cant find any more out of a collection of several thousands images.
Here is Taglish again.
There are a lot more Tagalog signs out in the provinces. Many of the places here in metro Manila people are still speaking in Tagalog.
IMO, it's more "businesslike" to have your signs in English. Tagalog is considered more of a native language ( which it is ) but that has limited use because of national boundries.
Toad,
Is there a way that I can post audio here?
Can we store some audio files somewhere on your server?
I've been capturing images and sound recordings here lately. The ipod with the recorder makes great quality files.
We can figure out a way to get that done. Send me the files, to my gmail address, and I'll take a look at them and how we can get them running here.
Slang, in case you didn't see it, there is
a thread in your honor over in Home Base.
Slang, in case you didn't see it, there is a thread in your honor over in Home Base.
Thanks for bringing that to my attention Glatt. Thanks to Griff also for your appreciation of my quest to bring mildly interesting foreign photos to the cellar.
It is surely nice to have people visit the thread and to make comments and ask questions. Every place has curious little things that are different than most other places. It's often been interesting to me to investigate these things.
My wife sometimes asks me about the cellar and why I post so much here. I tell her you either "get it" or you "don't get it" with the cellar.
Here is a website about the Philippine's Jeepneys
That is a fantastic resource XOB!
From the link...
"So, if you want to ride from one end of Manila's polluted thoroughfares to the other, in a typically 'open-window' jeepney, where the cumulative ground ozone fights for turf with the freshly belched diesel exhaust fumes, your eyes smarting and tearing while one hand holds on to the ceiling bar as the other desperately clasps a handkerchief over the mouth and nostrils, and alas, despite that futile effort, exposing yourself to the unhealthy and noxious equivalence of smoking a few cigarettes . . . yeah. . . yeah. . . I would say that qualifies as a Philippine adventure, if that's what floats your tourist boat."
The jeepny is the best way that I can think of to learn the routes and roads here.
By watching out the back of a jeepny you can connect land marks to map details.
A very complete link on the jeepny XOB.
And to the drivers....
There have been times that I've been critical of the drivers. Those times that they are driving in heavy traffic, sorting out coins for change, texting on the phone, holding a conversation with the front seat passenger, and eating all at the same time!
I would stare in amazement.
That's what they do day after day after day, on the exact same routes. They should be able to juggle basket balls on the roof while driving, texting, counting, talking, eating, and singing. :)
Seriously, they all do a great job. I've not seen as much as a fender bender yet through all the heavy traffic of people, pedicars, carts and pedestrians.
This happened sometime last week.
Me and my wife hopped on a jeepny that was at the terminal and empty.
Down the road 11 people get in from one stop. Once you get seated people start passing their money forward to the driver. The driver gets the money and makes change handing it backwards.
All this is going on while the traffic is starting and stopping, weaving into one lane and then into another.
When the 11 people started getting their money ready they put it all together making change from their own cash.
The driver asked ( in tagalog ) " how many people added? "
Someone said "10" but the driver was counting heads in the overhead mirror while he was driving and weaving and texting and talking and eating and sorting coins and said...
"Eleven!" ;)
I've been taking a lot of abuse lately from my wife.
She tells me that I only post those things on the cellar that make the Philippines and Filipinos appear dirty, dishonest, and stupid.
I've told her that nothing could be further from the truth. The people and places that I see and post on the cellar may be dirty in a way but that the people that I run into are decent and virtuous people.
In the worst of conditions they remain positive and friendly.
She still believes that I've not shown the better side of the Filipinos.
Well, this next shot is not all that beautiful or attractive but there are more after this that do show a better side of the Phils.
This is a man that I know in the neigborhood. He's a clown and in these shots he DOES know that I'm taking his photo.
While this man, we'll call him Mike, does often over eat he's a continuous worker and is not constantly sought after by the local law enforcement.
This is "Mike" just hanging around the neighborhood. :biggrin:
This man is not what I would consider to be a friend but instead an aqquiantance.
He's not a drinker but hangs out in with many of the local drinkers in hopes of getting their foods when they get tired and pass out. :biggrin:
In the following photos he's hamming up to my camera. This is not taking advantage of "Mike" nor disrespecting him.
Trust me.
This is an ad from down the street.
There are many military people here on this street becasue this is one of many military areas.
There is a street very near to here that is called "Target Range Blvd". This whole area was once a military base in the late 40s.
We like and respect the military here. One of our relatives is a high ranking officer in the Philippine Army and another in the "fed" gov't security positions.
Take a look at the poster. It's the equivalent to West Point in the US.
This is the association of the tricycle drivers in Pembo.
It represents both the drivers and owners. This is their 20th anniversary and when we were on the way to the Fort, the asked me to stop in, to take some photos, and to dirink some rum with them.
Do you really believe that I might pass this up?
First off let me say, I respect the tricycle drivers very much here and they give me great service and attention.
Some of them own their tricycles, some just drive. I've not had an unpleasant experience with any of them.
And, as I try to explain to my wife when I go out, people ask me to come sit with them for food or drink. I'm happy to do so with this group as they are good men are committed to their trade.
Note also the second sign is in Tag only.
This is the management of the SHOFBOTODA. It's their celebration for 20 years and they are generous with their drinks of juice and rum.
They may not be great looking men but are very committed to their trade and terminal .
I'm happy to have a drink with such good men here.
This is a mural from the C5 highway just away from Market Market.
The phone company made it to remind you that you love the (landline ) phone company and that you should be proud to pay their bills ( on time ).
You can also see in the background the condos that are being built all over the Fort ( Global City ).
Just at the border of Pembo and Taguig there are some interesting sights to be seen .
This is either the Manila American Cemetery or the Libingan ng mga Bayani.
This is the beginning of the beautiful section of Manila.
( note to asawa, I'm showing the part of the city that honors and respects the Pinoys for their committement in WWII, their hospitality in general, and their high intelligence.
No poops or trash are showcased in these photographs.)
* note to asawa -- no photos of poops or trash, matangdang babae picking armpit hairs out or spitting.
.I've been curious what this "Every Nation" is since I saw the lawn sign for the first time.
Today we walked on the north side of MM to take a look.
Here is the
website. This is the Market Market area of Makati ( or Taguig depending on whose judge you believe ).
It's a great place with new streets and buildings. It's the rich and good looking part of the city.
If you see this area before all the others, you may believe that the Phils is a nice place to visit ( depending on what neighborhood you go to ) .
The MM area is very modern and clean. There are also most any shops inside that you could want or need inside the mall.
I need to go to Mercury Drug down the street to get some more booze as my asawa has only allotted me two Grande beers for the night and that is not nearly enough. :eyebrow:
Slang shall return with more booze and photos of the Phils. :biggrin:
If you are here in Makati in the last few years, you know that there are condos being built because you are hit up for sales pitches every other day for one of them.
This is one of many that you may have recieved a broshure about. It's the
Serendra
Take a look around the site. The photos are amazing and the details of the condos are included.
The starting price for the condos is $137, 000. That's for the 750 sq ft condo. The cost more than doubles from there for the size of a middle class house in the US.
I've been taking a lot of abuse lately from my wife.
She tells me that I only post those things on the cellar that make the Philippines and Filipinos appear dirty, dishonest, and stupid.
Not at all. Dirt at street level, up close and personal, happens where ever people live.... it's universal.
Maybe the Mrs has a skewed perspective of the US. We've got the same situation in our cities.
I was reading an article about Shanghai, in Smithsonian magazine. Over and over, throughout the article, he repeated how clean the place is. But then in the photographs showing crowds of people, there was plenty of litter on the sidewalk. I'm sure they clean it up on a regular basis, but where you have people, there's a steady supply of trash.
As for the Filipinos... There are all kinds, good and bad, just trying to cope with the world around them. They've often lived under very brutal conditions, yet they have been smart enough to adapt and survive. But in the end, with all the similarities and differences, they are just humans doing what humans do.
This is another part of the rich and beautiful area. It's the food area of the Market Market mall.
It's open to the breeze but shelters from the rains. Sort of an unusual structure here but it's nice.
And...there's this fountain for the kids to play in and for people to take pics of their kids getting all wet.
Not at all. Dirt at street level, up close and personal, happens where ever people live.... it's universal.
Maybe the Mrs has a skewed perspective of the US. We've got the same situation in our cities.
Yes, that's true. A part of the objection is that when I am there in the US I do post a thread with pictures of that particular place.
You can find most if not all of the places that I've been to in the past 4 years or so right here in the cellar.
What's different is that I have all the time in the world now to explore, snap and post about those things that I find interesting about Manila.
There is time to go on trips, to get addtional information, to add to a certain sub category of something that I might post later...many more options now that I'm not working.
As the surroundings here get more familiar my questions and explorations will get more detailed.
That's surely a part of the irritation of me posting and commenting here.
Here is another example of the building going on here at the Global City.
I'm not sure if this will be offices or homes.
This is the link to the real estate broker.
There is a lot of excitement about the buildings going up in this area and the number of times that I've been handed a broshure or invited to a sales presentation is ridiculous.
Is there anyone out there that might have experience with such quickly growing areas?
I often tell my wife that if all those condos do sell ( and they are overpriced IMO ) then will the surrounding infrastructure support the addtion of all these people?
I'm skeptical because of all the building going on in cities in the US like Miami with their push to cash in on all these condos.
In FL they arent selling or are very soft with sales.
It seems to me that everyone here has dollar signs flashing in their eyes at the thought that they will surely get rich off these small condos.
Who is going to buy them all?
As the surroundings here get more familiar my questions and explorations will get more detailed.
That's surely a part of the irritation of me posting and commenting here.
Sure, your stateside posts only highlighted your surroundings.
I understand her concern/embarrassment, but I want reassure her, what we are seeing is interesting, and we're not looking down on her people.
Some things being good, as well as some not so good, is universal and not something she should be embarrassed about.
Hell, if everything was perfect, we'd all move there and then she'd really have a problem. :D
The starting price for the condos is $137, 000. That's for the 750 sq ft condo. The cost more than doubles from there for the size of a middle class house in the US.
But it's not about the price, it's about the interest rates. Do they have a private banking system? Do you see ads for percentage rates and stuff?
But isn't the average income for Manila about $2,000?
But it's not about the price, it's about the interest rates. Do they have a private banking system? Do you see ads for percentage rates and stuff?
I don't regularly see ads for mortgages. There have been billboards for personal loans for things like LCD TVs and motorcycles.
Loans for items priced over say $5k are a very small portion of the business here.
Here is the link to one of the banks that I frequent here.
Here are the home loan rates
The Frenchman also says that getting a loan with less than 40-50% down is rare.
As you see the ads for new properties some also offer in house financing which is averaging about 10%
But isn't the average income for Manila about $2,000?
These properties are for the very rich here. Foreigners that have moved here for business or have retired here or maybe just have a condo here but only spend a few months total here each year.
Phil-Americans are sending money back here in record numbers, as high as $12B from one source.
The trouble here is that there is a very slim middle class. What does it take to grow the middle class?
I'm listening because that's precisely what is needed here. My BIL says that a civil war is what's needed here. To redistribute the cash and to grow a middle class.
I don't know the how I just know the what.
Let's try something a bit different.
This is a very bad clip but they will get better.
Listen to the growl of the exhaust in the beggining. Also notice that the driver merges left to make a turn cutting people off in the process.
[youtube]Qf-WNEsScEc[/youtube]
There is a lot of excitement about the buildings going up in this area and the number of times that I've been handed a broshure or invited to a sales presentation is ridiculous.
These properties are for the very rich here. Foreigners that have moved here for business or have retired here or maybe just have a condo here but only spend a few months total here each year.
Is the excitement caused by the hope that rich people in the neighborhood will attract better services from the government, to the area?
Is the excitement caused by the hope that rich people in the neighborhood will attract better services from the government, to the area?
That certainly makes sense Bruce but that's not my original thought.
The rich area, like the Global City, will surely bring in more money and jobs and the foreigners will also demand better services and be able to provide them too. That's a good point.
What I see most often though is that the surrounding areas of the GC that are owned by the pinoys are now for sale. It's understandable that they would like to sell these small lots on the outskirts.
Of course, those lots have appreciated in value since the development of GC.
The trouble that I have with them now is that they honestly believe that their lots are worth much more than they truly are. The lots are small but they quote prices in comparison of much larger lots.
For example.
The lots are selling in Bonifacio Triangle for about P50k per sq m. They are expected to rise to about 80-100 in the next few years.
Many of the pinoy land owners here believe that their property is a bargain at say P25k per meter because it's so much less expensive than the other premuim lots while still being very close.
What they refuse to understand is that the potential for a lot that is small is infintely less than big tracks of land.
From my experience here if a pinoy has even the smallest bit of land in the areas surrounding the GC, they believe that they have hit the lottery.
Even with the underdeveloped roads and utilities they insist that these postage stamp size lots are worth a fortune.
They are often annoyed with me when they show these lots when I ask "Ok, now how many stories can I build here....do I have right of way access to the mainroad here...and how much would you estimate that the excavation of making this lot flat might be?"
They are often in the mindset that these lots will make the family a fortune and they will not hear anything counter to that notion.
In addition to the high costs they do not have financing details available. Time and time again I go to look at these pinoy properties and they show the house and the land. They show how much work is actually needed to make a reasonable home there and then they tell you the price for cash.
Some have even been upset when I don't reach into my pocket and pay that full (inflated) price upon the completion of the house showing.
I'm sorry I didnt bring $85k cash with me today, can I bring it tomorrow?" :biggrin:
In addtion to the high expectation of profit from these lots and houses, they often do not have their titles in order. Maybe there is a lean on the land or possibly the property is in dispute in court over the true ownership.
It's amazing to experience firsthand.
"You want how much for this little sliver of land that there is effectively no title for?"
"Yeah I want a 12 inch cock too, we cant all get what we want" ;)
In certain cases I've been able to explain a deal that might give them money upfront for something urgent now and still hold the land for payments over say, one or two years.
As "urgent" as their need is to sell the lot ( for the inflated price) they truly do not understand why no one is buying it.
In the end the value of most of these places for sale is of limited value due to the size. If someone was able to negotiate several lots into one price, that might be workable but what do you think the perceived value of one tiny slice of land would be next to another that is selling NOW?
Chances are they would hold out for more money because someone bought the slice for "big money" and they should be able to get "bigger money" because of that sale in their neighborhood.
Isn't that how it works in the US?
"Yeah, but this isn't the US. Take a look around here man." :lol:
There are people that I'm dealing with now that are starting to understand the market of their land and that financing is almost a certainty.
They are very hesitant that someone might take advantage of them in selling their land but as I've said many times before,
"How much risk are you taking if you hold the title for payments for a year. If the seller doesnt pay...you have the title, sell the land again. There is NO risk for you to do so."
Here are some good resourses on finding good values on homes in Luzon.
This site is so well done that it's a breeze to look around for something specific or just browse the featured properties.
There are some 13 pages of listings for homes between 2 and 4 million pesos.
All the details are there. Ownership restrictions, financing, fantastic photos of the listings, lot dimensions, floor area....this is best site that I've found for property here.
Asian homes linkWe have both been sick for two full days.
I've not left the house here since Monday.
The cold medicine is not as strong here as is in the US. There is a new bottle of NyQuil in my bag back in the US. I'd sure like to have that here with me now. This would have been done with in one full day.
The Robitussin that we have are in small bottles and cost P100 each. I could easily guzzle one bottle in a few hours.
The pinoy de-congestant is not wildly effective either.
This tiny lizard has been hanging around for the last week or so. Head to tail is about 1.5 inch. Just a baby.
He walks up on the ceiling and looks down at us, in a friendly way. :biggrin:
The pictures are from the bathroom this time. I hope he survives here long enough to be a mosquito killer. He let me get about 2 inches away for the shots. Not a good sign for longterm survival.
So, like the cats he's got a job to do here. No, I'll not be petting him.
"Mr Lew" the lizard is a part of our natural eco pest solution ( experiement) that doesnt involve chemicals.
He's on probation. Let's hope he does well here.
So here I am in Pembo.
The AC is on now and will bring the temp from around 78 to 70f. As it gets a bit warm in here the AC will kick on again. Seventy eight to seventy then slowly back to seventy eight. Day and night.
Not a bad temperature to be in here in the Philippines. :)
The 30 w flourescent light shines from the fixture in a 10 foot ceiling. This light isn't really light. It's light-like. Yes, you can see in the room but it casts this shine that makes you wonder if you are in a dream.
You can see but the light is dim. I hate it.
So I'm sitting here with my tissues and bottles of water wanting to go outside again. To take pictures of the outside world.
I've been in this place too long ( without booze :blush: )
We're going to watch the big fight in about 24 hours.
It's going to be intense here regardless of who wins.
We are both recovered enough to start making preps for the fight. We will need a lot of beer and food.
I have permission to start drinking beer in the morning as the fight should start at about 8am here. :)
slang, I spent all afternoon reading this thread. Fantastic stuff, keep it coming, please.
Thank you Monster.
I've got new material now that the snow slide is completed. Keep your head up and your powder dry.
The snow clowns are decieptful. Keep your desk full of mountain snow , it's a distractionary tool.
It's the westFalls. That's where the breeze is coming from.
We are still waiting to see what you will find the weather to be on the night of the prom, the coldest weather of the last twenty five years.
<Russian vodka> OK. Thank you for that slang. Very interesting and relevant commentary as ususal. </Russian vodka>
Now back to the topic.
We all knew that Pacquiao won the fight. As soon as the results were known we recieved a text message from California.
"He won."
Take a look
here for addtional information on the Pac man and his last fight.
We watched the fight from West Rembo. Traffic was light but active as we rode to see the fight at about 11am.
The best time to avoid a long wait in line is when the Pac man is fighting on the local TV stations.
The crime rate is reportedly
near zero during his fights also.
The big fight.
It's truly a big deal to see the Pac man fight here. If you are a pinoy in world competition you have the attention of almost every national here.
I was honestly a bit disappointed that Pac man didn't knock Barrera clean out.
I get excited at the possibility to see a Mexican* get his ass kicked regardless of by whom or what nationality.
The reality for Barrera is that he's a great boxer, and Pacquio didn't take the fight lightly, that just having endured the entire 12 rounds is a great accomplishment.
* - [SIZE="1"]I reserve the right to enjoy seeing Mexico or a Mexican get beat in a small way by losing a boxing match. As the number of ILLEGAL Mexicans coming into the US increases and the apparent inability or unwillingness of the US government to deal effectively with this INVASION, examples that I may see such as this will provide greater and greater satisfaction.[/SIZE]
This is from Pateros.
From a bike ride the other day. The paint job on this older Mercedes isn't great looking but the car appears to have aged well in other respects.
The motor was quiet and sounded good.
What year might this car be from?
From Pateros again,
This is hearse. It's one of several styles at this funeral home. I believe it's an old Mopar, a 70 satellite?
This along with thousands of older cars here has very little rust and still looks good.
The window seals and such are probably not in great condition after 35 years but is still looking good.
Filipino boy with a black chick.
There are just so many things that I might tell you about this young man. Not one of those things would be positive so I'm just posting the photos and leaving it at that.
The story:
I'm in Taguig on a river bridge. It's been raining for the last few days and the scenery of the river is not pleasant and also that something I'd posted before.
I'm panning around hoping to find something pleasant to take a picture of and not finding anything.
At about that moment I recognized the sounds that I've been hearing. The sounds of roosters but so many individual calls mixed together that they are not immediately recognizable.
Ride the bike a short ways down the road and find this rooster farm or as LJ might rather call, a COCK farm.
I would guess between 25 and 50 of them.
This is the booze from post #560.
It cost 111 ($2.46) pesos at the Mercury drup just down the street. It's truly NOT Russian vodka but is trying to be with the label and the colors.
You might ask, "couldnt this be imitation red CHINESE vodka instead of Russian?"
Possibly. If Mao had a shaggy beard, then maybe.
Whatever the image may be trying to create, it's cheap vodka with the red label.
I've not often left my body from drinking cheap booze but in fact did the other night after guzzling the remaining third of this vodka. :)
Slang's out there living my dream. This is great! But sucks so bad. Hey- if you're ever bored go to the "Orchid Farm" and take some photos Slang!
I wonder if it's still there......it's fabulous. (if memory serves)
It's still here, yes.
I'm just bumbling around this week but we do have mini trips planned for the coming months. One will be to Subic.
Right now I'm prepping to go out for a bike ride. It's 430 am here now. If I'm on the way up the street in the next few minutes I can get some pictures of the sunrise.
This is one of those "survival" bike rides, where I pedal like a crazy man in one direction with just my camera,cell phone, passport, P100 and maybe some backup re-charge batteries.
I need the exercise as the inactivity with all the drinking is making a noticable difference on how I feel.
Getting out now almost guarantees a good ride. The school kids have to be at the early session at 530.
Leaving now I miss the bad traffic and keep the cool temperatures.
This is the new St. Lukes hospital in the Bonafacio triangle.
This is what all the excitement is all about in the triangle. This will be the best healthcare, the newest facility in the Philippines. It's a very big complex and with it are coming all the doctors and support personel as well as all the other support required.
This is why everyone and their brother will sink huge pesos into a condo here even when the surrounding area is not all that robust with utilities.
The sign says it all. It's going to be better than 95% of the hospitals in the US.
Yes, it probably will. Your country doesnt border with Mexico and have millions of invaders that you must treat. I'm sure this new St Lukes will be fantastic if you can send bills for all the services rendered.
Condos, condos and more condos.
Condos on the right and condos on the left. Turn the spigot open here in the the Philippines and water doesnt flow out, condos flow out.
They are everywhere. They are high in the sky and also low on the horizon. Some are sold but most are still selling before the building is completed.
Twenty stories, thrity stories ......even forty stories high with condos! Yeah!
We have chocolate condos and vanilla condos. Condos with sprinkles on top and condos with Hershey syrup on them.
Waving, throbbing, bobbing and weaving condos every fucking place that you look....all with an army of people passing out broshures to show you how wonderful and affordable they will be upon completion.
Get your hot peanut condo now. Get it while it's hot. :)
We have condos with windows and condos with terraces. Condos with nice views and condos with none.
We have condos in the morning and condos in the evening. We have condos with top hats and condos with bow ties.
We have condos that are a great deal and condos that are the deal of a lifetime!
Big frilly condos and small basic condos.
But no one has asked yet, how are all these condo people going to live and breath and get around the city here?
The builders know what they are doing BUT the number of condos and people that will be occupying them will soon be astounding here.
These have not yet been finished. The tilework for the baths and kitchens are still not complete.
More condos, more cars...more condos, more cars. More and more condos.....and more and more cars!
You may think that I'm being silly but the effing number of new or planned condo buildings here is absolutely CRAZY. I cannot get enough photos to show them all to you.
Once on is complete, there are five more being started.
Condos, condos, condos!!! Every effing direction that you look, condos!!
This is a cool artistic metal tree artistic thingy.
It's holding a place on the land until someone designs a condo for this circular shape of lot.
This is nice to look at now....to distract you with a artwork that reminds one of nature...until the condo goes up here in this space!
That's cool Slang....post 596...if you move it up and down quickly the photos create the illusion that the buildings are landing on top of each other and so on and so forth...Just neat!
...are landing on top of each other and so on and so forth...Just neat!
You wouldnt be drinking Russian vodka by any chance, would you? :blush: ;)
These are from post #155 of this thread. Although Tonchi's experience and apparent tone are a bit harsh there are some things that I'd like to add.
You bet it is. And the best part for you is, YOU are going to walk away from it. Gates do not slam in the American faces. You have that all-precious visa and a bank account so you are GOD.
Yes, I can find these people any where that I go. They are transparent though.
Most of the people that I am in contact with on a daily basis are friendly and already have some connection with the US. They have money coming in from relatives or have a business with enough income to live reasonably.
Those that do not have that connection are not clingy or manipulative. They very rarely ask me for money and if they do, instead I buy foods for them.
It's very rare for anyone to ask for anything though.
People constantly kissing my backside are obvious and annoying. On top of that, I'm truly not well off anyway.
But the minute nature takes its course and the events around you succeed in removing the money from your wallet and absorbing it into the surrounding environment, Life would be VERY different for you indeed. You'll never have to find out, though, how nobody over 30 is allowed to even apply for a job in the Philippines, because you do not HAVE to work there. You have everything all set and secure and your plane reservations confirmed, your escape is guaranteed.
Life would be very different, yes.
It's not my position here to ridicule or harass the natives for their misfortunes in life.
I would certainly not want to be a native here without access to reasonable housing and regular income.
That doesnt mean that I'm not sympathetic to them though.
None of my business of course, but how many Filipinos have already been working on you to get them a visa to get out? By the "cultural norms" I'm familiar with, every member of her family will now consider you their "ticket"
From the very beggining, I've made it clear that this is not the case.
That doesnt mean that I've not given assistance in one way or another to family here. The difference in this whole situation is that they do not ask for anything.
It's been my goal to be here for longer and longer periods of time. If I'm going to be here, the living conditions will improve. When I'm not here, those gifts are appreciated and not taken for granted.
There are countless examples of visiting with her family without any expectation of extrodinary gifts of money or luxuries.
There are also many examples of friends and family just not connecting with me for one reason or another. Some have similarities and interests in common, some dont. We meet people in life that we click with and others that we do not.
I'm not Santa Claus so they know that they are not going to lose something spectacular by not kissing my ass. ;)
One thing that they all are is respectful and polite.
Gates do not slam in American faces. That's very true.
Imagine with me for a minute.......
Imagine that you are very normal in every respect. That you are not particularly good looking, articulate, wealthy or connected.
Imagine that when visiting here that about half of the people are interested in you. They look, they smile, they speak kindly to you.
Imagine that every where you go half of the people are doing little things or very big things to help you. To make you more comfortable. To be kind to you for no other reason that you are a priviledged minority.
Imagine parents of small children walking up to you to introduce themselves and their kids to you. See the curiosity in the children's faces and experience the subtle respect that they give you. Americans are very well regarded here and you know that by how their kids treat you. They have been taught that Americans are important.
Imagine half of the people that you see every day are just wanting to talk with you or to have a beer or a soda. Just to talk to you for five minutes. They have a story or a question that they would like to ask and both speak and listen to you when you have a conversation.
Imagine people working and playing until they see you and then they stop what they are doing to watch you. Some are obvious and some are very subtle. They watch your every move with curiosity as if you are a celebrity, but you are not. You are just normal but you are a foreigner in the native's town.
Imagine walking into a large modern building in Ortigas with pinoys everywhere around you. That there are signs "No ID, no entry - no exceptions" , "secured facility" and the like. That everyone you see must present ID and sign into the building but when you arrive to the head of the line the security people don't even ask your name and just wave you inside.
Imagine people giving you their cab when there are not many cabs that particular day. That they flag you inside the cab that they would have taken but that they saw that you were uncomfortable or hot in the weather. With a smile they give you a pat on the back or a handshake.
Imagine having a complete stranger allow you to ride their motorcycle just because they saw you looking at it. No questions asked just , "would you like to ride"? No expectations of gain for them but just to allow you the opportunity. :)
Imagine being a priviledged minority. Not from outward wealth but by being a respectful American. From being someone that they would like to be. Someone that they would be proud of being.
That's very much what it's like for me here and I do not take that for granted. It's something that I am aware of every day.
I'm very thankful for this treatment and respond in kind. :) This is one of many reasons that I love to be here.
This is the water company's construction crew. The streets here in Pembo have been ripped up again to install more water lines and to replace the existing water meters.
When the crews came through here, I thought someone was attacking our building here. The crew started with the jackhammer shortly after 8 am, 2 hours after my bedtime. :mad:
As one sees the work these guys do all day they can appreciate what tough SOBs they are.
Not a single man on the crew wears safely glasses either. Real risk takers as well as rugged and heat resistant pinoys.
This appears to be a Bell UH-1 "Huey". These are flying overhead regularly and I've only seen one modern chopper.
Some are miltary, some police, and this one a rescue chopper. It seems that all the US Hueys retired from service for the states and ended up here.
Maybe rescuing some foreigner from the heat and transporting them to the hospital. :lol:
This is the gym just down the street.
One of many of my goals for this time being here has been to reduce this growing gut that I have going. It's been tough going in the high heat but this workout routine should produce the desired result.
All the machines are outdated or broken. You have to adjust your expectations when you go here. The bikes need tweeking before you start using them. Don't go full out with anything as it might not be all that sturdy.
The treadmill is actually manual. The controls are very similar as to show you calories burned and distance travelled but there is no start button like all the treadmills that I've ever used.
Slang: Hey, can you help me get started here. Where is the start button?
GymGuy: It's manual. YOU are the start button. ;)
Slang: OH SHIT, I should have known that. :blush:
Dispite the older equipment, it's a cool place to go. The man that runs it is (guessing ) between 60 and 70 and still in very good shape.
The staff and patrons are also helpful but very surprised to see me work out there.
Most of them are 5-4 and 125 lbs too. It's always interesting to see them watch me.
Here's a pinoy made Jeep. It's not a Jeepney though, just a single.
The body is made from galvanized steel and all the parts are salvaged.
Is it 4WD? Guessing no. No idea what the engine is either. They are listed regularly in the auto trader for 100 or 150k.
I think that they are cool for the price but no one seems to really like them here.
Maybe if I rode in one my opinion would change. :D
The interior is not exactly luxurious either but I'd say that it's pretty durable.
Does anyone here know what a BMW motorcycle looks like? Maybe this is one but I'm guessing not.
Not a bad looking bike with all the shiney fake chrome and all. Certainly appears to be a nice riding bike too.
The blue front lights fake you into thinking that this might be a police bike but it's not. Blue lights in the front are common here.
Actually, there are all sorts of variations of what is standard here. What sort of inspection is there? What regulations are enforced?
I don't know. The roadworthiness of vehicles here is vaguely defined. Some appear as if they were just assembled from a box of parts and some are very nice like this one.
Since it's the only source of income for many people here, the tricycles, it seems that standards are very low to keep maintenance costs down.
So you have a tough life? Full of inconveniences? Maybe. There are so many here that I'd surely go mad going through the BS of living here as a native.
This is from a trip into Manila the other day.
Several jeepneys passed with people hanging out of them. It seems that your choices are limited in heavy traffic with the jeepneys. You can either wait for another when one is full or you can hang out of the back.
Maybe another will be coming, maybe not. You take your chances.
These two guys are standing on the street while the traffic is backed up in Manila. If the driver is a real ass, this could be a problem when things get moving again. ;)
There is no discount for not having a seat and hanging out the back either.
Here are some schoolgirls coming home at about noon. The classes run in two shifts, morning and evening.
The morning classes begin at 530 or 600am and last until noon(ish). The afternoon classes begin at about noon or so and last until 6pm.
Both the boys and the girls have uniforms to wear to school.
Also notice the barbs on the fence. Ours are not sharpend to cut but there are many here that are. We've not had troubles with theives so we don't need dangerous fences (yet). ;)
Despite all the ugliness of life here it's still a very beautiful place IMO. The skies are very blue and clouds very white.
It's hot as hell here but I often seek high ground to look over the scenery of the town here.
The trees and the flowers are always very colorful as there is no cold weather here. The hot sun is always making vegitation colorful.
A bit out of order here but this is a motorcycle passing very close to the car as traffic has stopped.
Traffic backs up for a long distance when the lights change to red and it stays motionless for a long while.
All the bikes move to the front of the pack and when the light turns green again there are a pack of bikes that fly off the line.
It's like a drag race sometimes when the lights change and you can hear them revving up in anticipation of the green light. :)
Ok, let's look at some foods.
This is one of many meats that I eat here. It's surely not good for you even though the package tells you that there's no "MSG added". ;)
It's very sweet like Chinese food and it almost seems to glow red.
This package costs P85 or about $2.
Very tastey.
It took some looking around here but there is a bakery closeby that sells banana bread. It's wonderful. And cheap, P50 for a std size loaf (10-4-6?)
This bakery makes 3 loaves a day. Sometimes we buy them all. Sometimes we let someone else have a loaf to enjoy. :)
The bread has a perfect consistency and is still hot when we buy it. Absolutely delicious.
The second shot is of the Tocino and a baked potato. Baked potato smothered in butter (not margarine :mad: ) is good here as anywhere in the states.
Friends have told me back in the US that commerical chickens just don't taste as good as home grown.
My experience here confirms that. These chickens were delicious.
You may imagine that I took photos of the entire slaughter and preparation for cooking these birds. I'll spare you all the gory details.
Live chickens prepped on the spot are fabulous.
We baked them in the oven rotisserie for an hour plus. They came out tender and juicey even better than the fast food places here.
The two chickens cost P150 each, about $3.50. That's not cheap food but it's great tasting.
When we use the oven the heat is unbarable but the results with the chickens are worth the extra heat for an hour.
The breast meat was not the least bit dry or tough. The thighs, wings and drums, along with all the skin was the best that I've had in a very long while. :drool: :yum:
Now here is a little bastard that I'd like to stick on the skewer. Ok, maybe not but slitting his throat and euthanizing him would make me happy. :)
This is the cat that terrorizes our mouse chasers. He swats them away from their food bowl if we don't pay attention and has seriously injured several of the other cats in the neighborhood.
I'm very sympathetic to the life of a street cat here BUT, this guy is a pain in the ass. Very aggressive and fearless.
I cant catch the little bastard by chasing him so when I saw this....
It became part of our toolbox for PITA cats. ;)
This replica shoots plastic pellets. I've hit the MFer with the pellets and they do get his attention.
Sometimes I do a little snipe action and hide while waiting for him to snarf the food bowl. :D
He's not nearly as bold now as before having "my little friend".
Then I look at the details on the replica. The sights are very similar to the original. The mag works very similar too.
Also the warning is in Chinese. What would you suppose that it might say? Be careful not to put your eye out? :lol:
Something a bit different.
This is the roof level of one of the buildings in the neighborhood. We don't know the owner and have never seen anyone up on the roof.
It seems like a very cool place to drink some beers and shoot a replica AK-47 at the local problem kitty though.
The roof has a roof too. It's open to the outside but keeps you out of the direct sunlight and the rain.
These are the Philippine twin trade towers.
Nice looking buildings in the Global City.
There are some nice buildings here. It's not all cement block houses and corrogated roofing.
Here is a mini car show at Market Market. The foreigners that are moving in must have the money for the cool looking cars and accessories.
IIRC the majority of foreigners here now are Chinese.
The second shot shows the overpriced condos in the background. :D
The next few frames will show what I call "walk and snap" shots from inside the mall. Many are blurry but you can see what's available and on display here.
Many of these photos are taken for my own benefit so that items or places of interest can be located again when we don't have the time to stop and look around.
In those cases the camera is around my neck but I don't use a flash nor take the viewer to my eye. It's just walk and snap (WAS).
More religious stuff and cheap watches.
Clerk: (Chinese accent) Hello Sir, watches? You buy now. :lol:
A Halloween display inside the mall. This is a WAS and didnt catch the big gorilla costume that is shown to the right side of the tent.
The other shot is the elevator which seems a bit twitchy for me to use now that I've experienced the miracle of elevator science here.
Just found this.
Another unlucky commuter hanging off the back of the jeepney.
The first shows more so the dashboard than the scenery.
This is the car of a 35 yo ( straight ) professional pinoy. Why in the world someone would have these dumbass stuffed animals in their car, let alone on the dash is completely beyond my comprehension.
That's a trend here though. Not just the chicks with silly animals on the dash, the guys have them too. :confused:
Second shot is from Roxas Blvd (?), Club Temptation. This is where someone may find an old Marine if he was to visit here.
That would not be Zippy but some other old Marine. ;)
That's all for now.
We will soon be going to the provinces to meet with an architect. This is someone that I've been in contact with via e-mail but have not yet met.
Our visit will include brainstorming about some techincal details that we'd like to have in our house and more details about "how things work" when building out in the rural areas.
To be sure, there will be more photos.
That's all for now.
Boo!
To be sure, there will be more photos.
Yea!
There was an explosion at the Glorietta Mall today at approx 1:30 pm local time. That mall is just a few miles from here and we do go there regularly.
In the big scheme of things it was a very minor event although it's been playing in the news here for hours and relatives from all over the world are calling and texting to check on us.
It was first reported as an LPG gas explosion but that has not been confirmed until the investigation is complete.
Here is the link.
We were in Mandaluyong at the time and were not involved.
The highlight of today was going to
Snow World at Star City.
The cost was P160 each. The temp inside was 5 degrees F. There are two slides that you can ride down.
It was a great time but we only spent about 20 minutes total inside.
We will probably go again and at that time will wear warmer clothes.
The slides are a very cool experience and I was amazed at how fast I could get going without wiping out.
Thanks to the staff of Snow World. They do a great job. :thumb:
We had 3 pinoys and me in Snow City. Three of us guys and Pinang.
There are jackets there at the entrance but there was not one big enough for me.
Next time we will know what to expect.
"taking of pictures and videos not allowed inside"
*snicker*
Get the F out of my way.....I'm with the cellar.org :blush:
Seriously, there was a nightly news clip on this about a week ago. My guess is that since then there has been a big increase in business that they have needed.
Why not have photos of the inside anyway. It's a big advertisement for the Snow World. How silly not to allow them
I put my camera away on the walk in and about 2 seconds after gettting inside saw camera flashes going off everywhere.
If they are not enforcing their own rules, then I will bend them.
This is from Mandaluyong.
From Shaw Blvd exactly. Rena is trying to get a nursing job abroad and this place is where the recruiters are taking applications.
This billboard caught my attention because I am not a believer in abortion and am a Christian even though I swear a lot and drink booze by the barrel. :blush:
This is from the posting board on the placement agency.
This is from inside the placement agency. It's so mother effing hot inside that I could not stay inside.
Kuya Ward and I went to the Petron station and ate Chippy and Doritos with green tea and water while Rena was taking the initial interview and test.
It's harder nowdays to fake the paperworks to go abroad. It was much easier than today with the new system.
Now that there is a more stable and predictable system in place, potential jobs are coming to the PI in larger numbers.
These are from
Star City.
This is a good place to bring the kids and even for grownups too.
We will surely go again to Star City but we didnt have the time or the money or the spare batteries to have the good time that is possible here.
The cost of the unlimited ride ticket and the Snow World entrance ticket was about P320. Compare that to the American amusement parts and you can see the difference.
Some of the rides and games are truly lame. Many are well worth the money.
If you visit the PI, take the time to come to Star City. You will not regret the time and money spent here.
This is on Shaw Blvd next to the placement agency. It was so effing hot and boring that I went walking around to get some photos of the surrounding areas.
This is one of the stores selling laptops. Very old and outdated laptops.
We will be riding north to La Union tonight.
It should be a good trip. We have a nice room to ourselves with AC there at one of the family's houses.
A cousin owns a net cafe very close to the house so we should have good access for posting photos.
We are in La Union now from kuya's internet cafe here.
There are 10 stations, 19" LCD screens, new computers and good dsl access here. All for 15 pesos an hour. :) . The keyboards all work too, yeah!
There are so many cool pictures to post but not enough time at the moment.
The air quality is better out in the provinces. The views are very beautiful too as the roads wind around the mountains.
These are from Manila. There are some leftovers before we left. This card holds 2 Gb so we can take a lot of photos without clearing the card off.
Anyway, the rural pics are coming soon.
This is the "all things plastic for P20" man.
Wonder what makes someone use the name Jiz for their online cafe?
Maybe it has a different meaning or is a name here. This was from Guadalupe.
Ok, these are from the pronvince.
This is a tricycle that is for family use only. Two adults and three children use it regularly to get around out here.
It's in a lot better shape than most of the tricycles in Manila for hired transport.
I'd love to ride it around with Pines but I had a "little accident" with one a few years ago and am not sure they would be enthusiastic about having me take it out. :blush:
More shots to give you a better idea of what these are like.
Has a little dashboard there in the sidecar and a sturdy steel rack on the roof to carry large items like furniture or another passenger. :)
Anywhere you might possibly hang a pig or a goat or maybe even another passenger, there is a reinforcing rack.
You will see in later photos that these tricycles often carry a lot more than we might imagine.
This is private school in La Union.
The second photo is of the classroom as a test was in process. We had to wait until the test was complete to extract kuya's little boy so I had the chance to take a look around and get some photos.
The tuition here is P15k per schoolyear.
This is a small school here but it's well known for the kids' higher grades and test scores.
To contrast the two I'll try to get some of the public school.
The biofuel possibilities here seem high. Biodiesel can be made from coconuts and since this country is the one of the largest growers of them it seems logical that this may be a largescale product.
Logic doesn't always prevail in these areas though.
This is the cafe that I'm in right now. It's in a new strip mall ( sorta thingy ) and there are several others serving the young gamers.
The second shot is the kids riding the tricycle home from the cafe. There are 3 additional kids in the sidecar that are not visible in the shot.
This is one of the local resorts (??) that are on the South China Sea. As you can see the property is for sale but because they are only acceepting offers from people that happen to trip onto it, they can't possibly be serious about selling.
There is no price listed either.
This is what I'd consider to be an undeveloped beach as there are only the grass huts for the most part here on the shore.
I don't know what the prices for lots are here either but they are probably much less than the US.
The fishing boats are all small like these and launched from the beach. They use nets to catch the fish IIRC.
Even here on the beach the breeze coming off the sea seems warm. At sunset the US beaches normally cool off a bit while the breeze here still seems unusually warm.
This is of a tricycle ride back from town as seen from the sidecar.
[youtube]v/IwYXQvd2cw8[/youtube]
Here are some pics and a clip from a Baguio amusement park. It's mainly for the small kids but the bump cars are still a great time for us "adults". :)
[youtube]1adJ-Jnbslo[/youtube]
We're doing mildly interesting things every day here now and I'm way behind on posting pics and clips.
My average number of photos per day is about 700. :blush: Of that large number maybe 10 are worth posting. With all the editing and selecting ect, it's time consuming to get everything posted.
We'll be leaving for Manila again in the next few days. I'll be able to catch up then.
Looks like your haveing fun Slang !!!
Looks like your haveing fun Slang !!!
Oh yes. And you are just seeing the pictures that I'm allowed to post. ;)
Back in Makati with sinus infection.
Not doing too much for the next few days.
The sinus infection has morphed into what my wife calls "sore eyes". She's an RN, I don't argue stupid names.
So lets take a tally here of my current ailments.
1. Original sinus infection
2. Big Canker sores on the tongue
3. Left eye infected with viral "sore eyes"
4. Coughing again like with the last cold.
5. Sore throat, swollen glands
6. A small cut on my foot is now all swollen and sick looking.
I'm losing the battle. Even went to the doctor yesterday. That's a story worth telling. When I'm up to typing it you'll read it here.
Things are very different here, yes. :yelsick: With a little luck things will not get worse.
Youch...that doesn't sound like too much fun. I'm glad I wasn't sick for the short time I was there. Makati was clean enough, but outside of that...:eek:
Getting sick in what is essentially a third world country is not smart.
I'm glad I wasn't sick for the short time I was there.
:eyebrow: And you're not expecting me to ask for more details?
You were probably not all rolling in the grass and climbing the banana trees, chasing the lemurs through the jungle, wading through crystal clear streams, and drinking alcoholic beverages to capacity either.....were you? :blush:
Getting sick in what is essentially a third world country is not smart.
This is not news to me.
On the upside, the medicines are effective and cheap.
I'm taking medicines for one ailment or another about every two hours. Sometimes taking doeses for more than one ailment.
I'm not allowed out of the yard and have been prohibition-ized until the battles(s) have been won.
Was it worth it?
If it doesnt get any worse, yes. My adventures cannot be fully experienced in a body condom or some other form of western style safety net.
I kill the chickens and goats, clean them out, cook them and eat them like a crazy man.
I drink till I'm the only man standing and go pee in the middle of the road. Pinoy style. ;)
Until I'm wasted or taken out by some SE Asian funk, I'm living a bit more wildly than my American self.
At least, when I'm allowed to leave the yard I am. :blush:
Oh, and I've been banned from operating any motorized transport device. :(
Ok, let's talk food for a bit.
This is
siopao (show-pow ;) ) . It's rubbery bread steam cooked with a little pocket of meat inside it.
You can get the siopao at
Chowking and most other Chinese food outlets in the Philippines.
This siopao cost P25 at
Chowking or about half a buck US.
No, I've not verified the source of the meat. Some things are better left unasked. :)
This is
Puto. I bought it from a native Filipino for 12 pesos each bag ( the white man price...a bit high ;) )
Me and several others Filipinos gobbled these things up in a minute.
The second shot is the puto shown on the presentation platter, the banana leaf.
These are of the Jeepnys out in the provinces. There are far fewer Jeepnys away from the city and so more people ride each one than in the city.
It's very common for them to ride on the roof. I would normally call these people organ donars but since we're in the Phils maybe statistics might be better.
One wrong move and......you know the result.
This is the most people I'd seen on top of the Jeepny.
Wow. :eek:
I've decided not to tell my clinic story just because it's not flattering to the staff there.
I did see the doctor, he was professional and knowledgable and I was given a script for effective medicine. The visit cost me P250 ( about $5) and the medicine another P250.
Now, let's look at the bridges far out in the country.
Note that I take so effing many photos that everyone around me is annoyed. When I see something I can normally get a pic but it's not always great quality because we'd be stopping all the time to get pictures of "stupid crap" that no one is interested in.
These are taken from inside the car and it was raining outside which also makes it more difficult to get a good clear photo.
It's helpful to have a beer or a shot ready as a passenger for these types of rides. To be fair, everyone uses this bridge and they pass on everything from a jeepny to a carabao.
It's just not something that Americans love to experience.
We arent going all that fast on the bridge but it does make you appreciate all those thousands of rural bridges in the US and that maybe they arent all that bad after all.
There are so many more (what I consider to be ) interesting things that I have pics for but I'm running out of steam.
I know that there are a few people out there that truly appreciate all the photos and the commentary and I do the work for you guys.
These are exactly the types of photos that I'd like to see of someone else's trip.
So many cool things.....like the rice harvest. All the phases of processing the rice....such strange and interesting things here.
I love the loose gravel in the road just before the bridge. Do they spread gravel on curves too? That's got to be fun.
Do they spread gravel on curves too?
You have to understand that the temperature never falls enough to make slippery conditions so, yes they do. Just to keep you on your toes though. Speed kills as they say.
My impression of that gravel was that the flash floods and other quirky weather phenoms had created a pocket of stones as seen.
The dept of spreading gravel in dangerous places was most likely not responsible
this time. :D
This is a "diesel powered leaf blower".
On the way to Baguio our car was caught behind a fuel truck like you see here.
I wasn't paying all that much attention to the road as it's better for the passengers to focus on something other than driving since they have no control and the conditions are often frightening.
We were driving up a winding hill road when I first saw the leafblower effect. A higher engine rpm with slower speed demonstrated how someone on the side of the road just minding their own business could get blasted with a power shot of diesel, dust, and leaves.
You see, the exhaust discharge is in the front, not the top or the rear. Why is it exactly where it might do the most damage? Possibly to re-route the exhaust and reduce the possibility of igniting the fuel.
That's not what I believe though. I think that someone in charge of design likes the diesel leaf blower effect.
It is pretty funny to see someone get dusted. The dustee doesnt pay attention to what vehicle is driving toward them as they are walking or standing on the side of the road.
Then they see the debris flying toward them and they take cover. :lol:
These are from San Fernando.
As I was walking around I heard the chicks and had to get some photos. This is a poultry supply store.
If I were there again, I'd buy some chicks and just walk around with them. Maybe take them into some restaurants and all.
It only takes about 2 months for them to become delicious meals.
Damn !!
I wish I was there with ya Slang !!!!
Oh That would be a BLAST !!!
I wish I was there with ya Slang !!!!
When you are ready to come visit again, this time as a civilian....let me know.
Yes, we would have a great time here Zip. :) I hope someday you take a few weeks to visit here again.
Subic is an "economic" zone now.
It's always interesting to me to see what things sell here.
This shop in is San Fernando and I stopped in because I saw the Stressmas decorations in Oct.
Take a little walk through this place with me. From the flowers just outside the door to the toy guns and Barbie dolls inside, it's worth a peek.
These are the decorations that first caught my attention. Once inside there were also many variations of Santa Claus.
People here have a fascination with Santa Claus and snowy, cold weather. Reindeer too I suppose.
Girl gifts are traditional here as well as the boys. There arent a large number of girls running around with the toy guns and not a huge number of boys holding a baby doll.
From the girls side of the isle.....
And the boys side.
The whole time that I was looking around this store there were stock boys bringing in large boxes of goods.
In a store that is too small to start with, having these guys stocking the shelves at the same time that people would like to see what's for sale seems stupid to me. That's what the night shift is for, I'm always telling people here.
There is no night shift here and every effing delivery wll inconvenience you by either holding up traffic for blocks on the main streets or squeezing you out of a store like toothpaste when new stock comes in ready to be put on shelves.
In most places that I've gone there are people in the GDF way stocking something or other.
It get's old very quickly.
But....
The prices are very competetive. :) Just trying to stay balanced here.
[singing] Oh, Santa Claus is comin' to town.....[/singing]
Just make sure that you leave the front door open for ol' St. Nick because there are no chimneys for him to climb down here in the "Pee-Eye". ;)
Not a bad deal on Chinese vases, $2.25.
This is the shot from the coolest place in the store and the place that I spent the most time in. This vantage point is from the large upright standing AC unit.
Chinese everything. And God bless em for that. There are millions of people in this world that can only afford the Chinese (slave labor) made products. The reality is that I believe that these goods are often of very low quality BUT the people here are surely glad to have them.
And check out the arab looking man on the camel ! :lol:
Something a bit different......
The growing season is long and productive here but there's very little corn grown ( that I can see ).
Here are a few rows of it way out in the rural back woods of LU.
We went way out looking for a goat to bbq that night. They normally sell for P1700-P2000 ($37-45)
We looked at the goat for sale and said "That's a small goat you have for sale there.....how much for the dog?"
They were not amused and we werent impressed either.
Our journey out there was not a complete waste of time but produced no goat.
Got time for a movie? It might not be a great one but it'll prolly not cost you more than 2 or 3 bucks.
The cinimas are also normally with AC ( or aircon as they say here ).
Dapat Apat A pinoy movie theme and acting
Boy Girl ThingThis is the first time that I've had time to look at the trailer for this. It's a bit hokey but take a look.
One Percent Full
[youtube]v/kEr15Nwqpi8&rel[/youtube]
Boy Girl Thing looks so bad it might be good.
Boy Girl Thing looks so bad it might be good.
What was the movie that I said that exact same thing to myself before buying the tickets?
It was so bad that not one thing sticks in my head. Not even enough to Google for the name.
Ah yes, just found these on disk.
It's the farmers harvesting the rice.
They pluck it out of the mud, stack it in bales, carry it to a machine that separates the leaf from the rice grain, and then lay it all out to dry.
These were taken from 40-50 yds away using the tele lens on my cheap cam.
I'm not sure if they like to have their pictures taken. But since they don't know.....why not take a bunch? :D
Second image is the rice on the net drying. If you can get it in the sun for a good day, maybe two, then it's ready for the mill.
Most of the time it's raining for 15 minutes then sunny for a few hours....then raining while it's sunny.....
During the harvest season you can see these nets all over on the ground. They are on sidewalks, driveways, basketball courts, everywhere you can spread the rice out.
Here are two photos of the rice in closeup.
very cool. It's amazing that rice is as cheap as it is. It looks so labor intensive for such a small amount.
:eyebrow: And you're not expecting me to ask for more details?
Actually there aren't too many. My wife went on a business trip over there last year, and I went along for the (long-ass, cramped plane) ride.
You were probably not all rolling in the grass and climbing the banana trees, chasing the lemurs through the jungle, wading through crystal clear streams, and drinking alcoholic beverages to capacity either.....were you? :blush:
Unfortunately, because of the nature of the call centers over there, and the development team being over here, she still worked EST. So I got to see a lot of overnight Filipino TV while waiting for her to get back to the hotel. We had a couple of days at the end of the trip where we got to explore some (down to Intramuros and around Metro Manila one day, and out to Tagaytay and Lake Taal the next), but we were so beat by the overnight schedule that we didn't have the energy to do everything we wanted.:neutral:
And on another note, I noticed when we were walking around in Glorietta and the Landmark, that some stores had employees hovering right over us. Not watching from a distance, but brazenly just standing next to us and following us wherever we went. Have you experienced this, or did I just look like a shady character to them?
And on another note, I noticed when we were walking around in Glorietta and the Landmark, that some stores had employees hovering right over us. Not watching from a distance, but brazenly just standing next to us and following us wherever we went. Have you experienced this, or did I just look like a shady character to them?
I know so very little about you but I'm guessing that they're curious and or wanting to practice their English OR that they just want to have sex with you but were too shy to ask. ;)
I'm a white man, 6-2 260 and I'm friendly to the locals. My wife's a local here and most of the people that I am with are pinoys.
If there was a young uniformed man following me in the Glorietta mall carrying an M4 and not smiling, I'd be nervous. Anything short of that I personally would just start talking to them.
Pinoys love foreigners and they love Americans the best. Assuming that YOU are not carrying an M4 around with you, they're most likely just wanting to speak to you.
Unless of course they say that aweful phrase...."you buy now" :lol:
very cool. It's amazing that rice is as cheap as it is. It looks so labor intensive for such a small amount.
True. It's the food staple here. I want to say that most of the rice costs about P25 a kilo. Cheap.
All the rice that one sees out in the provinces are for internal consumption. That's one effing lot of rice I can tell you.
During harvest, it's the focus of everyone ( that needs the rice to survive which is a high portion of the population ).
Unfortunately, because of the nature of the call centers over there, and the development team being over here, she still worked EST.
Was the overall experience positive? I've heard that the call centers here are a great deal for the locals here and the clients.
We have someone working in one and is quite happy. Win win situations are so rare nowdays it's a good thing to see.
Verry cool !!
Uh hate to be a Rice Nazi about it ,
but those guys with the green stalks seem to be planting ,
not harvesting ,
Mature rice is ( generly) tall and brown , they grow LOTS of it here !!!!
Verry cool !!
Uh hate to be a Rice Nazi about it ,
but those guys with the green stalks seem to be planting ,
not harvesting ,
Mature rice is ( generly) tall and brown , they grow LOTS of it here !!!!
What is the level of mechanization in these United States?
and what species of rice are they growing ????
What is the level of mechanization in these United States?
BIG TIME PRODUCTION !!!!!!
I will have to take some pics from planting , growing ( there is this stage where the little green plants are [COLOR="YellowGreen"]SOOOOO GREEN[/COLOR]!!! ) , to growth and harvesting , and I may be able to get some processand packaging shots, lots of cool new stuff farm wise ,
Just this year they finnaly came out with cotton harvesters that spit out wraped modules ( picked and wraped in a neat bundle for pick up )
It appears that I've made a mistake in the descriptions of the photos.
You are correct Zip that those small plants are being planted. The following series shows the harvested plants, very long and brown.
You will also see the machine that collects the rice from the chaff as well.
This is the machine that the carabao pulls around during the harvest season. :)
There isnt much that I truly know about this thing. Those things that I do know are one, that people all day are putting the rough rice into it. The second thing is that there is a carabao that pulls it from one place to another which I personally think is very funny.
New tech teams up with old tech. :D
These are the rice buds that you need to whack off the stalk.
Second shot is one of the many people bringing piles to the machine.
No, I don't know what is in the pitcher Zip, it's probably not gin though.
Two of the many bringing the rice. They didnt seem overly friendly and I didnt want to do their job instead of them so I didnt get totally in their face with the pics.
It's difficult to see but the white elipse shows the rice being thrown into the air on the other side of the machine.
Absolutely fascinating, yes I know. :D
All done? Take the machine down the road for their rice too.
This was taken out of the car window as we were pulling out. How I wish I'd have gotten out to take a few more.
This is hilarious. (IMO) :lol:
Now that all the work is done you need to clean up by setting fire to the still green stalks of rice and other questionable burnable crap.
Thanks for taking the time to create enough nasty smoke to drift into our homes, ya jackasses. :mad:
Here's something a little different.
This is in Baguio. It rains nearly every day in Baguio as it's high in the mountains.
This mini sheild/roof might help a little in keeping the rain off but you'd still get very wet IMO.
Food Court rural Philippines.
It's amazingly cool here despite having cooking in process at all the diners.
Fried chicken and spaghetti with a half litre Coke. If you don't actually see how the meats are prepared you might actually enjoy eating them. :D
Seriously, there's just a few things that I don't eat here now.
Fast food here on Luzon. Not exactly McDo but some good foods for a cheap price here.
I only see one uncovered dish. The rest are under lids or behind sneeze guards. It's a very hygienic place.
I know so very little about you but I'm guessing that they're curious and or wanting to practice their English OR that they just want to have sex with you but were too shy to ask. ;)
I hope that wasn't it...it was always guys.:eek:
I'm a white man, 6-2 260 and I'm friendly to the locals. My wife's a local here and most of the people that I am with are pinoys.
If there was a young uniformed man following me in the Glorietta mall carrying an M4 and not smiling, I'd be nervous. Anything short of that I personally would just start talking to them.
Pinoys love foreigners and they love Americans the best. Assuming that YOU are not carrying an M4 around with you, they're most likely just wanting to speak to you.
Unless of course they say that aweful phrase...."you buy now" :lol:
It could very well have been. It was just a bit off-putting...and when I did speak to them, they seemed really nervous. I'm not a big guy by any means, so I doubt it was my intimidating physical presence. :p
Was the overall experience positive?
It was an interesting place. I probably would have enjoyed it more had it been at a different time in life. But unfortunately, it came up shortly after my mother had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. That really put a damper on my excitement to be there.
I've heard that the call centers here are a great deal for the locals here and the clients. We have someone working in one and is quite happy. Win win situations are so rare nowdays it's a good thing to see.
It's definitely good for the people there. Apparently, a degree is required to work in the call centers that my wife visited. It's a strange thought...over here, the call centers are usually staffed by the people not quite cut out for higher education.
I only see one uncovered dish. The rest are under lids or behind sneeze guards. It's a very hygienic place.
In that way it is hygenic Glatt, but you have to know about how the meats are prepared. How they are cut and cooked.
In the lower level of this commerical plaza is the meat cutters area. You can smell the meats well before you arrive there. There are no freezers or refridgorators there. The flies are waved off with swatters that dont stop moving.
After several long discussions with my wife I've decided to eat some of the same foods that she and family does here.
Some of those meats from that exact shop has ended up on our table.
This is not my preference but given that the better butchers are so far away out in the country areas, I've taken my chances.
Just like sausage and laws, the less you know the better.
As for the food court itself? The sneeze guards are nice and most all foods are covered, but where are the dishes washed and is hot water used?
I didnt see any active sinks. :3eye:
Wish me luck buddy.
Before I reply I'd like to say thanks for you quick responses. I'm very curious about your trip here and to hear about specific experiences.
I hope that wasn't it...it was always guys.:eek:
Well, there is an unusually large community of gays there but it sounds like that was not the case for you. :D
The Tagalog word for gay is "ba-ding" and they always try to catch my attention. Most likely just because I'm a foreigner, American, and they assume that my opinion of gays is better than the locals.
In any case, they fling their hair, batt their eyes and even take their tops down a bit. The gay men here seem to have quite large breasts medically, I'm assuming. :lol:
We've got a few in the family here. It's a very interesting community, I'll say that.
No Zippy, I'm not a switch hitter. :eyebrow:
It could very well have been. It was just a bit off-putting...and when I did speak to them, they seemed really nervous. I'm not a big guy by any means, so I doubt it was my intimidating physical presence.
Ok, this is making more sense to me. If you came here without any family or friends that are pinoy, no natives walking with you, they are cautious but friendly.
Many of the first conversations that I had with people in this neighborhood were very cautious. There is a strong colonial mentality here and they are overall a bit passive.
Most have been verbally abused or embarassed by some foreigner at one time or another. Let's face it, their country is not nearly as developed as western countries. They feel that with new foreigners.
Another point is that they generally understand much more English than they can speak. Most are aware of their accent.
Many had thanked me in our second and third meeting for not being rude or making fun of them for living here in this culture. That many of the normal things for them everyday are somehow unacceptable by the Americans.
I've found this to be true with other Americans visiting the native areas. It's much different here in many ways. Some of those ways are scary.
So, back to your experience, I can imagine them wanting to be friendly to you, to maybe learn from you and to make a new friend. At the same time they might be nervous because you have no direct connection, say your wife growing up in the Phils, so you might have a bad impression of them for the condition of the country compared to the US.
Please understand me....all non-white Americans, if you are white in the Phils, you are a priviledged minority.
That's not to say that all other variations of Americans are not appreciated there but the whites have privilidge.
So, I cant imagine them keeping an eye on your for fear of you stealing something or the like. Curiosity most likely IMO.
It was an interesting place. I probably would have enjoyed it more had it been at a different time in life. But unfortunately, it came up shortly after my mother had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. That really put a damper on my excitement to be there.
I'm so sorry to hear that. In that same situation my excitement would be gone as well.
My mother passed very slowly years ago with various cancers. It was the most difficult emotional event in my life.
It's definitely good for the people there. Apparently, a degree is required to work in the call centers that my wife visited. It's a strange thought...over here, the call centers are usually staffed by the people not quite cut out for higher education.
We have nieces and nephews that work in them. They love it and although they have bachelor degrees or above it's a very viable option here for a career. Not at all like the US.
There are two very important factors to being employed there. Their job is to offer technical assistance for a variety of IT and engineering type tasks, so having a tech degree is a must. The other must is the use and understanding of the English language.
Yes, it is true, in the US if you have hit bottom, you're only option might be a call center job.
In those cases though, the position is just as a salesperson on the phone. The call centers here in the Phils are often tech assistance centers to be more accurate.
There are tons of ads in the papers here that if you can pass the English test ( I think it's called the TOFEL) then you can get a position selling on the phone.
I wouldnt encourage any of our family here to do that. Those people have done nothing but irritate me over the years. They bring very little value to the world IMO.
For those that have English skills though, I suppose it's better than what life has to offer here.
Goat: ba-aa-aa. I'm tito's goat, you can't eat me.
Slang: Mother effer. :mad: I wonder what tito wants for this talking goat?
Goats are so darn cute. I love the pics in this thread, slang.
Have a minute to spare? Take a walk with me into this bakery. It's a
Goldilocks. I'll spot you some pesos. Take a look ( and smell ) what they have to offer. :drool:
This is the upscale bakery here. Their foods are fresh and actually have a sell date. :biggrin:
When was the last time you have Cracker Jacks? They used to be great. Now they're not.
Check out the circled bag of "nutty caramel popcorn". This is what CJ used to be. It's about a buck and tears will leak out of your eyes when you eat these. Absolutely delicious.
Goats are so darn cute. I love the pics in this thread, slang.
Thank you Shawnee. I'm so glad that you like the photos I post here.
Everyone here: You take too effing many pics slang! Leave the cam home.
Slang: What!? I'll have you know that millions of people all over the world see these photos and they fall in LOVE with the Phils! :mad: As bad as things are here don't you think it makes more sense to get some good press for the Philippines.
Everyone here: :neutral:
Slang: You're GD right. Lucky for you I'm not charging you all for the time and energy ( :lol: )
You know that's not true! This is a beloved thread!
There are several galvanized truck bodies in front of this traders shop. These are of the hummer look alike but there are jeep type bodies too.
I could only take these photos as the car passed the shop but I was very curious as to the price and configuration of the hum vee body.
Creating a nice looking surface on galvanized steel is tricky or costly as well.
It'd still be a cool ride. The authentic hummers would be (guessing) in the $70k range here.
You know that's not true! This is a beloved thread!
Thanks very much. This is a strange passion of mine. I'm truly very happy that you enjoy the pics and comments.
Thanks too to Mr Toad for allowing these to be posted here.
I could only take these photos as the car passed the shop ...
I'm impressed how crisp the pictures are. You were stuck in traffic as your car passed, weren't you?
This is the
Bell Church in Baguio. It's a very interesting place and I have a million photos here to show you what it's like there. :blush:
There has been a significant Chinese influence here over the years. China is only 500 miles or so away, over the ocean, and over the years Chinese people have immigrated here.
I did not focus on getting pictures of the inside of the church. There are different rules for the Chinese churches and there were people inside at the time that we were there.
I'm impressed how crisp the pictures are. You were stuck in traffic as your car passed, weren't you?
Thanks. They did come out pretty good. We werent stuck in traffic though. I used the continous drive to snap pics every 2/3 of a second as we passed.
There were 4 or 5 that actually captured the object that I wanted, the rest were junk.
Maybe you can imagine how much of a pain in the ass I am with everyone while taking these pics.
I know that no one wants to stop for me to take a million pics so I set the camera to just keep snapping as we go by.
Everyone knows that I'd LOVE to stop. They also know that if they stopped for every pic that I wanted we'd never get anywhere.
The driver sees me get the camera ready, setting the options. Then we all here...click-click-click-click-click-click-click just as we pass. :blush:
"It's ok, we don't have to stop. I got what I wanted with the continuous drive" :biggrin:
More of the Bell Church. This is just a very interesting looking place.
Very nice looking colors, green and red.
What is the attraction of the oversized goldfish? There are so many places that have them here. Some are HUGE too.
And take a look at the scary dragon. Enough to give you nightmares for sure. ;)
Geeze. What I really need here is a paying photo gig. Looking at all the pics I have of all of these different things....this is what I need. A pro pic gig.
Even a tiny one would be good at this point. :blush:
Of course there are more photos of the Bell Church ( as well as a few thousand of other mildly interesting things ).
I've got to take a break.
Thanks for your appreciation and comments. :)
Wow!
"Where do you live?"
"Just up the hill from you."
"OK, see you in about 3 days."
"OK, see you in about 3 days."
:lol: Yes, you have to be in good shape to get around in Baguio.
There was another building up on the hill that we didn't go up to see. By this point, everyone was tired and on the way down while I was still on the side of the hill taking photos.
One of many very cool sights to see at the church.
The door was locked to the temple here and I couldnt get close up photos of the golden man.
The reflections are very visible but the golden man is pretty cool to see. :D
Ever wondered what a "real" Chinese restaurant looks like here? Wonder no longer. Take a stroll with me through the Taipan Garden Restaurant.
Three of us came here and one had to do some bank business, which is notoriously time consuming. The three of us ordered and one went to stand in line with the bank.
Fifteen minutes after ordering the meals came. Three orders of rice, pork and some type of chicken. Not bad tasting and the price was surely good.
After we both finished the meal, our friend had still not come back from standing in the lines at the bank.
Over the next hour and 15 minutes I ordered 2 separate plates of the pork ribs. They were fantastic and cost about 3 bucks each.
Everything was good in this place. The service was good, the temp was very comfortable and all the menus and placemats looked very professional.
It seemed as though this place was serious about making some money here. That's a pleasant change from many places that almost seem as though the restaurant is some type of hobby that they don't quite treat seriously.
Anyway... this place was very good.
The staff was a bit nervous about me taking so many pics of the menus and such but without the flash they couldnt tell for sure if I was taking pics.
This is the menu which you cannot read well because it's very dark and I couldnt use the flash.
There are a wide variety of delicious looking meals that I would believe would arrive on my table as they appear on the menu.
Again I say, the pork ribs were delicious.
Good food and fair prices. Wonder what the upstairs looks like? :)
The restroom was a 5 out of 10, but realistically, people here don't care what the restroom is like.
Also, some of the decor on the second floor.
Any Chinese speakers out there? What does the sign say?
First shot is the front door from the second floor.
I didnt take photos out of respect for the workers but there were several people, assuming cooking staff, that were napping upstairs.
They were lying down on the cushion of several chairs lined up.
If I had to guess they had been there for a very long time and taking a sleep break during this "slow time" .
At any rate, this is a place that I'll surely go back to. Good food, comfortable atmosphere, and good service.
Vehicles pics.
Out in LU there is a gold mine. That means that there are big dumptrucks running around the countryside.
Here are a few. These are not diesel leafblowers. :3eye:
Very interesting, thanks. When are you due to return to the US, or are you there for good now?
Before I reply I'd like to say thanks for you quick responses. I'm very curious about your trip here and to hear about specific experiences.
Not a problem...sorry I had to drop out yesterday...they expect me to occasionally work:p
Well, there is an unusually large community of gays there but it sounds like that was not the case for you. :D
The Tagalog word for gay is "ba-ding" and they always try to catch my attention. Most likely just because I'm a foreigner, American, and they assume that my opinion of gays is better than the locals.
In any case, they fling their hair, batt their eyes and even take their tops down a bit. The gay men here seem to have quite large breasts medically, I'm assuming. :lol:
We've got a few in the family here. It's a very interesting community, I'll say that.
No Zippy, I'm not a switch hitter. :eyebrow:
We did run into quite a few, but they didn't seem to interested in me. I keep telling myself that it's because my wife was always with me...;)
And she said that a number of the guys in the call centers were giving her fashion and make-up tips...
Ok, this is making more sense to me. If you came here without any family or friends that are pinoy, no natives walking with you, they are cautious but friendly.
So, back to your experience, I can imagine them wanting to be friendly to you, to maybe learn from you and to make a new friend. At the same time they might be nervous because you have no direct connection, say your wife growing up in the Phils, so you might have a bad impression of them for the condition of the country compared to the US.
So, I cant imagine them keeping an eye on your for fear of you stealing something or the like. Curiosity most likely IMO.
OK, that is a bit assuring. Honestly, it felt like they were just waiting for me to do a grab and dash...not that I would've been able to even if I wanted to...I'm not much for warm, humid environments.
I'm so sorry to hear that. In that same situation my excitement would be gone as well.
My mother passed very slowly years ago with various cancers. It was the most difficult emotional event in my life.
Thanks...and my condolences to you. It's a horrible thing to go through. I hated every moment of getting on that plane. Worse yet, my wife and I weren't even seated together. Since she was traveling for business, she got world business class. I was in the sardine section. I still give her hell about it.:D
We have nieces and nephews that work in them. They love it and although they have bachelor degrees or above it's a very viable option here for a career. Not at all like the US.
There are two very important factors to being employed there. Their job is to offer technical assistance for a variety of IT and engineering type tasks, so having a tech degree is a must. The other must is the use and understanding of the English language.
Yes, it is true, in the US if you have hit bottom, you're only option might be a call center job.
In those cases though, the position is just as a salesperson on the phone. The call centers here in the Phils are often tech assistance centers to be more accurate.
There are tons of ads in the papers here that if you can pass the English test ( I think it's called the TOFEL) then you can get a position selling on the phone.
I wouldnt encourage any of our family here to do that. Those people have done nothing but irritate me over the years. They bring very little value to the world IMO.
For those that have English skills though, I suppose it's better than what life has to offer here.
The ones my wife visited were collection centers for a credit card company...she said that all the associates she worked with spoke almost flawless English...so much so that over the phone, you wouldn't be able to tell that they weren't native English speakers.
And if you don't mind, I may go through and pick out a few photos I took while we were there to post...
And if you don't mind, I may go through and pick out a few photos I took while we were there to post...
That would be fantastic.
If you have specific questions about something that you saw there but didnt have the time to investigate, we may be able to supply more info and/or photos.
I'm curious to see what other people find interesting here in Manila. Sure, there are more than a few tourist areas and attractions but seeing other peoples' photos is surely interesting.
For the photo sizing, I use 610 x 460. That's not law here but it would keep the images consistent if you are able to resize without major hassles.
There are no freezers or refridgorators there. The flies are waved off with swatters that dont stop moving.
Just ran across this. It shows the flyswatters there.
This is a friend's bbq shop that's very popular and profitable. The meats are partially cooked then put in the (unsanitary) racks on the table, then someone buys the meat and it's cooked completely and heated up, ready to eat.
Pretty effing scary, huh? :lol:
Something I forgot to describe here.
At the end of the night the foods that did not sell DO go into cold storage. They do have a fridge there but it's not used in the prep and display of the foods.
An important point that I left out
Everything that doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. By this time next year, you should be immune to everything.;)
:lol: Yeah, by this time next year I should be able to digest roadkill if necessary :lol:
I'm hoping never to need that ability though. :neutral:
My illnesses are all but cured now so it seems that I'm developing resistance to other funk not in the foods too. :blush:
Ok, it's 4am and I'm bored out of my mind.
What do I miss about living in the USA?
1. The seasons. It's hot all the effing time here. Sure, sometimes it's less hot than other times and there is a regular rain to bring some uncomfortable humidity to the air.
2. People that are of a similar background as me. Everytime I start talking about this cool thing or that thing that I went to see or do everyone here is like deer caught in the headlights. They're all disadvantaged and from a very poor background. Fun was not a big part of their lives here.
3. Sleeping with a handgun. Even when you do not use your pillow hand cannon, just knowing that you could step outside and euthanize that effing dog that barks all night would be a good thing.
4. People that know they are not good singers don't sing, muchless sing with an amplifier that announces to the world that you can't carry a tune in a bucket. People here rent those videokey machines and sing like a dying mule...at very high volume, every weekend.
What do I not miss about living in the USA?
1. The fast pace of everything . Get up early, go to work, work late, get home late, have an hour to yourself and then go directly to sleep. That part I don't miss at all. If I sleep all day, there's no negative consequences. My schedule is completely my own.
2. Millions of restrictions, regulations and worries to do most anything. It's pretty wide open here. Not heaps of laws regulating what you can and cannot do. Very free (for those that have the money to do things).
3. The high cost of nearly everything. Gas, foods, fun stuff...everything.
4. Widescale lack of respect. People here surely show respect in the way that people in the US did in the 50s.
5. In the US, I'm a complete nobody. I move all over the US and work for all sorts of BIG companys doing some pretty cool stuff but no one outside of those that I work with have any idea that I might be able to find my ass with both hands. Here, I'm that American guy that likes to drink beer and have a good time. The guy that designs airliner components, cars, boats and all sorts of other cool stuff.
6. A significant attraction for living abroad for me is experiencing something different. It's so effing boring in many ways in the US. It's the same GD thing regardless of where you are.
7. NOT DRIVING. Sure when we're all 17, it's a big deal. Now after 20+ years of driving, it's not. The public rail system is comfortable and cheap here. The taxis are cheap ( although often beat up ). The trycycles are small and uncomfortable but very cheap. I effing LOVE NOT buying GAS!!
8. Here if you are family, you can stay with almost all other relatives! When we travel long distance, we call those who are living there and are in the famliy. Why pay for a hotel? Many of them have some decent places to stay too....with AC. What would my relatives in the US do if I came to visit them for a week or more? Kill me, most likely.
I'll surely be back to the US but there are some things about being here that I enjoy very much. :)
Just a quick word to say keep on keeping on - I adore this thread and will sometimes go back to the start just to see if I spot anything diferent in pictures I haven't looked at in months.
Thanks for the time and effort you take for us, it's well appreciated here.
Thank you SG. Your appreciation makes it worth my effort. :)
Besides, it's this weird thing that I'm good at. There arent many. :blush:
Yeah what SG said !!!
Keep it up , keep safe , and have fun !!
From Bauang Beach.
It's a beautiful place. And simple. And it's pretty cheap too. :D
And yes, I'm keeping it up ;) , we're being safe and having fun.
Had I known that we would be going to this beach resort and swimming in the ocean, I would have surely brought some kind of water protection for the camera and took shots from out in the South China Sea.
The water was warm and it was great fun. No photos of us out floating on the tubes this time but next time I'll be prepared.
Here are some kids nearby swimming.
There are still some 5k images that I'm fiddling with to get organized.
I just ran across these. They show that meat market without the refridgeration.
These are all walk and snap because as you might imagine the locals don't want any foreigner to see how the meats are cut and stored here. It's embarassing to them.
There are three photos showing the market that came out reasonably clear.
The first photo shows the chopping blocks for the incoming meats.They are tree stumps. I suppose the only reason that these meats don't kill everyone that eats them is that they are so very fresh.
It's been estimated to be less than an hour that the animal was breathing when they arrrive early in the morning.
For those of us that are accustomed to much cleaner environments to have foods prepared it's hard to believe that more people don't get sick from this.
It may be because their immune systems are always in high gear, or possibly that the situation is not as bad as it seems.
It hasn't killed me yet. Yes, there is still time.
Oh, and take a look at the sign. There are no preservatives in the meat. :)
This video clip just appeared out of the mass of photos.
It's from the trip to Tam awan in Baguio. There was a very native looking bamboo bridge that ran from one side of a creek to another.
The moment that I stepped onto it the movements and groans made me a bit nervous.
Check your sound. It's a bit loud.
[youtube]DRPS5FE9wSU[/youtube]
This is what the bridge looks like from underneath in the walking path.
This trip has some thrills in it. Mostly the traffic here in the provinces but also little surprise thrills like this. :D
Alright, here's a couple, with more to come later...
First up, on the way over - Mount Fuji from the air:
Next, the view from our hotel window. We stayed at the Shangri-La, Makati. The mall you see is Glorietta (specifically, Glorietta 3.) The bomb las month was at the Glorietta 2 entrance, which would be off to the right of this picture. I've got a panoramic that I'll add later:
Here's a telling shot. This is the Pasig river down in the Intramuros area, right near Rizal Park. You can see the "housing" under the bridge. What you can't really see in the photo are the kids swimming in the river, right next to the trash floating down it:
Grave markers at the
Manila American Cemetery and Memorial. It's one of the most stunning and sobering places I've ever been...I'll add some pictures of the memorial later:
Finally, Star City (without the Ice Palace thingy that Slang posted):
BTW, Slang, have you heard any more about the explosion in Quezon today?
I havent heard a thing about it. Been busy uploading and editing photos and clips for .....3 days now.
Hey, thanks for posting your images here too before I forget.
Let me investigate the bombing before making any other comment.
MSNBC Asia Pacifc details on the bombing
The Manila Times has a different story than the link above. No mention of the Rebel turncoat.
That's about 8 miles north of here...or about two hours drive in the car. :biggrin:
It's disturbing for sure but not to the point that I'll not go outside for days.
Wait, I don't go outside for days now. :D I guess I'm uneffected so far.
For the pictures that you posted....
It is bothersome to see not only the houses of those folks but having them swim in that crappy water.
On my photo shoot of the Manila floating hotel there was a family living there on the shore with just a blanket on the stones and some flimsy sunshade type of rig.
There is a man raising a family there on the shore. I talked with him briefly. He swims and even dives underwater around the ship looking for plastics for return. The going rate is 8 pesos per kilo
W-O-W
It's sad. Very tough to see. BUT almost no one asks or even hints for money.
That's just up the river from the scene in the photo.
There's always all sorts of vegetation growing, floating in the Pasig river too. Not a place that I'd want to swim even with recent hep innoculation.
And for the American Manila Cemetery, it is surely a powerful place. There are some excellent displays that detail all the battles in the Philippines and the surrounding islands during the war.
There are rows and rows of scribed names within the walls of the monument displaying the name and hometown of all the soldiers ( that were identified ) there.
The place creeps me out and I cant be funny or drunk there, so we don't go often.
And Star City!! You don't have to go to Snow World to have a great time. There are games and interactive type activities, traditonal rides, specialty shops and all sorts of fat food places there.
It's not just for the kids, although if you go with at least one kid, it's probably better. :)
Yeah, the swimming was a bit disturbing to see. And when we went down to the harbor where everyone was gathered (it was a Saturday afternoon), the smell nearly knocked me on my ass. I've got a few pictures of just the mounds of garbage that washed up. When I got back home, I just couldn't even begin to explain the level of poverty to people. If you haven't seen it, you just can't understand it.
I've got more pictures of the Cemetery and Memorial...I spent about an hour there walking around. I would have stayed longer, but my wife got tired of it. I'll probably put some of the battle maps up later.
I wish we'd had a few more days to actually do stuff. I would have loved to explore deeper rather than just take pictures from the back of a car.
When I got back home, I just couldn't even begin to explain the level of poverty to people. If you haven't seen it, you just can't understand it.
True. That's a part of why I take some of these photos.
I've been a few other places in the world outside of the US. Until you actually go, and not to the "tourist-ey" places, it's hard to understand true povery.
It's also very disturbing to not be able to improve bad situations here. It's impossible. At times I give small amounts of money but what good does that do? Not much.
Instead I try to learn more about poverty and the options for people here. Many time I wander into places that would not normally be considered safe. I want to see the dirt. To get a better understanding of the macro and the micro.
I've found that there are dangerous people in terrible poverty but there are surely good honest people too.
In the US, if you eff up very badly you might end up in poverty over time. Here, it's not that way.
On another idea....
Since there is so much travel time to get here and it's so far out of the way, if you can research and plan your next trip before you arrive that would surely increase your appreciation of the beautiful and interesting things to do and see here.
There are tons of travel agencies and other travel groups that can assist you. I'd also help you out with information and photos/background of things that you may wish to do here.
The more people that come to visit the better. Tourism is big revenue here.
That reminds me ( I'm rambling again), what was your opinion of the Shangri-la in Makati?
....the smell nearly knocked me on my ass.....
That's another good line. I don't talk about it much but it's powerful in many of the places here.
Don't forget people have been eating meat for a long time, and refrigeration is a relatively recent invention. People have learned what they can, and cannot, get away with when it comes to food handling. If you push the limits, it will probably make you sick but not kill you, so you learn what the limits are.
My grandparents always let fresh meat "hang" for awhile, to make it more tender. Basically, they let it start to breakdown naturally.
That reminds me ( I'm rambling again), what was your opinion of the Shangri-la in Makati?
Simply put, it's one of the nicest places I've ever stayed. The staff, by and large, was extremely friendly. The hotel itself was spotless all hours of the day and night. The restaurants were top notch, and room service was incredibly punctual. Even the security guards were friendly...they even let my wife play with the bomb sniffing dog for a few minutes.
If you all want to do a really nice meal, try the Circles buffet there. Pricey for over there of course, but it was just great, great food.
I appreciate the offer on the trip planning. It's doubtful she'll be sent over there again (the project she was working on was a total system conversion - easily the biggest thing ever undertaken for them), so unless her job changes, it was a one time opportunity. As for personal travel, I would like to go back someday and actually be able to enjoy the trip, but for now, we've got a lot of other places to go first - I still owe her a trip to Scotland and Ireland that seems to be pushed back by circumstance every year...
Nice video dude!
My part of NEPA is snow covered again today, an interesting contrast...
Nice video dude!
I'm not sure what video you are talking about specifically. I posted a video of the PA ( Philippine Army) Museum recently.
It rained the entire time that we were there and we were not allowed to photograph the inside of the museum. It's a shame as there are some great shots of PA glory inside.
Sidenote: Marcos received the medal of honor shortly after the end of WWII.
[youtube]EnoguX9AvGQ&rel=1[/youtube]
I'm not sure what video you are talking about specifically.
deflecting bridge :)
That bridge was stronger than you would think , in have seen scafolds in HK that were WAY high made from bamboo tied with suran wrap
But I Did like the line about " see the fat white man rolldown the hill "
I wanted to make sure that the camera was rolling just in case I did end up busting my ass there. If nothing more the clip would have been the funniest thing I'd ever filmed.
Onward,
This is the Philippine Army Museum. We ended up here by accident.
There is a Tae Bo "class"? there on the base every morning. It's for soldiers and citizens.
We arrived late and couldnt catch the class. "Is there anything interesting I can take photos of while we're here?" I said knowing this would be an unpopular activity.
Just then the tanks came into view.
Most of the cool stuff is inside the museum. The scenes from the different time periods were very well done. This is also the only museum that I've seen so far that has authentic looking models. Most of the models look like Americans while trying to look natural in a pinoy setting.
It was surely worth the P20 admission.
I should bring a photographer with me for these types of places.
What would make these pictures truly memorable would be to have me standing up in the troop carrier manning that big 50. Then getting some different angled shots, from the side, from the front, maybe looking directly down the barrel with me aiming. Those are the shots that I want.
Any idiot can get these types of photos. I want the action shots with me in the photo.
Even if I get ejected from the venue, those photos will be more interesting that just the run of the mill pics. :)
How do you close that big back door in the troop carrier? It is motorized? Or is one soldier supposed to be strong enough to pull it up and closed? I'd have trouble closing it if it were made of wood, let alone steel.
Motorized gate , think you come motoring up in one of those , gate drops then you GO GO GO GO GO GO GO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Setup a peremiter , secure the area , then carry on with your mission
Good question Glatt.
I'm sure that it's hydraulic but Googled around and didnt find anything specific to the rear hatch.
There are tons of sites that show the specs and photos of this machine because it's the most popular armored vehicle of all times.
Finding something specific to the raising and lowering of the rear door though, I didnt see anything.
This is the sort of thing that I'd like to have on the roof of the new house.
hydraulic makes sense. I didn't see any obvious motors, cables, or winches etc. But a big hidden piston underneath that pushes out and levers it shut would make sense.
Next time I'm over there I'll get some detailed photos for you.
There was only one other pic of the inside and it doesnt show the lift for the rear hatch.
The museum isn't in the secure area so I can go back any time we pass by there again.
Since the whole collection was shot in the rain it might not be a bad thing to go back and re-shoot them all.
Of course, I'll be going alone for this. :)
worth what about 47 cents US ????
$ .2314 at the moment but as the dollar falls in strength, it could be worth much less soon.
It's a cool looking note though, eh?
$ .2314 at the moment but as the dollar falls in strength, it could be worth much less soon.
It's a cool looking note though, eh?
What, is their currency valued in terms of dollars?
42 pesos to the dollar or there about. It was 55 when I started going to the Phils.
42 pesos to the dollar or there about. It was 55 when I started going to the Phils.
Um... doesn't that mean the peso is stronger, in terms of dollars, now than it was?
I'm confused. Previously you said that one peso will buy about $0.23 US, which is far from what you just claimed. (nm, I did the math and, according to the quoted post, a peso is worth about $0.023 US.)
Still, my confusion remains. 55 pesos per USD is about $0.018, which means that the Philippine peso is becoming stronger and/or the US dollar is becoming weaker (I know this part of things is true). The way you phrased things before led me to believe that they'd done something silly like value pesos in terms of dollars (i.e., pegged the peso to some index of USD).
Um... doesn't that mean the peso is stronger, in terms of dollars, now than it was?
I'm confused. Previously you said that one peso will buy about $0.23 US, which is far from what you just claimed. (nm, I did the math and, according to the quoted post, a peso is worth about $0.023 US.)
Still, my confusion remains. 55 pesos per USD is about $0.018, which means that the Philippine peso is becoming stronger and/or the US dollar is becoming weaker (I know this part of things is true). The way you phrased things before led me to believe that they'd done something silly like value pesos in terms of dollars (i.e., pegged the peso to some index of USD).
I'm not sure but it seems that your confusion is based on post #795. In that post I show a 10 peso note. Then in post #796, Zippy asks it's value, a 10 peso note and I reply $.23.
At 42 pesos to $1, 10 pesos is about $.23.
Or maybe it isn't. Whats your take on this?
I'm not sure but it seems that your confusion is based on post #795. In that post I show a 10 peso note. Then in post #796, Zippy asks it's value, a 10 peso note and I reply $.23.
At 42 pesos to $1, 10 pesos is about $.23.
Hahah. That's it! I thought I was losing my mind.
I'm surely losing my mind as the dollar falls and falls and falls.
This could be a deal of a place to visit or stay with a strong dollar. With a weak dollar, not nearly so much so.
This morning I sent a smallish amount of money back to Australia.
This afternoon the yen jumped about five #$%&ing percent.
:p :p :p !!!!
You are not helping my outlook. :(
Good deal for you though. :)
Big storm warning here in Manila. Everytime I ask about the seriousness of this, I get "that look", so I'm prepping for a bad storm.
Powering up the recharge lights, eating the leftover foods from the fridge, storing some water, and getting clothing ready for taking some cool wind photos of the storm. :D
generic storm linkAnd now a live report on the typhoon, from our man in the Philipines....
And now a live report on the typhoon, from our man in the Philipines....
I'm already preparing my wife that I will be going out to the corner with the camera to make some video clips.
Not wishing this to be my last clip, I will truly be careful. As careful as one can be outside in a typhoon. :D
Watch yourself pal. We love the pics but don't get stupid.
It's amazingly calm here now. No sign of a storm at the moment.
I wont get crazy with the photos. The movie clips, I can't say the same for. :D
Just kidding. Everything will surely be cool.
Slang's 'Mergency Equipment List
Canned goods - check
Bottled Water- check
Torch/ Candles - check
Wind up Radio - check
Digital Camera - check
Lead boots and washing line for securing of person thereof - check
Patient wife - TBC
Yes, the list. This is my first typhoon, the list has to be complete. :lol:
Still no signs of storm activity. Be careful what you with for I suppose. :D
It's time for the Christmas lights to come out. Just not the same in a tropical climate though. No snow for Santa's sleigh.
[youtube]rfYcaIN6cDM&rel[/youtube]
The storm is still several million miles away but should land here sometime over the weekend.
Looks like there's 2 storms around. One going, one coming
http://www.jma.go.jp/en/typh/Nice link Busterb, thanks.
Looks like it's going to pass us by.
Unless we travel north today. :D
These had been temporarily lost in my organization effort.
Remember hearing about the non-terrorist gas explosion a few weeks back. These are from that same mall but not sure how far from the blast.
These show an arcade. For many in the US arcades are a good place to waste some time and money waiting for someone while they are shopping.
Here the games are not all that great but are pretty cheap. :D
I'm with a friend at the arcade and he's a pinoy, so he's kinda cheap. I buy p100 worth of tokens and we start at the driving games.
There are some kids playing there and it's not my goal to beat them but just to learn some of the tricks of this specific game by having them kick my ass on the course.
After we both get our asses handed back to us in a plastic bag at the driving game, I decide maybe a shooting game might be better.
Not the worst game I've ever played. The MP5 was sorta cool but the best thing about the game was that there was not some Asian 9 year old totally kicking my ass and heckling me in a foreign language.
Not a bad place to spend some time. There were also some x-box type games for rent by the hour but the room with these games was full.
We ended up leaving before our tokens were gone. The games do play for quite a while on just a few tokens.
If you are good at one of the old Sega games here you might play for a half hour or more for less than a buck.
So, here are the tokens. They don't look like Philippine money or US for that matter, although they do have an American style eagle on them.
Here's what they look like.
The next batch of infinitely meaningless pics are of some of the chewing gum here.
The western gum is much better. I personally like most of the Orbit flavors and have a few packs laying around the apt here.
Most of that gum from the US is gone now and I'm trying out some of the other from here.
I bought a big bag of 100 pieces at the local grocery store. The only reason that it caught my eye is that it's "Texas" bubble gum.
The Tx gum is a bit gritty. I'm not sure if there is some sort of contaminant in the gum or if the sugar is course.
It's not Orbit but it's what I have here now.
you might as well make a necklace out of them. there is a law that says ...you will never return to that arcade until you have lost the tokens. if you try to break this law by making a special trip.....well...i don't think i have to spell it out...you're obviously a man of the world.
It's true, I do have a lot of time on my hands here.
you might as well make a necklace out of them. .....
Yes, LJ, but they are doodads. :)
Conversation pieces. A very small something for someone to have that is interested in my trip here to the Phils.
I'd like to see a map of Texas made out of that gum.
What scale would you like? Approx what size overal dimensions? A political or topigraphical map of Texas?
Would this be a conversation piece or some type of learning aid? Will the end product come in direct contact with peoples' hands? Should this be a diabetic safe map?
Might the coastline be shown blending into the Gulf of Mexico on the map? Should there be some type of liquid representing the sea?
Is there a target weight for the map? Ok, besides zero, is there a target weight? A maximum weight? Minimum?
Will the map be hung from a wall or displayed flat? Can you estimate the temperature fluctuation in it's display environment? The humidity? The CO2 content?
Direct sunlight exposure, LED, fluorescent or Edison type lighting in the display environment?
Will the map need a airline safe travel case? Must that case be fireproof or fire resistant? Should the case have a RFID anti-theft protection?
Would you like Crawford Texas accented on the Texas map? Waco?Sugarland?
Should the map have a certified document of authenticity? What agency would you prefer that it be registered with for this document?
Will you require insurance on the Texas gum map? What deductible?
Fire and theft only?
Would you expect to leave this in your estate upon your passing?
Will this map be shipping to Australia or Japan? Paypal, Money order or gold coins?
It's early Monday morning here now and it's just now started to rain. We missed the big storm and most of the rains too.
The temp here is getting cooler too. Bike rides are much less of a struggle without the blistering heat. It's still hot but not hot like you are in some kind of fryer hot.
Now we only have the AC on for 6 hours a day instead of 12.
There were two tremors that hit this morning. Nothing really noticable.
My wife says she saw some things move in the apt but thought she was imagining it.
I was on the computer and didnt notice a thing.
Nothing to see here. No damage, no devastation. :)
There is another coup attempt (?) in progress here.
Several officers already on trial for a previous coup have escaped and are hold up in a hotel in Manila. The news is reporting that they have assault rifles and pistols and there have been shots fired in the hotel.
The local channels are giving the event full coverage even though nothing seems to be happening at the moment.
Here's the link.
I told my wife that this would be an outstanding opportunity to go get some photos and she just gave me "that look" of pity. :blush:
:lol:
Well, it looks like that came and went without much incident. But at least politics there are a lot more exciting than they are here...
Yes, it was exciting to see a marine armored troop carrier break into the Penninsula hotel. Through the front gates and into the lobby. What were they thinking about getting the carrier upstairs, where the trouble makers were shooting?
Yes, the coverage here on local news was exciting but not until after all of the action was over.
All the reporters were held at the hotel grounds. They were taping what was going on but couldnt get the info out while it was happening.
The manager of the hotel was not the least bit impressed with the tactical use of the APC, nor the destruction of getting it through the doors. :eyebrow:
"We just renovated last year" :mad:
I'm still not sure of all the details of the event but have a new secret project that consumes the majority of my time now.
When I have time in between tasks for the sp, I'll post pics and such here. I'm guessing that there wont be a lot of time for that for a while though.
The weather here over the last few days has been very cool. Sometimes not even the electric fan is not required.
I've only been coming here for 3 years now but this is the coolest that it's been while I've been here.
Check the local weather. Just 83F? Wow...that is chilly for there...
Even cooler in the morning.
I believe that you are correct, yes.
Most of my time nowdays is spent researching and evaluating for profit schemes for me and mine here in this lovely tropical paradise.
I picked up the camera today, the first time in several weeks.
To the point though, here are some shots of the newest rat chaser. There were two of them, the other died within days of birth.
The Philippine cats are not accustomed to being petted and scratched such as the cats in the west. These cats are working cats, they keep the critters out of the house and surrounding areas.
This little kitten's mother is just now getting used to having me pick her up and pet her. She still squirms a bit when I pick her up while standing but will jump into my lap while I'm sitting on the couch.
Measurable improvement.
When the kittens were born I knew they had to be handled too. The first few weeks the mama cat would try to move the kitten into the house. Each one of us was on the lookout as this is not acceptable, to have the kitten inside.
"You made it, it's yours to clean up after and watch out for" ;)
So today we looked around for the kitten. Mama kitty had hidden it because I picked him up the other day and pet him. :)
We found the little guy and plucked him out of the hiding space. Both mama and grand mama kitty were meowing with objection the whole time I held the kitten. Two adult meowing voices and one very weak and tiny meowing voice.
Anyway, I took a bunch of pics and these are some of the better shots from the bunch.
What a scrappy little guy. Cute!
It's best to eat them young there before they get tough. Also much easier to get the fur off.
Take some photos of the kitten meal as you do the other regional meals there. Let's see how things are there for real.
(adds Phuctifino to ignore)
Here's a clip that I made just the other day. It's a sound clip not a video. I had to use my camera to make the clip so there is an image attached but it's the sound that is the subject of the clip.
[youtube]qKZUw1JPob4&rel[/youtube]
The nicer homes here in the Phils are made from all concrete. That's fine as a building material but Jesus H fucking Christ what a noise when constructing.
That can continue for 2.4 to 4 months. :mad: If we had any idea that this would be going on, we would not have selected this apartment.
There is no escape from the noise anywhere inside as the whole structure is concrete and transmits the noise very efficiently.
Went out for a bike ride today and took some photos. The time away from the banging and clanging was nice.
Stopped in an intersection I noticed something strange.
Was this dog stuck up there? How did he get into this tough spot? Was it truly a tough spot or just a place that looks tough?
An hour later he was gone and there were no blood and fur splotches on the road. I guess everything is fine.
It looks strange though.
(adds Phuctifino to ignore) Good show IMHO. BB
(adds Phuctifino to ignore) Good show IMHO. BB
Thanks. Some people are just jackasses right out of the gate. You say something really dumb or irritate me, you go on ignore.
Maybe that will change in time but with a name like "[I'll be]Fucked if I know", it's not looking good.
The kids in front of "roof dog's" house tell me that he has a doghouse up there and that it's normal for him to stand up there.
"It is a bit unusual to see a dog up on the roof like that though......right?"
"whatever you say Sir" :rolleyes:
Yes, this is much darker than the clips uploaded to YouTube. What you probably cannot see is 3 Christmas carolers, aged about 10-12. If you give them money they sing one last song, the thank you song. If you don't give them money they sing a "babarat ninyo" line, which means you are a cheap bastard.
I gave the little darlings 3 pesos each and they sang the thank you song. Very easy to please.
[youtube]BAsXgy7qowU&rel[/youtube]
Here are some of the Christmas lights seen here. Keep in mind this is middle class here in the Philippines but it's still very poor by western standards. None of these are over 15 seconds long.
[youtube]p5Ve-0H23pc&rel[/youtube]
[youtube]dq05L25CHck&rel[/youtube]
[youtube]nLfvYCgxx5g&rel[/youtube]
[youtube]8Cp6Y0MG6HQ&rel[/youtube]
(from post #519) The neighbor across the street is working her way slowly from her front gate into the back of a very pinoy looking Jeepny. She's a very old woman and a slow mover.
Her son is holding her arm to steady her. She's teary and her voice breaks up as she tells me...
Theese my son home from Amerika.
The son, John, an electrical engineer working in the San Fransisco area.
My neighbor died on Christmas and I was completely bummed over it.
She had been sick for a long time. Her death was no surprise for all the family and friends.
I talked with her husband for some time and quite honestly shed some very real tears.
Why has this had such an effect on me? I had not known her for very long or very well at all. She represents the committment to family and a better life for all the kids.
Their home is very modest and their lifestyle very simple. I'm sure that they have money for more material things than they actually have. The kids' lives in another country and having infinitely better opportunities was their life goal and they succeeded.
Then there is the fact that she died on Christmas. It's very sad.
The kids are just now arriving from the US and Austrailia. Two engineers and a nurse. All very classy people.
Now my wife tells me more stories of what a great lady she was. Always helping people in need in this neighborhood with food and drink. Always giving time and or efforts or prayers.
There are many families here that have successful kids abroad. Most of them have a nice house, modern imported cars and very easy lives. The parents house is very simple, very few luxuries and a pinoy style jeepny that would look quite at home in a junkyard.
I'm guessing that the kids would have bought them a more comfortable life but their satisfaction was in having the kids leave the Philippines. That was all that was important.
This family's selflessness is truly humbling.
Ok, I'm done rambling on about it. :)
Wow...truly touching stuff, man. It's a great, but sad, story.
BTW, I apologize for my absence...between work, holidays, and dealing with the house being built, I haven't had time to breathe much, much less post...I'll get some more pics up soon.
...I'll get some more pics up soon.
Good to see you back here. I'm working on some other projects nowdays and would love to see your pics. :)
I'm guessing that the kids would have bought them a more comfortable life but their satisfaction was in having the kids leave the Philippines. That was all that was important.
This family's selflessness is truly humbling.
At least you can feel pretty sure she finished it out with no regrets. A lot of people can't say that.
I'm still here in Makati though it's been a while since I've posted here.
I've just recently recovered from a non life threatening but seriously painful and inconveint couple of infections. Oddly enough my wife has had the exact same infection but not as widespread.
This is actually open sores about the size of half dollars on the bottom of both my feet. Right in the arch, the sensitive part.
Sometimes in early December they first appeared with no signs of the serious pain they might cause. It took about 2 to 3 weeks for this to develop into something more serious.
This condition has kept me from leaving the house for about a month and for a period of about three weeks serious pain. As the sores continued to get worse I relented and started taking anti-biotics, which I would rather have not done. The topical regimen was just not working.
Having this type of wound on the bottom of your feet seriously limits your walking. :) I admit that more than a few times I was crawling to the bath room.
Now things are much better. I thought there would be very visible scars from this but everything is healing and feeling just as good as before the infection.
The source of the re-infection was those Tsinellas, the "flip-flops" as we call them in the US.
We would clean them regularly with fairly agressive cleaning solution but the trouble was that my weight compressing the foam on the flip flop would just reinfect the area again.
Just as the healing was gaining momentum, it would take again and go downhill.
This is not the worst thing that could happen to me here but surely not something that I want to repeat.
I threw the flip flops away but since they are the uplevel expensive brand, someone else picked them out and started wearing them. I explained the danger of using them but they were not at all concerned.
Now I put my boots in the freezer as well as cleaning with a specific anti-bacterial wash.
On the upside.....
I've found a business to develop here and I'm currently making steady money doing it. It's all on the net and many of the people here could do it with some practice. There is also a very BIG market for this type of thing.
Now to get all the legals and business side of this venture researched and in motion.
It's not going to make me personally much cash at all until we see a good number of people here making money at this.
This could easily provide 1000 to 15,000 pesos a month. That's a good income here and in a place that there are few jobs, I'm confident that this will be a geniune opportunity for the locals here.
When a bunch of people here succeed with it, I'll make some cash too. My cut is determined by the amount of money that people will earn.
jeez slang, that sounds horrible. (The sores.) Glad you are on the mend.
Sounds icky. Mmmm... pyramid scheme.
Gots to keep those feetz CLEAN !!!!!!
Infections grow FAST in tropical climates !!!
So what is your web cam sex line address ??( just so'z I know where NOT to go !!! ;) )
There's no sex, pyramids, ponzis, or Amway involved with the developing venture.
It's all about English language services.
Would I start and run a porn biz here? I think all of that is illegal here. Anything you may find online with pinays working on cam are probably not in the Phils.
It's difficult to even find a mag with full frontal nudity locally here.
I'd double check that on Google to search down some Filipino smut but the spam would soon follow.
Now, if you want to rent a pinay to see some full frontal nudity, I've heard....that this is possible. No personal experience with that though.
English language services is my bag here. And no Zippy, that doesn't mean young girls talking dirty in English on the phone with some 1-900 line. :rolleyes:
A search online for Philippine internet porn produces results that suggest that online porn is illegal but that the laws are not enforced to prevent it here.
I can understand that. There's enough bribe money built into the profit margin with this sort of business that it doesn't matter what the laws might be here.
Gots to keep those feetz CLEAN !!!!!!
Infections grow FAST in tropical climates !!!
The infection grew to a painful state after about 2 weeks of seeing it grow. It really wasn't fast.
The problem was the infected footware. I'd kept clean before then and since but was re-using the infected footware. Every time it would get better, the re-infection would start again.
Should have known that from the start but didn't. Live and learn.
jeez slang, that sounds horrible. (The sores.) Glad you are on the mend.
Thank you Glatt. My feet are smiling now. :)
Life is good. Now for the next challenge.
Much more of my time is spent inside the comfort of our small abode lately. The temperatures are rising and it is increasingly hot and uncomfortable out and about during the day.
Now that I'm mobile again I've been going out on bike rides in the mornings.
Most of the time the ride ends at a friends newly acquired butcher shop where we talk about business ideas for the Philippines.
His shop sells pork and chicken only. As we talk the butcher cuts up the whole pigs into smaller and smaller portions. Some hang from a hook on a crossbar in the shop and some are just left on the ceramic tile counter.
The butcher cuts the meats and my pal skins the pigs heads as I drink a cup of instant coffee. I have my camera hanging from the strap around my neck but I've got a thousand photos of pigs heads and the blood, guts and flies of the process are just not interesting any more.
It's 5:30 am and the kids have just been dropped off or have walked to school. I stand in front of the shop and drink the coffee as I watch the sun come up.
Sometimes I seriously wonder what the fuck I'm doing here because from the outside it looks like such a desparate place.
It's still interesting to me though. People still stare and I still smile and wave to them. This is even more true with the olderly women. Their faces are so weatherd and worn. Their teeth are often missing and their hair is very grey.
I still love to see them smile and they usually do when I smile and wave to them.
For all the realities here, I still have a great deal of hope for common people in the coming years.
Here's something a bit different.
Someone in the family here is having kidney troubles that have become increasingly more serious. The good news is that there is a kidney hospital here and that there is money for treatment.
The bad news is that a transplant is needed and this is not the only serious ailment that this person has.
In typical pinoy fashion, we all went to the hospital to accompany that one of ours. That means about 8 people ended up going plus the patient.
What is the quality of care at this special hospital? I can't make that judgement myself. It's one of the best if not the best place for such care here in the Philippines.
The hospital itself was newer but not new, very clean and looked very much like an American hospital.
Payment here is cash and to be paid immediately following services renderd.
This is the place for middle class and above pinoys.
The most obvious difference in the facilities that comes to mind is that in the US there is a large waiting area and that you register there and wait until the doctor is ready to see you.
At this hospital, the waiting area is directly outside of the doctor's door. There are chairs lined up in the halls next to each of the offices. You walk through the hallways past people sitting waiting.
There are no live chickens, pigs or voodoo doctors with painted faces at this hospital.
Here are a few walk and snap pics from inside.
Here is the outside of the building.
Be sure to deposit your firearm with the guard on duty (so that they may evaluate it's worth and lose/sell it by the time that you return.) ;)
There is plenty of seating for the large numbers of people that come with people in need of treatment. The seats aren't all that comfortable or clean but there is a Rice in a Box concession there.
Fried rice with pork at just about a buck. Not exactly LeBec-Fin but something to tide you over for the long wait that you will surely have ahead of you.
There are signs here that just grab your attention. Some have double meanings that you aren't sure are understood here, some are spin offs of words or phrases from the US and some are just plain strange.
This is from
Pateros, the world's balut capital. It's early morning and I pass by this mysterious American facility,
area 51.
Where are the little green men? Where are the bright lights in the sky?
Where is the security keeping me away?
It's hiding right out in plain sight. Very sneaky.
That's where they make the Soylent Green, I bet.
As always, great pics.
I'll check on that. Maybe Soylent Green is what makes the balut so tastey(!?).
Thank you.
Sidenote: I seem to have effed up my re-sizing. I'm using the Gimp after Paint crapped out. This will be fixed by the next episode.
What sorts of items are available there in the Philippines? Good question. Here are a few more websites that you might find interesting.
Makro - This is the supermarket for businesses. They sell in bulk and are meant for Sari-Sari type stores ( the stores that sell out of your home - survival profit only) and maybe restaurants. Check out all the strange things that are for sale there in the foods department.
The Makro site runs a lot better than some of the others here. It's quick and easy to navagate through their website.
They are still showing a Christmas theme on the site but check it out. :blush:
How about appliances? Take a look through this one.
Abenson - It's all imported goods. There are lots of choices and departments on this site. To compare, remember that the prices you see should be divided by 40 and then multiply by 1.1 for the VAT tax. That's the out the door price without the delivery charge which might be another 200 pesos, depending on the items bought.
Most imported goods here are much more expensive than the US. Take a look and you'll see.
Makro is in the UK too. The "only for businesses" is easily bypassed, so it's effectively an equivalent of Sam's Club or Costco.
Interesting. I've not seen one outside of here.
Not that I'm all that attached to dried squid balls and all.
The damn Brits have their tentacles everywhere.
My MILwas the canteen lady in the Nottongham Makro for many years. I'm very familiar with the place... but no squid balls in the UK -just your regular sam's club style crap.
Really enjoyed flipping through these images.
You've got quite a few very nicely composed captures in here, yes indeed.
Thanks for posting them
Thank you GS.
Now that I have nearly exhausted the photos of "normal" things going on here I will move into more specific images with more background.
I'm glad that people enjoy these pictures.
I made some movie clips of my friend's butcher shop this morning. One of the clips is of the butcher cutting a pig's head apart and removing the tongue.
I thought it was excellent but is that too graphic for YouTube and this thread?
What do you think?
My daily bike ride discovered the new fire station. I was friends with the firefighters here but have not talked with them since the move into the new firehouse.
It's very nice. The building that is. The same 70s model firetruck is at the firehouse though. In a few days I'll go see the fire chief and get some photos.
You'll like the new firehouse. Just ignore the old fire truck. :lol:
I vote for seeing the pig's head video. If anyone doesn't want to watch it, they don't have to.
I like pork, and I've had tongue. To see how it's done would be interesting.
Ok, Glatt. This is surely not how it's done in the US ( and I'm sure that we're all thankful for that ) but this is how it's done here in the Philippines.
This is not something that you want to watch if you're not comfortable with blood and guts.
Don't watch it to get yourself all pissed off. This is reality in the Philippines, don't bitch and complain if it offends or saddens you in some way. Don't watch it.
[youtube]v9yZcRGJtr8&rel[/youtube]
Listen to the end of the audio. Rain says that Alex, the butcher should put on a black mask when cutting up the pig.
This next clip is even nastier than the first IMO. This one shows the pig's face being cut off from the skull.
Not for the squeemish.
Do not watch the clip if you are going to get sick, angry or cry. I don't want to hear your thoughts on animal cruelty or veganism.
[youtube]qwfTsrI0LgA&rel[/youtube]
Headlines that make you wonder..what kind of place is this?
My bike along the road as I take some long exposure shots of the sun coming up.
We live very close to the Global City and what used to be the old US military base during world war II.
There are a variety of choppers flying around during the day. They still get my attention but they are very common. Some are military and some are rescue.
The land traffic flows, shall we say, BADLY here. If you are seriously sick or injured the choppers might save your life by getting you to medical help in time.
Here is a clip of a passing Huey but you can only hear it. One had just passed in the space that I was pointing the camera at in the clip but it didnt pass through the fielf of view.
The sonic from the chopper blades rattle the windows and you can feel them coming. Take a listen.
[youtube]19etuz41dwE&rel[/youtube]
I didn't see how high this chopper was flying but it felt like it might land on the house.
This is the last clip for today.
It shows what you might see stepping up to the counter of the meat shop.
I can and have eaten everything you see there except the pig tongue and ears, and the linked sausage.
Each morning 2 pigs arrive at about 4 am. They weigh 80-85 Kg each. Alex is there to recieve them from the truck. It's funny to see.
A small man pulls a pig out of the truck and holds it on his shoulders. Right hand holds the rear pig legs, left hand holds the front. He plops each one on the counter with a grunt.
[youtube]kU6vm1q2mOw&rel[/youtube]
Hey Slang, what do you wish you had brought that you did not?
Great question.
The first thing that comes to mind is very good hearing protection (muffs) and or foam earplugs. With both, you can all but eliminate any noise.
Here is a list of things that make too much noise here.
Basura truck ( garbage collection )
Dogs
Cats fighting and in heat
Loud exhausts on cars and bikes and jeepnys
The neighbor's construction and pounding and cutting and noise, noise, noise all the effing time.
The other neighbor singing Videoke that often starts at about noon and ends in the early evening.
Helicopters
Commerical jets ( we're right in the approach path to Ninoy International )
The Puto guy that has a certain sound that he makes early in the moring to announce he has arrived and has Puto.
Firecrackers ( in season )
Horns of vehicles of all sorts. Some have the traditional "beep" sound and others have that electronic kind that plays some musical theme. I wish to eff they'd all just go away.
That is the list of most of the sounds that I find annoying here.
Here is another little clip. I'm out on the bike with the camera making clips.
This is nothing that you haven't seen in this thread before.
[youtube]cVinROaMVt8&rel[/youtube]
This is the bike that I paid $130 to ship to Manila. The bike with the $130 Cygolite LED super high intensity bike headlight with the "water bottle battery" ( that doesn't work now because of using the 230V outlet ). It's the bike that I put $400 into before shipping it here.
Was it worth it?
I wouldn't bring another one here for sure but it's got heavy duty tires and a gel padded seat that I've not seen available here.
The whole light thing ticks me off but overall I'm glad that it's here with me.
Ok, Glatt. This is surely not how it's done in the US ( and I'm sure that we're all thankful for that ) but this is how it's done here in the Philippines.
This is not something that you want to watch if you're not comfortable with blood and guts.
Listen to the end of the audio. Rain says that Alex, the butcher should put on a black mask when cutting up the pig.
When I was listening to the audio, the thing that struck me was how loud the traffic noise was, even inside the shop. Then in a few posts you talk about wishing you had brought hearing protection. The place sounds like hustle and bustle to me.
That butcher is skilled with his very sharp knife. He's so fast and confident with his cuts. Amazing.
I just watched the other few clips too. There really is a lot of traffic noise, isn't there? I guess in person it seems less obvious than when you are watching on a computer screen inside a quiet house like I am. The constant stream of motor bikes is remarkable.
Yes. It's not just the traffic noise here either. The vehicle noise is probably the biggest part of it but there is a lot more.
The honda mini scooter/ motorcyles are very popular here. These bikes are normally 100-150cc and are the new design. They are quiet.
What does a kid or young adult do when he buys one of these bikes?
He puts a louder exhaust on it. There are many aftermarket exhaust shops here. They must be cheap too becuase so many people have them on their bikes. Not just the new bikes either.
Then what? Some type of stereo that everyone can hear. Not something that plays inside ear buds, something that everyone can hear blasting on the street.
The street noise is so constant that I don't even notice it.
Our apartment is away from the street with another apartment between ours and the noise of the cars. I thought this would surely keep our place very quiet. I was wrong.
The construction continues even today and I don't know which noise pollution is worse, traffic or construction.
This whole building is concrete which tends to deaden most external noise. When there is pounding on the concrete structure however, that noise is transmitted though the whole building. At the height of construction next door there were 10 workers.
That's 10 tappers of my walls, 10 big noise makers. From effing sun up to sun down, people were tapping and pounding. JFCA, I'm sure glad that there aren't 10 of them anymore.
Now there are 2 or 3.
Take a listen to the chopper passing overhead clip posted previously. That's another big source. Not just chopper but airliner noise too.
This is a very noisy place.
That butcher is skilled with his very sharp knife. He's so fast and confident with his cuts. Amazing.
Yes, that's Alex. Like many others here, he understands English more than he can speak it.
I ask a lot of questions about his work. He's been doing that for over 10 years now. The first thing I looked for was missing fingers or scars on his hands. Everything is intact and unscarred.
Think about it though, he does the exact same thing every day. Early morning brings 2 pigs. Every day.
Every day those pigs are the same size and weight. Every day he cuts the heads off and guts them out. Every day.
Everyday he cuts the legs off and digs the bones out. It's so much the same thing every day that it must get boring.
He should be good. He should be able to do this job in his sleep. :D
One thing that he does that I think is funny. He's constantly changing knives as he's working. When he picks up a knife, he will rub it twice against the sharpener two times. It's always two times.
That must be some kind of ritual for him. It doesn't sharpen the knives one bit.
I'd love to get some pics of a Tarsier but they don't live here on Luzon.
They'd be extinct if they did. Someone would capture and sell them for beer or gin. :blush:
Here are some pics from today.
This is Pateros, the balut capital of the universe. It's also the
duck egg capital of the universe.
Pateros just had a festival day and this big duck was left over from the celebrations.
I don't eat the salted duck eggs or the balut....or the monkey on a stick....or the pig's ears....or a whole lot of other things here.
Looking for a place to hide away to do something naughty without it costing you a lot of pesos?
You're in luck.
There are a number of these "hide away" types of bars here that all have regular transportation to the SOGO hotel for a little bang bang ala native style.
Or so I've heard.
This sign just hit me as ridiculous. See what you think.
Cheap advertising for Nokia.
It seems as though this texting is common while walking. Many don't need to look at the keypad but may still be distracted and hit by a passing Jeepny when trying to text at the intersections.
Another clip for your enjoyment. Black water in Pateros. Fish are visible swimming in it as you look over the railing.
Probably not something you'd like to eat though.
[youtube]r1T1qoXwcV0[/youtube]
It is much quieter over here in Pateros.
I went to the new fire station / police station today to get some interviews and photos.
The
PNP officers invited me to go with them on patrol which I did go with them.
I also talked with the dep Fire Chief of the Makati Central Fire Station in downtown Makati.
There are some cool photos and clips from today but I'm exhausted from doing next to nothing and I'm going directly to sleep now.
Pics and clips coming tomorrow.
There are both photos and movie clips in this set and the clips are still uploading to YouTube and I have to make this as quick as reasonably possible to get some other things done.
Here are the photos first.
I had intended to get a better shot of the outside of the new building but I'd taken so many by that time that I just wanted to move on.
The first is the outside of the foyer of the new Fire and Police (PNP) stations.
The second shows the aging truck that they have to work with. The firefighters tell me that it's a 1979 model.
My first stop was to the new firehouse. I'd come to visit in the old building and knew that at least some of the firefighters would remember me from the summer.
Genalyn C Tan is the ranking officer at the firehouse and she was nice enough to give me a quick tour of the new station. Thanks also for allowing all the pics.
Here are a few shots of the inside. First is the general quarters. No AC here but it appeared comfortable.
Then the meeting room. Very nice table and chairs for the Philippines.
This is the commander's office. An office with a view ( :) ) a powerful AC unit and comfortable seating.
I appreciate comfortable seating no matter where I'm at in the world. :D
Simple, neat and new.
This is the view from the commander's office. A nice view of the truck.
This station is a sub-station which means that it's much less busy than the main station. The reality is that most of the younger FFers are at the main station and this is generally for FFers that are...approaching retirement.
Certainly not a country club here but much less action than many of the surrounding stations.
The central station in downtown Makati dispatch staff from this station to assist with fires in close proximity to the sub station.
Does that mean that the sub station FFers take a tricycle to the fire and use the equipment and the trucks from the central station?
I never got an answer to that with all that was going on.
Here are some pictures of the recent opening of the sub station and the services that they provide, training and the like.
The next pic is of the org chart here.
Thanks to all the staff at the Comembo sub station.
Now on to the PNP station. I've not known any of the cops here so when I walked in with my camera the police there were a little curious about me.
This police station is pretty quiet so I started asking some questions before taking a lot of photos. :blush: Let them get used to me before I go full out with the pictures.
There were a few officers there and I asked them questions about the area and their experience in the PNP. Simple questions turned into more interesting complex conversations and before I knew it I had been there over an hour shooting the breeze.
I took these pics of the holding tank just to give an idea of what the facility is like. Everything is new but this is the temp holding tank and there's not even a chair to sit on.
Luckily for the prisoner, there is an unclaimed motorbike there but it's not looking too comfy to sit on.
Here's the inside looking out.
Just imagine being really drunk and being locked up here. You can't sit down or use the toilet and you cannot see the TV. :mad:
After more than an hour of Q and A, they prepared for thier patrol and asked if I'd like to come with them.
Yes, of course.
The driver gets the cruiser cooled off and loads the M4 and stows it in the back seat.
Cop: Go ahead and sit in the back seat. There is an M4 back there. Do you know how to use it?
Slang: Um....Yes. Do you think I'll need to?
Cop: No, but if we are attacked, secure it. Don't shoot it just point it.
Slang: Well, if we get attacked and you guys are all dead....I'm going to shoot it, you can bet on that.
Cop: Fair enough. If we're all dead....
We all pile into the cruiser and head toward the hospital.
There is a suspect at the Ospital Ng Makati that they are going to check on.
We then arrive and walk into the secured area of the Ospital.
They tell me that I can take pics inside but I opt not too. The suspect has been stabbed and beaten up. He's wrapped in a sheet and sitting in a wheelchair.
He's a young man with tatoos on each arm. I can see stitches in his chest. He's eyes are blood red and there's dried blood outside of his ears. He might have been an asskicker last night but today he's a pretty slow mover.
I stand for a minute or two while they attempt to talk to the guy and take a few photos of him with their camera.
The ranking officer talks briefly to the doctor and then we're out of there.
Interesting in a way, yes but this is real life for sure.
This was just a lucky shot. It's a Porshe 911. One doesn't see a large number of these here in the Philippine.
There was a pinoy driving it but this was the best shot that I could get as we were moving in the cruiser.
This is the biggest fire station in the Philippines, the Makati Central Station.
Most of the equipment is old by American standards but compared to the rest of Luzon, it's much better.
We we're running out of time and I didn't have time to get a thousand pictures of the trucks like I normally do.
Most of them are from the late 80s and early 90s.
There are newer trucks in Binondo and I've seen them. They are Chinese and seem to have the same features. As far as stations go though, this is the biggest.
I've also seen the results of a recent fire in a high rise building. The buildings must have their own fire suppression systems or fire hoses because there just aren't enough fire trucks to effectively respond to fires in time to prevent them from destroying an entire building.
This is the Makati Central Police Station. It's the building in the background with the blue windows.
It seemed like a good idea to leave the camera off in the station but I did get to roam around for a few mintues.
There is a thriving lockup there, both male and female. The female prisoners seemed happy to see me and waved enthusiastically. :D
The chief of police has an office here but I did not have the chance to meet him.
I was allowed into some of the offices while the cops were gathering paperwork. There was a number of women police officers at the station. Officers in the same uniform as the guys that I was hanging with.
I've not seen any women PNPs up to this point.
No one at the station had an M4 hanging off an tac sling. :D
Sidenote: I was told that the security for the Main Station was done by outside agencies, not PNP. That seemed strange but that's what I was told.
Here's a clip from the inside of the cruiser. We are near the station at this point.
The PNP may be the cops here but they are not feared. Respected, yes. Feared, no.While there were not people flipping birds or gesturing the cruiser, people were passing us on bikes and cars.
I suppose traffic control would be a different situation.
[youtube]q6NRrD41iF8[/youtube]
Many of the previous descriptions were rushed. There are a lot of typos and details that I'd like to add.
The edit feature is often only available for a few hours and I don't have the time now to change them anyway.
There are some important indoor online activities that demand my attention now.
My next post here might not be until the first of the month.
Thanks to all of you that visit the thread. See you then.
Tonight's episode of Cops has been brought to you by slang.
My life is often a mildly interesting adventure.
Maybe when I get some time again I should go to the military post again.
Maybe get a ride on one of those choppers I'm always seeing overhead. :blush:
Maybe get to blast something with a machine gun or something really cool like that. :lol:
When I do, you can be sure that I'll have pics and clips. :D
Here's another.
The officer in charge is named Mario Ignacio and he was in the US to testify against Ramsey Yousef in 1996 for the WTC I bombing.
Peter Lance had a chapter on Ignacio's involvement of Yousef's investigation and trial in his book "1000 Years for Revenge".
Link to the book
"
The FBI had sufficient intelligence to capture Yousef before he built the first World Trade Center bomb in 1993. In 1995, they learned that he had already set the 9/11 suicide-hijacking plot in motion from Manila -- that he was planning "to return to the U.S. to attack the World Trade Center a second time." Yet each time the FBI missed the opportunity to stop him."
Officer Ignacio is a bomb expert here in the Philippines and was lead investigator for one of Yousef's bombings here in Manila.
Certainly an interesting guy with a lot of experience with terrorism. He said that he'd be willing to talk with me more about the trial and the book sometime in the future. I'd like to have a copy of the book to read before we talk about it in more detail.
[youtube]c6dEhbTlpxQ[/youtube]
There is a polical rally in Makati this evening. It should be seen on the news in the US.
There are congressional hearings going on right now about a specific scandal in the Arroyo administration.
The rally will be clearly seen at places that I've taken photos from before but I'm not allowed to go even from a distance because of the "danger" that I might be in.
My camera batteries are fully charged and ready. My camera lens is cleaned and my SD cards are cleared and ready.
My BIG Ipod with the recorder is fully charged and ready as well but it seems at this moment that I'll not have the chance to hold a big rally sign: "Arroyo! Resign now!" With some funny cartoon character on it.
That's right, I'll not be allowed to witness, to record on audio nor take photos and clips of the big anti-Arroyo rally. Some of my in-laws here will be going but I can't go. :mad:
Life's an effing bitch.
Everyone that I know is back from the big rally.
I've not seen the news yet but there's no mainstream coverage at this time.
LinkThis is a very long YouTube video from the news program 24 Oras here in Manila.
The video takes a long time to load but shows the events from the last coup attempt with great detail.
It's in Tagalog with no subtitles.
[youtube]kFCoZvkKgA0&rel[/youtube]
This is the news that we watch only becuase Fox News is not available with the cable package that we have now.
My wife and I went out for a late night bike ride tonight. We rode "pinoy style" which is her sitting on the cross bar sidesaddle while I'm pedaling. She's short and I'm tall so that worked out pretty well.
We stopped in Comembo for some native style burgers. Here is a pic and a clip.
[youtube]WCKPsDF_38c [/youtube]
The burgers are "buy one take one" or two for one. Not a bad deal for about $.50. No, don't ask what's in them. The buns are fresh and that makes up for a lot here.
Have a look at this crappy video as we bump and jiggle down the street on my bike. Hear the traffic pass and the sweet sound of drunk people that cannot sing worth a damn.
Next trip maybe someone can make a video showing us both on the bike. That would surely be funny.
[youtube]Rr3-dvK7CUQ[/youtube]
Adventures in the PI !!
I have eaten in worse looking burger joints over here ,
Never could get used to those water buffalo burgers though .
Slang You desing ALL kinds of stuff , can't you figure out Some sort of stedy cam mounting ???
It's a shameful situation Zip. Something so simple would surely be easy.
Yes, I need to make a mount for the camera do make better clips.
Next time you're in Manila, be sure to grab some burgers from Angel's.
Next trip out I'll get some clips of the videoke bars. That should be fun for all. :)
Adventures in the PI !!
I have eaten in worse looking burger joints over here ,
Never could get used to those water buffalo burgers though .
Slang You desing ALL kinds of stuff , can't you figure out Some sort of stedy cam mounting ???
It's a shameful situation Zip. Something so simple would surely be easy.
Yes, I need to make a mount for the camera do make better clips.
Next time you're in Manila, be sure to grab some burgers from Angel's.
Next trip out I'll get some clips of the videoke bars. That should be fun for all. :)
Dude.
cheapass homemade steadycam rig. BigV, that's awesome.
I want to point out that this is not the "string tied to a washer that you step on" in BigV's link.
Perfect. Thanks BigV.
Let me tinker around here and make something like that. More and better vids to come. :)
Dude.
cheapass homemade steadycam rig.
See I TOLD YA !!!
What's next? We were in Intramuros the other day and stopped in at the Fort.
That's Ft. Santiago.
It's surely worth the P50($1.25) price of admission. There are those damn horsedrawn carriages there though. I don't like them but in Intramuros there are always plenty of them hassling you to ride them.
It's not my fault that there is no demand for the carriage rides.
The fort encompasses much more area than I had thought. We've been within the walls of the old fort before but haven't come to the gate here.
If you are a history buff, you'd find this place enjoyable. Much of it has been restored and there are some very nice things to look at here.
This is the view from beside the chapel. It's interesting to me to imagine what life was like being around these buildings long ago.
Now days the cannons are mostly aimed at the golfers that play all around the fort.
Here are some cannon projectiles at one of the displays.
That huge concrete ball seems too big to fly out of a cannon. There was no documentation explaining what each of the items were.
Those other metal projectiles are pretty effing large too. Maybe someone that knows more about old weapons can give us some more info on them.
Jose Rizal is one of the Philippine's national heros and he was inprisoned here at the fort.
His footsteps are marked with brass markers to his execution spot at Luneta Park.
It's still not clear why he was held in this building directly before the execution but this is where the steps start.
Even while in jail he's shown with his jacket on. Not a tall man to be sure but what an intellect. Very impressive fellow.
[youtube]yjcKI3gEwDA&rel[/youtube]
This is a guard post near the Pasig river. It still looks good for being, what, 400 years old?
This is one of the exhibits that wasn't terribly well done. You can see a representation of Rizal as you look through the corridor but the lighting there is very low.
[youtube]jUExJsPA_Mw&rel[/youtube]
This second clip is a bit choppy at the end. The guard is telling me that I can't take photos in the Rizal Shrine. He's telling me that I can't take photos at the same time that there are no less than 3 other people taking pictures.
There is a difference between no flash photography and no pictures. It's a bit annoying. One guard tells you no pictures and then another steps in and tells the first guard that pictures are indeed allowed but without flash.
This must be some type of comedy routine because it's happened a few times before.
[youtube]ZAMNfjDzZZ8&rel[/youtube]
I don't know anything about this guy except that his cart is being pulled by a very small horse and he's not too happy about having his photo taken.
These clips are from the chapel. There are a lot more clips but this connection is so slow that uploading them in a PITA. I have a few decent clips of the dungeon and looking out into the Pasig river.
[youtube]MEJN683t0yY&rel[/youtube]
[youtube]vlVV-vCpNPo&rel[/youtube]
Ahh..Intramuros. We spent most of one of our free days down there.
And yes, I still live. Life has been busy though, between selling our current house, building the new one, and work. By the time we move in in a few weeks, I'll want to get away from the new house. :)
Anyways, let me see if I've got some Intramuros photos to go along with yours...
I've been drinking El Kapitan gin for a few hours now and do not have the ability to post something good right now.
I've got many more clips of the dungeons of the fort as well as clips off the balcany across the Pasig river.
There is a new display added to the cannon projectile area since you have been here.
It's a display of the likenesses of all the presidents. Many are not good but are still on display.
After I sober up a bit I'll make sincere efforts to add more quality images.
Thanks for your pics. The quality appears to be better than mine. If you have time please add more if you can.
[youtube]EzWbv656uhM&rel[/youtube]
The Philippines: it's not just about the women, it's about the women AND the cheap booze. : )
Over and out.
@SparkStalker, what are the balls on the trees? Lights? Insect traps?
I'm officially back from my big adventure. Thanks for everyone's contributions and comments to this thread. It's been fun being able to show and tell all those cool things that I've seen in the Philippines.
There are some more involved projects in the works with the Philippines and going back there again.
As much as I like this place there just isn't the time for me to hang out here nowdays.
If by some small chance you need info or opinion about Luzon or related topics contact me through my yahoo e-mail. I'll do what I can to help. :)
If anyone else is taking an extended trip or adventure I'd sure like to see your pics too. Especially from Pakistan or Aghanistan. :blush:
Later.
There are some more involved projects in the works with the Philippines and going back there again.
Your wife will be glad to hear that.
@SparkStalker, what are the balls on the trees? Lights? Insect traps?
I think they were just lanterns. Really neat looking ones.
Slang, take care buddy...I've enjoyed the pics and discussions. Stop back in sometime.
Yes they are, very cool. Thank you.
So ... My first three days or so lurking here in the Cellar have essentially been looking through this thread.
The first picture in post #941 is -gorgeous-.
The cats and kitten are adorable ... And I love how kids are kids and will walk, talk, eat, act, and think like kids no matter where they're from or whate language they speak.
This has been a great thread to peruse, Slang. Thanks for it!
This has been a great thread to peruse, Slang. Thanks for it!
Thanks Shaeling. There are more than a few others that have made it interesting. Thanks go out to UT as well for the server space.
Do you know any pinoys out there in Cali?
Do you know any pinoys out there in Cali?
Not personally, or if I do, I'm not aware of it. I'm in a thoroughly grandparent-infested suburb of the capital. :)
My, how I dream of the dirty air and the crowded streets lately.
There is a new adventure in the making although it's still several months away. This time my project will require more than 6 months and even more props and participants.
More research, more books, reference info, more contacts, more computers, a more complete schedule, more interaction, more immsersion, more diplomacy, more luck. :)
Maybe a bit of elephant riding as well. :blush: Not in the Phils but a sidetrip.
I'm getting restless at the corporate site.
I want to drink a 60 cent beer again, eat pandesol and eggs in the morning and wander around the masses being a priviledged minority.
I'm longing for that feeling of freedom of escaping endless laws, regulations and company protocols.
And there is also the weather. The cooler that it becomes here the more I'd like to skee-daddle. :blush:
Well hello there -long time no see! Nice of you to check in. Sit down grab a cyber beer - they're FREE.
Thanks CM.
It's nice to be back but there's no time for beers yet. It's still time for meetings and corporate-speak and rules and time targets and acting like the normal guy that I'm not.
Soon enough that will change though. Then while I'll not be completely free I will be a great deal free-er than now.
Then the adventure will begin again. And there will be more photos. :D
I'm back in Makati for a few weeks for a warmup to the next big adventure.
There should be some photos to post soon.
Thank you Bruce. That's a very useful gift.
Oh! Where did we store the Imodium! :blush: :lol:
Just landed in Hong Kong this morning.
It's much cooler and cleaner here than in Manila.
Nice photos slang. I'll have to post some from Vietnam. Yours remind me a lot of Vietnam.
That would be great Radar. I'd be genuinely interested in not just your photos but also your impressions of how things work there and how you were treated.
I'm back from this last jet over to Manila and Hong Kong.
Just a short trip this time with another longer trip planned in a few months. Just as the US is breaking out into civil war/ total economic collapse, I plan to be working on my next attempt at a unique business adventure there. :)
Sure, it might be entertaining to stick around to see the carnage personally but I'm thinking that these new times of turmoil will also bring us new images of sorrow and struggle that I'd prefer to bypass entirely, not to say that the party will not extend over to Manila. I'm guessing that it will.
Anyway...
The trip to HK was very nice. We stayed in the Chinese speaking area near the night markets. The people there were very accomodating and friendly and my thanks go out to them.
The Chinese food in HK was absolutely fantastic and a good value. Many of the goods for sale in the night market were traditional Chinese paintings and clothing. Some of very high quality too.
Back in Manila, much of my time was spent talking with people there about setting the stage for my next big adventure.
A lawyer here, chief of police there, some local seniors and a few selected friends and I talked about my new secret mission.
It's much more involved and will probably take a year to get moving. Everything is hush-hush here again until the stage is set and I'm on location.
There is also another big question in my mind too. Is this thread here at the cellar a good place to keep posting commentary and photos?
Even if the topic actually changes from a specific city in the Philippines to just some new project that happens to be going on in the Philippines?
Is the bandwidth worth the content? My preference is posting here however there is another place that this might be more on topic in the future.
The evolution of my adventures is here to get up to speed though and that might be helpful.
Your opinion?
Great.
Big time thread drift on the horizon.
Not really, everyone knows the real title is the adventures of Slang.
True enough.
Adventures of Slang......in Makati City (most of the time). :)
Hey there Slang - Merry Ho Ho & Happy New you...
Thank you.
May you and the other Classics have a merry and happy as well. :)
I look forward to the next adventure, with lots of pictures I hope. Good luck.
Thanks Merc. It wont be like one of your adventures overseas, to be sure but should keep me busy for a year of pain here in the US.
The economy is just starting to feel the crunch now. Exports to the US are down 19%. I don't know if this somehow includes call center services.
offshore call center services might get a pass on the recession since companies need ways to do things more cheaply. even if the customers are just calling to cancel their accounts!
True enough.
That might save them from a total collapse of their real estate market.
Starting to see 30-40% discounts on the big luxury condos now. They are still overpriced by about 30% IMO even with the discount but it shows that they are willing to deal in a soft market.
Hey, slang - you here?
Any Bataan Death March memorials around where you are?
Hey Brianna,
Sorry for the late reply. I don't check back here regularly.
As for the Bataan memorials....
We've not seen any in Manila but Bataan is on the other side of Manila Bay. Outside where we normally explore.
There are several places that we've yet to visit. Bataan and Corregidor are on that list.
If you have an interest in Bataan I can post specific requests of photos and information when we go there. I don't know when that will be.
That butcher is skilled with his very sharp knife. He's so fast and confident with his cuts. Amazing.
That guy was Alex. He was fired from the shop for taking the meat money that goes to the wholesaler.
The owner was out for a day and returned minus the money and a butcher. He was out gambling and drinking with the money from the shop. :blush:
What a shame. He was a good worker and a likable guy.
But, but, it was the perfect plan. Pay off the wholesaler, pay off the boss, and pocket the winnings... what could go wrong? :lol2:
Yes, with a plan like that who would have been any wiser?
It was a shock to me but also a learning experience at my buddy's expense. Don't trust anyone with money.
That seems to be the reality there.
It's getting warmer here in Indiana but it's been beautiful here at the beach.
This is the South China Sea. I'd like to be in that photo. Will be shortly.
Just a few more weeks to "no pants day(s)". :blush:
:lol:
I've made it safely back. There are some internet connection issues then I should be able to post some photos.
And my pants are still on.
I've all but given up on reporting back to anyone online because of the poor connection possibilities so far out into the jungle.
Even the wireless is failing.
We are taking hundred of new photos and hope to publish them soon but we don't have any idea of when.
There are monitor lizards roaming around close to our property as well as monkeys less than a mile away. Wild chicken pass fairly regularly as well.
The pinoys are hunting down and eating the snakes so they've not been a big issue so far.
We're in a completely different world for sure. You want to experience rain. I've never seen anything like it here.
Wish I had more time.
As soon as I can I'll get pics out.
Should we start calling you Col Kurtz yet Slang ??
Wait, you moved? Out to the jungle?
We're in a completely different world for sure. You want to experience rain. I've never seen anything like it here.
You should have been around here this summer... 4.5 inches in 40 minutes, and today 1.2 inches in 10 minutes. :eek:
Hello everyone
It's me, the 3rd world adventurer.
We have a crew here working at digging and clearing the land. They call me Sir out of respect but one might logically call me;
Red Face
Always drinking water man
White man that falls down often
Nap after every physical activity man
Yes, we've moved out into what might be described as a jungle. We've bought a small farm lot and are in preparation of making a sustainable farm.
We'll be producing tilapia, chickens, goats, rabbits, pigs, worms and alcohol.
Bruce, I dont know the inches of rain fallen here but your numbers there are truly impressive.
It's not the least bit fun here with all the heat and humidity and mud everywhere.
It is beautiful though and many times I stop what I'm doing just to watch or see the scenery.
This is one of the locals that helped to clear the sloping portion of the lot.
There are 8 of them in total on our crew now. His name is Norley and he's a very tough guy and very hard working.
The temp is 85-95 f here now but the workers wear a lot of protective clothes, mostly for ants and snakes
On the photo on the right there are tree trunks visible in the distance. This is where I took a fall/slide down the hill to where these pics were taken.
My job is to get the photos and not to fall down the mountain.
My favorite quote of the workers was when I asked them what might be hiding in some very thick underbrush that they had just cut but was still in place and not pushed downwards.
They said in broken English "we'll soon find out" as thet hacked through the vegetation and pushedc it downward.
The second shot shows the crew building the dyke for our tilapia pond.
These are a few days old and we're further along now. we'll soon be ready for stocking the breeder pond.
The entire excercise is more exciting here in person than these im ages show.
The work is also exhausting. Even those simple things like walking back up the mountain.
Should we start calling you Col Kurtz yet Slang ??
No. I'm commanding a small untrained force of poor farmers. Long knives, yes. Long guns, no.
A part of the mission is to demonstrate how capitalism can work on the lower end of the spectrum and doesn't always suck all the life out of those working within it.
It's possible, right?
Wait, you moved? Out to the jungle?
You should have been around here this summer... 4.5 inches in 40 minutes, and today 1.2 inches in 10 minutes. :eek:
There was a typhoon hitting around my arrival here. There were many typhoons or storms that kept everything soaked here until the 3rd week of Aug.
There is an article here that describes the rainfall as possibly 78 inches in a 24 hour period.
The rain here during that time was less than that where you are but nearly constant for weeks. The clouds coming in off the Pacific can keep the rain coming down for longer periods than one would expect inland US.
It seems that a coffee can left out in direct rain will estimate the inches fallen in a 24 hour timeframe. I'll be sure to set that up on the farm to get an idea of how much rain is falling.
Yeah, you're out in the jungle... watch out for critters.:3_eyes:
It's been an unusually wet year with the rain coming, not daily like you get it, but huge deluges you know aren't normal for PA.
What are you going to do with that steep slope once it's cleared?
If you kill all the vegetation, eventually the rain will make the whole place level. :haha:
Wow slang, that's amazing. So are you going in to town to an internet cafe to post here, or are you connected wherever it is that you call home these days?
It's possible, right?
You tell us. :)
What are you going to do with that steep slope once it's cleared?If you kill all the vegetation, eventually the rain will make the whole place level. :haha:
That slope doesn't get constant exposure to the sun. There is also a breeze coming up from the river to cool things off. Once the grass and vines are gone I'm hoping to have some chicken cages there. It should be cool enough.
We don't want to kill all the vegetation just the tiger grass and the vines. There are many trees on that portion that we'll be keeping ( by necessity ).
Wow slang, that's amazing. So are you going in to town to an internet cafe to post here, or are you connected wherever it is that you call home these days?
The accommodations at the farm lot are minimal but we do stay there for days at a time. We have an apartment in Baguio that the inlaws stay at and when we have had enough of the farm we go back there.
This post was typed in Baguio. The photos were taken in Burgos.
You tell us. :)
I'm betting that it is possible.
This is the view from the last portion of the slope up to the flat. The first time I went all the way to the bottom and climbed back up I forgot my water bottle. On the way up it was the focus, my motivation.
Our Man Slang goes down on the Farm ,
Ee I Ee I Oh !!!!
Seriously , Good Luck with this and Keep us Posted !!!!!
Our Man Slang goes down.....!!!
i didn't see any pictures of
that! :eek:
great pics and great plan. Are you there for good now, or is this another 6 month stint?
Uh, Tiger Grass? :unsure: Is it named that because it's two toned, you know, like stripes? Or because Tigers like to hang out in it?
Are you there for good now, or is this another 6 month stint?
The planned duration is one year. And when ever the US backs out of this communist kick, I'll be all the more happy to return.
If my numbers are at all accurate I'll not need to leave but will most likely still design as before but under much better terms since a design income wont be required for my adventures.
The better that the business side of this farm is going the less bullshit I'll be putting up with in the US. ;)
Seriously , Good Luck with this and Keep us Posted !!!!!
Thanks Zip.
There is a growing food shortage in SE Asia and the Phils specifically.
The government bureau's are increasing incentives for food production. Not particularly exciting incentives but they are being offered in many cases for the first time. The gov't sees this situation as serious.
As the sea fishing yields decrease maybe I'll get a piece of this market big enough to spend much more of my time here.
Uh, Tiger Grass? :unsure: Is it named that because it's two toned, you know, like stripes? Or because Tigers like to hang out in it?
The grass has stripes of sorts but has very sharp leaves that slice as you walk past them. The stems are also sharp and hazardous after being cut. The stalk is rigid and the cut pattern is normally angled down to give the remaining portion of the plant a sharp edge sticking up from the ground.
It's main use is the base material for making brooms.
Link to tiger grass
Image
Link to soft (native) broomsGreat photos Slang!
I lived in the Philippines for a couple of years (1979-1981). Beautiful country. I was active duty Air Force, live on Clark AB, just outside Angeles City. Used to love to go to Bagio - would stay at Camp John Hay. Wife and I had our honeymoon there. Lots of hills, totally beautiful.
The better that the business side of this farm is going the less bullshit I'll be putting up with in the US. ;)
Are you hiring?
Great photos Slang!
I lived in the Philippines for a couple of years (1979-1981). Beautiful country. I was active duty Air Force, live on Clark AB, just outside Angeles City. Used to love to go to Bagio - would stay at Camp John Hay. Wife and I had our honeymoon there. Lots of hills, totally beautiful.
Thank you.
It is beautiful here despite the tough living for most everyone here.
We are in Baguio at this moment and visit CJH once in a while.
It does rain a lot here but it is cooler than Manila.
Are you hiring?
We are hiring for contract positions only. The pay is 250 pesos a day and there are some hazardous and physically taxing situations.
The numbers of people wanting work with us is growing. We work 5 days from 8am to 5pm with an hour lunch.
It's not that we are all that great to work for or that the salary is all that great it's just that in the rural areas paid work is so very hard to find.
We're going back out for a few days and I don't expect to be online for a few weeks.
Thanks to everyone for your interest and comments.
The Bureau of Fisheries has delivered 2000 fingerlings to our pond on Saturday and it's getting more interesting.
We have a mix of Israeli and African tilapia and the officer from the bureau tells us that they will grow into very good breeders. That's precisely what we want.
Photos should be available next time we get back into town.
Oh, fish porn, super. :haha:
Oh, fish porn, super. :haha:
:lol: That's not exactly what I meant by that last post Bruce but after re-reading it...you're right. Sounds funny.
No fish porn though, sorry. :blush:
Good luck man!
Thanks Griff,
Seems possible that in a year we could have some decent yields of fish. If that sort of thing interests you.
What do you feed the fish? Or can they find their own food in the pond?
What do you feed the fish? Or can they find their own food in the pond?
Tilapia eat bacteria and algae. We feed them commercial feeds which are essentially processed chicken manure with the bacteria automatically mixed in.
They eat two types of feeds as fingerlings, one mash which is a very fine powder and another which an additional ingredient is added to allow it to float but it too is processed chicken manure.
Once we have enough chickens on the property we can toss the commerical feeds and stop paying for food for the fish. Maybe.
The feeds are not all that expensive but the profit margin on the fish is not enormous so every bit we don't buy will be helpful.
If only the chickens ate fish manure. :)
So the fish eat shit? And we eat the fish. Amazing.
So the fish eat shit? And we eat the fish. Amazing.
And this shit eating fish is considered a much healthier food choice than chicken, pork or beef.
:)
It's aaallllllllll shit. Haven't you seen SouthPark?
Hey slang, did that tropical storm cause you any problems? Manila was looking pretty wet.
It is
damn close to Manila.
Well, Slang said he's now a couple hundred miles to the north of Manila in Burgos. That could be a good thing for him, because most of the bad news about the flooding is coming out of Manila. Not sure if the news comes out of Manila because that's where the worst flooding is, or because that's the capital city and the reporters are there. Maybe it's bad in Burgos too. Hope he's fine.
Almost half a million people are homeless from this flood.But Slang is in the boondocks, and the news media is based in Manila, so we don't know until he checks in. :unsure:
Thanks for your concern.
It's Saturday morning now and we're in Baguio, about an hour away from Burgos.
We recieved a text message at 4am that our ponds would soon overflow with the heavy rains.
We left Burgos last night at 5pm under heavy rain with the expectation to return after the storm.
At that time our large breeding pond was at about 5% of capacity and the smaller segregating ponds were at about 80%.
My concern at the moment is for the soil to give way around the perimeter of all the ponds. The worst of the storm is scheduled to arrive today and we'll return tomorrow, Sunday.
As for Manila, yes it is truly a mess there. Our old house is under about a foot of water and will surely be rising.
Manila is a very old city with bad drainage in all but the newest most expensive neighborhoods. Imagine 300 years worth of built up cockroaches and rat crap flowing through your front room. That's what I'm expecting in the coming 24 hours at the old house.
I'm looking at the whole situation there at the old house with a certain amount of satisfaction as we left under strained circumstances.
My experiences with these people have changed my entire experience here and not for the good.
Maybe it was the downturn in the economy that changed them into greedy envious people but they changed completely. That's a big disappointment to me personally but better to see their real intent now than later.
I'll be saving my single peso coins to donate to their recovery at the old house.
Life's a bitch. Sometimes even when you lie and cheat to get something nice it turns out be just dogshit. Just what you deserve. :)
I'll keep you posted.
we left under strained circumstances.
Whoa, that's a strange twist in your journey. That relationship seemed to be pretty stable and generally cool.
Well I'm glad you're OK, anyway... and hope you survive this rain with little damage. Take care.
Good to here from you man. Are the ponds well designed?
were both ok but wow what a storm.
I've never seen anything like it. We have a lot of photos coming but it's been more trecharous than expected.
Our fish pond overfowed and I don't know if there are any fish left.
The mudslides have been incredible. They're everywhere and much more dangerous than I had imaged.
6 days of continuous monsoon rain with high winds.
I'm exhausted from hiking around the mudslides to get to naguilian.
More soon.
I'm glad you guys are ok. It sounds rough.
I'm numb from the whole experience.
flickr is loading now. More tomorrow.
We are ok.
I need a shower, shave and a proper meal.
Daym !!! I been looking at some of your Flickr Pics ! Daym !!!!!
Glad to hear that you guys are ok ,
this is just a Bump in the road , there Will be Many !!
Keep on sloggen , and Keep on Posting .
Whoa, that's a strange twist in your journey. That relationship seemed to be pretty stable and generally cool.
That was a strange twist. We
were in pretty good.
The combination of hard times from their US income source ( California ) and a reduction of what was normally 500 or so a month to zero and the death of family members with valuables turned into bad blood with us.
Anyway, we're into a new adventure and location. Those folks are not anywhere near us now and that's good.
Good to here from you man. Are the ponds well designed?
They are only dug into the ground with no reinforcement. The soil has a claylike consistency that holds a shape wet or dry.
Our problem this time was not having grass growing on the newly created sidewalls of the pond. Without a lot of erosion the damage would be less.
We're not talking about tens of thosands of dollars though, we're talking a few hundred for repairs.
Welcome to the Jungle.
During this entire storm my main worry was to meet up with a snake flooded out of its home just wandering around looking for a dry safe place to stay.
Mudslides or BIG snakes? I'll take the mudslides. :)
I been looking at some of your Flickr Pics
Thanks for the encouragement Zip. The project will continue and I have some more photos on Flickr.
Luzon Typhoon
Maybe now I can get this big solar collector assembled and working.
Picture 100_0838, is that footbridge because the water normally flows over the road there?
This was the first typhoon, wasn't it? How did you make out in the second one?
Wow. Burgos is trashed! How are you able to travel around? Are most of the roads damaged that bad? You must be walking everywhere.
Picture 100_0838, is that footbridge because the water normally flows over the road there?
This was the first typhoon, wasn't it?
How did you make out in the second one?
There are several other places with water flooding the road, some with more volume but without a footbridge.
For all I know that bridge may connect some native VIP to a nearby source of gin or goat meat.
These are all taken during and after the second storm about Oct 5 or 6.
The first time we tried to get out we were told that passage through the mudslides was impossible at the moment but once the rains stopped someone would make a foot path so that you might walk to the main road but surely not ride.
We stayed one more night and the storm passed, we had some local assistance carrying our gear on the footpaths and we made it out to walk another stretch of road to get to safety.
Wow. Burgos is trashed! How are you able to travel around? Are most of the roads damaged that bad? You must be walking everywhere.
These photos are a few days old now. The National Guard ( of sorts ) was shovelling and digging when I left Burgos. We have seen heavy equipment, bucket loaders, graders and the like, traveling toward Burgos. I believe that was the worst area from the storm.
The secondary roads didn't seem to be as bad. Most of the backroads were blocked with mud but not the huge boulders you see in the pics on Nag road.
Walking was a pain in the ass. More so than usual I should say. Where was the mud that you could walk on? Where was the "quicksand"? Yes, it's fine when there's a line of folks coming your direction, you can follow their footsteps.
By the time we arrived out to the road it was a pain in the ass but not really all that dangerous.
Before we made it out to the mainroad, that was dangerous AND a pain in the ass.
You need horses or donkeys for that shit.
You need horses or donkeys for that shit.
I'll be sure to pack a donkey in my laptop bag the next time I see typhoons on the radar. :blush:
Someone with a good boat to transport people a few miles on the river sections where the road was washed out could have made the whole situation better as well.
Fresh out of rescue boats too.
Most people walking in those photos were in pretty good spirits or silent and just concentrating on getting to point B.
There were more than a few small men carrying
large medical oxygen bottles, scores of bags of rice, junk foods, people herding goats through the mess and people assisting elderly.
By that time I was wet, sunburned, fatigued, irritatted at the entire effing mess and was in less than good spirits. That seems to be when people ask me dumb questions ( or icebreakers ) and I have to politely say "I've got mud from my feet to my rear...all my gear is muddy,have not shaved-showered-or changed clothes in 3 days and not consumed an adult beverage in two. Meet me in Naguilian and we'll laugh about all this over a 4 x 4." :)
A 4 x 4 here is a bottle of gin 4cm by 4cm, 750ml
The sunburn seems particularly unfair.
Agreed.
The mud in the underpants was not fun either. My wife wouldn't let me change them on the road. :blush:
Are you sure it was just mud? ;) That storm looks a little scary...
Aussie soldier in Vietnam: "Only place in the world you can be up to your [ears] in mud and still have dust in your eyes."
Are you sure it was just mud? ;) That storm looks a little scary...
Yah, here comes another one dammit!
Native pigs are better tasting but take nearly twice as long to grow to market size.
How in hell did they get that hog in the sidecar? :eek:
A small bowl of chicken feet for a snack while we drink a 4 x 4 of gin.
I've put forth serious effort but still have not become drunk enough to try the chicken feet.
The alternate booze of choice has recently been Bacardi 151 Rum. It's a boatload more expensive but the locals try to drink it straight as they do the Pinoy gin and it hammers them amazingly quickly. :)
How in hell did they get that hog in the sidecar? :eek:
Good question.
The first time I noticed pigs in the sidecar I had completely missed the shot.
Then after snapping every passing vehicle for a few hours stumbled across this one.
That one that I missed had 2 pigs about that same size in the tricylcle which would have made it a much better pic.
Maybe they get the pigs a little drunk to soften them up for the trip to market? I'd surely like to talk to one of those drivers.
Here are the clouds as seen from Naguilian road approaching Baguio.
Now that the road is passable doesn't mean that it's back to normal. Somehow I imagined that everything would be fine not just passable but the roads are still very rough in areas and you can look out at the mountainsides and see plenty of mudslides that didn't affect homes or traffic
These are from Dennis, my US pal from Cali.
The two pictures were taken one day apart.
The area shown was flooded because a large drainage tunnel ( which would fit 2 buses side by side ) was plugged full with garbage.
Preventative maintenance? No one saw this coming? What a shame for those that lost property.
Not much positive going on here lately so I've not posted here because I don't like to whine and or cry in public.
Aside from the fallout from the storms there's other bad news for our family here.
Last week my sister in law lost her unborn baby at 7 months. The good news is that my SIL is ok after a few days in the hospital but the entire family is saddened with the loss.
The doctor reports that the baby's ambilical chord was wrapped around it's neck not once but twice, which in itself is far beyond rare. The facts as we are being told are that even if the child had survived to be born that the lack of oxygen during the term would have produced a baby severely retarded and in need of much medical care.
And in light of the continued El' nino in all the surrounding areas, including our farm lot, I've accepted an offer from DePuy JnJ to come back to Indiana to backfill the spot that I left.
I'm not happy to report that circumstances have degraded so far beyond what we could have imagined. My efforts in the US will be much more productive to our life here in the Phils than me staying there to attempt to cope with the situation.
The last straw was the crop yeild of our mango trees which normally produce approximately $2000 USD but with the extreme weather yeilded just a pitiful $25 USD.
If not for a generous offer from DePuy I might try to fight it out here but given the opportunity, which I greatly appreciate, to go back to exactly the spot that I was, I can't pass it up. Especially with the particularly difficult job situation there in the US now.
I've also seen the suicidal death of a close relative that I've not posted about here but the difficulties and bad news over my stay here have been high.
With another cylce of me working and coming back to the Phils the farm lot could very well be developed to be productive. We have the connections now that I can have work done there while I'm in the US.
Stay Strong Dude , Good to hear from You , it'll All work out in the end
With what you can make over here you can hire a number of people to get a lot done over there. That helps you and them, so it's win/win, except you have to put up with the corporate for awhile. It's easier when you know it's temporary, though.;)
You can't control what the world is going to throw at you, but you can control how you react to it. You've got a good plan for dealing with these setbacks, and you WILL succeed.
Sorry for the bad, but happy tat you have the resiliency to adapt, act and overcome. Go Slang - Kick some Indiana ass!
OH and check your PM.
Stay Strong Dude , Good to hear from You , it'll All work out in the end
With what you can make over here you can hire a number of people to get a lot done over there. That helps you and them, so it's win/win, except you have to put up with the corporate for awhile. It's easier when you know it's temporary, though.;)
You can't control what the world is going to throw at you, but you can control how you react to it. You've got a good plan for dealing with these setbacks, and you WILL succeed.
Sorry for the bad, but happy tat you have the resiliency to adapt, act and overcome. Go Slang - Kick some Indiana ass!
OH and check your PM.
Thank you all for the support.
My flight back to the US is Apr 28.
The contract is actually a pretty good deal. Slightly better than last time but with a bit more freedom to get involved more with manufacturing.
And yes, it is temporary and that's great. There are a few things that I don't care for there but overall it's a great place to work.
They have assigned me the same dark cold office with no windows to return to as well. That might be a negative to most people but it keeps my chronic four letter bitching contained within "the cave". That allows me to effectively vent before I have to go talk nicey-nice corp speak to someone who is most likely on campus but in another department.
Most of the folks there are truly even tempered and easy to get along with. That's not sarcasm. Up and down the chain of command the staff are great. Staying cool and relaxed while also pushing to get tasks completed is much more difficult for me.
Management knows how productive I can be in the
right environment. :blush:
The Slang Cave , I Like it !!!!!
There are many events and experiences that I'll be writing about here in the coming weeks. The circumstances have just not been good for posting on the cellar for a number of months but there are some topics that you may find interesting that I've not written about here yet. Some of the subjects will be:
* Big city versus small city living
* Ex-pats. Who-where-why
* Philippine status symbols
* Buying land - how to and how not to
* Hospitals here in the Phils
* Pinoy exedus vs expat invasion
* Third world business - why bother (from a western perspective)
* The Korean influence in Baguio
* My experiences with the natives in Burgos: good-bad-indifferent
* Wasting away again in Filipinaville
* Building a life outside of the US
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![Link to soft (native) brooms]("http://karitoon.com/xoops/uploads/extgallery/public-photo/medium/mayor-begtang-wid-walis1_112515f.jpg"){kind=link}