Walk Walk Country Club

I did it! Now I truly belong!


Ever since we retired here in the Philippines back in March of this year I have observed and often commented to my wife about how Filipinos loved to walk. No matter what time of day (or even night) people walk. From toddlers to octogenarians, I've seen them walking along streets, roads and highways! When we go birding we leave at around 4 am and we would pass by some remote town and we would see people walking! And I would always ask, "What is it with these people that they walk?" I don't think that there is a dearth in public transportation, not with all those tricycles, jeepneys and buses plying every route possible. Lack of transportation money, perhaps? But fares are not that expensive. Seven pesos (about 16 cents) can take a passenger from point A to point B in a jeepney. Why people walk here in this country is still a big mystery to me.

(photo courtesy of balita.ph)

Until this morning when I had to take my car to the shop for its regular maintenance service. The service center agent told me that my car will be done probably around 3 pm so I had no choice but to go back home.  It was a little after 8 am and I was considering my options: I don't like taking a taxi since it would be too short a trip and the driver might not like that idea anyway. I looked at the jeepneys plying the route and noticed that they were all full and even had two or more "sabits" (hangers) it being the morning rush hour. I was now left with option number 3 which was..walking! The weather wasn't that hot and I wasn't really in a hurry, so why the heck not? After all, people here in the Philippines do it all the time.

But I cheated. A McDonalds along the way tempted me to stop by and "refresh" myself with some Filipino breakfast of sausage and fried rice. And dark roasted coffee. Fifteen minutes later I was quite invigorated and ready to resume my trek. Surprisingly, it seemed to pass rather quickly, what with all those people walking along the same route with me. Actually the toughest part was after I entered the gates of our subdivision. It was an upward climb for the last 150 meters inasmuch as our home is near the top of an incline. I was already sweating like a hog on a midsummer day when I opened the door. But I was happy. Why? Because I made it! I walked for almost two kilometers and I made it! I am now officially a member of the Walk Walk Country Club.

Reigning (over) cats and dogs

Cynthia's granddaughter, Janina, recently acquired two pets - a black kitten whom she named "Raisin" and a few weeks later a black labrador puppy whom she named "Vanilla". Janina loved both animals with equal passion, caring for them, cuddling them, feeding them. Until one day for some unknown reason Raisin bit her master. Three times! Sadly Janina had to return her beloved kitten to PAWS where she originally got her. I thought that incident would make a good analogy about God and people.

God is like Janina who treats all mankind equally. God wants to care for us and love us so much and is very much concerned about our welfare regardless of who we are. Non-believers are like cats. Their relationship to their master is based on their own terms. They will only approach their owner when they are hungry. Occasionally they would purr and rub their bodies to their master's leg if they wanted some attention. But the master can never expect any loyalty or constant affection from them. And they can be real mean if they are forced to do something they don't want to do.

Christians on the other hand are like dogs. They know that their master loves them and cares for them. In turn they are loyal and affectionate always wanting to be near their owner. They would even protect with their lives their master if necessary.

We can never change a cat into a dog, but we can, through the power of the Holy Spirit, help make non-believers into believers.

When I'm 64

I don't know why I delayed writing a blog about my birthday. Perhaps it's because I am still basking in the joy of celebrating my 64th year on this earth. It all started with a bang. Two days before my actual birthdate, a group of my high school classmates gathered at the Cabalen restaurant located at the SM Megamall. Despite it being a Friday, and a rainy day at that, sixteen of them showed up to join me in celebrating my special day. I was so touched because some of them came from as far away as Sta. Cruz, Laguna and Malolos, Bulacan. We had a great time recollecting and reconnecting as we enjoyed the sumptuous buffet. As if that wasn't enough, Bert Calaquian then treated us to some coffee at the nearby Coffee Bean. My classmates giggled and snickered when they saw the t-shirt I was wearing. I got the idea from the Beatles' song and thought it was quite appropriate to wear on my birthday. The cost of making this t-shirt was shouldered by my step-daughter, Jenn, as her birthday gift to me.


The following day, Saturday the 23rd, Cynthia and I were in Calatagan, Batangas, where we stayed overnight at a resort called Golden Sunset (quite fitting, don't you think?). This time our stay was a gift from another step-daughter, Darrel, and her husband, Rev. Although birding here was a little disappointing, we had a good time nevertheless.


All day Sunday, I got text messages and facebook postings from family and friends greeting me on my birthday and sending me good wishes. All of which made me very, very glad. I'm not big on birthday celebrations but when I receive all these warm greetings and love from those who are close to me, I felt younger. Did I mention I just turned 64?

Pray, Eat, Eat, Love

Those four words summarized my experiences this past weekend. And it's all about relationships.


Saturday morning my wife and I were at the Lourdes church. We were here to attend the funeral mass being held for my departed cousin, Ate Meding. When we visited her last Monday at the hospital she was already in a life support system, her breast cancer sadly winning the battle for her life. Berting, her younger brother who was at the hospital at that time, told us that the family  had decided to bring Ate Meding home so that she can spend her last moments in the presence of her family. 


After the mass ended and we have said our prayers for the eternal repose of Ate Meding's soul, I mingled with my relatives, many of whom I haven't seen in about 30 years. Tiya Upeng, mother of Meding and Berting, was already in a wheelchair, and didn't even recognize me. Tiya Josing, once Dean of Psychology and Guidance Counselor at St. Theresa's College  was now bent from apparent osteoperosis yet still possessing a brilliant mind. Then there were my cousins Doris, Tessie, Ray, Beth and Berting. We are third degree cousins (our grandfathers were first cousins) but they are my closest blood relatives, aside from my own family. We all promised to meet again in "better" times to recollect and reconnect. Unfortunately Cynthia and I could not stay for the burial ceremonies because we already had a prior commitment.


And that was having lunch with our birding friends, Tina and Wency Mallari. It was supposed to be an early birthday celebration for both Wency and myself because we share the same birth date. The earlier agreement was that we will "treat" each other to lunch, but I got pre-empted by the quick-on-the-draw Wency. The Mallaris are relatively new friends, having met them only last year, but they have become quite close to us because we share the same passion for birds and bird photography. Lunch at C2 in Rockwell was elegant and delicious. I don't know about you, but for my wife and myself, having a meal with dear friends enhances the taste of food.


That evening it was another "eat" date. This time it was with Cynthia's family. Two of her daughters, Jenn (Oct. 12) and Darrell (Sep.21) decided to celebrate their birthdays together with a grand buffet at Yaki Mix in Tomas Morato. My wife's children and their families were there to enjoy the sumptuous food and joyous company. It was a Korean/Japanese style buffet where the diners grilled their food right on their own tables. Everybody, including the grandchildren, had a great time cooking different types of seafood and meat and enjoying the products of their culinary endeavours. As if that wasn't enough, we all had coffee at the Coffee Bean afterwards courtesy of Patrick, Cynthia's only son. Did I mention that food, and that includes coffee or its derivatives, tastes a lot better when you're in good company?


The following morning,  I was with my son Eumir, his mom and his fiancee. We were going to Cavite for the traditional Filipino "pamanhikan" (betrothal). Eumir and Lain were planning to get married in December and we, his parents, will be formally asking Lain's Uncle and Aunt (her father passed away two years ago and her Mom resides abroad) for her hand in marriage. Our trip to Silang, Cavite was temporarily halted by the excessive traffic we encountered at the Coastal road. There was an early morning marathon which had just ended and everybody was getting ready to leave or loiter around or filling up the scant restaurants in the area to satisfy their hunger. After about an hour we finally were on our way. The folks in Cavite were very hospitable. We had an early lunch (a reprise of good food and good company) because we needed to get back early in case we encounter another horrendous traffic situation. The pamanhikan was concluded when Lain's grandmother and matriarch of the clan, gave her blessings and prayed for the two people who love each other very much to have a happy married life. 


Unlike the movie with a similar title which was all about the main character's self indulgence, my weekend of pray, eat, eat, love was all about relationships and its importance to one's life. Life on this earth is not all about me. There are people in this world that I care about, relatives and friends, and I know that there is always joy and gladness in interacting and being with them. 

Topsy Korean

I'm a bit embarassed to admit this, but......my wife and I are getting addicted to Korean TV drama series. I'm not really sure why. In my case, my reason, or "justification" if you will, is because of the English subtitles. I'm a little hard of hearing and usually don't understand what's going on when listening to the normal TV dialogues. In California I can watch all the popular shows like NCIS, Criminal Minds, Castle, etc. because of close-captioning. Unfortunately, Philippine television does not have this kind of facility. So when we discovered that Korean shows have subtitles, I started watching them.

And then we were hooked! There is something about these shows that somehow grabbed our interests. Most of these dramas can be quite dragging sometimes and the propensity for flashbacks can be annoying. Overall, though, the storylines can be gripping. And then there is the "cleanliness" that is so lacking in American television (and even in the Philippines). There aren't any crudeness nor salaciousness. The most the characters have done to show their affection was embrace and an occasional kiss. No bedroom scenes, no scantily clad bodies. Although some of the series we've seen so far (Will it Snow in Christmas? and Secret Agent Miss Oh) had really tacky endings, others are very well written.

Right now two of our favorites are still currently being shown in Korea. Dae Jo Young, an epic drama tells the story of a warrior-chief intent on rebuilding their tribal kingdom. Except for the director's quaint style (what's with all those facial close-ups?) the intensity of the conflict between several tribes and their respective leaders is interesting to watch. On the other hand, have your tissues ready if you want to watch Bread, Love and Dreams (aka Baker King aka King of Baking), currently South Korea's number one television show. The twists and turns of the storyline will keep you eagerly anticipating the next episode. The philosophies of love and forgiveness triumphing over evil schemes makes the show wholesome and extremely enjoyable. So enthralled are we with this particular show that we even searched the internet for episodes that are not yet being shown here in the Philippines.

I honestly don't know if we will eventually tire of watching Korean drama series. For now we can't wait for the airing of the new episodes of our favorite shows.

Dancestastic

There was a slight drizzle as we stepped out of the car. As we entered the Blue Ridge 2 Barangay Hall, Cynthia and I were surprised at how that place was spruced up for the event that we were attending. Chairs and tables were decked in white linen adorned with lovely pink ribbons. A tall vase with an exquisite long stemmed bloom punctuated each table top. An enticing buffet table sprawled at the right side of the hall. We could hear soft music from the combo that was warming up by the left side of the stage.

At exactly six pm, the birthday celebrant walked in. We stood up and were the first to greet my co-alumni of Arellano High School, class '62 and dear friend, Lilian Castro nee Lopez. Soon other guests started pouring in. The combo started singing standards that were popular during our salad days. Twenty minutes after her arrival, Lilian welcomed and thanked her well wishers and promised an evening of fun and dancing. Her friend and Cynthia's former boss (whom she hasn't seen in a long while - small world indeed), Sally Fernando, blessed the gathering with a prayer. Lilian then requested that each table send a representative to say something about the celebrant. Our co-alumni, Ester Dijamco, spoke in our behalf as she reminisced her high school and college times with her dear friend.

Then the buffet. It was lavish - both a feast for the eyes and a gastronomic delight. White rice and carbonara pasta went along with Chicken Cordon Bleu, Lengua, Breaded Fish Fillets, Pork Barbecues on a stick and Waldorf Salad. Dessert was Fruit Salad and lusciously sweet Leche Flan. Iced tea complemented the culinary fare.

After dinner came the dancing. The tables in the middle of the hall were removed to provide space for the evening's terpsichores. To get things started there was an Argentine Tango exhibition followed by a fiery Flamenco solo. Lilian then declared, "Everybody dance!". Slowly, the floor began to fill with swinging dancers. Being the only male around who was not a DI (Dance Instructor) I felt a bit underqualified to join the others in swaying to rock-and-roll music. Cynthia, on the other hand, couldn't resist the beat and hailed one of the DI's. Soon they were off and dancing.

Also sharing our table, aside from Ester, were three lady friends of Lilian who were all Eastwood residents. One of the them, Tita Siony, also an ex-pat retiree like ourselves, took a liking on us (perhaps as kindred spirits) and shared with us her life stories. She was also among the first to hit the dance floor. After doing the boogie for a good ten minutes, Cynthia returned to our table, a bit out of breath. Tita Siony, meanwhile, kept on dancing through the various genres that the combo played. Did I mention that she's 84 years old?

At one point, Lilian asked, no, forced, me to dance the Samba with her, a dance I absolutely do not know how to execute. She encouraged me to just follow the rhythm. As I embarrasingly started to swing my hips to the feverish beat of the samba, Lilian was called by her in-laws for some important business. Gratefully and much relieved, I returned to our table.

No Filipino dance party is complete without an Electric Slide Line Dancing. I thought my knee can handle this so together with Ester and another co-alumni (Cora del Prado-Lim, who was delayed in coming to the party by the now heavily-pouring rain), we joined the fray. Cynthia decided to sit this one out.

As the evening mellowed into night, so did the music. When the combo started playing the Rumba, Cynthia and I were ready. Despite being the only "amateur" male dancer on the floor, I cherished having to finally being able to dance with my wife. Nevermind the simplicity of our steps and even some miscues, I was dancing with my life partner - and that's all that mattered to me.


The time came when Lilian had to blow the candles on her cake. When asked what she wished for on her birthday, she replied, "I just wish that my dear, departed husband, Jun, would lay beside me tonight." Not a few tears fell as we all felt Lilian's deep love that remained long after the object of her affection had gone on to be with God.

The party slowly came to a close. As Cynthia and I floated back to our car, we couldn't help but admire Tita Siony - the 84-year old lady who outdanced everyone on the floor. And thanks to our friend, Lilian, the birthday celebrant, and generous host, for making us starry-eyed on a rainy night.

Healthy Oh

Yesterday was a dry run. Gingerly I eased myself into the driver's seat of our vehicle. No pain on the left knee. So far so good.  I started the engine and slowly moved the vehicle forward. Once around the block and everything felt fine. "OK, let's go, " my wife said encouragingly. Off we went to Ortigas Center primarily to attend the 8:30 service at Victory Christian Fellowship and then to hang around the mall for a while. (Cynthia promised me lunch at Iceberg - one of my favorite dining places at Galleria). When we got home later that day, my wife wanted to know how my left knee reacted to a whole morning of driving/walking/sitting. "It feels okay!", I told her truthfully.


Monday morning was the real test. I will be driving along with the morning traffic and then I will have to endure standing for long periods of time. That is because we will be going to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Pasig to renew the registration of our vehicle. I was dithering the night before, afraid that transacting with a government office would wreak havoc not only on my weak knee but on my nerves as well. But this is something that had to be done. 


After paying the P20 parking fee, we were immediately ushered to the inspection area, where a stencil of the VIN was taken. Mang Eddie, the Inspector's Aide assigned to us, was very helpful and helped us through each step in the renewal process. He even suggested some remedy for my knee when he learned about its condition. 


We were informed that we need to get a Third Party Liability (TPL) Insurance despite us telling them that we do have a comprehensive coverage - which, of course, already includes TPL. That cost us P980 which we thought was reasonable. While Cynthia was waiting for the policy to be finished (it was being typed on the spot using a manual typewriter) I, on the other hand, was waiting for the emission test (costing P430). After about an hour, just as the policy was about to be finished, they called me and the emission test was done on our XTrail (which passed with flying colors). Next was submitting all the paperwork to the Evaluator. "Just wait for your name to be called", we were advised. Again, close to an hour had passed when Cynthia's name was finally called. That means it was now time to pay the registration fees (around P2500) and obtain the 2010 stickers afterwards.


As I mentioned before, I had a certain degree of skepticism when dealing with government offices, but our experience here at the LTO somehow changed that. The time spent in waiting (at the emission test center and at the Evaluator) was due to sheer volume and not of bureaucracy. I remember in the 60's and 70's that nothing will get accomplished unless you hired a "fixer" - someone who will expedite the paperwork because of their "connections" at that office. This morning, I was amazed that they no longer allow such individuals at their premises. I also understood that offices are still "low-tech" albeit for a good purpose. Government offices (not just the LTO - we've seen this at the Bureau of Immigration as well) would rather use manpower (and therefore providing jobs to more people) than computerize the whole process (and deprive a number of Filipinos of work). My wife and I also observed that the employees now are more helpful and have better work ethics than those of several decades in the past.


As we drove home, my wife can't help but notice the smile on my face. "My knee feels great!", I explained. "Not only that", I continued, "I am happy that now our government workers have a healthier attitude towards their jobs." 


And we are all for the better because of that.

'trained

Softly at first. A gentle pitter-patter that caused the leaves to nod softly.  A cool breeze whispered silently bringing a welcome freshness to the humid air. I breathed deeply and my thoughts wandered into my distant past. Even when I was a little boy I always loved the rain. For me it symbolized a cleansing that my soul despaired for.


My reminiscing was interrupted by flashes of lightning as if a thousand paparazzis were taking pictures of some heavenly celebrity. This was followed by a deafening applause of rolling thunder. The trickling raindrops then became a torrent that poured like buckets from the gray skies. I closed my eyes and smiled as I listened to the pluvial roar which strangely enough played like a grand orchestral music to my ears. Thoughts of my troubled past slowly faded like mist in a dawning day.


'trained and then 'tstopped. The sun gloriously emerged from the dark skies. I was reminded of God's constant love and total forgiveness. I felt renewed.

Kneedful Things

My worst fears had just been confirmed. The orthopedic doctor that I consulted told me that my left knee has a meniscus tear. Meniscus are the cartileges that are in between the knee bones. Normally it takes about two weeks for such a tear to heal, provided no weight nor exertion was done on the said knee.


Which brings me to about a week ago. My left knee felt ok, the pain quite negligible. So we went birding at Villa Escudero where I had to carry my more than 20 lbs of gear and walked some considerable distance. That night I once again felt the excruciating pain every time I moved my damaged knee. Every so often Cynthia would touch it and tell me that it feels warm. Warmer, in fact, than my other knee. She concluded that something must be really wrong for that to happen. After some cajoling, I finally consented to see a doctor.


So per the doctor's instruction, I have to take the medicine she prescribed once every day for the two weeks (which isn't so bad) and to put a brace on my left leg which she endearingly termed....


....the IMMOBILIZER!


So for the next couple of weeks I would be practically immobilized. The only time I can take off this brace is when I will be taking a shower. (Maybe I should be showering three times a day. Or more).  But seriously friends and prayer partners, please pray that this not something more serious and that I will be healed in two weeks time.


Hold on....I can hear my wife saying,  "Don't move!"

Silver and Old

My wife and I have been dragging our feet for the longest time with regards to obtaining a Senior Card. Despite constant reminders from family and "contemporaries", we just couldn't find time to do it. Especially with all the moving and the settling in that we had to do since arriving in the Philippines more than two months ago.

Until finally on that rainy morning on the first day of June we were ready to do it. Armed with the needed documents and 3 pieces each of 1"x1" photos, we marched triumphantly into the information desk at the Quezon City Hall. We asked the nice guy at the desk where the office for applying for Senior Cards was. He gave us a quick once-over and tactlessly said, "You're applying for a Senior Card just now?" We were too shocked to reply to what we perceived was a rather insulting remark. Was it my silvery hair that prompted that comment? Maybe. But Cynthia was with me and he was obviously referring to both of us. Do we really look THAT old? was the thought that burned in our minds. So flabbergasted were we that we failed to give the reasonable "Better late than never" reply. Or the truth- "We just arrived from the States", or even a more dramatic, "We got caught in the traffic of life's roads" (Natrapik kami sa daan ng buhay). No, we merely smiled and waited for this speak-without-thinking person to point us to where we need to go.

The personnel at the office responsible for issuing Senior Cards were a direct contrast to the Information Desk staff. Ma'am Carmen and Ma'am Leony were both personifications of grace and efficiency. In just about 30 minutes Cynthia and I were holding in our hands our "ticket" to discounts galore and even free movies! Just to give our cards a "road-test" we had lunch at Banapples (not exactly the cheapest restaurant along Katipunan). We were ecstatic that we were given a 20% discount from our total bill! We both concurred that this is something we can get used to.

Now why on earth did we wait this long to get this valuable piece of laminated card? The information desk guy may have a point after all: "You're applying for a Senior Card just now?"

Got mittens?

On a whim, Cynthia and I went to Subic Bay in Zambales. To go birding. It was during this one-and-a-half day trip that we experienced God's goodness upon us. Several times!

Days before we left I was already checking online the various hotels in Subic. A friend recommended Bayfront and when I looked at their website I discovered that the cheapest room rate was $68.75. Yes, they quoted in dollars! Finding that just a bit too steep for our budget, I didn't go any further and told Cynthia about my findings. Wednesday night when we found out that Cynthia's daughter, Jenn, and her family are going to a resort in Olongapo (which is just next door to Subic), we decided to go through with our planned trip as well. Cynthia called the Bayfront Hotel and asked if there were any rooms available for Thursday. The lady at the other end of the line confirmed that there was and that she would reserve one for us. She even waived the usual 10% deposit requirement. Just call when you're on your way here she said sweetly.

We arrived at Subic at around 8 am - too early for our scheduled check-in - so we birded around the area first, occasionally interrupted by pouring rain. Although check-in time at Bayfront is 2 pm, the ladies at the front desk admitted us at 1 pm and we only paid the equivalent of about $58. Free buffet breakfast for two was  even included, we were informed. That was certainly unexpected!

In going around the birding sites, I ran over a small metal coil that stuck into my left rear tire. I did not want to pull it out for fear that it might have punctured the tire and therefore result in a flat. We were in the middle of a forest road then. Later on as we were back in town, I drove into a Goodyear shop and had my tire checked. The coil was pulled out and thank God there was no puncture! And what's even better was that we didn't have to pay a single centavo!

As we were returning to the hotel, I changed lanes when I discovered that the lane I was in was required to turn left - which would take us in the wrong direction. As I crossed the intersection I was waved down by the local police. We've been warned by friends that they are very strict in enforcing traffic laws here - so much unlike the chaos in Metro Manila's streets. We explained to the officer that we were just visiting from Manila and that we are on our way to our hotel, interjected, of course with profuse apologies. The kind officer let us go with only a stern warning and a reminder to put our seatbelts on.  Once again, we thanked God for intervening!

The following day, we were out birding early in the morning. We were still trying to find the Nabasan trail where, along with some birder friends, we birded last November. After several tries, we still couldn't locate it. I parked the car on the side of the road figuring out what to do next when an SUV zoomed by, made a sudden stop and reversed to where we were. The gentleman who was driving the car asked if we have any problems. We explained that we are birdwatchers and we were trying to photograph birds in that area. He said that there is a better place where birds are even more plentiful. We asked him to show the place to us and we will follow his car. Not more than 500 meters down the road he stopped and pointed to a deserted trail on our left. We waved thanks and goodbye to our benefactor. As soon as we entered the road we realized we are at Nabasan trail! Then Cynthia told me something that made me praise God even more. She said that while we were parked on the side of the road figuring out our next move, she prayed that God send us an "angel" to show us the place we wanted to go to. And sure enough, He did!

Since it rained off and on the whole morning, we did not see a lot of birds, although we heard a good number of them. On our way out of the trail, we flushed a male Tarictic Hornbill from a tree by the road. But it flew off to some place far and inaccessible. That frustrated us a little bit because Cynthia also saw one yesterday but wasn't able to take a photo of it. Now as we entered the small village of Cubi Point, I saw a huge bird perched on a limb overlooking the street. "Crow" was my wife's response when I pointed it to her. Quite certain that it was not a crow, I stopped the car, took out my binoculars and looked at the bird. It was, just as I suspected, a female Tarictic Hornbill. For about an hour, we observed, took pictures (even a video) of this God-sent creature as it calmly preened itself and waited for the sun to emerge from the now diminishing gray clouds.

The serenity of the image before us brought to my mind all the good things that the Lord has done for us, not just on this trip, but in every aspect of our life together. I hugged Cynthia and whispered, "Gott mit uns!"

"Got mittens?" she replied curiously.

"It's German for 'God's with us'", I told her smilingly.

She smiled back knowing how true that statement was.


For photos and the video of the tarictic, please see our other blog at http://ornithographer.blogspot.com/

I Scream - A moving story

Cynthia and I finally found a place to stay. For the past couple of weeks we've been searching high and low for a home. At first we thought we got what we're looking for at Las Villas in Valle Verde 2. We liked the place and the rent is reasonable. We made an agreement to return the following day to sign the contract and make the necessary payments. That night, however, we got a call from the administrator that there was a "problem". Apparently the ex-husband of the owner, who still has legal rights to the property did not want it rented out, or if it did, that he will get all the proceeds.

We continued our search and we soon narrowed it down to two choices: a condo at Crissanta Tower which is located across the Valle Verde Country Club, and the other, an apartment in St. Ignatius Village. It was a tough choice - the condo a bit pricier but more spacious and has excellent parking area and security, the apartment, a bit cozier and has a great layout. So we prayed about it and agreed that if the St. Ignatius property was still available after our trip to Singapore then that would be it.

And indeed that was it. As soon as we finalized the contract and paid our dues, came the task of furnishing our new abode. We had no idea then that it would be a hair-pulling, patience-trying experience. SM Megamall had a sale that weekend and we thought that it might be a good idea to buy most of our furniture there. Big mistake! You would think that a store as popular and as ubiquitous as SM would be efficient in dealing with its customers. Based on our experience, obviously not so. First they still the used the old "bait-and-switch" trick. It happened to is twice on the same day. Cynthia was negotiating for a refrigerator while I was trying to pick out a bedframe. On both occasions, they told us the items we picked were out-of-stock (not right away, but when we are already lined up ready to pay) and so we had to return to our respective departments, where in both cases they recommended another, albeit more expensive, item. At this point my wife and I were both worn out so we agreed on their recommended items with nary an argument from us.  Note that all these happened in a span of about two hours. Then came the payment part. Cynthia used her credit card and specifically told the cashier that it would be a straight (not installment) charge. An hour passed and my wife was wondering why her transaction still have not been processed. When she found the cashier, who disappeared after receiving Cynthia's credit card, the cashier explained that she was trying to get an approval because the credit card was still new and did not have a history of purchases. Finally, after another half hour or so, the payment went through.

At the other side of the store, I was also lined up to pay some of the smaller furnishings that we bought. After scanning the price on my first item, they had a shift change! My cashier had to log off, account for her previous transactions and then turned over the machine to the incoming cashier, who in turn had to log in, account for cash in the till and at last turned to me and told me she had to scan my first item again (which was already wrapped-so they had to unwrap it and start the procedure all over again)! This procedure took almost an hour!

Because of all this hassle, we had to pay P100 for parking instead of the usual P40 had the employees been more efficient and handled our transactions in much less time. As we got into our vehicle, Cynthia and I both let out a blood curdling scream to vent all the frustrations and exasperation and anger that we felt but were unable to express towards those who actually deserved them.

Oh, Oh, Heaven - Licensed to Kill....

....those suicidal bugs that smash themselves on windshields of moving cars.

Actually, today I got my Philippine Driver's License!! Today, I can now officially take part in the nerve-wracking, physically-exhausting, mind-boggling chaos that is also known as manila traffic. Today I felt that I truly belong to my country, the Philippines. For me, getting my driver's license is not unlike getting to heaven after a laborious life on earth. :D

At first, things did not augur well...it was raining as we left the house early morning - the first time it did since we arrived last month. Then, Paul, our contact person, the one who would guide us through the tedious process of converting my California license into a local one, was more than 30 minutes late for our appointment. As we arrived at the LTO (Land Transportation Office - the Philippine version of the DMV) the rain has let up temporarily and the heat and humidity triggered an outpouring of sweat that bordered on the incredible. We were ushered to a tiny shack where a urine sample was taken from me and Cynthia (she would be renewing her license which expired 5 years ago) and then another shack next door for the "physical' exam which involved our blood pressure being taken and stepping on a weighing scale. Next was an eye test which I failed -because I forgot to bring my eyeglasses with me - but the examiner said not to worry about it. After the tests, Paul informed us that Cynthia needed to take a written exam again before another license can be issued her. Noticing the very long queue of would be exam takers, Cynthia decided to forgo renewing her license, claiming she would just be too stressed to drive again anyway. For me, it was sort of downhill from here..submitting my application with copies of my passport and California License, waiting to be called, getting my picture and signature taken, waiting to be called, paying for license, waiting to be called, getting my picture and signature taken (again!!), waiting to be called, and finally getting my very own, bona fide, Philippine Driver's License.

Watch out you flying insects, here I come!........after I get out of the traffic, that is.

Pour Sweatings and a Funeral

Even before I came here, I have mentally prepared myself for Philippine weather. I know it's going to be hot and humid. Even more so in summer..and summer begins in March in this country. But no amount of mental readiness could prepare me for the overwhelming blast of the heat on my physical being. I mean the moment I stepped out of a cold shower, I sweat. Profusely. Now imagine being out on the streets, under a full summer sun and amidst the smoke from the tailpipes of a thousand public vehicles..almost all of which run on diesel engines. Sweat would literally pour out of your skin.

Unfortunately, Cynthia and I occasionally had to walk on the streets and even ride on these public vehicles. One such instance was Wednesday, April 7th. I just learned the sad news that one of my classmates in high school, Juanito Baltazar, passed away that morning. I spoke with a couple other classmates and we agreed to pay our respects to our dearly departed friend later that evening. His body was in a chapel in Sampaloc, a place where it would be better to go using public transportation rather than bringing our vehicle.

My wife and I left the house at around 4:30 pm. The moment we stepped out of the house the afternoon sun started scorching our newly showered bodies. To get to Sampaloc from our place in Sta. Mesa, we had to go the long route by taking a bus (which was thankfully air-conditioned) and then taking a jeepney to Dimasalang. Jeepneys are not air conditioned and since it was rush hour, we had to share our seats with ten other, equally sweaty, persons.

It's been ages since either one of us traveled this way and we were relying only on the google map directions that we consulted early that day. Cynthia was getting antsy as we entered Dimasalang fearing we might miss our stop. I asked the person next to me if he knew where Algecira Street was (that was our reference point based on the map) but he apologetically smiled and confessed that he's not familiar with that street. One of the lady passengers overheard our conversation and asked where our destination was. When we explained that we need to go to Quinto Street she suggested we get off at Simoun. We remembered Simoun as one of the cross streets close to where we were headed. Advising the driver accordingly, he let us off at Simoun and we thanked our "angel" (this is how we always refer to strangers who go out of their way to help us)  profusely for directing us to the right way.

Dusk found us walking towards the Resurrection Chapel, with our clothes sticking to our skins. Eventually we arrived at the chapel where we were greeted by Minette, the deceased's daughter. Soon Lilian and Cora, my two other classmates came huffing in, themselves a bit sweaty also. We offered our condolences and prayed for Juanito's family. We all left at 8 pm, this time taking an even longer walk towards Espana. Thankfully there was a gentle night breeze that made our perambulations a bit pleasant.

Home at 9 pm. We took another shower (I believe it was the third for the day) and got ready for bed. Thank heavens for air-conditoning!

Strolling through the Past Lane

Because we are citizens of the United States it behooved my wife and I to get an "alien identification" card (or I-card) from the Bureau of Immigration. This piece of document would make life easier for us in getting settled here in the Philippines. With that we can transact business with the local banks, buy a car, and rent/buy a house without much hassle.

Since we are still carless, we went to the BOI via public transportation which was quite an experience in and of itself. Especially since it's been ages since either of us have done this. Walking along Ayala Blvd brought back memories. For me because the college I went to back in the 60's, Adamson University, was not far from here. Actually it was along this road that I used to wait for the bus to take me home to Pasig. In Cynthia's case, it was also memories of her college days - she went to St. Theresa's - that made her feel a little nostalgic. Imagine that, 1965-66, I was at Adamson and she was at St.Theresa's which was just across the street, and we never met. Maybe we did, but fate has not yet intervened in our lives then.

Except for the computer server which was down for about 2 hours, our experience at BOI in getting the I-card was not as exasperating as we thought it would be.

Still clueless as to how get a ride back home, I suggested that we take a long walk to Quiapo. Cynthia gasped at the idea, believing that going through downtown Manila at noon borders on outright insanity. It would be like strolling down memory lane, I told her appeasingly.

We crossed Jones Bridge (thankfully the shortest span across the Pasig River) and turned right on Escolta. We were shocked and saddened to see that the once shopping center of the elite has now become a filthy collection of so-so stores and offices. The Philippine National Bank building is now boarded up and badly deteriorating. I cannot even recognize the GenBank building where I used to work back in 1976.

We deftly evaded rushing traffic as we crossed Plaza Sta. Cruz and proceeded to what was once Echague St. (I think it is now Peralta? Paredes?). I had planned to take Cynthia to one of the fabulous Chinese restaurants there where the fried rice is unrivalled in taste. Alas, those were gone, too. Since we were already starving, we decided to have lunch at Chow King. Cynthia had a Grilled Bangus combo meal (it comes with free iced tea and halo-halo) while I had a Quarter-chicken meal. When my order finally came, I realized why it was called "quarter" chicken - the size of the meat was as big as an American quarter dollar coin! At least the halo-halo (which we shared, by the way) pretty much made up for what substance our lunch lacked.

As we approached the Quiapo bridge, I told my wife that I wanted to buy one of those trinkets that that place is famous for. In particular, I wanted a "pangil" (meaning "fang" -of what animal I don't know and quite franky, don't really want to know) necklace. The first store we went to quoted us 125 pesos, and yes, we can have it for only 100 pesos. Cynthia and I looked at each other and we both silently agreed that that piece of bone was not worth shelling out a little more than $2 worth of Philippine money. A few feet away we saw another store that sells the same kind of native stuff. When asked, the vendor (vendress?) said the necklace was 25 pesos. Cynthia haggled and got the thing for 20 pesos (about 44 cents).

It was here at Quiapo that we finally got a bus ride back home to Sta. Mesa. We got home exhausted and sweating. As we rested our weary feet, we reminisced of the times when Escolta and Sta. Cruz and Quiapo were the places our parents took us to shop and see movies and eat at restaurants. We can no longer bring back those times but it was an interesting experience to once again walk and remember the past.

Phonedamental Needs

One of the basic things one must have when living in the Philippines is the cellphone. Almost everybody here uses it. From kids to senior citizens, from street vendors to company executives, cellphones are in their hands. Calling? yes, but mostly texting. The Philippines is arguably the texting capital of the world. Cellphones are so much a part of life here that I can't imagine how they survived without this modern device many years ago.

Inasmuch as my wife and I are now settling in this country, we needed to have our own cellphones. This is so that we can become part of the local culture. We wanted to go with a two-year plan so as to avoid the panic of having to locate the nearest "load" center when the minutes are running out. Majority of Filipinos are into the prepaid method where they buy minutes of usage. When the minutes are all used up, they will go to a "load" center to buy more minutes. Thankfully load centers are almost everywhere - from the tiny variety stores within the neighborhood to the specialty stores at malls.

The advantage of a two-year plan is of course, you get the cellphone for free. Cynthia and I went to Smart Phone - one of the more popular providers here in the Philippines. It took almost 24 hours for us to get approved because being new to the country, our credit lines have not been established yet. Finally we got a call from the agent informing us of the good news that we've been approved and can we please come to the store at 10 am the following day.

Needless to say, we were there as soon as they opened. Cynthia wanted a no-frills phone that she can just use for calling and texting. Moi, on the other hand, desired something a bit fancy. You know, with access to the internet and all that.

May I present.........
Cynthia's cellphone:

My cellphone:

I can now safely say..we belong here! :-)

Here I Am

Here I am back to the country where I was born. Most likely it will be here that I will die (or, hopefully, get raptured). I find it quite interesting that it was for econo-political reasons that triggered my departure first from the country of my birth and later from the country of where I am a citizen. The first was in 1984. Ninoy Aquino had just been assasinated and the Philippines was in turmoil. Uncertain of the future, I decided to exercise my privilege as a citizen of the United States of America (thanks to my G.I. Dad) and moved to California with my family. Now, it is 2010. My wife and I are now both "retired". The future once again looking uncertain with my meager pension already not enough to sustain us and facing a severe economic recession, returning to the Philippines would be the logical solution.

Here I am trying to shake off jet lag. Spending more than 12 hours in the cramped middle seats of a 747 was an experience Cynthia and I would rather forget if only our aching bodies would allow us.

Here I am just out from a cold shower and already perspiring all over.

Here I am enjoying lunch with Cynthia and two of her four children (Jenn and Patrick) and a grandson (Nathan) at a place called Banapple. I had a fried pork chop covered with mushroom sauce, with rice and veggies and the best iced lemon tea ever...all for about $4.

Here I am still unable to sleep at 11 pm because my body believes it is still 8 am (Los Angeles time). To while away the time, I thought about what happened in the past couple of weeks - the hectic packing and getting rid of all the remaining stuff. The touching moments when friends took Cynthia and myself out to lunch or dinner. Friends, some of whom I haven't seen in years. Friends who would drive for more than an hour just to wish us well personally. Such an outpouring of love and kindness and friendship I would treasure forever in my heart.

Here I am unable to stem the flow of tears as I remember my two children, Michelle and Kurt, both of whom I had to leave behind. I hope they know how much I love them. Of course, I miss terribly my four really cute grandkids, Megan, Amanda, Ryan and Nicholas and their wonderful Dad, Randy.

Here I am looking forward to meeting my two sons here in the Philippines: Karl, his lovely wife, Myn, and their adorable daughter, Raven. And Eumir and his charming girlfriend, Lain.

Here I am planning with my wife a new start in life. There are still so many things to do yet I know everything will be alright.

Here I am thanking God for His love, His provision and His guidance.

Life begins again.