Holiday time

[NeoGen]

Wooow!! Tropical storms, bombs, people shot in the head... that was some adventure!

Next thing you know Hollywood studios will be hiring you for the next Indiana Jones movie.

But glad you're back safe Ototero! You better now take a few more days of vacations to rest from those other vacations. With all those adventures you probably got back more tired than when you left.

[Borfil]

Hey guy thats ok. Glad to hear you are back home safe.
Yeah, things are getting a bit hairy here. thats one of the reason, we are placing the house and the business for sale and get the hell out.
The situation here even if noone else want to admit it is getting worse. And if this gov or the next dont change its way of doing thing there will be a revolution here within the next 5 to 10 yr.

You might had notice the disparity between the rich and the poor is getting worse in Manila, here in the south ( Visaya) is much worse and in Mindanao forget it.

I have notice in the past 2 to 3 month that there is a strong recentment in the locals towards middle class and us expat. You cant see it if you do not know how it was before. But in Cebu we had one brittish, two German, one Aussy and 2 american plus 5 korean killed in the past 5 month, while in the last 3 to 4 years we only had a few koreans killed.

I still ride and go around, but I always hang around with my local group and we always have an ex Gen. and his son a representative who go with us and we carry 6 or seven body guards plus we all carry our 9mm or 45's just in case. No need till now to use them, and hope that will never had to.
At least were I live is a very close and guarded suibdivision were you most enter with a pass and the homeowner is notified first if you have a visitor. We have a place of about 400 homes and at least 100 belong to expats, either living here permanent or for vacations.
I was the charter HOA president so. I at least manage to set things up western style and use my military background to stablish security mesures, but still that do not make us any safer than the rest, but at least give us some sence of safety.
I love it here, but the economy is been driving by profesionals leaving the country and going to work overseas, so the ones that stay behind are the scum and the rich which can leave whenever they feel.

Cebu was a lovely city till about 4 or 5 years ago, but as of lately if you pay attention you notice the increase of poor people in the streets, the standby's in almost every corner and the deterioration of the law and order, it been a very subdue transition from the Philippines I use to know but it is getting there. And now you got the muslims getting all hyper and demanding their independance and it consist of some of the riches land in here both in agricultural and in mining.
Curroption , well that is a way of life here. You want something from the goverment or need to register your car, its all who you know and who are your contact to have it done and you must pay.
They might help yopu at the begining but it is like a business promo. first time is free but they get you the next.

Whe we got my wife passport 12 years ago it cost only 500pesos, last year her renuval, cost 1000p for the gov and an additional 5000p to have it proccess that went to the agency workers. She travels every 6 month back to the states for a month to mantain her permanetnt visa and have only just 7 more month to qualify for her citicenship. If things go well, we hope to be out of here by next may 2009 and in No. Carolina in our Vacation home in Ashville.

Well guy I hope you enjoy your vacation and hope you are feeling well by now.

[Borfil]

To bad I missed you Stu. I see you got sick. Was it the Montesuma or in this case the Pilipino revenge! HA HA HA . thats common here, no matter how high class the restaurant are here they don't give a damm about how to keep food preserved.
Were I'm located, we do not get typhoon, or at least we get one evry 15 to 20 year, most are diverted to the north by the Mountains in Bohol or Leyte.

Stu it would had been nice for you to come down for two or 3 days, I had plans to have a small party for you here, with some of my friend from England and some Aussy's. Anyway we had the party anyhow or you might call it a pre October Fest part, we had 2 pigs some 10 cases of local beer and 4 cases of lager and we got 2 cases brit lager and 1 lamb, plus a few bottles of Chivas and Jack Daniels. Actually we were about 30 couples that got together in our subdivision club house just to party last week end a week ago. I think it was the time when the typhoon was hitting Manila.

Well guy it be next time.

[Ototero]

Hi Borfil,

I think I caught a cross between flu and sleeping sickness. I had headaches, was very tired and had no appetite. It all lasted until the day we went home.

Never mind, shit happens. We still seemed to do more this trip than on others.

We had drive to the Hidden Valley and the hot springs, great day out. Then we took a trip to Pagsanhan Falls, another great out.

The only thing I really missed out on was night clubbing. We only managed that twice instead of 6 or 7.

[Borfil]

Well at least you made it in one piece. Yes thr fall are nice. I love going to 100 islands the view and the beach are lovely. Yeah there is nothing like the clubing in Manila. I just love some of the clubs with the copy bands they can put music just like the orig bands. Just have a few drinks close your eyes and you cant tell-the diff. Cheers.