OK, for my article yesterday, I wrote somewhat glowingly about Cebu City, to the point where I even said that maybe someday down the road I could even end up living in Cebu. While I won’t change that statement, I have seen more of the city now, and my opinion has shifted to some extent. You see, I wrote that article on Tuesday, after only a half day in the City. Now, I am writing this article on Thursday evening, and I’ve spent more time in Cebu, and seen a wider part of the City now, so it is natural that I am more informed about the place, and have changed my opinion to at least some degree.
Yesterday, I went to Bogo, in Northern Cebu Province. I met Rusty Ferguson there, and I will be writing more about that experience in a later article, most likely next week. But, traveling to Bogo first brought me through more of Cebu City, and then took me through the northern part of the Island. When I wrote my article for yesterday, I had basically only visited the area of Ayala, the Reclamation area of Cebu City, and the area of Fuente Osmena. Except for Fuenta, the areas I have been to were really kind of the showcase of Cebu City, particularly Ayala, and the surrounding area. There can be no doubt that places like Ayala and the Reclamation area are parts of town that are very clean, well kept, nice and new buildings and such, and thus, they greatly reminded me of living in the States. The other parts of the City that I’ve visited now, are nothing like that.One thing I noticed today, when riding the bus back to Cebu City is that there is a terrible problem with Graffiti in Cebu City. Based on the looks of it, it would appear to be gang related graffiti, and it is everywhere you look. It makes me wonder what kind of gang activity there is in Cebu. In Davao, we have some graffiti, but not too bad, and certainly not anywhere near the level of Cebu graffiti. I also saw a lot of places around the City with plenty of trash along the streets, generally dirty and unkept. There is some of this in Davao, but not too bad compared to what I saw today.There is no denying, though, that when it comes to availability of “stuff” – Cebu has Davao beat, hands down. Today, I visited the SM Mall here in Cebu. I have been to SM many times, but it has been at least 7 years since the last time I was at SM Cebu. My lord, it has grown! They have added on to the mall (maybe more than once in that number of years). I was absolutely shocked at the mall that I saw there. The older area of the mall, while having been refurbished somewhat, still looked like SM. It had the SM look and feel that all of the SM Malls tend to have around the Philippines. The new area, though, is super upscale. Very fancy. I mean, this was much nicer than any of the malls that I had ever been to in the States (I have not been to the States for 9+ years, so I am sure that malls there have upgraded too, though). This place was high tech, and also beautiful. I went into part of the mall that houses mostly computer stores, and it looked like you were walking through some kind of futuristic Star Trek set. There was one new area that was almost exclusively upscale restaurants. There were beautiful restaurants featuring Japanese, Chinese, Filipino foods and others. There was Starbucks. I looked at the menus there too, and the prices were reasonable. I was quite impressed. The size of the SM Mall here in Cebu is huge also. I eyed it, and estimated, I would guess that the SM Mall here is around 8 times the size of SM City Davao. Now, let me say, though, there are 4 new malls either under construction or in the planning stages for Davao, and we may see this kind of quality there in the next couple of years, I can’t say for certain. I don’t expect anything to reach this kind of size, though.
One thing that I expected to see in Cebu was huge traffic problems. Surprisingly to me, I have not seen that. My impression based on what I have experienced in the past 3 days is that traffic is worse in Davao than Cebu. Cebu is more metropolitan, with more people concentrated into the city. Davao is more spread out and open. So, why is traffic better in Cebu? I am not an expert, but I would attribute it to Cebu City’s extensive use of “flyovers” which raise traffic over the top of major intersections. Unless you are going to make a turn at that particular intersection, you get to avoid that traffic altogether by traveling over the top of the intersection. Davao has nothing like this. Cebu has had this since sometime in the mid-90’s, and I see a lot more flyovers now than back in 2001/2002 when I was here last. I believe that this system has made a huge impact on traffic problems, and kept congestion to the minumum here in Cebu.So, as you may expect, like any other place in the world, Cebu has pluses and minuses. There are upsides to Cebu, and there are downsides too.
Well, I am heading back to Davao today. By the time that most of you read this, I will be home already. I will be thinking more about Cebu, and how it compares to Davao, and may write more about this topic in the future. I certainly intend to make more visits to Cebu, and to bring Feyma along on future jaunts too. I have at least a couple more articles about this trip in mind, and after I am home and have better computer access, I’ll be posting some pictures from the trip.
Bob, I thoroughly enjoyed reading your comparison between Cebu and Davao. I know you have hit on a topic that so many of your readers are constantly asking-where is the best place for my life style? Perhaps in the future you can visit, Iloilo, Bacolod, Baguio and other areas doing the same type of analysis. I know that I would certainly enjoy reading what you had to say. Thank you for some good reading over the past few days. Ron
cebu is a nice place ,and its cheap out in the province.to tell you the truth sm cebu is one of the best malls i have ever been to in the world let alone the philippines.
Hi Bob,
Glad to hear that you have enjoyed your short trip to Cebu. I've never been to Cebu, apart from the airport, and it is nice to have a little insight. Davao has always struck me as a place with a very small town feel,(count the night clubs, you won't need many hands). This is despite apparently being one of the worlds largest cities in geographical area terms. I do like the place though, and see it as my adopted home someday.
One of the problems with not travelling a very great deal regularly, is that you lose an awareness of what's happening elsewhere, but the logistical difficulties of travelling widely in the Phils. are easily seen from your article about buying the airline tickets. So it's easier just to build a life locally, certainly less stressful.
As a retailer, one of the things I've noticed about the Philippines, especially Manila but even in Davao, is the amazing size of the shopping malls, considering the amount of disposable income in society generally. The first thing I notice when I visit a mall is the number of people carrying bags with their purchases, the true measure of how busy a mall really is in terms of turnover. Well, Filipino's love to go what they call "malling", which is wandering around the mall without necessarily buying anything, and that's always evident from the "bag test". Nonetheless, it amazes me that many of the shops survive; a tribute to the low cost of labour of course, but it must be a nightmare trying to prevent your stock ageing.
I think that there's a lot to be said for the better life a smaller city can afford you, as you clearly do too. You only buy that barbeque once anyway! Enjoy your return trip Bob. Wow, seven hours to CDO, I didn't know that. That's Glasgow to London time for me.
Did you travel on Colon ave. Bob it was really bad with exhaust fumes when I was there in 06 ..I met Jess there the first time I was in the Philippines .I enjoyed walking around downtown Cebu for 2 days With Jess while we were waiting for the ferry to leave for CDO.. 🙂 …Phil n Jess
My wife and I went to Cebu City for the first time last month, I liked it very much and plan on going back for a longer stay.. It was alot cleaner to me, and like you said alot less traffic..J.C.
Hi Bob – Welcome home! (You did click the heels of your ruby slippers three times and repeat, "There's no place like home," didn't you? I keep trying but don't find myself home, yet! 😉 )
I think that there is a place in the Philippines for anyone interested in living there, but one must research and visit the different areas and find out what suits them and meets their particular tastes. Sometimes though, through friendships or marriage one might find themselves landing in a certain place, and being that filipinos are so welcoming and friendly, that becomes their adopted home. I think once a person falls in love with a particular area, it's hard for anyone to convince them that they would be happier anywhere else. As Bob said, their are plusses and minuses to being anywhere, but I feel that the Philippines overall has a lot of great places that one might call home.
Hi Bob,
Yes your experience in the SM Mall points up graphically what I have tried to bring out a few times. Regardless of how large, cosmopolitan, well developed etc. your city of choice is, it ain't Manila … or in a few cases, Cebu.
If anyone visited an SM Mall here right on the outskirts of Metro Manila (less than 8kn from the actual legal border of MM, actually) … and then drove less than 20 km to the SM Mall of Asia in Metro Manila, one might have trouble believing the two places are run by the same company. It's not only the size and level of finish of the mall itself, it is the selection of electronics, clothes, furniture, food, etc. that you get in the exact same stores when you are in a provincial branch of the exact same merchant.
Certain things are just never sent to the provinces, even when the "province" includes a large, progressive city live Davao, Bacolod, Dumaguete, etc.
I am (probably) never going to live in Metro Manila, or Cebu for that matter, so I am not "selling" any place for someone to reside, but the Philippines is still very much today run as it was a hundred years ago … there is Manila (and to a small extent, Cebu) and then there is everyplace else.
It's not at all, in my view, comparable to say living in rural Kansas and having to travel to Kansas City perhaps to find something not in local stores … it's more like living in Mexico and having to travel across the border to El Paso or San Diego to shop.
Deliveries don't get made to the "provinces", mail doesn't even get sent there, and "city folk" sometimes have a very low opinion, which they are sometimes all too happy to share 😉 of "promdis"
Hi Ron – I'm glad that you have enjoyed the articles. I will still be sharing more about my trip, probably all of next weeks articles will be related to the trip in one way or another! I hope too many articles about the trip won't bore people, but I think there are some important experiences I had there, which are important to share. I am home in Davao now, and am happy to be back! Traveling is always fun, but coming home is always nice too!
Hi mike – Absolutely, I was floored when I saw SM Cebu. I've been there before, but it is a totally different place now compared to the last time I was there.
Kamusta ka Bob,
Sounds like a great trip, I am not much of a mall person here in the states. So I won't really miss that much. But again, as I have said..just a boat ride away from Cebu when we need to do some shopping we can't do in Maasin City.
Salmat kaayo, and welcome back,
Danny
Hi Jim – As I flew into Davao this morning, I knew that my heart belonged to Davao when I started feeling some excitement when I saw the City. This is my home. Sometimes you gain more appreciation for your home when you travel to other places and make a comparison. Sure, initially you see a lot of things that are better in that other place, but as time goes by, you begin to appreciate things that you have at home too. I know that I do.
Over the past few years, I have traveled widely, but widely in Mindanao. It is my first time in quite a while to leave Mindanao, and seeing Cebu drove home the point to me that I need to get out to the Visayas more, and eventually to Luzon too.
Hi Phil – I did not make it over to Colon Street this trip. Just didn't have enough time.
Hi j.c. – I was surprised by the traffic situation in Cebu City. Traffic is light in Cebu, which is certainly not what I expected to find.
Hi Paul – Thanks! Didn't do any kind of heal clicking routine, but I did feel excitement when I saw Davao City from the airplane! Truly, there is no place like home!
Hi Queeniebee – It's really good to see you again! Are you in the Philippines now? I wish I could have met you in Cebu!
I think that most of the Philippines generally has "pluses" overall, don't you?
Hi Dave – No doubt about what you say. There are so many times that Feyma will go shopping, and I'll ask if she bought "product x" one of my favorites, and she replies "no shipment as of now…" Welcome to life in the Provinces.
There is a saying that is spoken here in Mindanao which relates to what you say, Dave, and which I like a lot:
"Manila is not the Philippines, and the Philippines is not Manila" I guess it's the companion statement to what you said "it ain't Manila."
Kumusta, Danny. Maayong buntag! I am not a huge mall person either, but malls are important in the Philippines. I would say that judging the malls are sort of a yardstick for judging a place in the Philippines.
I also liked that ace hardware store in Cebu. It was a short walk from my hotel in Cebu. I was looking at all the power tools ahd felt right at home. The fancy bar=b-qs that you mentioned can run from about 300 to over 1000 here in the states. I go to grocery stores to decide if I could live there. They had four kinds of maple surup in Robinsons in Cebu. Also the fresh bread there was very good. Now that I have lost over forty pounds I shold look for somthing other than food.Ha ha Next time be sure and take the wife. Mine wouldn't let me take a trip there by myself. Of cource we don't have children to watch over as you do.
Hi don m. – Thanks for commenting. I think that the hardware store where I saw the BBQ grills was True Value at Ayala. I saw Ace at SM yesterday. We have Ace hardware here in Davao, though, so that didn't stand out to me. 😆
Yeah, I want to bring Feyma along next time. One of my primary reasons for visiting this time, though, was for the language experience. If Feyma is with me, it is hard to get Filipinos to speak their native tongue to me, because they tent to talk to Feyma and rely on her to translate to me. Being alone is much better for language practice.
I second Bob's opinion wholeheartedly. I am not in any way shape or form a "mall person". But when you say you are not a "mall person", one still assumes you buy food, clothes, lightbulbs, soap, shoes, minor things for your car, kids toys, etc. In the US, in many areas, you can do all this without ever entering a mall. You won't do it here in the Philippines.
Not only are there seldom any suitable free-standing local stores, there's often no place to park. And you can't shop the way we did in the US … ording Dockers on sale online and having them delivered, paying most of our bills and such with a few key-clicks with our banks online bill pay system, etc., selecting the movies we were going to get delivered to our door next by NetFlix, ordering stamps delivered to the door so we could put postage on bills thta had to be paid by paper and having the mailman pick the payments up along with the NetFlix returned disks and so on and so forth. It's easy to say "I'm not a mall person" when you live in the US.
Here the mall is the center of not only shopping, but food choices and banking/bill paying. Bob write a few weeks back about the issues of paying bills. It would take me two or three days a month extra schlepping around from one hard to drive to, hard to park at office to another to pay my bills … instead I drive to the mall, park easily, get cash, visit the bill pay center, eat lunch and go home happy.
In my case, for example, having a mall nearby is the reason I don't have to live in the city itself. My wife and I planned our trip back here to live for years, always figuring we would be in Makti or some other part of Metro Manila … else it's an hour trip crammed in a Jeepney each way just to buy a light bulb or a three pack of t-shirts.
Having a mall-supermarket complex nearby allowed us to live in the 'suburbs', near family, living where we chose to rather than living where we virtually have to.
Kamusta ka Bob,
Out of curiosity, what kind of bbq grills were they? Charcoal and Propane gas? Also what was the price of them there, and also if they were propane, is that something that you can get easily there in Cebu or Davao? I will be living in Maasin City, and I know you have no idea whether it is available there, that I will ask Rose about…just a couple of thoughts running through my head..lol.
Salamat kaayo,
Danny
Hi Dave – When it comes to judging things like availability of products, progress of a city and such in the Philippines, I believe there is no better yardstick than the malls. You know… mentioning groceries like you did, that is a big difference in malls here compared to a US mall. Here, the grocery stores are in malls. Very few full service/fully stocked grocery stores are not in the mall here, so you just about have to go in the mall. In the USA, maybe things have changed, but I don't recall ever seeing a grocery store in the mall there.
Hi Danny – The BBQ grills I saw in Cebu were Weber brand gas grills. The really nice stainless steel grills, like you see chefs on TV using, and much larger than a normal gas grill. They don't have propane here, or at least they don't call it propane. They call it "Gasul" here, or some other brand name, depending on where you buy it. I believe it is at least very similar to propane, or maybe slightly different. But, gasul will work on a propane grill, I know that.
hi bob, could it be that cebu is an island. so the number of vehicles present is more or less constant, plus the use of flyovers as you said. and maybe the drivers there are more disciplined? unlike davao or metro manila vehicles from the surrounding provinces can easily come to the city.
Hi badmintonguru – Thanks for your comment. Thing is… everywhere in the Philippines is an island! 😆 Seriously, I don't think that has anything to do with it. There are probably more cars in Cebu than Davao, but what they have set up there alleviates the traffic problem.
Welcome home Nong Bob. Nakaadto nako sa Cebu pero kutob ra pantalan 😆
Hi Philmor – Wow, I had to get a translation from Feyma, you used some words I don't know! ha ha… Thanks for the welcome home!
If you haven't been to Cebu Philippines in a while, or ever, it is worth the trip. Things have changed dramatically the past few years with Ayala leading the way. The new Terraces area of Ayala Mall is a well designed park-like area that is a big draw for everyone. Ayala is developing the entire Cebu Business Park adjacent to the mall with clean well-lit streets, hotels and condos. They have also developed AsiaTown IT Park, another well-kept clean business park that is also popular for just hanging out.
Hi Cebu Philippines Expat – Maybe you could share your name with us? Seems kind of impersonal to use what you use as a name. Of course, if you are just trying to attract people to your site, perhaps what you use is better. Mostly, though, here on LiP we like to have a nice person to person discussion, not really a website to person discussion. Thanks for sharing your comment, though, and I wish you the best.
hi again Bob
I was laughing to myself, as you desribe the trafic, and how you thought it was doing ok. I must always be in the wrong place, cause I seem to be deadlocked in traffic where ever I go when in Cebu. Wrong place wrong time maybe. Thank goodness for AC taxis.
Hi kenney – My experience in Cebu for 3 days is that the traffic was much lighter than Davao. It was only 3 days, maybe I was just in the right place at the right time. 😀
I was at the Mall of Asia in manila and it is big ..I was Impressed ..It is suppose to be the biggest in southeast Asia ..Phil n Jess
Hi Phil – I have yet to go to Mall of Asia. I just don't ever go up to Manila. One of these days, though…
You glad to be home now Bob ..?
Hi Phil – I love to travel, but coming home is always the best part! I am so happy to see Feyma again, and get a day of just sitting around resting!
Yes Bob, There sure are a lot more things on the plus side. As far as Cebu City traffic goes, there have been many improvements due to the many fly-overs and also the city government has started cracking down with stricter ordinances on vehicle emissions. Still, the city can be dusty and smoky at times if you're used to living in the province, but there='s a lot of fun to be had in Cebu City and it's surroundings for sure. Inertia and gardening often keep me out of the city, even though I'm truly a city person at heart. Right now I'm in the states for an extended stay, but I promise in the future to show you around the city and province! I've promised that to Rusty too, although he's already doing quite a lot of exploring himself!
Hi queeniebee – I am a city person, but a smaller city. For example, I just could not live in Manila, that is too much city for me. Likewise, I could not live in New York or Los Angeles comfortably.
I'm looking forward to that tour you are promising! And, you come down for a tour of Davao too, OK?
Bob,
I have really enjoyed reading the last two posts – having not yet been to the Philippines, your observations (and the comments of other readers) give me alot of insight as to what to expect . . . and what not to expect. Salamat!
Hi Jim,
While it's true that Filipinos love to go "malling" and hence, they are not there to really shop, still your "bag test" is till not accurate to measure the success of mall operations Phil style. The "bag test" fails to consider that aside from the goods you can buy there, there are also services as well. There are myriad of things by which you can lose money at the mall w/o actually carrying shopping bags. You can eat, have your hair cut, have your nails done, your tooth pull out, have coffee while you wait for a friend or just to kill time, watch a movie etc.
As for how merchandisers survive, I can only agree that it may be the low labor cost but certainly not the low rent. Big stores in the Chicago like Filene's Basement just filed for chapter 11. Flagship stores like Carson Pirie & Scott already left down area of Chicago. There must be something about mall operations in the Phil a success that's why they kept sprouting since 1990.
Hi Bob, I have the same observation but mine was about 10 yrs older when I came to CBU. You see, when I went to Moalboal on my way to Badian, I saw the countryside and I noticed the amount of trash. You know those plastic bags everywhere. & since, it's hilly there, you could see plastic bags as far as your eyes could see. For a moment, I thought they serve a purpose like a seedling bag. Those bags are blown by the wind, sometimes they stuck in the tree branches. A sorry sight.
but to tell you the truth ,i like knowing sm is there but i much rather go to the local small street market ,near our place in mandaue and haggle the prices for food and grocerys and supplys, because i am a trike ride away from home! bob you made me home sick for cebu and i cant wait to move there! all i need to do is convince my wife now! if i sell our house she would have no choice but to go to cebu, she would be homeless! hahahah!
Been to both paces a few times, my partner and I are tossing up between a Cebu or a Davao holiday ( hmm.. we are on a permanent holiday everyday lol! ) Davao has Samal Island but then again Cebu has Mactan Island. Both top class for a cheap holiday.
As far as Cebu and Davao goes, in my opinion Davao would just tip out Cebu by an ounce, that is while the current mayor is in Davao. These two cities are good choices for any foreigner who has some solid funds. Living in the provinces are for those like myself who are in a "have to" situation.
If you like your food and if your Pina loves shopping Cebu is a definite winner. But if you like a modern, go ahead city Davao is my first choice.
By the way Bob, I totally love how you said " It had the SM look and feel that all of the SM Malls tend to have around the Philippines." Yes, SM has this distinctive look, feel & I would even add smell as another character of SM department stores (not just the mall) as though these are carefully woven to its branding. It used to be that SM malls are boxy, uninteresting buildings not like the Ayala malls. SM stores make Filene Basement look like thrift stores from the way items are displayed, the way the store is operated etc.
Hi Danny, mall in the US & mall in the Phil are two different creatures. They are like night & day. I used to "live" inside the malls in the Phil. So that makes me a "mall person".When I got here in the US, I didn't like it. Malling here in the US is for me like an expedition. Malling in the Phil just happens. Malls here have church services, and other things you cannot imagine you'll find in a mall or some respectable mall for that matter.
I totally agree w/ Dave's observation about malls in the Phil. As a manileño, we used to sneeze at the items being sold on full regular price in provincial malls when the same items have been offered on sale in manila malls ages ago. Yes, it's easier to say you are not a mall person if you are in the US. I am not a mall person here but I was a a big mall person in the Phil. When Glorietta was undergoing massive reconstruction, I knew how to navigate its labyrinth and find an ATM that's not busy w/ long lines.
Ha ha ha..gasul..
What an idea! I think I agree w/ you on this. Metromanila is the the center of Luzon and …you get the picture.
I have just made a poor distinction between malls Phil style and free standing stores that we have in the US. Downtown areas in the US have flagship stores built in free standing store or not a part of a mall. I think it's an anomaly here to find malls in downtown areas. These flagship stores in downtown areas are having difficulty surviving in this tough economy. Borders are closing their flagship store in Michigan ave.
BOB, I am looking forward to your plan visit to Luzon and perhaps Marinduque in the near future. To all readers of this informative and easy to read internet magazine, Remember my favorite quote : HOME IS NOT A PLACE, BUT IN THE HEART!!!
CHEERS AND GOOD DAY TO ALL!
Sounds like a plan.
Hi Boss–I have to disagree on the have-to situation about living in the province. My husband and I could well afford to live in Cebu City, but choose the province as a refuge from the hustle and polution. Don't get me wrong– I love Cebu City, but always enjoy going back to my peaceful diggs in the province with my palm trees and orchids.
Hello PhilMor, nakaadto sad ko sa Cebu pero sa syudad lang. Kamusta man ang pantalan? Nadunog nako na hugaw daw kaayo? Naa nakasulti sa akoa na murag island daw siya pero mga hugaw man di-ay nakalutaw – 🙂
Hi Scott – Thanks for letting me know. Given how complimentary people have been of my posts about Cebu, I think I may do a little more traveling and checking out different cities along the way. I'm glad that these posts have been helpful to you.
Hi Roy – You are so right about the malls in the Philippines. Just filled up with service businesses, and eating at the malls is huge. Lots of restaurants any style you could possibly want!
Yeah, Roy, I hate to see the plastic bags and trash everywhere! It saddens me.
Hi Mike – going to the local stores, and especially to the mercado certainly gives a different flavor, and it is more of a fun experience for me. Like you said, having the mall there is good for when you want to make a specialized purchase, but the real fun shopping is in the small shops.
Hi Boss – These days, Mactan is a big city already (Lapu Lapu). Samal, on the other hand is still a wilderness area practically. For me, no comparison there. I'll take Samal hands down any day over Mactan.
Don't worry about the Mayor issue. When Rody Duterte is out due to term limits, his daughter Inday Sarah will be taking over, and I think she might be tougher than her Dad!
Hi Roy – We have noticed that SM is upgrading their look even in their older malls. They are changing the colors of the building too. Not the same old blue color anymore. Last time that we were at SM Davao they were painting the building kind of a brick red color. The SM in Cebu was kind of a golden color. They are shaking things up a bit! 😉
Hi Roy – At SM Cebu, I actually got lost for a while, just didn't know where I was! At SM here in Davao, you could not possibly get lost because the mall is just a straight building in two directions. In Cebu you can turn all kinds of directions, it's like a maze. I think they want you to get lost, because you might buy more while trying to find the door where you went in!
Hi Roy – I believe that the traditional downtown of American towns is a dying breed.
Hi David – Nice quote. I like that.
Hi queeniebee – Did you ever notice how a lot of Filipinos have two houses. One in the City for their day to day lives, but they always have a rest house back in the Province where they can relax for a few days? I like that.
Bob: On my trips to Cebu, I've experienced heavy and light traffic. One thing about Cebu traffic is that when I visited during rainy season, there seemed to be a big flooding problem there, with relatively small amounts of rain causing "traffic hell".
You are right, though, that the flyovers seem to help a great deal.
Also, as you noted, grafitti also seemed to be a big problem there… more so than Manila, in my opinion. Not really certain as to why, but it really is unsightly and projects a bad image.
Bob: Let me know if you want to try the far North, and Rebecca and I will take a couple of days and show you the cordilliera and Cagayan.
Hi John – When you talk about the flooding, it is as if you were describing Davao! Five or 10 minutes of rain and the streets can be impassable.
There is a bit of graffiti in Davao too, but you would have to go looking for it. In Cebu it is everywhere.
Hi John – Feyma and I were talking about this last night, and I had said that I wanted to concentrate on the Visayas and Mindanao first, because of the potential for language practice tied in with the other stuff. However, your invitation is very appealing to me! I really want to do that. My only hesitation is that I know what a busy person you are, and I would feel a bit guilty to monopolize that much of your time! If you are sincere, though (not saying you are not, but just consider if you can really afford the time), then I am very interested!
Hi Ellen,
Kadtong higayuna pag-abot namo sa pantalan sa Cebu gabi-i man 'to mao ng wala ko kamatikod kung hugaw ba ang palibot. Daghan lang ug mga tawo unya dunay mga tinda-tinda. Nindot tan-awon kay daghan ug mga Lantsa. Ambot lang karon kay 10 na katuig ang niagi. Didto mi agi Cebu paingon Tubigon, Bohol atbang ra man na sila.
Bob, you need translator here 😆
Hi Philmor – I only need a little translation, I can understand most of that! 😉
I'd be happy to help with an Ilocos Norte extension to such a northerly adventure. Plenty of natural beauty in towns like Adams, Pagudpud, Vintar, and others. Of course, I'll have to get back home first (somewhere between July & September now) but I'm sure your plans are further down the calendar(s). 😉
Bob; no imposition… I'll have around 3-4 days. no problem on the time… I have to go up at the end of the 3rd week of June. Several options… You could ride up with me from Manila (long ride) and see the whole valley, riding along the West coast on the way back. Or, I could meet you in Tuguegarao, and take you around from there (Cebu Pacific and PAL both fly there).
I've been itching for an excuse to go to Sagada and Banaue, each a few hours from Tuguegarao. Or, alternatively, Becky wants to go to Kalinga and the mountain province to buy cacao and coffee trees. We have a place for you to stay in Abulug (sorry… No AC though), or we can make arrangements in Pamplona or Tuguegarao with AC. Bring Feyma also… Becky speaks some Bisaya, but you will certainly see Ybanag culture up there (along with Aeta, Ingorot, and Ifugao). I'll have some specific dates hopefully by end of next week. I'll shoot you an email and ring you once I know.
Yeah Bob, That would be ideal. I love it when I follow all the old tagalog dramas and movies and a lot of the rich folks will have a fancy apartment or house in Manila and then a beautiful ancestral rest house in Vigan or Bulacan… In Cebu province you're OK if you have your own reliable vehicle and don't live too far away from the city, that way when you get bored you can get away. I'm kind of "arty" and have to be able to get to my parlor to get my hair and nails done or get a massage when I want to, so having access to a city is a must!
Whatever floats your boat I guess.
"There was Starbucks."
Gotta admit that got me thinking "huh?", given how ubiquitous that chain is around the world. Nice article Bob. 🙂
Hi Paul – I appreciate that! I'll keep that in mind, and I bet I'll take you up on your offer! 😉
Hi queeniebee – Indeed, what you describe is exactly as what I have seen. Like you, I am the type of person who just needs access to the City, for conveniences and such. I don't get my nails done, though! 😉
Hi Bill – There is no Starbucks in Davao. I seriously doubt that Starbucks would ever enter the Davao market now, because the Coffee scene in Davao is so well established and with high quality local players, I seriously doubt that Starbucks would be well accepted in Davao, and probably would fail here, IMHO.
Glad you enjoyed the article!
Hahaha. Wow – your visaya is too deep for me.
Bob: The date is tentatively June 25, coming back on the 28th. That's a day up. a day back, and two in between. I'm probably returning to Manila from a very long business trip around the 22nd or 23rd (Korea, the States, Peru, Brazil, Norway, UK, Estonia, Poland, Saudi, Kuwait, Tanzania, Bangladesh…Whew!). That's tentative at this point (Trying to confirm some appointments by next week)
Figure leaving very early AM so you can see most of the way in daylight. If we take Eastern route up and Western route back, you can add around 10 provinces to your tally (…essentially a big circle around N. Luzon. Bulacan, Nueve Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Isabella, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, and a tiny piece of Quirino. 1,300 km total). If that's too much ride, we can figure out some alternates. Along with seeing everything on the way up, our cacao quest will take a day and, after talking with Becky, we could arrange a banca "cruise" up the Abulug river into some of the tribal areas in the mountains just inside Kalinga (You would probably be one of the few Kanos ever to do that).
John – Let's keep up with each other on this, because that is sort of a dream trip for me. I have done very little Luzon travel, and it is something that I have really been wanting to do. Doing it with a friend who knows the area would make it that much better… Too much ride? Is there any such thing? 😆
That sounds like a fun trip …
Hi Phil – indeed, I had a great time!
Hay Bob we can go together I should be there by then .. 🙂
Bob: Will do… I'll finalize the date this week. I talked with Rebecca about you possibly visiting, and I can promise you a fascinating few days.
Hi Phil – I'm not exactly sure what you are talking about. Where should we go together?
Hi John – Sounds great indeed!
Hi Bob, John just gave you an offer you cannot refuse. 🙂 I wouldn't. Insist on trying Pancit Cabagan on your way to Tuguegaro. Even before that, stop by at Sta. Fe, and you'll see fruits of different varieties than those that you see in Mindanao..like a different banana..:-)
John, there's this fruit I don't remember the name. I think it's the fruit of yantok tree..I could be wrong. It is shaped like lanzones but the peel is like the skin of snake. You can ask your wife. I'm sure she knows that.
Hi roy – Yes, that is a fabulous offer from John, and I feel very indebted to him for the opportunity. I can't wait until the day comes! It will be nice to see more of Luzon, since my exposure there has been very limited so far.
Oh so I need to add a "compass" to my list of items to bring to Philippines.. :0 lol.
salamat,
Danny
Hi Danny – You won't need that compass for Maasin, I bet, but when you take a trip to Cebu and hit Ayala or SM, you better get it ready! 😆
Maajong buntag musta ka,
Yeah Bob…thats what I mean..when we go to the SM Cebu Mall…but from what I have heard from Rose, she has that natural instinct of getting around that mall with no problems…that built in radar woman have for malls..lol.
In fact, when I first was talking to her, I ask her if she knew anything about Cebu, and she said..I know where the market is we buy vegatables to bring to the Maasin, Hilongos, and Bato Markets, and of course I know where the mall is..lol.
Salamat Bob,
Danny 🙂
Hi Danny – Kumusta ka? OK lang ko. You've got it all wrong on women and malls. They get lost too (you know that women have no sense of direction!), but the thing is, if they are in the mall, they like to get lost! It gives them more opportunity for shopping! They won't ever let you in on the secret though, so don't even try. Just take my word for it! 😆
Come on now, girls… don't get too made at me! 😯
Bob, leave the north bus terminal around 5pm and head north. You'll find a lot of traffic.
The only place I've seen really horrible traffic is in Mandaue and Danao leaving Cebu. Going early into Cebu City from there is also bad.
Lunch time is pretty bad too. You didn't see that traffic? Normally its very bad.
There is one area in Cebu where there is a LOT of graffiti. It was sponsored by the city and called graffiti wall. I don't remember where it is. Unfortunately others have come in and painted on top of that. Some of it is just pealing.
I don't recall that much gang related graffiti but that could be because I just left Memphis, a place being run more by the gangs than the mayor. I did see some but most of it wasn't real. I saw Crips and Bloods stuff but it they are not connected to the same gangs int he US.
In Cebu the gangs are usually called Fraternities and I think set up under the same kind of Greek lettering. It may be covered up in graffiti I just don't remember or I got use to it.
Mandaue seems to be the area with the most problems with fraternities. You might be safer in Sulu than staying in Mandaue long term. Lot of drive bys but they user motorcycles wearing helmets makes them very hard to identify.
We can go to John's place up north..heehee
Roy: You had the name of the fruit (yantok) right… I've eaten them. They taste similar to lychee and about the same texture. A bit funny looking, though. They sell them at nearly every fruit stand all the way up, when they are in season.
Hi Rusty – Here is a photo that I shot out the bus window. This in in Cebu, on the way to the North Bus Terminal from Bogo. For kilometer after kilometer, I saw this exactly:
<img src="http://www.images.liveinthephilippines.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/graffiti.jpg" alt="Graffiti in Cebu" width="530" />
There is really nothing like this in Davao.
Hi John – I've never even heard of that fruit before. When is it in season?
Hi Bob,
I've seen those fruits sold there in Davao last time i was there (Dec. 2008) and at first i thought it was from some kind of palm.
It does taste like lychee though and I have to disagree with Roy above regarding fruits as i believe Mindanao has more varieties of fruits like the banana, so far I have seen and eaten 5 varieties of it. Mango, I can't remember how many varieties but it was in Zamboanga Norte that i saw several kind of Mangoes.
Anyway, the Cebu right now is totally different from the way it looked when i was still studying in college there. Even Lapu-lapu city which looked like a sleepy town before is now teeming with people.
Bob: I've seen them October to November, but there may be other times… They are very cheap, around 20 / kg, and Becky will go through a whole kg… They should be healthy. Not very sweet and a bit watery.I'll stop as much as you wish on the ride. They'll definitely have them in Santa Fe if it is in season.
I have one call to make tomorrow to tey and get the dates confirmed. Looks like we are a go for the 25th, though.
Hi Rey – I would say that I am familiar with close to a dozen types of bananas available around Mindanao, but I just don't know how many are available in Luzon. It will be interesting to see.
Hi John – I really appreciate everything! I'm so looking forward to this trip!
Hi Bob:
Personally I find SM mall to be totally offensive with the blaring music and other assault on ones senses. I much prefer Ayala it is quieter and a bit more peaceful and relaxed that SM in Cebu. Jo and her family seem to cope with SM ok but it is just not to my liking no matter how "modern" it is. We found that there was many changes in Cebu from our last time there. Some good some not so but definitely more crowded and developed.
With the development of our on line business, and other business there we will be wintering in the RP next year and beyond. Looking forward to a "warmer" winter.
Bob, I read somewhere once that the Philippines grows 74 different varieties of bananas. Through the years I've only found and tried about a dozen maybe. Each island might have some unique varieties only found there, along with the usual common ones.
cebu dirty. cebuanos no sense of cleanliness as a people. duterte run cebu with iron fist
Hi Wayne – Haven't heard from you for a long time, I hope you are doing well. When I was at SM Cebu, there was no loud music playing as is so often the case at SM Malls. Certainly the Cebu malls were very crowded, I can't argue there!
Hi queenie – It wouldn't surprise me at all if there were that many varieties of bananas. Of course, a few are very common and others are uncommon. Unfortunately for me, my very favorite banana is somewhat less common and can be hard to find (the red murado variety), but Feyma buys them whenever she sees them, because she knows how much I like them. Usually the only place we ever see them is on Samal Island.
Hi Rey – I would disagree. Many parts of Cebu are very clean, some parts are quite dirty. I was surprised at just how clean much of the place was.
Bob those are my favorite too–they're the red ones with the flesh being kind of yellow, right? I also like the fat saba bananas that you can fry for snacks and also add to your soups.
Hi queenie – Yeah, Murado is kind of a dark red on the outside, with the flesh being a distinctive yellow color. They are really the most delicious, IMHO. Alternatively, I also like Lacatan and Senorita (the tiny ones). I am not a big fan of Saba, I don't care much for cooked bananas.
Hi Bob:
Yea it has been awhile. We have been well, hope you and the family are also and we have been very busy. Jo has an online business outdoorfare.com and we have about 33 hectares in production for aquaculture in her home town. With first option on another 40 hectares. That has been a project to get going. We split time overseeing it with other family members. With the income from both of those endeavors we will be wintering in the RP and able to travel globally as we desire. I am slowly retiring from guiding and spending more time with my photography. The nice thing is that with the business that we have going I can develop that as a profession without the pressure of making it pay for itself immediately.
By the way are you still game for running for president? I hear that in four years that there will be an opening. At least people better hope so or you will no longer see the USA that we all grew up with. This guy is a total buffoon.
Take Care talk to you later
Wayne & Jo
Hi Roy – Well, I hope everything goes well for you with your new enterprise! Good luck with that.
I know you are just joking about the President thing (my running!). Truth is, though, that I will probably never see the USA again, as I really have no desire to go back there. I am not against the place at all, I've just found the right spot on earth for me, and it's not in the USA. 😉
Hi Bob:
Hi Roy????????? Who in blazes is Roy??????
Don't blame you for finding you place in the RP. From all I have read you certainly have made a great effort to fit in and be successful within the culture and in business.
Yea you got the president joke. I was referencing last year and that ongoing conversation. Don't blame you for not want to ever come back here. You have a good situation there and this country is going to hades in a hand basket!!!
Hi Wayne… er.. Charlie, or whatever your name is! I must have typed that reply before my first cup of coffee this morning! Oh well… sorry about that.