Thursday, July 05, 2007

Vacation in the Philippines, a photo essay

Before we get down to the business of telling you about my life, I just thought you would want a bit of bouyancy to get your gallstones jiggling.  Here's the funny stuff.


Recently, a number of my friends from educational institutes past, Juan, Josh and Abby, came and visited me in the Philippines.  After three long months of intense project work, I felt I deserved a bit of a break.



Sometimes I wonder about my choice of friends.






After a few minor delays and an afternoon of muscling through the hellish traffic jam that is Manila, we found our way to a boat bound for Puerto Galera, Mindoro.





A rare shot of the fearless tour-guide.





We stayed for about 6 days (the haze created by beautiful white sand mixed with San Miguel beer makes for an inaccurate concept of time) we stayed at Tamaraw Beach Resort on Aninuan Beach.





The closest bit of semi-offensive touristiness was called White Beach....





....a mere 5 minute rocky scramble away.





We hung out on the beach.





We played at an amazing natural waterslide in the hills nearby.





Abby and Juan got Dive Certified....





....with an excellent instructor named Noel....





.... but Josh and I decided that we couldn't let them have ALL the fun.





Some random hotness to keep the folks at home guessing.





We got in-situ massages at the place we ate dinner.





We drank a lot of this....





....and this.





Abby and Juan debating proper posture for perfect pictures.





We hung out in grass huts by the beach.





The sun set occasionally.





After we got tired of money-munching Mindoro, we headed down to Bikol to check out a very large waterfall....





....and with the support of a few random onlookers....





....we managed to clear a gargantuan tree from the pool....





....to make a few high jumping platforms safe again.





We went to the Naga City market, a place so far removed from the world of the supermarket that it took a bit of convincing to show my fellow travelers that here you COULD, in fact, buy....





....Pig Face....





....and Stingray....





....and Tapioca Balls for Halo-Halo (the national dessert, a dish that does not jive with most American taste buds)...





....and, of course, lots of random chicken pieces.





We also hit up the craft stores, like any good group of foreign tourists.





Thanks for coming!
See you again next year!!!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oi, achei teu blog pelo google tá bem interessante gostei desse post. Quando der dá uma passada pelo meu blog, é sobre camisetas personalizadas, mostra passo a passo como criar uma camiseta personalizada bem maneira. Se você quiser linkar meu blog no seu eu ficaria agradecido, até mais e sucesso. (If you speak English can see the version in English of the Camiseta Personalizada. If he will be possible add my blog in your blogroll I thankful, bye friend).

Anonymous said...

I was just telling my wife, who has just returned to California from the steamy depths of Bikol, after attending the BNAA conference in Naga & Legaspi.


I had read some of your earlier blogs inregards to the water filtering systems that you are trying to disperse throughout the region. Butting into her cell conversation, I asked her where in Albay would be the neediest place that would benefit from free water filters, just in case you had not found a home for them. We were both in Legaspi from December 20th to the 27th, for a Christmas visit to my inlaws over in Donsol. I don't have to tell you that the devastation of the area is tremendous, especially with the mudflow. I had taken a lot of pictures, and can feel the heat of walking over the black sand and gravel that had covered so many lies and livlihoods.

During the week we were there, it seems that the area that was hit hardest was the area between Santo Domingo and Tabaco. My wife was going to call her friends to ask, but you already have experienced the delaying tactics of the well meant contacts.

We did call our friend, who is the president of the Tabaco Association here in California, to ask for a deserving barangay, but she was not home. maybe there will be a message later.

Good Luck on your project.
Mike Taylor
outerlimits@operamail.com

Anonymous said...

Dude...I love this blog entry. I've looked at it like 30 times since you posted it. I miss the philippines. :(

Unknown said...

dude, i notice your only a short clip away from handlebars that could rival those of a man known well to both of us.

Cagayan de Oro City said...

You sure had a great time in your stay here in the Philippines eh. :D http://www.cdokay.com