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Saturday, October 29. We live in a country made up of over 7000 islands, yet it is a feat to get to a really nice beach! We were up and at the airport at 5 AM for our 6AM flight to Palawan. When we arrived at the airport, we couldn't believe the number of people waiting in line just to get in the front door of the airport. It took us about 40 minutes to get to the front door. We were a little anxious, but the plane ended up leaving a little late so we made it easily with only 50 people on board. The flight had to leave early enough to get us to the boat that would take us to the island during high tide. At low tide, the waterways are not navigable.


Once we landed in Palawan on a gravel runway, we waited in the open air terminal with a dirt floor while our luggage was loaded onto a jeepney and all of the passengers were loaded onto a bus and another jeepney.

We ventured on to the river in a really old bus which ended up sliding off of the muddy road into the ditch. The good news is that we were very near to the boat launch and simply walked the last few yards.


We loaded into small boats that ferried us to the larger banca boat which took us on a 40 minute boat ride to the island

Club Noah Isabelle, is all that inhabits this island. There are accommodations for 150 people. It is very much like camping in comfort. The cabins are cabanas on stilts. Each has just enough room for a double bed and a great porch out over the water where we watched the fish and baby sharks swim.

We spent 2 days snorkeling, sunning, resting, reading, eating, drinking, fishing, having foot spas and massages. We all also tried a short scuba dive which took us down about 15 feet under water. I didn't really care for it. I felt claustrophobic and panic stricken, but I managed to stay down. I will probably try again sometime, but at this time I prefer snorkeling and breathing the air above water.
We finally got our hammock hung between two palm trees!

Today Katie went with me to see the Habitat for Humanity site that I talked about a month ago. Today my camera battery was charged and a picture certainly tells more than I can explain. I will tell you that we found out today that to be eligible for one of these Habitat "homes" the families must have owned their own property prior to being victims of a big fire which took many "homes" last year. When you see the pictures of squatter homes, please note that at this time, these families are not eligible for Habitat homes because they are renting right now.

This is a chicken house. Can you see his head sticking out of the box?




This is part of the squatter's village where people are renting their homes and are not eligible for Habitiat homes at this time......

Major blockbusting news today! I drove for the first time here and had a great time! I know I said I would never drive here due to the crazy traffic and lack of common courtesy, never mind the fact that nobody follows the laws of the road here....(ie.. a red light or stop sign is just a suggestion and three traffic lanes means at least five and usually six lanes of crowded traffic!) BUT...... Terry's driver is out sick and he needed my driver for work so after trying to get a substitute I just said NEVER MIND! I have been paying attention and know my way around so I will drive myself! I started out by driving Allison to school and home again, then I drove all the way downtown because I didn't want to miss the AWCP Club's monthly bazaar. I felt so free and IN CONTROL for the first time in 9 weeks! Whoohoo!!!!! I did get honked at a few times, but I kept nudging my way in and held my own with the men drivers. We didn't see another woman driving all day. Come to think of it, I have never seen another woman drive. I do know that my friends Michelle, Angela, and Diane drive occasionally so now there are four white women on the roads of Manila--watch out, we are changing the complexion of the city! I got some second looks from the Jeepney drivers, but they pretty much didn't try to mess with me!



This evening we attended a wonderful exhibition of Filipino folk dance. Some of the dancing looked similar to square dancing. Several of us had get up and do the tininkling dance which is like doing double dutch jump rope between bamboo poles being clapped together trying to catch your feet! I came away with my ankles intact and I didn't miss a step! What a lot of fun!

Allison made the varsity basketball team! Yea! We spent the entire weekend not knowing so it was a bit nerve wracking. A very cruel form of torture, I think, to make everyone wait through the weekend to find out.

Sunday, October 23, Patrick James Callanta was baptised at the beautiful, historic, and unairconditioned Manila Cathedral in Intramuras (historic downtown Manila.) Patrick's dad, Efren, works with Katie and Terry at Info Tech and Terry was honored to be named as one of 5 godfathers. I think that means we get to help pay for his education, glad there are four others! A wonderful air conditioned reception followed the ceremony.



Allison and Katie in Pedicabs


After the Baptism we went to the US Embassy's Bazaar at the World Trade Center. Lots of great shopping! We all needed a massage after our "rough" weekend so we went to the Spa then out to eat at Cena which is quickly becoming a favorite steak and seafood restaurant.

Today we took off to Manila Bay to board a boat for Corregador Island, the important World War II military base. We waited at the dock for a boat that was two and a half hours late. We decided to reschedule so Allison wouldn't miss her school play due to a late return time. Instead we spent the day shopping.

October 20, Today we went to visit an important ministry located in Tondo, a very poor section of Manila. Smoky Mountain is a Garbage dump area where people live and make their living by picking through the garbage and recycling what they find. There is a housing project here which has 26 buildings that hold 100 units in each building. There are 20,000 people who live in these buildings. The cost to live here is about $14 a month per unit which will many times house 6-8 people. Tuberculosis is a very big problem here as it is in all poor areas of the country. The Youth With A Mission group has helped many people here to receive medicine and spiritual guidance. They have weekly bible studies, a student sponsorship program, and a clean day care where babies are nourished and mothers receive instruction. We walked through one building where a casket was on display with a collection cup. Once enough money has been donated the family will be able to afford burial. Children were playing, adults were visiting as the casket sat in the hallway amongst trash.......See more pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/bsllvn/

October 19, What an interesting day! The Museum Volunteers of the Philippines took a tour bus to Antipolo today to visit some art galleries. The Pinto Art Gallery showcases local artists and is set among beautiful gardens and near a beautiful old home. We went to lunch at a local cafe, The Crescent Moon Cafe where a pottery studio is located. After lunch we all got to make a piece of pottery before heading out to a secret surprise destination. Jardin de Mirimar is a beautiful home filled with Santas and decorated for Christmas all year long! Nana Hanna would have loved this place and I thought of her during the entire visit.
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October 18, Happy Birthday Sean Buddy! I walked 3 miles today and then went to lunch with Allison. She had an early dismissal day, then she had to be back for Basketball at 3.

October 17, Quiet day of class and a long walk out to Rockwell for lunch at a great French restaurant with Diane. Our car is coded on Monday, meaning we can't drive it. This is intended to help cut down on the cars on the road. Doesn't seem to be working! There is still too much traffic and too many people!

Saturday evening was the American Women's Club of the Philippines annual Hoe Down. It was a great party, with a country rock band playing all of our favorites from the 70s-80s. I was feeling really nostalgic as memories from my days at KSU flooded in. Everyone dressed in western wear and danced all night long. This fundraiser is paying for building classrooms and updating a school which is out in the provinces, near the South China Sea. They had pictures of the school and the happy children in their much improved school.

Saturday morning, Oct 15 found us up early and at the Bodega (Warehouse) Sale at the Noritake factory in Marakina.Wow! Stacks and stacks of beautiful china. These pieces have some very small imperfections, most of which you can't even see. They cost about 1/3 of the wholesale price which makes them less than 1/6 of the retail price if you were buying an entire set. We spent 3 hours going through and picking out the very best pieces. Katie got some too!

Ardmore Platinum














Holly and Berries


On Friday, Oct. 14, Michelle, Laurie and I set out on a shopping adventure to the least desirable parts of Manila. Binondo, Divisoria, and Quiapo. These pictures were taken on the main street of Divisoria. We had been there to a shopping centerbefore, but we had never seen the conditions in this street before. Every time that I think I have seen the worst there is to see, I come upon something worse. The people have set up camp in the center of the street where there used to be railroad tracks. They live here where the garbage is dumped and recycled by anyone who wants to dig in it. The stench is unbelievable and indescribable.

See more pictures http://www.flickr.com/photos/bsllvn/

Today our group visited another orphanage, which takes in street children who have been physically and sexually abused. Most of the girls ages 12-16 had been working as prostitutes for someone who had befriended them or their families. They were found and brought to this shelter for protection. They are so lucky to be given this second chance. There were 22 children there today. These children need sponsors so badly. I am looking into helping one of the older girls. She can't go to school yet because she is undergoing some intense psycho-therapy to help her deal with what she has been forced to do. I ended up feeling quite overwhelmed here as so many children are so needy and just wanted physical contact. After about 3 hours of constant hanging on to me, I was really ready to go home and take a shower.

They each have a locker to keep all of their possessions in. They are proud of this space and keep it very tidy.


Wednesday, October 12. Allison took the PSAT in the morning and as soon as she finished, we headed downtown to get fingerprinted for our extended visas. We were a little early so we met Terry and some coworkers for lunch at the Manila Hotel, a very nice place for lunch. Then it was all downhill from there. We had to take a girl from work with us to pick up a liaison from a travel agency (we were all packed into a little corolla) to go to the immigration office... EEEWWW! Dirty government building with too many people crammed into small areas. We had to have pictures taken then about 100 copies of our fingerprints. The guy was slinging my hands around like crazy. I was totally overwhelmed by this cruddy little crowded space. I am noticing that I am having more and more issues with the spacelessness of this society. I am feeling more and more claustrophobic and less tolerant.

We did end the day on a really cool note. Katie, Terry and I attended a reception at the U.S.
Ambassador's home. The American Women's Club newcomers were invited for a buffet. This home was huge with lots of outdoor living spaces, pool, baby grand piano, and a full city block of space. Our U.S. tax dollars at work!
Katherine Jones, Mery Montgomery AWCP President, and Paul Jones, Deputy Director
of Missions.
Katie, Barry and Michelle Marshall


Tuesday, October 11, found me dressing up for a fashion show! The British Women's Club sponsored this great day... 10 AM- 3PM... to support their charities. I spend time every
Thursday with some British women and they invited Michelle and I to share their table. It was absolutely incredible, just like I imagine a real Parisian or Italian fashion show to be like. Later we found out that some of the beautiful wedding dress models were actually men! I am beginning to understand that transvestites are quite common here. Someone asked me "Haven't you seen them, already?" I had to admit that if I had seen them, I wasn't aware of it. I guess I will start looking more carefully!

On Monday, October 10, I presented my project on the food of the ancient Filipinos and I used a power point presentation for the first time all by myself! I know this may seem insignificant to most of you, but for me it was another goal reached! Everyone else (9 others) used transparencies ( my preferred visual aid until now!) There are 40 of us and many more reports to present, so I hope that I encouraged others to try to use technology. This country is far behind the US in everything technological, (about at my speed!)

I played tennis for the third time, 6-1, 6-4 against Melissa, my early 30 something friend. Notice how she gets warmed up at about the time I get worn out! Last week Diane and I couldn't finish a set in a hour, which is all the time you are allowed. She was up 4-5 and we had deuce games almost every game. Diane is from Canada and in my Philippine History Class. I think she is also 30 something, but it hasn't come up. My goal is to do my best! I love being back on the tennis court! Trying to trick myself and my body into acting young!

This has been another busy week. Today is Friday and on my schedule is studying and an hour or two for tennis. I have my first presentation due for my class on Monday and I need to get my power point presentation finished and my handouts printed up. My subject is Food of the Ancient Filipinos.

On Thursday I went with the "Thursdays for Others" group to visit the women's correctional institution. Here are incarcerated women walking around an open compound, going to school, making craft items to sell, dancing, and singing. They did not look too unhappy to be there as it was a very clean and positive atmosphere. I know they must be very lonely for their families, but the fact is that they are better off there than in the squatter's villages where they came from. I was totally amazed at the disparity of sentences for the crimes committed. You get death row for drug possession, 15-20 years for murder, even if it is self defense from an abusive husband, and one lady was there on 8 life sentences for fraud, which by all accounts she was probably not guilty of, but set up to take the fall for the real guilty parties. Pretty tragic stuff going on over here. They are quite talented ladies and make extra money by cross stitching, weaving the paper from telephone books into beautiful baskets, sewing, and making candles. Someone happened to mention that I was a teacher, so they cabbaged on to me and swept me into the classroom and told me I could come every day to teach them! I may be able to go some, but not every day! We were not allowed to take pictures.

I spent Wednesday shopping with Michelle and Lori at an area called Divisoria. It is huge and in a rather run down part of Manila, but boy were the prices good. We are going to have some clothes made while we are here so I was looking for fabric and boy did I find fabric. It was hard to make decisions due to so many choices! I found really nice khaki, black and denim fabric for 100 pesos (less than $2) per yard (or maybe it was meter!) So for about $30 Katie and I can each have skirts or slacks in every fabric. The seamstress will charge about 600 pesos ($12) a day to make them. We will just give her the items we own that we like and she will use them for a pattern.


Divisoria- Michelle in fun head dress from cool costume shop.








Tuesday was a study day for me, trying to get started on my project for my class. We had our third line dancing lesson and we are all ready for the hoe down next weekend! That is really good exercise!


Monday was class day with the first 5 presenters setting a very high bar for the rest of the class! I must get more familiar with power point and soon! Went to lunch at a great Thai place- I am really starting to love the varieties of food choices and now know what to order! Who would have thought that after my first two weeks here?

This is Diane, and Jo (our instructer in Philippine History)

What a nice sunny weekend we had at the beach. We headed out early on Saturday morning and drove to Tagaytay, where Taal one of the largest volcanoes in the world is located. This is the one Terry went down into a couple of years ago on those tiny little horses. You can no longer go down inside because it has shown some activity recently-not an eruption, but rumblings. We ate breakfast overlooking the crater lake and the volcano. It was quite foggy when we sat down, but by the time we finished eating, the sun had burned off the fog and we had a wonderful view.

We journeyed on to find Philvoc, the volcanology center there where seismic activity throughout the Philippines is monitored. There are 200 volcanoes in these islands, 23 of which are active now. This center also monitors nuclear weapons incidents. It can tell when and where in the world a nuclear weapon has been used. There should be no activity at all since the testing of nuclear weapons has been banned, but they have the technology to find it, if it happens.

On to Matabungkay Beach Resort. We found this place on the internet and didn't know what to expect. We had been told that it might be a little run down. It was a bit dated and the rooms were very basic, but it was clean and had a nice pool. The word beach doesn't exactly explain the sand next to the South China Sea. At high tide there was a strip of grey sand about 8 ft. wide between the water and the grass of the resort. We wanted to sit on this in lounge chairs, but that was a strange request to them. I guess most people want the clean pool atmosphere. We were wanting to hear ocean waves and watch them lap up on the beach...... They did bring us some lounge chairs so we could sit, look at the water, and see a few waves. We took a little banca boat out to a reef for some snorkeling. (skinny, long boat with arms on either side to help balance it. It looks like a funny water bug) The water and the reef were beautiful, but the masks they had given us were rather old and scratched up so we couldn't see as well as we could have if we had brought our own equipment. We had a delicious meal at the restaurant so we think this place was a pretty good find.

On Sunday, we all had massages on the floating spa! It was a cabana on a raft and two of us went at a time. As we lay on our stomachs there was a hole in the floor of the raft and we could watch the water life as we were getting our massages. I saw fish and crabs and listened to the waves as the raft rocked softly. It was a great experience. Today we sat at the pool as we were there earlier at really high tide and found out why they don't like to bring their lounge chairs to the beach. It was completely gone! Water was lapping up the the bulkhead adjacent to the grass. Where we had been yesterday was completely under water!

On our way home we drove around to check out a few other resorts we had heard or read about and discovered that the one we had chosen had the best all around amenities to be had in that area. One place we looked at ended up being a huge complex of hotel rooms and condominiums, but it was really run down and quite spooky as there were no guests there at all. We decided it was the perfect setting for a really scary movie and we were not about to stay there, EVER!

We went back to Tagaytay on our way home and stopped for dinner at a great little place that Allison spotted- Breakfast at Antonio's- They had breakfast all day as well as pizza and burgers. Great food and another chance to sit and look out over the beautiful crater lake and volcano.