Yes I am still on the road and didn't make use of my return flight back home. Currently I am in Manila killing some time until a friend from Holland arrives. After a bit of a lonely start in the Philippines the last few weeks have been very good. Though the people look very similar, the difference between the Philippines and Indonesia is big. |
The expression
but we have the time applies more to Indonesia than to the more westernized Philippines. Also it is not really on the track of backpackers, so it is hard to find travel company. |
At the moment president Estrada, who has many mistresses and a year ago joked about Clinton:
we have sexual problems. He has to answer questions about not having had sex, while I just enjoy it is in an impeachment process for corruption himself. The peso has dropped to an all time minimum. |
But on the positive side: People speak English. Cars don't drive on the wrong side but on the right side (actually have to get used to that again after a year). There are reserved places in bus and boat. And the local transport are so called jeepneys, which are beautifully decorated open buses and so much more comfortable than the cramped Indonesian bemo's. |
But best of all: most door openings exceed the 1.80 m of Indonesia and my head wounds (I am 1.81 m) have finally healed. And there is something of a swinging Latin American atmosphere. |
Spent some time in the big cities of Davao and Cebu. Felt lonely and when I got a fine for so called "Jay walking" in Cebu, I really thought of going back to Indonesia. Everybody was crossing the street there but I was the only one that had to pay 50 Pesos (1 dollar) or go to jail for 5 days (!!!). I chose to pay but still wonder what it would have been to be in jail for 5 days just for crossing the street at the wrong spot. But then I took the boat to Bohol and things changed... |
Bohol is famous for the Chocolate hills (why did I expect a lot of women there?), about 1600 similarly shaped hills. They are the teardrops of a weeping female giant running after her boyfriend. There is also some explanation, which refers to coral reefs being uplifted from the sea and an endless grinding process, but that seems unlikely. A beautiful quiet spot. |
After that I spent some time in the "Nuts Huts", situated in the middle of the jungle. As the owners are partly Belgium, there were many magazines in my language. The heavy rain gave me an excuse to read all of them. From Bohol I continued to Negros and the beautiful Apo island. The water on Apo was so clear that I made a mistake leaving the boat and ended up to my waist in the water. |
Too bad my calculator-watch was in my pocket... But the good news is: my camera was just above the waterlevel. Further north in Ilo-Ilo I met Helen and Rose in a restaurant and they invited to show me the island of Guimaras. We had a great day together and actually did some mountain climbing. As both Helen and Rose are members of the so-called Mountain Tigers, a rescue team, they are in good shape. |
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They have a good view on people too and said I really look like Mel Gibson, so now I am considering a career in showbusiness... |
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After that I continued my way further north to the tourist island of Boracay. I planned just to have a quick look there because I generally don't like spots where there are a lot of tourists on package tours, but it turned out differently... Boracay was not yet crowded and it was a great spot to hang around. |
But the main reason to stay longer there was because I met Gina, Yolly, Anna, Irene, Cora and Amy -- a couple of sisters running an Internet cafe. They persuaded me to help them making a Christmas tree and then another one. It was fun and I even spent some time behind the computer to help Yolly make a simple webpage for her Internet cafe. |
But the best was the time we spent in their house, which is situated on a beautiful quiet secret spot on the island and on the beach.
Felt like being a family member and I postponed my leave day after day... But the fate of the traveler is that he has to continue all the time and now I am in Manila. I might return to my sisters for Christmas though... |
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