In our last post I said that we were going on a tour of Cebu City, and then going island hopping to some of the other sites to see here in the Philippines. I am happy to report that we accomplished ONE of those things, and decided against the other. Why? Well...
First off, let me start by telling you that when we decided to go to Korea to teach we enrolled in the Smart Traveler program, which is run by the State Department of the US Government. As part of the program we get monthly updates from the State Department with Korea-specific information, such as when the Embassy in Seoul will be closed for holidays, and tips on not being captured by the North Koreans, mainly
not really helpful stuff.
On the morning of September 9th, we received an update from the Smart Traveler program advising us that if we were going to be traveling out of the country for the tenth anniversary of September 11th, we should register our trip with the Smart Traveler. Actually the e-mail read, "As we mark the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the Department of State informs U.S. citizens traveling and residing abroad of the continued threat posed by al-Qa'ida and its affiliates... U.S. citizens should be aware that al-Qa'ida affiliates and allies have demonstrated the intent and capability to carry out attacks against the United States and our interests around the world. In the past, terrorist organizations have on occasion planned their attacks to coincide with significant dates on the calendar."
So, being a Smart Traveler, I went on to the site and registered our trip and went about the business of getting us to the airport in Incehon, and getting here. No problem. Until the next day when we were safely in our hotel and received this helpful e-mail from the State Department advising us about travel to the Philippines, '"The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risks of terrorist activity in the Philippines... Targeted sites may be public gathering places including, but not limited to, airports, shopping malls, conference centers, and other public venues…Kidnap-for-ransom gangs are active throughout the Philippines and have targeted foreigners. U.S. citizens traveling, living, and working throughout the Philippines are urged to exercise heightened caution in public gathering places. "
Phew, this is a lot of writing, but I have to set the stage. Don't get me wrong, we are all fine, and everyone here has been really nice... on the other hand...
OK, back to the story. We arrived here and have been having a great time at the beach, going to the local mall to eat and shop, and feeling pretty good. The first day we took a taxi to the mall and had a great driver, named Guillermo. He was like a friendly, crazy uncle that took a liking to the kids, and so he offered to wait for us outside the mall, and then upon returning to the hotel, he offered to give us a tour around Cebu City, and also arrange the island hopping. We decided to take him up on the offer and arranged the city tour.
Finally to the pictures!
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| According to the World Bank, about 32.9 % of people living in the Philippines live below the poverty threshold, which is currently set at $1.25 USD per day. Even where we are, in this beautiful ocean front town, it is eye-opening to see the conditions that people live. This brings me to Guillermo's first words of wisdom, on health care in the Philippines, " “If you are poor here and you get sick, you will die.” |
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| Our first stop of the day. Fort San Pedro, built in 1565, it is the oldest Spanish fort in the country. The influence of the Spanish is still very evident in the music, dances, and language of the Philippines. For example, the days of the week are Lunes, Martes, Miyerkoles, Huwebes, Biyernes, Sabado, and Linggo, sounding very similar to Spanish. |
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| Entrance fee for 4: $2.25. |
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| R-Man , bombing the neighborhood. |
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| It was HOT! |
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| Second stop of the day: Magellan's cross. It may not be evident from the picture but this place is surrounded by children begging for money and selling trinkets for 5 pesos... about 20 cents. |
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Guillermo on other religions: “We are catholic, we go to mass on Sunday, and then spend the day with family. If you ask ***** (this is another country, left out so as not to cause controversy) what their religion is, they say they are Buddhist, but they go to the office on Sunday, and worship money. That is their one god.” |
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| Next to the cross is the Basillica Minore del Santo Nino and the school it sponsors. |
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| This lady is selling balloons to the visitors. |
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| Inside of the church is a statue that looks just like this painting. People were waiting in line to go an pray in front of the statue. The island of Cebu is about 80% catholic and 20% Muslim. Other islands in the Philippines have the ratio reversed, and that is where the travel warnings come in. |
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Guillermo on corruption: “The government is corrupt. The rich are so rich, and the poor are starving. There is so much corruption. These streets are corrupt. They paved them last year, but because of the corruption, they are doing it again. And the street lights, PVC with a bulb, cost 280,000 pesos ($70,000 USD) each! The PVC and the bulb are made here in the Philippines!” |
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Next stop, a museum on Philippine history.
The best part? Ice cold A/C! |
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Guillermo on the Justice Building: “Everyone in there has a communicable disease. When you first go in there you are clean and pure, but when you come out, you have the disease, too.” |
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| Again, amazing dichotomy. On one side of the street: slums and poverty. |
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| On the other side of the street an amazing mall selling Cartier, Louis Vuitton, and gellatto. Of course the mall is guarded by officers with machine guns who check your bag as you enter and exit. |
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| Three floors of excess! |
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| The Big Shop. |
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| Chocolate covered, chocolate filled, chocolate croissant. |
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| Back outside... a full taxi. How much for a ride? Ten pesos ($0.25 USD). |
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| These shacks were by the side of the water, but not in a glamorous way. Many had sheets or clothes for walls. |
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We drove by a public beach, about 100 m from our hotel. Guillermo’s advice? “Do not come here. There are a lot of drugs, and you cannot tell what people are thinking.” |
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Guillermo on making friends: “If a Filipino friend invites you to dinner, do not go. They will drug you, and rob you, and drive you to the mountains and leave you.” |
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| Electricity! |
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| Some food vendors. |
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| Rotisserie chicken. |
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| I got a picture of the one white guy! |
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When asked, “Is it safe to walk on the streets?” Guillermo's response, “At night, no. In the morning, the police are out at eight o’clock, but that does not mean you are safer.” |
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| More street food. |
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| We manage to make it home alive, despite the dire warnings we received from Guillermo. That night we went out to eat at our favorite mall. Here a man is mixing concrete to fix the floor. |
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| Pooks dinner of chicken and rice. |
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| Filipino sisig with egg. No idea of the ingredients, but it is good. |
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| This is a tricky dish- the green stuff is NOT cucumber, even though it looks like it. The reddish stuff is onion, ginger, and red pepper, and the brown is tiny dried anchovies. Not ordering this again! |
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| The US section of the supermarket- candy! |
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| They are already playing Christmas music and wearing Santa hats. They have Macy's beat by 2 months! |
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| Last stop... Creamee D-Lite. |
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| So... why did we decide to not go island hopping??? Well, you all know me... I am just about the most trusting, believe the best in people, optimistic type of person, but at some point (for me it was today) you have to think.... hmmmmmm.... maybe those guards with machine guns are not just there for me to take pictures of..... |
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| ..... and maybe those other guards that are checking the trunks and under the cars for bombs.... maybe it isn't just to be funny.... (but looking for crabs for crab races under coral... always funny :) |
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| .... and maybe the State Department and Guillermo are looking out for us, and not just amusing themselves with their hysterical stories and e-mails....... (but a guy named Bong looking for crabs? hysterical!) |
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| ..... and so maybe we should just stay here and enjoy the beautiful paradise with each other..... |
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| ...and the other guests... (I thought I loved sunblock :)... |
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| ...and so, we decided that we would quit travelling (which usually involves a lot of sweating and weird food)... |
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| ...and spend a few days vacationing (which involves frosty drinks in coconuts with paper umbrellas)... |
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| ...and beautiful views (surrounded by 15 feet walls with barbed wire, and guards with machine guns)... |
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| and live dangerously by jumping off the high rocks, into the pool, at night. |
And as always, for some light reading that will make you want to just hide under your bed, you can always count on the State Department’s Worldwide Caution Update! Do not click on this link if you are planning to leave the security of “under your bed” in the near future, because this update will scare the bejesus out of you, no matter where you are!
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_4787.html
