Saturday – 23 Oct

[smartads] Today must have been one of my lucky days, I got up.  It happen to be 0700 on the clock.  Some days I just consider myself lucky just to get up to enjoy a new day.  I almost didn’t do this post today.  I had only 3 items that I new about that happen today.  I decided to ask Lita what she thinks someone that is moving to or just visiting the Philippines needs to know about this country.  I think I have enough information now to stretch it into a decent post.  I might have to blah, blah, blah a little bit, but I think it’ll be a very good post.

First of all lets cover the 3 items that I had before I talked with Lita.  You’ll see that it is not much, so that’s why I almost didn’t post today.

Cathy came by this morning to get some pancake mix.  She wanted to make pancakes for her children, whom it seems that I have addicted to the “hot cakes”.  Every morning that I am cooking them, Crystal and Khan show up hoping to get some.  They don’t ask for them, they just kind of stare and I think I see some slobber dripping from time to time.  Now Precious on the other hand, she has no qualms about asking for one.  Of course she doesn’t say pancake or hotcake or anything really.  She just calls me Mama and points to the pancakes.  Anyway, Cathy got some mix today and it calls for 2/3 cup water.  She didn’t know how to measure 2/3 cup, first of all we don’t have measuring cups, plus if we did I don’t think Cathy is use to cooking and having to measure things doing so.  She just cooks it like she was taught and measuring usually just isn’t part of it.  Jaclyn is going to send me 2 or 3 cans of blueberries or strawberries or blackberries…something so I can mix them in the pancake mix and everyone can try the fruity pancakes.  She is also sending some Bisquik and maybe some Aunt Jemima pancake mix and syrup.  That would be great.  Well I think I’ve stretched this little subject out pretty good.  As usual, my fingers just starting typing and my mind led the way.

Today I ate one of the cans of beef stew that Gary brought me.  Man oh man was it every good too.  All that rich gravy, those thick potatoes and carrots and most important of all, the tender ‘good’ tasting beef in there.  I can still taste it as I am typing and it’s been 9 hours since I finished it.  I’m not going to eat another can until next week though.  I’m sure I can stretch all those goodies at least 2 months if I ration them correctly.  Maybe even longer, but I doubt it.  The temptation will overwhelm me and I’ll have to eat it.  I’ll just eat some bacon and tomatoes tomorrow.

Today was weigh in day.  I didn’t do very well this week.  In fact, I gained 1.8 kilos (4 lbs).  Now I never expect to lose every week.  That is just not the way it works.  I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t lose again, but I know next week I will.  Every so often this little weight gain comes around, so it doesn’t bother me too much.  For me, it’s just part of the weight loss cycle.  I think my over indulgence of the beans didn’t help much either.

I’ve been talking the last couple of weeks about our trip to Tambis.  Well that trip has been pushed back about 4 days.  Seems that we won’t have a driver to go there when we planned to on the 30th.  The plan now is to leave on November 3rd.  That will be past All Saint’s Day, but I think Lita plans to still visit her father at the cemetery when we arrive and treat it just like it was All Saints Day.  This way will be better I think, because if we go on the actual All Saint’s Day (Nov 1), then it will be so crowded there at the cemetery.  All Saint’s Day is a big thing here in the Philippines, so it will be crowded.  I’d rather avoid the crowds if possible and to me it doesn’t matter when you pay respect to the dead, as long as you do.

Yesterday I was talking mostly to Jaclyn, but really to everyone, about what kind of things to expect when you come to the Philippines.  For Jaclyn I mentioned the Ciriaco Hotel across the street being P4000 per night.  Wayne left a comment and he said that a couple of years ago he stayed at the Marju Krisel Hotel by the airport, and only paid P800.  Well according to Titing, that is about what the rate is at most hotels in the area.  So Jaclyn if you don’t mind being a mile or two away from us at night, then you can stay at one of those, if you decide not to stay with us or don’t want to pay the P4000 per night at the Ciriaco.  I did find out today, from Lita, and she said she found out from the manager of the Ciriaco, that the hotel has boats and jet skis for rent.  Or maybe it’s included with the price of the hotel, I don’t know yet.  I’m going to be checking on that after they open, if I have to wait that long.  If I can find out sooner, I will.  In addition, I will be double checking that P4000 rate.  That really does seem awful high for this area.  Of course I haven’t seen the rooms or know what’s included with the amount either.

Well I stretched the heck out of those 3 subjects, especially since it turned into 5 subjects.  I thought of the weigh in and the Tambis trip while I was typing.

Okay here are some of the things that Lita says is important about being in the Philippines, if you want to get along easier.  1)  Don’t dress fancy – just wear everyday clothes, it’s cooler to do that anyway.  Especially if you are going to be here during April, May and June, which is the summertime here.  The humidity here is terrible all year long, but especially during the summer months.  Dressing fancy just brings unnecessary attention to yourself and the people around you.  2) Be friendly, don’t act stuck up – I know Jaclyn and Matt won’t have a problem with this.  All this really means is just go about your business, smile and don’t be rude.  3) Beware of pick pockets – even though this is a very friendly country, they have crime just like everyone else.  Consider wearing a money belt instead of carrying a purse or a wallet.  Don’t put all your money in one place either, put a little in your pocket like you would normally do.  Do not flash large rolls of money.  That is just common sense anyplace you go.  Most people here already think that all Americans are rich, so they’ll be watching.  Don’t give them a reason to harass you.  If you have relatives and/or friends here, try to travel with them wherever you go.  ***Those items where all that Lita suggested***

I mentioned also yesterday about us not having any hot water in the house.  That’s still true today, but I wanted to make clear that even though the water is cold, it’s not freezing like the cold water in the States.  I guess I would actually rate it, very cool, instead of cold.

I mentioned here about the humidity being bad all year long.  If you’ve never been in an area where it is hot and humid, you may be in for a surprise.  For example, in Texas it is hot, but it is dry heat in most places.  Certainly where I’m from it’s really dry heat.  The heat in Texas could kill you if you get too hot, by causing heat stroke.  The heat here, I don’t think will do that.  Don’t get me wrong, it is hot and you will sweat a lot more, and feel more uncomfortable, than in Texas, but it’s not the kind of heat that will just make you pass out unless you really stay way too long in it.  That doesn’t happen much because there are just so many places here to go swimming.

Lita will be going to church tomorrow afternoon with Titing and Neneng in downtown Calbayog.  She didn’t explain to me why, just that she would be doing it.

Speaking of Titing and Neneng, they have started reading my blog.  From what I understand they like it too.  Titing thinks I am a master of words or something.  He told Lita that he thought I was doing a very good job of writing.  Salamat Titing.  That was nice of you to say.  I don’t think of myself as being a word master or anything close to that, but I do try to type what I feel and that seems to be what attracts some or even most of my readers.  I wish I had more readers like the ones I have now.

Well that’s all I have for today, it turned out pretty good with a little help from Lita.  Oh wait…I do have one more item I’d like to mention right quick.  When Neneng and Titing saw a picture of the Ciriaco Hotel, they didn’t recognize it.  I don’t know why, it’s right across the street.  Titing has even been inside the hotel and walked up to the top floor and went inside one of the rooms.  They did feel kind of silly when they figured out which hotel it was.  We’ve all done something like that sometime in our life though.  Neneng is still the “Sweetest Lady in the World” and Titing is still the “Coolest Dude that ever Lived”.

Tagalog word of the day:  mata  (ma-ta)  means eyes.

Philippine Trivia

45. Cagayan River in Luzon is the longest river, snaking for 353 kilometers (221 miles) across the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela and Cagayan before finally flowing into the South China Sea in Aparri in Cagayan.

46. The first recorded intermarriage of a Filipino to a white foreigner was the wedding of Rajah Tupas’ widowed niece to a Greek ship caulker who had sailed to the Philippines with Miguel Lopez de Legazpi (ca 1565).

47. According to the 1990 census, Metro Manila has a population density of 12,315 persons per square kilometer (32,000/ sq.mi.), the highest in the country.

48. The longest underground river system accessible to man IN THE WORLD is located at the St. Paul National Park in Palawan.

49. The hottest day in the Philippines was recorded on April 29, 1912 when the temperature reached 108.32 degrees Fahrenheit (42.4 degrees Celsius) in Tuguegarao, Cagayan. The coldest day was recorded in Baguio city back in January 7, 1903 when the thermometer dipped way down to 37.4 degrees Fahrenheit (3 degrees Celsius).

50. The safest province geologically is Palawan. It is farthest province from volcanoes and earthquake faults.

51. Marissa Delgado – The first Filipina who appeared in Playboy (sometime in 1965). She wasn’t a centerfold but she did expose … her back! The first Filipina who appeared as a centerfold is the beautiful Lourdes Estores of Hawaii.

52. The Tagalog term for dye is jobus or jobos which came from the name Joe Bush. Joe Bush was an American who set up a cleaning and dyeing shop in Manila back in the 1940s. His products were powdered dyes with the trade name Joe Bush.

53. Galunggong (mackerel) has the distinction to be the most widely caught fish in Philippine waters.

54. 8 – ocho, walo, eight – is the size of Imelda’s shoes.

Catch y’all on the flip side.  Thanks for reading and don’t forget if you have questions or suggestions, please let me know.

Salamat, Palaam