Philippine Trip

[flipstress]

Just wanted to share some pics from my trip last February to visit family in the Philippines. [link redacted]

I stayed in Manila and the adjacent Quezon City most of the time.* I hung out with my mother and my brother and his family.* I did hook up with some good friends from high school and went on a couple of day trips with them.* While I was there, the Leyte mudslides were happening and there was a failed coup in Manila.* My friends here in the US were more worried than I was over there.

I had a good time.* Clothes and food are inexpensive, and I know one can retire there comfortably on $1,500 per month--at least, I can.* However, I've lived in smaller US Midwest towns for the last couple of decades (except for a few years in Chicago and suburbs) so I know that I will have a hard time adjusting to the hustle and bustle of Metro Manila.

I am not familiar with the provinces, the rural areas.* I do want to visit with a friend who has family in one of the Southern provinces.* She says it's beautiful there, and I believe her.* Manila is crowded, polluted, and noisy although one can find rare patches of quiet; it's hot and crazy, but that's where my family is.

Oh, and I did buy civet coffee, but I have not tried it yet.* I gave some to friends, too, but I think they are grossed out by it.

 

[Non sequitur]

Really nice pictures. Interesting stuff.

 

[lazygood4nothinbum]

those are some extremes, the littered river and those wonderful scenes of the bamboo dry dock and volcano. never saw a picture of a bamboo dry dock before. love it.

 

[cube_rat]

I have friends and co-workers going back to their home to the Phillipines over the summer. I would love to visit the Phillipines, especially Bokura (the beautiful beach that I probably spelled wrong!), but I hear the heat can be intolerable.

Thanks for sharing the nice pics.

 

[Jarhead*]

Hey Cutey-Pie: Anything over 80 degrees is intolerable for someone used to Bay Area Weather.

My youngest daughter lives in Bay Area, and I try schedule a golf tournament with a visit to her during the summer. (Like a wonderful air-conditioner).

 

[OldAgePensioner]

Never been to the Phillipines but plan to soon. May need to stop somewhere first and let my winter blood thin out. SF is colder than Chicago.

 

[astromeria]

Such beautiful people and flowers--your Mom looks much younger than 82! I hope that's a good sign for you.

 

[cube_rat]

Yep, it's nice and cool by the ocean where I live. I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[2soon2tell]

Nice Pictures, I was stationed at Subic Bay in 1970 and 71. Its a beautiful country and I would like to go back and visit some day with my DW.

My great uncle was killed by the Japanese and is buried in the American cemetery in Manila.

2soon

 

[KB]

Great pictures, thanks for sharing them.

Your Mom doesn't look anywhere near 82. Love the flowers. Too bad about all the debris in the river, assuming it's litter.

 

[bearkeley]

Great pics -- we're actually planning a trip to the ol' home country in January. The pics of the river scared me, but then seeing the pictures of the mountain and flowers made me look forward to our trip again

I actually was born in Manila and moved to the US at the age of 10. Never really left the city but Mr. Bearkeley and I are looking forward to seeing the islands...potential place to RE would be there if our trip goes well. ;-) -- The B&B you posted looked cool - where is it located? How much did it cost per nite?

Did you happen to go to a place called Antipolo? We are actually building an investment home there, but based on how our contractor (my parents) boasts about it, we may just keep it for ourselves!

Oh - I loved riding those bikes that they had there when I was a kid! Can't wait to go on it soon. Also...glad to see that the coconuts are in moving carts (last time I tried to buy a coconut, it was in Costa Rica...had our car broken into in the 10 minutes it took to buy the famous cocunut!)

 

[flipstress]

lazyg4nb, yeah, my perception of Metro Manila is a place of extremes--big gaps between the rich and the poor, tall and modern buildings against squalor of slums--but in between is the typical.  I just don't know how big the in-between is.  I imagine that the bigger cities there are modern but have the usual problems with transport, traffic, congestion, water supply, garbage collection/disposal.  Environmental protections are also not as strong there as they are here in the US.  I always knew I was close to home when I could smell the river.

cube_rat, the resort is probably Boracay.  Have not been there but it's famous for its white-sand beaches.  I wish I knew how to scuba-dive because there are apparently lots of places to go scuba-diving in the Philippines. 

OAP, the coolest months are the same as here--November-February.  It is very hot and humid in the summer, which starts around Holy Week/Easter.

KB, astromeria, my mom got a new lease on life when she discovered new friends and ballroom dancing about 5 years ago.  She did not care much about clothes and make-up until then.    Since then, when I'd call her, she'd talk about dancing and clothes, just like a young woman.  Makes me think of that Don Henley song "All She Wants To Do Is Dance."  Sometimes, I think of petitioning her to come over here, so I can spend time with her and care for her as she gets even older but I think it will be very sad for her to be uprooted from her friends.  I also worry about how I would get her medical care and health insurance here.

bearkeley, the river is near my mom's house, where I grew up.  It's probably a very bad example--there are cleaner rivers out in the provinces.  Yes, I have been to Antipolo; one of my good friends live there--it is nice and up high on hills, so it's cooler.  The Bed and Breakfast is Sonya's Secret Garden(s) and is located in Tagaytay.  Here is the website link http://sonyasgarden.com/

2soon, I have not been to the American Cemetery.  My mom seldom tells stories about the war because it was a hard time, but occasionally, she would reminisce with other older family members and I loved to listen.

Thanks to all for looking at the pics.  Digital technology is great for sharing.

Edited to clarify my perception of extremes in Metro Manila

 

[Lancelot]

Great photos! The Philippines are definately on my travel list

Lance