Halloween in the Philippines

I was Shokoy (merman) for halloween. The costume was made by the agents at the call center as part of the haunted house contest at work. How cool huh!?

Shokoy illustration:

A real Shokoy found in Manila:



A real Shokoy found in Cebu. *Winks

Pinas.

Wow! Here's a picture of a pineapple plantation. I've never seen anything like this. I really enjoyed the beautiful landscape of rolling hills on the way up the hill. I had to stop and take a picture. My tour guide said"Don't try to pick the pineapples it's private land!" So I bought a fresh one at the market for 20 pesos (about 50 cents.)

Tagaytay Pineapple Plantation.

Cycle rickshaw aka Pedicab.

The pedicab "poor man's taxi," is a very popular form of transportation here in the Philippines. This one holds 7!

Fun in the Philippines!

This is how we have fun. LOL.

Kenny Wizz as Michael Jackson

25th Year Anniversary!

The hotel had a 25th Anniversary party last week, here is a picture of me and the people that have been taking care of me for the last 6 weeks.

Dampa - Seaside Market and Restaurants

This is a seaside market, Dampa style! Here you can pick your seafood, order by the kilo and take to your favorite restaurant where they cook your seafood to perfection! I paid 550 pesos, around $11 dollars and got to try crab, prawn, mussles, pork belly (ribs) and more! Yum!

Street beggers.

Here in the city there are alot of street beggers, Back home I rarely give money to street beggers but it's hard to tell these ones no, so usually give a little bit of money.

Don't flush the TP!

Here in the Philippines it is not advisable to flush the toilet paper. In public places we are asked to throw the tissue in a wast paper basket. The toilets here are made to conserve water. It seems a bit unsanitary and weird but it's part of life here.

Las Piñas Bamboo Organ

"The Las Piñas Bamboo Organ, in the Parish Church of St Joseph in Las Piñas City, Philippines, is a nineteenth-century church organ made almost entirely from bamboo: only the trumpet stops are made from metal.
The organ, the church and the surrounding buildings have been restored to their 19th century state by Architect Francisco "Bobby" Mañosa and partner Ludwig Alvarez, making a trip to the site a popular excursion for Filipinos and foreign visitors alike."







Las Piñas Bamboo Organ

Manila TV Cribs: Millennium Somerset

Pacman Scheduled to Take on Cotto

Local hero Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao is scheduled to take on Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14th. Pacman aka“The People’s Champ," is a very respected boxer here in the Philippines. He is a celebrity and according to some locals, "When Manny fights, the city stops to watch" The world will be watching. Go PACMAN!!!

Pacquiao vs. Cotto

6 Men Armed Heavily Armed With Grenade Launchers Rob Rolex

6 men wearing bomb squad uniforms passed security to rob a Rolex store at Greenbelt 5 in Makati, Philippines (10 minute walk from my hotel) on Sunday around noon. The robbers were heavily armed with automatic weapons and grenade launchers. Authorities believe the robbery was an inside job. 5 of the men got away with an estimated 6 million pesos ($120,000) worth of Rolex watches. One robber was shot dead by a local mayors body guard. They don't mess around here https://asiancorrespondent.com/2009/10/greenbelt-5-rolex-shop-robbed-on-sunday-noon/


Video

There's DJ's EVERYWHERE.

Nearly every place I've been to during the night time has a DJ, here is one of the best local hip hop DJ's at M-Cafe on a Thursday night.

Salsa Music in the Philippines

Latin music is rare in the Philippines but I found a Latin music night in Ortegas. Most of the people there didn't know how to dance to salsa but they sure were having fun!

Jeepney.

I used to think Lowriders were culturally, the most fascinating style of car...until I saw one of these:

This is a picture I found online. The word Jeepney is a combination of words. Jeep and honey. My Jeep Honey.Ha Ha!



Jeepneys are the most popular means of public transportation in the Philippines. They were originally made from US military jeeps left over from World War II. and are well known for their flamboyant decoration and crowded seating. They have also become a symbol of Philippine culture.

Read more about Jeepney's here.

Zamboanga!

Zamboanga! This is hands down the best restaurant I've been to on the Philippines. It was part of a city tour package. The driver took me on a historic tour of old and new Manila. We also visited the walled city of Inturamuros. Intramuros was a Spanish fort built in the 1600's. The Tour ended at the restaurant where I enjoyed live music and a cultural dance show. I even had a chance to learn a local dance. LOL. Here's a picture of my meal. The Fisherman's delight included fresh oysters, crab, shellfish and crustaceans, pork, chicken and rice, steamed and delicately spiced and served in a native basket. YUM!!!

DJ Baby Drew - Chris Brown's DJ

I got a chance to visit an area called Fort Andres Bonifacio. They simply call it "The Fort." It is a "district in Taguig City, Metro Manila, Philippines. It is the headquarters of the Philippine Army." They also have concert and DJ venues. The local DJ Academy here in the Philippines hosted the event. Here is a picture of Baby Drew, he is the official DJ for Chris Brown. FInd out more about the DJ Academy at http://www.djacademy.com.ph I have contacted the Academy about taking a tour of the facilities. I will report on that later.

Read more about "The Fort" here.

Friends!

This is a picture of some friends from work. The people here are so friendly. They have a wild sense of humor and they are very hospitable.

Fish Crackers

Here's another popular snack. Fish crackers are actually quite good.

I love the way Filipinos talk.

Mostly everyone in the area speaks English. I really love the way they talk. They have a beautiful accent. It sounds like a combination of Asian and Spanish. They say:

Later, Later.
Picture, Picture.
Speech, Speech.
It's up to you.
Take care always.
You're always welcome.
One hour only. (everything ends with only when talking about amount, value, time, etc)

These phrases are common in America but it's the little difference that I notice and love. It's hard to explain in a blog but hopefully you understand. LOL. I love and miss you all!

Poverty.

The poverty really breaks my heart. I was leaving a market today and I saw some kids digging through the KFC trash looking for pieces of chicken. I was more than happy to give them my left over food. I had a big meal at Bubba Gump Shrimp. It really broke my heart to see these kids so hungry. I had no problem giving them my left overs but what will they eat tomorrow? The poverty here kills me. I'm not too sure how to help the people here. There are about 100 million people here in the Philippines. I am still researching the best way to help. I will keep you all updated.

Bootlegs!

Bootlegs are very popular in the markets. Some discs are better than other discs so it's nice to find a quality DVD.Sometimes they work.... sometimes they don't...LOL. Luckily the discs I bought work. I picked up this Ultimate Gold Collection with 400 mp3's for 200 pesos which is a bout $4, I also got this Michael Jackson, Number Ones DVD for 50 pesos, which is about $1.

Frog Legs!

Frog Legs from Taste of Asia in Greenhills.

Christmas Time in the Philippines!

This weekend I went to Landmark. It's a HUGE department store. It's kinda like a combination of Walmart and Sears. I was amazed to see Christmas items for sale in October. Have stores starting stocking Christmas items in America?

Outdoor Catholic Mass @ Greenbelt Mall

Shops, restaurants, coffee shops,internet cafes,...church?

I was very surprised to find out there is a Catholic church in the Greenbelt Mall. The mall very big and I have been told they have everything but I didn't expect to find a church there. Even more surprising, it was outdoor. The main sanctuary was covered by a big cement dome. The seating area was full but that didn't keep people from gathering. Here are some pictures of Sunday Mass in a Catholic Church in Greenbelt.

Looks like the worst in over

PAGASA (Government agency for weather forecasting, flood control, astronomical observations, and time service) lifts storm signal on Metro Manila.

Read the latest news from the PAGASA website here.

City of Mandaluyong

This was my first experience of a poor community in Manila. It's heart breaking to see the poverty.

A view from my hotel room at night

I never knew one of the members of BEP is from the Philippines

"State of Calamity" in the Philippines

In Manila, there is something in the air. It's more than just pollution and humidity. It's fear. We are waiting for the biggest storm in Philippines history to hit the Island at any given moment. There is anticipation and fear everywhere. The grocery stores are full of people getting last minute groceries before the "super typhoon" Parma hits. Most establishments have closed down in anticipation of massive destruction.


"Parma threatened to expand more than a week of destruction in the Asia-Pacific region that has claimed more than 1,500 lives so far: an earthquake Wednesday in Indonesia; a tsunami Tuesday in the Samoan islands; and Typhoon Ketsana across Southeast Asia."

I would just like to reassure everyone that I a in a VERY safe place in Manila. The hotel is prepared for this disaster. However, please keep the people of the Philippines in your thoughts and prayers. If the typhoon hits, millions of people will be homeless. Thanks for following this blog. Please check back to stay updated on this ferocious storm.

"MANILA, Philippines – Filipinos braced Friday to be whipped by powerful winds and pelted with rain from a second typhoon in eight days, fleeing by the tens of thousands from low-lying areas and suspending cleanup operations in the flooded capital..."

Read the full story