John Grant

I have watched many series of POP IDOL from the original in the UK through to the compulsive AMERICAN IDOL over the last few years.

It is fantastic to hear professional and talented people singing for love, yet I am amazed that here in the Philippines everyone sings and sings from the heart. When I fill up the car or shop in any supermarkets I love to hear the staff singing and they never show any embarassment at people listening.

The pure talent of singing and the presentation abilities that i see here in Davao at bars or in Manila on the baywalk makes me realise that the country has far more talent than most of the Europeans or the USA, I mean that in the sense of the number of talented singers and performers.

When I was in Vietnam this year I noted that most of the bars had flown in Philippine singers and bands, who because of the perfect grasp of English could sing to perfection compared to their Vietnamese cousins who only normally have only six letters to each word.

I remember Last year a band asked for requests on the Manila Baywalk, I asked for a record not thinking it was even known to the young singers, “You make me feel brand new” by the Stylistics. To my delight they knew it and sang it to ME, I was blown away at the sound and the harmonies and i have to admit that i felt the tears begin to flow.

I asked myself why?, the answer is not only the quality of the song, the singers, it was the place i am now living in ,the atmosphere and the love i have for the people and the country of the Philippines.

Not being known as a sentimental man i truly can say that this country has mellowed me and when i hear children singing in the street, smiling and taking life full on I know that my life has turned for the better.

Is that proof that music can tame the savage beast??

As some of you know I have a close contact with Harold a young man who I have adopted over the last few years as a surrogate son. His real father died a couple of weeks ago and has visited here in Davao City to try and relax and get over the death.

After staying with me a few days in DAVAO we decided to take our first ever trip to Mati , and this is Harold’s report of that trip which I have edited for those of a nervous disposition

Mati, is outside from Davao, three hours driving by a car from the city of davao ,passing thru the mountains and it was very awesome to look at the overwhelming view of the sea side and green leaves from the different kinds of variety of trees in addition the view of SLEEPING DINOSAUR that connect to the mountain.It was recently proclaimed last August 03, 2007 as a newest city in Mindanao. We stay inside the town with my English and Filipino friends at a INN. It was shock to me the I never expected that the place is not suit to my taste,the comfort room was not well, sink was not

working, no working shower only a bucket of water.”You can see this in typical Filipino house setting” but i can cope it.”No choice” that’s the only place to stay with as a traveler like me.

We had a quick walk with my filipino friends heading in the Baywalk entertainment center of Mati at night and i found it that the people were very friendly and nice and enjoying an all night open air concert which appeared to be a battle of school bands, even the rain did not stop the enjoyment.

Its not unusual that you we always hear in the news that Mindanao is not safe for the foreigners to travel in that southern part of the Philippines how i want to tell you that’s not true.

During the night while i sleeping i was not alone in the place, i had my friends to accompany me the mosquitos, rodents, and cockroaches and in addition very noisy ladies and a dancing bar one meter away from the reception area of the hotel.

The second day it was a new place to explore within that City i mention above, me and my friends went in the Resort, which is in Brgy Dahican outside from the city of MATI. its about 20 minutes driving by the private car and you will see the different kinds of tree who gives a natural view of green on the area, but most of the tree was are coconut trees and I really enjoyed watching the scenery of the place while passing the road heading in the resort. The resort was empty and the sand went on uninterrupted for miles and miles.

I had not expected that they have a very beautiful and magnificent place outside in the town, I can say that i felt i am outside in the Philippines but it was not. You will see the reflection of the clear blue sky on the sea water and addition of the white sand, the air gave the feeling to fall asleep while you set in the cautage “it a tiny house made by NIPA HUT”. I had a quick walk under the very sunny weather and as it was low tide I was

encouraged to walk in the sea water where i saw different kind of species in the water that i cannot define as this moment.but i am pretty sure that you will not harm of those species, although they might bite your toes I did not take that chance.

Time goes by i notice that the sky is getting is dark and symbolize that soon the rain was fall into the sand. so we divided to go back to the town,and take dinner at A very native eating house a tiny restaurant just across in the place i stay with name was DALICA GRILL, about 5 to 6 min walk.the ambiance was not good but the FOOD WAS clean and PERFECT and the price was definitely cheap.

In my last day in the CITY, we went to the small village to explore and within the fantastic homes and a very small streets i was still impressed by the place , the people who swarmed onto the street as John and I walked down to the Sea front, it seemed that all the kids were following us with a hundred perfect smiles and shaking our hands, maybe because John was a rare visions in that village carrying a video camera around the village.

I passed through a mosque of that village where two Muslim elders greeted us warmly and shook our hands and asked about England and how Muslims were doing in London

Since the sun become far to hot to walk further we retreated back to town to open the doors of Jolibee and drink Coke at an alarming rate, it is really amazing place that makes me a glad i went there and enjoyed the friendly people and the non hectic comparison of my home town Manila.

One of the great things about this fantastic country is the natural beauty, I myself look out at the APO mountains every morning and every night.

When you fly its great to look down, and to whiz by the islands shimmering in the clear waters,but The best for me is the feeling of being on a motorbike and taking unknown routes and seeing the real people and the amazing views around every corner.

Now I am not brave enough to ride a motorbike but am very happy to be a passenger on the back and just take in the views and have the ability to continually wave to the people who shout out “hey Joe”.

Now this is all fantastic except that traffic cops seem to have a magnet to the motorbike, or is it possibly the white skin? Many times we have passed by a single traffic cop who just cannot signal us quick enough to slow down and pay a fixed penalty for something or other.

We made a mistake when returning to Davao from Panabo and passed a group of ten traffic cops relaxing, we passed nine who took no notice and the tenth was not bothered until he saw the white skin and jumped out with seconds to go to go, nearly causing us an accident, however we stopped next to his toes safely.

He checked the bike everything ok, checked tyres, all ok, asked for driving license all ok! What was he going to do? He asked for registration document and my driver went woops! That’s the one that got us, he left it at home, guilty as charged.

The officer explained to my friend that this was a serious offence and he would have to take away his licence until he went to LTO to pay a fine of around p1000, and of course he would have to make other arrangements to get the bike home.

He asked my friend if he would like to make a statement,the charge book still closed. My friend not getting the hint indicated his bemusement by saying ” a statement about what?” Again the officer asked the same question another three to four times, my friend just did not know what to say,then I saw the charge book open up!!!

At this point I asked the officer would he be ok to take a pre payment towards the fine, and would that allow us to continue. He told me what a good idea and this penalty would be paid in full by the p500. I never asked for receipts!!

From now on we decided to wear the helmet, gloves and long trousers, no white skin to show, otherwise it will get too expensive.

Unlike most of you guys I am a Brit here in the Philippines and sometimes when I watch the so called TV and listen to the radio and even reading the newspapers I could imagine what its like to be in America.

In fact when I first landed at Manila airport I was shocked as I could hear these hundreds of what to me sound like American voices coming from everyone, even a lot of the spelling is in American English. Of course now I understand following the American rule, but it was an unexpected shock to me and even more of a shock was that my British accent met with glazed eyes and even bigger smiles.

Klaus mentioned that TV here is of a poor level, well forgive me for saying but in the main we Europeans find the USA TV not totally to our tastes.

Now programmes like 24 are the best in the world and HOUSE (British actor) show the world that some TV is fantastic, but far and few between but thanks to my friend Bob,(yes Mr Blog himself) I managed to download many programmes from the UK that had just been transmitted. Also thanks to the BBC websites I can watch video podcast of many programmes and even watch News live from the UK feed and watch old news programmes too.

I even can listen to every UK radio station live through the net, and I can even listen back up to seven days on most programmes so I can hear them back at convenient time.

My point being we are very lucky to make these moves across thousands of miles and still be able to hold on to some of the things that originate from our home lands thanks to this terrific technology. I even speak to my mum cheaper by SKYPE then when i lived in the UK. And that’s important as she never stops talking but when i explain that i am talking to her through my PC not a phone she reply’s “Don’t be silly, do you think im stupid i know your on a phone” I never try to explain anymore.

I have to share this with you guys, it happened about four years ago on my very first visit to Manila on my second day too.

As a British tourist I was walking around in the sweltering heat with my video camera and headed to Manila bay area where all the locals posed for my video camera and all the kids smiled and it was a great pleasant time. After about thirty minutes I headed back to the hotel, mainly to get out of the sun and was aware that I was passing the USA embassy, where many tourists were taking pictures of the guards and an armed combat vehicles outside with soldiers.

I decided that may be a little risky to join those people taking pictures so I just pointed my video camera away and took a last look at Manila bay.

Then I heard shouting and screaming I turned around to see two soldiers’ rifles out running in my direction, I looked ahead but could not see what they were running to, but I know it’s serious as everyone stopped and looked very concerned.

As they got to me they stopped, I still could not see what was going on until they both got hold of ME and marched and pulled me pass a crowd of people into the front entrance of the embassy.

I had no idea what had happened and I was being filmed and taken pictures of, what had I done? At this point no one was talking English.

After a few minutes a uniformed official put me in a cell like room and sat me at a table and thumped a form in front of me. He proceeded to ask me all my details, but still not telling me why I was there and for how long. I answered everything and just waited to get the point, and then it happened.

I was told I was going to be charged with filming in a restricted area, I was gob smacked, outside many people were doing same but I am inside to be charged. I explained I had no idea of the rules and apologised the official who then asked to watch back the video.

I rewound the video five minutes and after watching a 5 sec clip of embassy grass he told me to tape over it now. I pointed the camera at the window and filmed for 2 min’s, then rewound it and played it back to him.

Now the grass was replaced by two minutes of military people coming and going through the entrance of the embassy and several officials and all the faces of the people who were working in the front office, this was ok Apparently the grass was secret but the inside was not!

I was then told I would get a “visit” at the hotel, at which point my British humour cut in and I just laughed until the official barked at me. I explained about the grass and what we had just filmed he just laughed with me offered me a cigarette and ripped up the paperwork.

He shook my hand and I left with tourist’s filming me, I went back to the hotel very very thankful he did not go back further then five minutes on my video camera, that’s a blog for another day!!