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The 21st Century Bargirl

November 30, 2009 By MindanaoBob 64 Comments
bargirls

Many foreigners who come to visit, or even to live in the Philippines are into the whole "girlie bar" scene.  Many areas all around the Philippines feature bars where girls dance, either naked or semi-naked.  I've been to such places, as have most men.  For me, though, I've never really been a big patron of such.  Like I said, I've been to that kind of place, but only a handful of times in my life.  It just never has been the type of thing that I enjoy.  Of course, I enjoy looking at pretty girls, but the girlie bar just never seemed to excite me all that much. Somehow along the way, the girls who work in such places as hostesses, GRO … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bob Tagged With: Bob Martin, Entertainment, Living in The Philippines, Relationships

Taking the Pontoon to Iloilo

November 29, 2009 By David DeWall 13 Comments

Chickens. Pigs. Goats. Motorcycles. People. Just a few things one might encounter on the 15 minute pontoon boat ride from the Jordan Wharf in Guimaras to Iloilo City. The pontoon boat carries a lot of different cargo. Always something different every day. Just 13 pesos one way for a scenic journey to the big city. Shopping options are limited in San Miguel where The Sainted Patient Wife and I live so the boats are a great option for us to load up on groceries and haul them back to our little town. The wife and I hop off our 12 peso each 25 minute jeepney ride from San Miguel to the Jordan Wharf, and she gets our boat tickets that are reused phone … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dave D. Tagged With: Dave DeWall, Filipino Culture, Living in The Philippines, Transportation

I Joined the Army to see the World! (Part 2)

November 28, 2009 By GenSan Chris 16 Comments

In early 1970 I enlisted in the Military and In the April I took the plunge and went for Training with the British Army, Corps of Engineers and was given my very first rank as a Sapper (Private)! My mother was not happy about this as she said that only children from broken homes joined the Army but my dad was the opposite and encouraged me to go! What ever was in store for me it could not be worse than being stuck in Bradford! On arrival at the railway station in Cove, Hampshire, Southern England with a bunch of other recruits my life was about to change dramatically and for the better i must say! I knew that I would like the Army as soon … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Chris Tagged With: Chris Dearne, Expats, Living in The Philippines

Street Children

November 27, 2009 By John 8 Comments

One of the things that is a always hard to see in this beautiful country, is the poverty around most corners, especially when it involves children. Now I have traveled a lot around and the site of small children, barefoot and in hand down clothing, always pulls at my heart and like any human being you just want to help, but of course, in all honesty there is not a loot you can do against the consistent river of people needing urgent help and food. One thing that really makes me sad is that children who are not poor, still approach me in the streets and ask me for money,even though I know they live privileged lives and have everything, but seeing … [Read more...]

Filed Under: John G Tagged With: Daily Life, Expats, Food, John G, Living in The Philippines

Taking a break

November 27, 2009 By MindanaoBob 23 Comments
Happy Thanksgiving to all LiP Readers!

As any regular LiP readers know, I have been taking Cebuano language classes for more than 2 years now.  Recently, I decided to take a little break. It's actually been about 4 weeks already since I stopped taking classes!  At first, having some time away from my studies was a bit of a relief.  It sort of felt like the pressure was off a bit.  I had been experiencing a problem, because I didn't have enough time to properly study.  Every week, as each day passed, I felt guilty because I knew that I had not taken care of my homework, and had not practiced learning my new vocabulary words as I should.  As each day passed, I felt worse about … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bob Tagged With: Bob Martin, Holidays, Language, Living in The Philippines

Early Christmas decoration!

November 26, 2009 By Feyma 4 Comments
monks

I am writing today about how the Martin's decorate Christmas. When we used to live in the States I decorated Christmas right after Thanksgiving. Even when we moved back here to the Philippines. In the States before it would take me a few days to finished up my decorations. I usually decorate the whole house. You know to keep up with the lifestyle there. At first we did have the live Christmas tree there (before me and Chris got the allergy problem).  We usually went to a friends farm there and found the Douglas fir tree (I think that's the name of  the kind of Christmas tree that we like). It was really fun looking at the perfect tree for us. When … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Feyma Tagged With: Feyma Martin, Filipino Culture, Holidays, Living in The Philippines

"Sur" to Vigan

November 26, 2009 By PaulK 20 Comments

(Author's Note:  To enjoy this travelogue fully, curl up with it in your favorite "comfy" chair and have you favorite beverage at hand.  It is a little long - a "day's worth of life" long, to be precise. As it should "post" on the US Thanksgiving Day [Happy Turkey Day, folks], it makes a splendid alternative to football games unavailable in your TV broadcast area.) It’s an old wives’ tale that, the longer a couple stays together, the more they tend to think alike.  (You gotta love those old wives – they possess a whole lot of knowledge and aren’t afraid to share it with us dimmer bulbs on the Christmas Tree!) One sunny day earlier … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Paul Tagged With: Daily Life, Filipino Culture, History, Ilocos Sur, Living in The Philippines, Luzon, Paul Keating, Travel, Vigan

Bloodbath

November 25, 2009 By MindanaoBob 137 Comments
A dark and bloody day for Mindanao

I have some rules that I live by.  One of my rules is that I don't become involved in Philippine Politics.  As a guest here in the Philippines, the political situation here is not my concern, and it is not my place to tell Filipinos how to run their own country.  Today, I am going to stretch that rule a bit.  I don't think I am breaking the rule, but I am getting right up to the edge. Some situations, though dictate that one cannot remain silent.  Sometimes a person must stand up and be heard.  By speaking out, I am not advising the Filipino people how to run their country... I am only saying that the situation that I will address is … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bob Tagged With: Bob Martin, Elections, Filipino Culture, Living in The Philippines, Mindanao, Safety

Is Pay for view worth it?

November 24, 2009 By Paul Thompson 16 Comments

When pigs fly, could be my answer to that question. Sunday 15 November, I sat down to watch the Pacquiao Cotto fight, l phoned Dream Satellite and booked the big event well in advance. I asked “What time does the main event starts here in the Philippines?” “8am sir”, the tiny voice responded to my inquiry. I’m thinking that can’t be right, as the fight is in Las Vegas, in a different time zone from the east coast. So I adjust and figured 10am or at worst 11am. But alas, I so absolutely wrong, 8am Pay-for-View clicked on, but no fight just filler until 11am and then started with three no name fights prior to the Main Event. Pay-For-View, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Paul T Tagged With: Entertainment, Living in The Philippines, Paul Thompson, Sports

Keeping Up With The De La Cruz's

November 23, 2009 By Tommy 16 Comments

In the west there's a saying "keeping up with the Jones' " well to make a little adjustment to fit the area some names have been changed to protect the innocent. The fact is, it really is another world here,  here I look around in my barangy and at the adjacent barangy's I notice the vast difference obvious family wealth but there seems not to be any competition here to best the neighbor down the street. See in my old neighborhood it was always one neighbor outdoing the other, for example I bought a new Dodge Challenger, my neighbor bought a new Corvette, I bought a boat he financed a mortgage on a yacht. It is the point of not making sense … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Tommy Tagged With: Daily Life, Filipino Culture, Living in The Philippines, Tommy Krizka
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