Philippines

Recap & Final Thoughts -- Feb 12th

I'm home in DE and it's cold here!  Brrr..  While huddling inside, I've had some time to reflect on my trip to the Philippines.
Let me start by saying: "I miss it there!"  Yes, the weather is on the warm side and humid, and the sun can bake my precious pale skin to a crisp within minutes, but all are minor inconveniences.  While in the Philippines, the quality of my life was improved by the people I was surrounded by.  Everyone is so nice, even people outside of the family were super nice-- hospitable, caring, fun to be around, smiles, etc.  It's just the nature of Filipinos.  Back in America, it seems people have what I'm going to call "throw you under the bus" syndrome..
Moving on to another topic, there's always something to do!  Scuba diving, hiking, shopping, motorbiking, island hopping, studying the rich history of the country, countless white sand beaches, mingling with all-too-happy-to-chat-with-you locals, and the list goes on.  Who wouldn't feel at home here?!  You can find your niche in the Philippines!
Upon returning home, I had the following conversation with a friend:
Me:  "Wow, is it cold here!"
Him: "Yea, I could certainly live in Florida this time of year."
Me:  "Or the Philippines.. I could happily go back there.."
Him:  "I don't know if I could "do" outside of the US.."
Huh?  Really?!  For someone that has never been outside of the country before, I just didn't understand his reasoning.  What is it with the xenophobic nature of most Americans?!  Personally, I love being different.  Especially being different in a place where your differences make you cherished and your surrounded by people that are happy with their way of life and seemingly want to spread that happiness all while treating you with respect that you're not sure you deserve.  Remember me mentioning how Filipinos randomly share alcohol?  Or how the locals pushed my clutch-fried bike up the hill because I was too tired and beaten from a punishing day on the trail?  These are common occurrences of Filipino generosity and it's just one of the many things I miss.
I hope to return someday to the Philippines...  I'm not sure what "form" it will be in.  Whether another extended stay for sightseeing and pleasure purposes or for something more.  But I'm certainly looking forward to it!

Viva Bohol! -- Feb 8th

Tin, Bon, Kriscel, and I woke up at 4am to catch the ferry over to the island of Bohol.  We had quite the action packed day!!  We hired a van to take us to all of the major sights in the countryside of Bohol.  We first went to the Chocolate Hills.  These are steep mounds of limestone covered in a thin layer of grass-- there's over 1,000 of them!  In the dry season the hills turn brown, making them look like chocolate kisses.  But they were still green with vegetation when we were there.

For more info on Chocolate Hills: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate_Hills

Our next destination not too far down the road was the long hanging bridge.  It was made of bamboo..  I walked across and back twice, for good measure.  Don't know when I'll be able to do that again!

Next, we went to the butterfly sanctuary and saw the colorful butterflies!  On the way there, we stopped at the man-made forest.  Read about the man-made forest by clicking HERE.  Once at the butterfly sanctuary, we got to see, among many others, the "Lady Gaga" butterfly-- one that is mixed sex.  We spent about an hour at the sanctuary and then we motored down the street to the tarsier sanctuary.  Tarsiers are the world's smallest marsupial.  They're nocturnal, but nonetheless some were awake with their wide eyes and yawning..

For more info about Tarsiers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarsier

After the tarsier sanctuary (they also had monkeys and pythons), we went to see the world's biggest (in captivity) python, named Prony.  She weights an astounding 660 lbs, is 23 feet long, and her center is measured at 34".  Much to my surprise, I coaxed myself into getting riiiiight up close to her!  *Update* Unfortunately, Prony passed away on August 14th, 2013.  She was 15 years old.

(please just hurry up and take the damn picture...)

Somewhere during all of those events (I can't remember because I'm really tired), we all had lunch on the Loboc River.  It was a really nice buffet and the river reminded me of the Apocalypse Now movie.  I kept expecting to see downed hueys and VC shooting from the sides of the river.

Getting high in the man-made forest!

Sun is Shining -- Feb 6th

Today everyone got all spiffy for Sigrid's birthday celebration.  She's a good friend of Tin Tin's and the whole family.  She turned 30-- Happy Birthday, Sigrid!  The birthday lunch had some food that I had already tried but it also had some things I hadn't.  I tried a green (not yet ripe) mango with shrimp paste, a standard dish here.  I gagged so hard.  And if you know me at all, you know I'm not a picky eater by any means.  I tried some banana cues (heavy on the brown sugar) for dessert and those were delicious!
After her birthday lunch, we went to the SM Mall to inquire about the ferry to the island of Bohol.  Almost everything is sold out for our choice day, Monday.  The weekend was even sold out, which is unusual.  So we alter our plans by a day and book it for Tuesday.  What a way to end my stay here-- an extravaganza on Bohol, one of the most beautiful spots in the Philippines!  Bohol is home to the Chocolate Hills, the worlds largest python, the Man-Made Forest, butterfly and tarsier sanctuaries, one of the oldest churches in the Philippines, the Luboc River, etc.  I'm stoked!

Sigrid is in pink

Back In The Saddle Again -- Feb 4th

Today I went to SM and got my hair rebonded.  Yessss!  It looks so much better straightened!  Faaaabulous!  Normally, having your hair rebonded would cost hundreds of dollars in the US, but here it was a lot cheaper.  The stylist (Neftalin) that did my hair says he saw me at Kawasan Falls on Sunday and proves it to me by whipping out his camera and showing me a picture that he took that I just happened to be in!  I was so blown away by this that I can't really describe it...  In fact, I won't even attempt to; I'll just say it was awesome!  We hit it off [cause he was doing my hair for 5 hours] and he was really nice.  After getting my hair done, I went to a print shop in the mall where I had them make a tarp poster of a hiking picture I had taken on my AT section hike in Virginia.  I may bring them more pictures of me to print...

My new fabulous hair and poster!

After the mall, we (Bon, Tin, Ian, Abby, Sasa, John, & I) went to Calda Pizza and ordered up the famous 36-incher.  We managed to make it all disappear...  Next it was "party party" time!  We went to Mango-- a collection of bars.  Here your cover charge includes your first (and sometimes second) drink.  I like this!  At first, we went to Pump 2 and then we hopped over to MO2.  They had a live band.  All in all it was an awesome day!!  :)

Calda's 36-inch pizza!

The Pan Man Can -- Feb 3rd

It has come to my attention that while I update this blog with the day's highlights, I usually don't hit on the things that are actually different in the Philippines versus the US.  I shall dispense this wisdom now:

• The "Pan Man" will deliver fresh bread right to your door (his bread cart plays a cute chime like that of an ice cream truck)
• Pot holes in the road are a foot deep-- there's plenty of them
• During peak travel times, it looks like someone set off a smoke bomb in the street, due to all of the exhaust and dust
• "Sari-sari" stores are little "mom & pop" variety / convenience stores [usually you don't walk in them, you walk up to them]
• People wear rags over their faces / air passages to block the stagnant, thick pollution cloud on the street
• Most of the restrooms (CRs) do NOT have toilet paper
• Driving is a free-for-all and you had better be very vigilant
• The horn is used as a "heads-up" gesture,  not a "get the hell out of way you dumbass" gesture, like in the US
• The side of any road serves as one solid strip of sari-sari stores and fresh food vendors
• Young people respect their elders by taking the elder's hand and touching [the young person's] forehead with it
• I can't find a trashcan anywhere
• Filipinos love to share their alcohol-- it's considered being sociable 
• From what I can tell, you don't really have 'personal space'
• Gas stations, fast food places, malls, etc. have armed security guards
• Using knives while eating is rare & having a drink while eating is also rare
• No one buys a full tank of fuel at one time
• Instead of tanning products for your skin, like in the US, there are whitening products
• Credit cards are extremely hard to use, as almost no one accepts them
• You don't throw your trash away at fast food places, an employee does it for you after you leave
• McDonalds serves spaghetti, rice, coke floats, it can be delivered, uses real silverware
• KFC has unlimited gravy, serves rice (no biscuits, mac n' cheese, green beans, etc.), uses real silverware
• People often have 2 cell phones because of SIM card promos
• God Bless the Santo Niño!

I Actually Miss Using My Credit Card -- Feb 2nd

I spent most of today reading and catching up on some TV shows online.  It rained some of today.. surprising, no?  Once it stopped, I ventured down the road to a sari-sari (variety/convenience) store just to get out of the house and I also was craving a coke in a glass bottle.  Once there, I was offered some San Miguel beer by some locals lingering around the store (remember, Filipinos like to liberally share their alcohol).  I eventually bought my coke after trying to converse with them..
Bon, Jochelle, Tin, Jimmy, and I went to the SM mall for dinner and a few errands.  In the mall, I booked my flight to Manila from Cebu for February 9th.  :-(  The flight cost me a whole $55.  Also, there's a shop in the mall that will make a sticker of any image, you just bring them the image on a flash drive.  I took them some Appalachian Trail Conservancy logos.  They turned out really nice!  Cost me a whole $4. Copyrights kinda don't matter here..  There's also a place in the mall where you can buy whole seasons of a current and popular TV show such as Glee or 24.  It's been compressed onto one CD, but for $1, who cares if the quality isn't high-def?!  Lastly, there's a place in the mall that will carve images in solid wood.  You just bring them a picture and they'll get to carving!  These would make the perfect souvenirs!  Where else could you get that??

It's impossible to be any cuter!!

New Month, Same Weather -- Feb 1st

February said hello by dumping even more rain today..  It was certainly a dreary day and I was tired all day too.  That could have been because I didn't get much sleep last night.  I'm not sure what the deal is with the cats here, but this YouTube video is a great demonstration of what went on outside of my window a good deal of last night.  Click HERE for video. 
For dinner, we went to Pier 1.  Everyone was there:  Edgardo, Carole, Christine [Tin], Jimmy, Chriszel [Bon], Chrisza [Sasa], John (Sasa's BF), Christian [Ian], Abby (Ian's GF), and Jochelle (she's adopted).  Quite the crew!  We had sundays for dessert at McDonalds after we went grocery shopping.

I Told You Once, I Told You Twice... -- Jan 31st

Monday was spent trying to find our way home.  Who wants to go back the same way they came?  But before we left Moalboal, we went to the famous White Beach.  On the way there, Jimmy and I got separated..  I made an assumption that he took a turn that we previously took a day earlier, when he had not.  I killed about an hour looking for him but once he found me, he reinforced that I should stay put at the first place I become unsure where he went.  But I thought you went that way!!!
We make it to the entrance and it's a miniscule $5P to enter the beach.  Even though it wasn't really a good beach day, it was really windy and the water was really choppy.  Still, it was gorgeous and well worth the insignificant $5P entrance fee.

Skip ahead 2 hours and we are trying to traverse the mountains to get to the other side of the island.  We can't find the proper trail and the higher we climb in elevation, the more we enter the clouds.  In fact, from sea level, you could see the ominous-looking clouds engulfing the mountain tops.  After coaxing my screaming two-stroke up steep, slippery, and rocky sections, we find ourselves literally in the clouds around 2,700 feet.  It's now raining and the wind is howling-- we're both soaked.  On the peak of one of the mountains, the trail went right by a concrete hut with a tin roof (someone's house), where we rested awhile and waited out the weather.  I was absolutely stunned to see a Census of Population & Housing sticker on the door.  This concrete hut was literally in the middle of nowhere on top of a mountain with only a rocky trail for access.  I would hate to be that Census taker..  Anyway, we waited about 30 minutes until we admitted to ourselves that the rain and wind wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.  We rationalized that if we can get off the mountain, the weather should improve.   Therefore, we 'take the plunge' and push on so we can hopefully start to descend.  However, we still can't find the right trail.  The locals are more than willing to help but since there's more than one way to Carcar, our next stop, it's difficult to get consistent directions..  It's getting late, so we finally say screw it and ask for the quickest way to the highway.

A nicer section of trail, before the weather turned really nasty...

On the way down the mountain, weather did start to improve, and I was able to see how Filipinos farm rice in the mountains.  However, once back on the paved highway, I had to tap into some of my newly acquired Philippine driving skills to dodge traffic and flying coconuts (sometimes they randomly drop from the coconut trees that overshadow the roads), we roll into Cebu and I return the bike to the Banana Moon.  I'll miss not having a bike to help me explore the island!

Rice fields built into the side of the mountain

Don't Forget To Breathe -- Jan 30th

Sunday was such a blast!!  I got to scuba dive for the first time and then we went to Kawasan Falls for some hiking and swimming.  Gorgeous day!  For the scuba diving, we went with the outfitter, Nelson's.  It appeared to be the only Filipino-owned diving business-- all the others were polluted with Europeans.  We decided to support the local culture and they also had the best deal:  $2,000P to dive and that included a crash course on how to not die.  We went out to the famous Pescador Island.  It was absolutely stunning!  The coral reef was teeming with fish, starfish, etc.  It's amazing how beautiful yet fragile that ecosystem is..  We were so close to the reef that you could touch it (but didn't)!

Scuba diving at Pescador Island, Moalboal

After we got back from diving, we went to the Little Corner Restaurant just down the street from our hotel.  We had lunch right on the water.

Chicken fillet sandwich & banana chocolate shake

Next, we motored down the highway to Kawasan Falls.  It's about a mile walk back in the valley to get to the falls.  In total, there are 3 falls.  The biggest and nicest is the last one and is usually the least populated.  I swam around some and admired the beauty and power of the waterfalls.  After swimming, we hiked back in the valley even more to see the small damn and the scenery.  The water has a pure turquoise look, it almost looks fake!

Later that evening, we spent some time at the 7 Sins Bar again.  I played billiards with some locals and Europeans while enjoying some drinks.  Our waiter-ress was there and recognized us from last night.  She even remember our names!  Never a dull moment here.  :-)  We left the bar in search of an internet cafe so we could research how to use the "interesting" roads (aka trails) to get back home, instead of using the highway.  On our way there, we saw a guy that was on our boat when we went diving.  He informs us that the weather is supposed to turn sour tomorrow because of a tropical storm.  I'm sooo excited at the sound of this...  We mention that we have to go 100+ miles back to Liloan tomorrow!  This sparks a mileage dispute and a pompous Canadian chimes in about how impossible it is that it's 100+ miles from Liloan to Moalboal.  He even insults our intelligence by saying that we can't properly read the odometer on our bikes.  Why is every foreigner I meet here such a _____?

On The Road Again.. -- Jan 29th

Jimmy and I made our way from Liloan to Moalboal, which is on the other side of the island and to the southwest.  We covered over 100 miles one way.  The ride was relatively uneventful because we used the major highway since we were running short on time.  No matter which way you go, if you're going to traverse the entire width of the island, you have to cross the rugged mountains in the middle.  The weather in the mountains tends to have a mind of its own.  We'll find this out the hard way later on...
We arrived in Moalboal, checked in at our hotel (Cabana-- it's right on the water), and then we set out in search of dinner.  Just down the street, some places have a table sitting outside with a variety of fresh seafood.  You can pick whatever you want and they'll cook it for you.  We had dinner right on the water.

Grilled shrimp, tuna, and rice with San Miguel beer

After dinner, we wandered the streets in search of a vacant billiard table.  We checked out the famous Chili Bar but we ended up at the 7 Sins Bar instead.  I played billiards with some locals and Jimmy and I both noticed that our drink waitress has something funky going on..  It's a waiter-ress!  Decked out in an evening gown and all.  Even in the most remote places here, it's still widely accepted and acknowledged.
We left the 7 Sins Bar to check out some other joints.  We found a bar that had a beach theme; sand for the floor and the billiard table was in the sand.  We played a few games while some locals shared their Tanduay (rhum) with us.  Filipinos like to share their alcohol-- it's considered being sociable.
The next day, before we leave Moalboal, I spot a "Moalboal Backpacker Lodge".  Is backpacking a big thing here?!  So much so that they would have their own hostel/lodge??  With my recent interest in backpacking, I start to wonder how cool it would be to traverse some of the Philippines as a backpacker...

I Hope You Like History! Oh, and Rain! -- Jan 28th

I woke up at 6:30am so I could have the privilege of being shown all around Cebu and it's outer-lying suburbs.  The purpose of today was to see the main historical sites in and around they city.  Also, some "cool" sites were thrown into the mix as well.
Edgardo, Bon (Chriszel), 4 of her friends, and myself went to Magellan's cross and the Church of Santo Niño in Cebu, the Lapu Lapu shrine on Mactan, and the Philippine Taoism Temple in 'Beverly Hills', Cebu.  Lapu Lapu is a 'city' here and is named after the first Filipino to successfully resist Spanish forces (colonization).  The Spaniards came back a second time more aggressively and conquered the Philippines for over 300 years.  Out of everything I saw today, I was mostly intrigued by the temple because it was really out of place..  We had lunch at a place called Super Buffet.  95% of the items I had never tried before (let alone could recognize), so I just kinda had a taste-test with most of the items.  One thing I really liked was the fresh watermelon smoothies!!
It absolutely poured today-- monsoon type weather.  It has a tendency to rain in the morning and then be cloudy in the afternoon..  I didn't have an umbrella, as it seemed pointless cause it was raining that hard..  The rain finally stopped after lunch on our way to Carcar.  Apparently, this is where American Eagle is made (and some of A&F is made somewhere in the Philippines as well).  Also, the Teva shoe outlet was bustling and Bon and her friends had a field day while Edgardo and I just sipped sodas.  The last thing we did today was go to the market part of Carcar.  This is the chicharrón capital.  Mmmm... how [not] tasty...  Instead, I opted for some banana chips done in cane sugar and sesame seeds.  Delicious!

Philippine Taoism Temple

 Yamaha or Bust -- Jan 27th

Everyone wished Billy a goodbye today.  He had to go back to Manila, where he lives and works.
After it monsooned most of the day, I went to the Banana Moon and exchanged the Honda XR200.  I was glad to get rid of it-- the fact that I knew the bike wasn't solid was a huge mental burden.  I switched to a Yamaha 125 DT two-stroke.  The engine is almost half the size of the Honda but since it's a two-stroke, this baby has get up and go!  It's actually quicker than the 200, plus more low-end torque to help on the difficult spots on the trail.  I rode it back to the compound and can say that the Yamaha is solid.  I now feel confident about this weekend's trip across the island to go diving and sightseeing.
For dinner, Jimmy, Christine, the parents, and I went out to dinner in downtown Cebu.  It was a buffet at the Marriott that consisted of fish, chicken, beef, salad, corn-on-the-cob, rices, rolls, crab soup, desserts, etc. all for ~$10.  Also, I ordered a Cosmopolitan (my first real drink since I've been here.. no, seriously). It was a nice outing and it was nice to see the parents enjoy a quiet evening with good food.  Afterward, we all roamed the Terraces outside the Ayala Mall taking pictures.

Carole , Christine, Jimmy, Me, & Edgardo at dinner

I Don't Have a Cheeky Title for Today -- Jan 26th

I'm slowing chipping away at a book I brought, called Arctic Daughter.  John, Chrisza's boyfriend, randomly showed up and then a few hours later we all went to a local oyster farm that was right on the water.  This place had a few strung lights, a stereo, and a karaoke machine hooked up to a generator.  Karaoke machines are all over the place here!  Filipinos love basketball, billiards, cell phones, and karaoke.  Little else is needed in life.  Even people living in huts have cell phones.  In the Philippines, you can buy a cell phone without much hassle.  In the US, in order to obtain any worthwhile phone, you have to sign your life away with a carrier for two years.
Billy and John smoked open the oysters and then they were fried for dinner.  We also had grilled tuna, cucumbers, a potato/carrot/mushroom dish, and rice for dinner.  The Philippine camp had grilled squid stuffed with onions and tomatoes-- black ink and all...  I can't say I didn't try it, because I did.  I'm just not a fan...

Motorcycle tricycle

Well, Isn't That Just Spiffy.. -- Jan 25th

Billy, Bon, and I took the motorcycle tricycle (pic coming later) and then a Jeepney to see Abby's dental clinic.  The clinics are usually just one room setups with the typical dental equipment you would find in the US but are usually just manned by only the dentist and maybe one assistant.  There's no dental insurance here though, no one offers it even if you wanted it.  Cleanings run around 400 pesos and up.. that would be starting around $10US.  Afterward, I had my first Mountain Dew from a glass bottle-- real sugar, baby!
After Jimmy woke up, we went for another ride in the mountains on the "main" roads.  Ominous dark clouds threatened to just open up but did nothing other then spit a couple big drops... but the wind on the top those mountains was fierce!  During the ride, I discovered more problems with this bike-- something funky is going on with the gearbox.  When we got back to the house, I called the Banana Moon in Mactan to see if I can switch out of this piece of crap before it quits all together.

Crossing a swing bridge!

Jan 23rd
Jimmy:  "Can't you feel all of that weakness leaving your body?"
Me:  "No... it's numb."

Jimmy has riding friends over here that know most of the trails [or lack thereof].  We met up with the "crazy riders" today behind a gas station in Talamban.  These guys are literally insane; they'll ride any trail.. whether the trail is there or not.  Also, you should see some of the bikes they're riding.. some are 30+ years old with jerry-rigged parts.  Actual and decent dirt bikes are very hard to come by here..  The bike I rented is 'nice' compared to some, but it's the most handicapped-- stock exhaust, enduro tires, no steering stabilizer, and it's low and heavy.  More on this later..
It heavily rained last night and the trails are muddy and slippery.  My enduro tires?  Basically, they are useless for the trail conditions today-- they're just not up to the task.  For most of the ride, we were on a slippery ledge about a foot wide... less in some areas..  I kept sliding off and laying the bike over.

Ace slid off the trail too..

Ace, one of the ride organizers and now a dear friend of mine, is helping me struggle through the hard stuff [when he himself isn't struggling].  There were times where he rode my bike for me through the demanding sections (there were a lot of them).  I was so exhausted from fighting the bike and trail conditions, that it was literally all I could do to just keep the bike up and moving down the trail.  Your energy gets depleted at an alarming rate when you're sweating bullets from constantly picking up a bike that weighs 225 lbs.. and the trail conditions are fully working against you.

Picking my way through one of the many tricky sections.  Note the trail differences in yesterday and today....

There was a time today were we could *see* our lunch stop building from atop a mountain; sitting 1,500+ feet down in the valley.  We never made it there.  The trail conditions were too demanding and were slowing us way down.  We were forced to take a muddy descent trail that had to have 50+ degree angles in some places.  I make it down without too much fuss...  However, I was so tired and focused on picking my way down, that I left my pack up on the hill when we stopped for a rest.  I only walked a short way until I found a little kid that I persuade to go and retrieve my pack.  The "locals" (a few sparse people living in huts deep in the jungle) are always willing to help a rider.. up the hill, to go get help, directions, etc.  I gave him some shiny peso coins for helping me.  I'll be needing more assistance from the locals later...
The trail finally opens up and it looks like we're home free-- except for a tricky uphill climb out of a creek bed.  My rear tire is a slick from all the mud; traction doesn't exist and I struggle to coax the bike out of the creek bed.  I start to notice a burning smell...  Ahh, the smell of a fried clutch.  My bike is now immobile.  I enlist some assistance from the locals to help push the bike the rest of the way up the hill.  Once there, I'm able to see the hard surface road that's only 100 yards away.. seriously?!  WTF..  We buy some rope from the same locals and now I am granted the lucky task of riding a freewheeling bike that's being towed behind Jimmy.  According to Ace's observations, the clutch was almost dead when I got the bike anyway, so it was just a matter of time... and it was my time.  How nice.
After about an hour, we finally make it into the city, where we stop for a 4pm lunch.  I literally inhale a cheeseburger and fries.  We left the bike at Ace's house to be fixed by tomorrow.  Just to give you an idea of our day, we only did about 13 miles...and we were on the trail for over 7 hours.  I could have hiked faster!!
I was definitely the newbie today and there were times where I'll admit I was very close to tears or a breakdown.  But at least I was out there.. I survived.. I made it.  And that's all that matters.

My dead bike is in the middle; I'm hungry and not happy.

Now We're Talkin'.. -- Jan 22nd

So many new experiences today!  This morning Jimmy and I went to the Banana Moon to pick up my bike, after riding on the back his bike all the way there.  I had no foot pegs for my feet.. awesome..  I had the pleasure of driving my bike back in the traffic here.  Forget any traffic laws that exist in the US, they don't apply here.  Turn signals... they make those things?!  What if you need to pass someone?  Just blow by slow people that are in your lane by going into the opposite lane with oncoming traffic, someone will see you and thus move slightly over.  Speed limits... haha, right..  I make it back to the compound in one piece and it was actually kinda fun not having any traffic laws!
Jimmy and I take the horns and mirrors off my bike before taking it out on a 'shakedown run'.  Should I find myself on some really difficult trails and I lay the bike over, these items can't break if they're not on the bike!  We start the shakedown run by heading into the nearby mountains.  And mountains they are!  Pretty soon we are in the "real" Philippines.. little villages perched atop mountains or in valleys in the middle of nowhere.  Everyone is barefoot and carrying some sort of item up the trail to the mountaintop village.  Often times there are little kids screaming "racer racer" or clapping and yelling in support of riding.  I burp the throttle and blow past them-- making them even more enthused.  Although it's hard to feel like a superstar for too long, since these people are literally living in huts and I'm blowing past them in their front dirt yard in a mere 2 seconds.
We stop at one of the many little village 'stores' for a drinks and gas.  We have something equivalent to Red Bull and the gasoline comes in Pepsi or Coke 1 liter glass bottles.  Everyone is still staring at us...

Some of the scenery.. and of course I wouldn't be caught dead on anything other than a Honda

ZZZZZZ... -- Jan 21st

Geezus, I'm tired.. and I didn't do anything today!  I even took a nap.  When I woke up, I snagged this pic from the front yard..

Thank youuu sirrr -- Jan 20th

Tin and I went all the way over to Lapu-Lapu City today.  Cebu is divided into several cities (boroughs).  I'm staying in Liloan.  We went to the Banana Moon in Lapu to reserve and rent the bike that I'll use on rides when Jimmy gets back from Cambodia.  It's a Honda XR200.  Bikes that aren't scooters are hard to come by around here..  I paid a premium (800P/day + 5,000P deposit).  The owner, Neil, was an old head from the US that has let his pesos go to his head.  He was very rude to his Filipino assistants, barking orders and talking in a demeaning tone to them, all-the-while grilling me with questions about how I'm going to use his bike.  He is a prime example of why Americans / Europeans are viewed, on the whole, negatively around the world.  Standard American Pig.  I'm reminded of home and don't like it...
We left the Banana Moon and went to the SM Mall.  I feel like I'm in the US inside this mall-- it's very nice, but step outside and around the corner and the 'second-world-country' vibe is turned back on.  I bought a screen protector and a new case for my Nokia E71 (~$3.50), a mother of pearl necklace (~$30), and a steel cross pendant (~$10).  Before leaving, Tin & I had gourmet pieces of cake at a pastry shop for ~$0.75 a piece.  On the way back, Tin tells me that the area near the mall has been reclaimed from the ocean with dirt from the nearby mountains.  Now I understand what "SM City Cebu Annex North Reclamation" means on my credit card slip.
I didn't snag any pics today.  However, below is what a modern jeepney looks like.  I mentioned them in a previous post.  Jeepneys are open air style "taxis" and are often loaded up with 10+ people.  You sit facing each other, and yes, it's as small as it looks.  Also, older (and bigger) versions of the jeepney are prevalent because the US left surplus military-style Jeeps on the Clark air base after WWII and the locals outfitted them with colorful paint schemes and lots... and lots of accessories.

Modern version of the jeepney

Philippine Life 101 -- Jan 19th

Today we went to the the local market [Liloan Public Market], also known as the "wet market".  The front part of the market housed "dry" goods such as fruits, veggies, rice, coffee mix (coffee makers are rare & expensive here because of electricity), and shampoo/conditioner in disposable pouches (not many people can afford to buy the large quantity bottles).  The back part of the market housed the "wet" goods such as fish, squid, chicken, beef, shrimp, etc.  Everything was just laying out on tables in the open air; no ice in sight.  Water was being poured over the seafood items to keep them...cool?  Thus leaving the fishy water in pools on the concrete floor.  Pungent odors of seafood, dirty water, and close spaces filled the air.  I wind my way through the aisles and notice everyone is yet again staring at me.  I can hear "guapo" (which means handsome in Spanish), "Justin Beiber", and "iloeng" (meaning nose--they're admiring it).  I just smile-- they shyly smile and look down in return.  I bought the family some groceries and apple vodka for myself (~$1.50 for 1 litre).
Back at the compound, it's laundry day!  Bon and Billy are busy with everyone's laundry.  I stand with a perplexed look on my face as I watch the laundry process.  It's mostly manual labor by hand, even though there is a small washing machine doing the initial wash.  This is followed by dipping the laundry in 5 different tubs of water to remove the soap, wringing after each dip.  I noticed Billy scrubbing his sneakers... I do the same and 4 year old kicks look brand new!
For lunch, Tin made a chicken dish that had coconut milk, squash, and green beans for ingredients.  Edgar obtained fresh coconuts from the trees in the yard and shaved the fresh coconut out of the insides.  The chicken dish was delicious over rice!  Later, we had another lechon baboy dinner at the grandmother's house across the yard of the compound.

Rest!  Finally! -- Jan 17th

They say its the wet season here.  It's raining today and looks like it will continue all day..  I shall use today for my rest.. I already slept until 10am.  Being constantly on the move since I've been here was starting to catch up with me!
Yesterday we just worked our way back from center Cebu and took it easy the rest of the day..  Billy, Edgardo (the Dad), and I shot some hoops and afterward he climbed a coconut tree (while barefoot) to get some coconuts for us to drink and eat.  That was an interesting treat..  The water is supposed to be very good for you and the 'meat' of the coconut was almost like a gel.  In the Philippines, they call the coconut tree the tree of life.
After dinner, Edgar, Christian (Ian), Billy, and myself played billiards.  Everyone is really good and I'm just ok... (ok, I suck compared to them) but we still had a great time!

Viva Pit Senyor!  Sinulog 2011! -- Jan 15th & 16th
For information about Sinulog:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinulog_festival

Saturday
After we arrived in center Cebu for the Sinulog festival, we went to the mall to buy our Sinulog shirts!   Today was the procession for the festival and the main parade will be tomorrow.  Sadly, it rained much of the day.. Christine (Tin), Chrizel (Bon), Billy, & myself spent the day dodging between little shops to avoid the rain.  I found it funny that while we were waiting out a downpour in a little shop that we were surrounded by gay people.  Tin informed me on the many customs for the gays here.  She even explained a joke to me that they were all laughing about-- it was pouring so all the gays would be washed away.  Also, the gays here that are called "extreme" have boob injections--and there's a lot of them.
The procession wasn't anything fancy.. just people walking down the street in ordinary clothes.  Tin told me that first and second year college students get extra credit for going to the parade today, hence all these young people wearing the same white t-shirt.  I bought my first souvenir-- a seashell beaded bracelet for 15 pesos...35 cents.  After a long day of walking and standing, we went back to our bed and bath called Sugbutel.  Staying here was an experience.  I truly do feel like I'm in Asia staying at a place such as this.. you won't find anything like this back in the US!  We didn't have a room to ourselves, instead we each had our own "cubby" with a curtain for privacy, small mattress, pillow, and an outlet to charge your cellphone.

Sunday
Today is the big day!  We woke up a 6am (after a pretty much sleepless night in my cubby).  Anyway, we ate at Jollibee for breakfast (think McDonalds, only better).  Almost all fast food places here have chicken and spaghetti as choices, even McDonalds.
We then started walking along the main street for the parade.  The parade is mainly a procession of music and dance to showcase the 'love' for the Santo Nino.  There are tons of floats, celebrities, music, and performers dressed in extravagant costumes-- especially the 'queen'.  She gets to hold the sacred Santo Nino.
Since I'm a foreigner and Tin has her friend with a photography contest pass, we're pretty much allowed anywhere, even in the street with the performers!  The locals aren't even allowed in the street.  I believe the Filipinos are proud to see a foreigner here embracing their culture.. so they are very accommodating.  The people here really like foreigners-- everyone is looking at me!  Tin informs me that this is because the people here rarely see young Americans, they think I'm attractive, and/or how I'm dressed.  Also, despite my thinking, I'm still getting Justin Beiber comments.  People are coming up to me and asking for pictures and I was even interviewed by the national news!!  You won't be able to understand much, but here's a video of what I've been up to lately.  Plus, keep an eye out... Click HERE for the video.
Everyone started to tire, so we ate dinner at Shakey's (apparently this pizza joint is in the US too?) and then rode the jeepney (Filipino style taxi) back to Sugbutel for our second night.

The First Day -- Jan 14th

I have arrived here--after 36+ hours of total travel.  Christine, her Mom & Dad, Chrizel & Billy picked me up at the airport.  What a warm welcome!  We arrived at the compound and Billy had made me a colorful welcome sign... so nice!!  I snagged a couple hours for a nap and then took what I'm going to call a "scoop and pour" shower...  The house doesn't have running water for the shower (but the sinks work), so a huge 55-gallon drum full of water is placed in the shower and you scoop the cool water out with a pitcher and pour it over yourself to rinse off.  It's quite invigorating!
Dinner was Leizel's birthday so we had lechon baboy (roasted pig), among other Philippine style dishes.
Everything is so different here.. slowing adapting.  It's very warm and humid here as well.  My Justin Beiber hair isn't looking so nice... it's all frizzy!  I'm really thinking about having it cut short...
Today (Jan. 15) we will go into Cebu and stay at the hotel for the Sinulog Festival..