As a lifetime city boy I still find it strange to see such livestock walking and making noises around my City here in the Philippines, at first its great to have that rural feel within the City but as mentioned a few hundred times before it can be frustrating to not sleep because of the constant wildlife that refuses to sleep the western times. Now I used to be a butcher longtime ago but even then I would cut up the carcass of the Pigs that in most cases had been cleaned up before arriving on my butchers table, even in most cases the eyes are removed. Here I get graphic details of a different treatment as I often have to share a meal table with … [Read more...]
The Congressman wants what?
September 30, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Do you remember a couple of months ago I had an article where I advocated the Jeepney fares should be determined by the private sector, not dictated by the government? Over the years I have had numerous columns where I pointed out that the Philippine government, in my opinion, gets too involved in matters that really should be private. Also, many Filipinos, in my opinion, look for the government to tell them what to do, to protect them, etc. instead of taking care of their own needs. So, do you know who Manny Pacquiao is? I have written about him before, and he is quite famous anyway, so I am sure that the vast majority of you know who … [Read more...]
Age Is Just A State Of Mind?
September 29, 2008 By 21 Comments
Last week in this column we had a few comments regarding age. That got me thinking a little about age and how it often relates to life here in the Philippines. If you aren’t familiar with the culture and conventions of the Philippines, it’s no secret you will have some getting “used to” to do. One area you’ll find very much different here are some distinct differences in attitudes and even rules about age … as well as some other human attributes. Just as with the ongoing discussion on my own blog, PhilFAQS and Bob’s column recently on the “they all look alike to me” issue, there are a lot of other things here in the Philippines … [Read more...]
On the road home…
September 29, 2008 By Leave a Comment
It seems that Feyma's mother has embarked on a trip. She is on the road home. She actually started this journey several years ago, but over the past few days, it seems that she has nearly reached her destination. I am not with her and can't see what she is seeing, but I am sure that a lot of people are waiting for her with open arms. We got the call from one of Feyma's sisters on Friday last week. Mama seemed to be very near death. The timing for this was not good, but no matter when something like this happens, it can never be "good timing," can it? You see, the call came on Friday afternoon, and one of our kids was scheduled to … [Read more...]
Getting a Haircut
September 28, 2008 By 11 Comments
Last week, on my way to Germany, I had a transit in Abu Dhabi. After dealing with some banking stuff, I decided to pay my old barber a visit. This barbeshop was a Bangladeshi joint, where you are offered hot chai or Arabic coffee when you walk in. So, I sit down and get a trim. This isn't any salon... No way. These guys are old fashioned barbers... They'll trim any ear hairs, nose hairs, eyebrows without even thinking twice. I then ask for a shave. He wields it expertly like a Samurai, with a net effect of being closer and smoother than a baby's bum. Scalp massage, face scrubbing with this horrid-smelling Indian balm... Total damage to the wallet … [Read more...]
Samal Island promotion?
September 28, 2008 By 15 Comments
Let me start as follows: for all those, who don't know anything about Samal Island - here are some briefly explanations: Samal Island covers a total area of more than 30,000 hectares. The main island stretches about 34 kilometers between the southern tip of Panabo City, Davao del Norte and the mouth of Davao Gulf. It's meanwhile called the Island Garden City of Samal or IGACoS. There is no dry season. It's only ten minutes by launch from Davao City via Babak (the nearest) though there are some routes in Samal and Kaputian. I always enjoy taking a bus from Lanang or Boulevard in Davao City via ferryboat to the Central Ware House terminal in … [Read more...]
Walang ganyan sa States
September 28, 2008 By 14 Comments
Since living here, I notice a lot of stuff now that I would never have thought of before. Bob and I were having dinner with a friend the other night at a nice place here in Davao. The place was in a nice subdivision. On the way to the restaurant I was thinking I like this place but I would not like it to be our next door neighbor. My goodness I would have hated fighting through a traffic when the restaurant has lots of customers that night. I would not like it when they would have customers during late at night swimming, and they might be a bit louder than they should because they are a little drunk. It is fence really high that you could not … [Read more...]
Reggae music?
September 27, 2008 By 6 Comments
A few nights ago I went Matina Town Square here in Davao City and was treated to a fantastic musical show that blended the music of the native Mindanao tribes along with influence of the Reggae style. To be honest I am not a reggae fan apart from the great Bob Marley, but on this occasion I was treated to a blend of music that is hard to describe, but I will try. The vocals were like ABBA and the instruments were like SANTANA ,even though some of the more tribal instruments I could not recognise but the sounds the costumes and the dancing made my dinner that night a wonderful experience. In one of the back stages a team of drummers aged from … [Read more...]
Social Networking, Philippine Style
September 26, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Web 2.0. Do you know what that is? Ever heard the saying before? Well, basically Web 2.0 is the second incarnation of the World Wide Web. Most people would agree that Web 1.0 (although that term is rarely used) would be from the mid-90's through 2000 or so, when the tech stocks took a big plunge. A few years later, Web 2.0 was born, and continues to this day. One of the foundations of Web 2.0 these days is Social Networking. There are lots of Social Networking sites: Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and dozens of other Social Networking sites are ruling the Web these days and attracting millions of users. Here in the Philippines, though, … [Read more...]
Staying healthy while traveling in the Philippines
September 25, 2008 By Leave a Comment
A few columns back, I wrote about fine dining at a new restaurant discovery here in Davao. In the comments, one reader told about how he avoided a lot of foods and drinks on his recent trip to the Philippines (his first time here), fearing that he might have stomach problems from the food. It's not an uncommon fear, many foreign visitors that I meet here are a little leary to drink the water and to partake in other local foods. Honestly, while you need to be cautious, no need to be overly careful. While visiting here, remember you are on vacation, so have a little fun! Of course, the number one concern for most travelers visiting a country … [Read more...]
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