Glenda's travelblog

We headed to seattle for two days after hawaii. It was much more relaxing then anywhere we have been so far and I loved Pike's place. It was nice to browse all the stores and buy things calmly without the screaming madness of manila. The food was great and I had pizza (really good pizza) at pikes place, I missed italian food alot. It may be a good while before i eat rice as they had it every meal in the phillipines, on the planes, in the airports, ad nauseum in asia. We stayed at the firmont olympic which was cozy and nice close to pikes and close to the puget sound. After two days in seattle we flew home and even though it was freezing I was glad to be here sleep in my bed, see my family, my cats, have a refrigerator and watch all the programs I recorded while I was gone. I was very lucky to have the experience of going on a two week vacation around the world and it makes you appreciate all the people and palces at home you take for granted which sounds like a bad greeting card cliche but is actually true. I will work on uploading photos and videos especailly of cavite/tagitay and hawaii as soon as I can peel Max from my waist- he has been stuck to me since i came home-

Love

G.

okay you know how they call places paradise- well hawaii is one of the few places on earth that truly is paradise. I would have writen earlier but ive been faceplanted on the beach and drinking mai tai's. OMG what are the reimbursement rates in hawaii????? Probably only my Boss and ppl from my company will get that but whatever they are I say we go with it and all move here!!! I want to tell you that I've done all this traveling and learned about the culture here but I haven't; if it didn't involve sunning myself, eating or drinking I havent done it. But that makes up for the GF2 experience in the Phillipines. As dumb as it sounds I truly couldn't haven't enjoyed this experience if I didn't work for a living- not that I wouldn't take the lotterl money but you have to know what you are missing to enjoy being on vacation. Every time of day here is more beautiful than the last and our worst day at day at home/work is one that so many would give anything to live b/c of where we live and what we have (the Phillipines taught me that).

I leave for Seattle tomorrow- can't wait for Pike's place etc.... C u on the flip side-

G'night Indy!

G.

Yesterday my cousins came back to the hotel and instead of going to Alabong- the traffic is terrible at Chritmas time in Manila- they took us to lunch at my - uncle or tito Willy's club. It is on the 34th floor of the bank where he works and it much like they skyline club in Indy, but much bigger and it overlooks all of Manila. We had a private room where I met more counsins and family members. The club is Asian inspired (it was an Asian Bank so maybe inspired isn't the right word it is an Asian club...anyway) with beautiful chop sticks set out for each course. We ate about 6 courses with each new course being laid out on a huge lazy susan in the midle of the table and everyone eating family style from multiple plates. After my first attempte to pick up a shrimp dim sum which shot out of my chop sticks and across the table like it was spring loaded (almost landing in one of my cousins laps) they felt it safest to give me a fork instead. My favorite dish was a roasted duck w/ crispy skin and served with hoisin sauce. The duck is carved tableside and the waiter places the meat in wrappings like very thin burritos but they are much thinner and cooked. It was so much fun to sit and talk with everyone- and hear stories about my grandmother-she was very vain and they said she never went anywhere without full makeup and a corsett even when flying back to the Phillipines. I think she might be a little disappointed at a grand-daughter who only wears yoga pants b/c she's too lazy to wear real pants. I spent time talking to one cousin who makes documentary films. I also met my cousin Mark who is currently a congressman for the Quezon province and my Uncle Willy, his father, who was also a Congressman and later a governor of Quezon. The Phillipino system of government is based on the United States so postions here are very similiar to what we have. My family is fascinated by what I do for a living and they can't believe that the government in the US helps people with disabilities get jobs, or helps them in their home and provides day service programs. Here most live in terrible poverty or are exploited for begging by the "syndicate" as they call it which drop them off in the streets in the morning then picks them up at night and feeds them. Just like in Oliver Twist but I don't think there is a Fagan-esque character waiting for them at home and singing "go but be back soon". We ate and talked for about 3 and a half hours; things are much more relaxed here (except for driving) and it has taken me some time to get used to not bolting down my food like someone is going to steal it then racing away from the table while chewing my last bite. Every meal they keep commenting how fast eat and tell me to slow down. While I am sad to leave my family and Manila I'm also ready to faceplant on the beach in Hawaii with book and a cocktail. We have a 9 hour flight to Hawaii today we will leave Manila at 3:30 pm and arrive at 7:30 am which is so weird. So I made a list of my favorite and least favorite things about my expericne here. So my list of least favorite things about the Phillipines/ Manila and the areas we have been to (this is not comprehensive of the whole country just my experience) Least favorite: the traffice, the crushing crowds at the malls worse then the US on black friday, the poverty, they way people with disabilities are treated, the weather, no system for protecting children, getting hit on at malls by male prostitutes, the corruption, the class system which clearly divides the have and have nots and the time difference from the US. My favorite things: My family, How nice all the people are, Marlon, The Penninsula hotel- the food- especially mango compote and kare kare, $9 blow outs at the salon, scalp massages & foot massages, the pearls, the ETC. channel that shows only american reality tv 24 hours a day, the weather, having a driver to take us places, not being able to check my email from my phone every 5 seconds, Tagatay, the pineapple farms, the shopping, seeing something so different from what I see everyday, the mountains, and learning about my culture since I only embraced my Italian side until now.

G.

Today we met all of the family members we haven't met so far. They drove to the Penn to see us and it was so awesome they reminded me of my Italian side- there were lots of hugs, and wonderful gifts- they brought us homemade tamales in bannana leaves, some of the palm liquor and many other phillipino treats. Evreyone then left for lunch but I had a couple things I had to do in Manila so I wasn't able to join them- I also snuck off to the pearl mart where I bought some things. I did feel bad b/c the family was texting us and I kept promising to hurry and be there but today was my only chance to go- I know I'm a terrible peson but I have been wanting to go there since I knew we would be coming to the phillipines. It was tons of kiosks with people yelling for you to buy their things- after my first disasterous attempt at negotiating, Marlon was very sweet and in nice way said, "madame please let me talk for you I will negotiate with them" So he spoke to them in tagalog refusing many items threatening to leave then agreeing only when they picked out better itmes or clasps and details I didn't see, I also bought a huge kncockoff burberry bag for about 10.00- everytime I would buy something the women would rub the money on my arm and say, "for luck" - I think they made good sales with me and were hoping it would continue. We finally met up with the family, with Marlon and the driver texting my families' drivers and covering me- saying there were lines and bad traffic- never saying anything about our stop at the pearl mart.

We are heading to alabong today which is outside of manila- were I think we are to do more shopping?

Today we drove into batangas more specifically tagatay. Tagatay is a vacation spot for “the rich people” according to our driver and agent. The area where we went was an entire island that was formed by a volcano. Surrounding the volcano was a huge lake and inside one of the volcanos was another lake. The drive there was beautiful and as we went up the mountains to the volcano we passed a series of coconut plantations and pineapple farms. The farms are not what I think of a farm being they are hilly and mountainous and the pineapple farms go on up to and through the mountains. The people who work the land set up shanties along the road and sell some of their products to people driving by. The people are kind and funny and laugh at my terrible attempts to speak Tagalog. We went to the lookout overlooking the volcano and took pictures. The people there asked us to buy a boat ride I said no at first but when am I going to get the opportunity to ride in a boat in a volcano in Batangas? So we took the road all the way down to lake; it was a two lane highway with people, and dogs, children all types of vehicles randomly swerving toward our car and me stifling screams as we veered into oncoming lanes around dogs, roosters other vehicles and people with a shear drop on the other side. We got to the bottom where pour driver took us to the lake and the boats and we climbed in- I wasn’t planning on a boat ride so I’m wearing a maxi dress all boho chic with a headband and giant sunglasses. As soon as we took off I realized that there was no way I was getting off this boat without being completed drenched from head to toe. It was like a monsoon in my face- these are old catamarans with the giant side pieces and every time they would hit the water these huge waves would douse us with water it was like someone standing there with a bucket of water throwing it at you at random intervals. . I felt so sorry for our guys b/c they were running around trying to cover us with tarps. We told them it was fine it’s a boat ride you very well might get wet. Our boat went in and around the craters and volcanos which when dormant look pretty much like giant hills or small mountains with fog at the top. At the end of the ride we were all soaked but we had a great time and the guys thanked us for their first boat ride on a volcano. We stopped at McDonald’s for quick lunch b/c we couldn’t eat at any of the roadside stands and were starving- it was as McDonald’s so it is very good and terrible for you. But the McDonald’s here all have delivery drivers that deliver food which to m is awesome! We came back to the hotel crashed then had a late dinner with my cousin Patrick who told us all about our family- he told us our favorite thing to do is be what they call “cava-tose” (cava is bed) meaning we like to lay around in our beds and sleep a lot. He also said that on the family land is a still (it is not illegal here) and they make family liquor from palm trees. That family has been doing it for our family for 5 generations and they give 50% to our family and have the option of keeping the other 50% or selling it back to the family. I asked my cousin if it was good and he said, “ after 3 shots who cares”. So I figure the Pilipino side is where I get my taste for spirits. We are going to a place today that sells cheap pearls so I can look but we will see what they think is cheap and I think is cheap are the same.

G.

I'm trying to figure out how to upload photos- so hopefully I'll have that down soon. We' had a litttle bit of bumpy road with mom's health but hopefully that is all ok now. She's downstairs eating so that is good. We had a lot of fun yesterday after some prelim time with the hotel nurse but w got out and went sightseeing in manila more- Our driver & agent took us all over to manila bay/chinatown/ all the curches etc. For me just looking out the window is crazy- everything looks so different anywhere you are in the US it all looks somewhat similiar differnt landscapes or rural versus city but here there is no doubt you are not in the US. It's amazing to me where peole live and the amount of space you can pack people into. You will have a building that is half completely torn down and half filled with people living there it is the strangest thing to see in person. The people are so friendly and nice- and oddly enough much nearer my height. I know this sounds like a generalization but they seem much smaller than americans. Even the clothes are smaller i bought a dress the other day and the length fit perfectly. I loved going around the city but manila bay was really cool. Last night went to a bar that's decorated like old Shanghai with drapes evrywhere and lighted "umbrellas" hung from the ceiling with cushions on the floor and hooka's. The band was awesome and I seriously tore it up when they played "i love the night life" or more likely I thougtht i did after a few martini's. Yes there was video but I deleted it- but i did keep parts of other peope and the band. Going to tagatay where there's a volcano and out into the country a little more. They will be here soon so I have to get dressed-

Our first full day in Manila was rainy but nice and we spent time getting to know the area around our hotel. Big mall very close to us with the typical mall stores. I wanted to go to the market I saw Andrew Zimmern go to but I never found out where he was at. Dinner and lunch were wonderful- lunch was a place called Spices and I had steamed barramundi with chili's lime and cilantro- We also had giant prawns with some type of bread crumbs garlic and lime. So good. We went to dinner with my cousins in quezon city-at an authentic Phillipino retaurant. I had braised pork belly and we had these dried salty fish chips(?) very strange sort of like fish food and some spring roles. Outside Makati -where our hotel is-it can be a little grim. When you are in the car people come up to the car and beg for money and food. A little boy about 8 kept rubbing his belly at our window- I swear I couldn't get the window down and they driver kept saying, "the light was green" so I made him stop for the next person which was a man who about 60 and blind. I realize of course people stand on interstates in Indy and ask for money and food and of course the man could very possibly be able to see. But here's the thing, nobody's going home to mansion's and what's it mean in the great sceam of things. There is a huge gap between the have and have nots here. There is no middle class it's super rich in luxury cars or the very poor working for them. The people who work in the hotel are very hard to engage, they do not want to talk to you and if you ask them how they are they all say, "very well thank you Madame." I mean I wasn't expecting their autobiography or anything but there is no "banter" like in the US. You feel the divison here much more- It is a beautiful industrialized city- or parts of it are- but it almost seems like a facade a little bit.

But anyway- tomorrow more time in Manila then on Tuesday Mauban and Liya beach- I am happy to see those places but a little worried about no cell or internet?!? Yikes- what about Angry Birds?

So here's the thing- after traveling on an airplane for 26 hours straight over 3 airports, numerous time zones pretty much anywhere except an airplane seat is awesome! The Korean airport, caribu coffe the bathroom AT the Korean airport any place that wasn't an airplane seat was great. I mean seriously mom, myself and a chinese foreign exchange student from Shanghai just spent 13 hours cuddled up on 5 feet of space.

We finally got into manila last night at 11pm- it was hot,humid, loud, people were yelling but it wasn't an airplane seat so I was thrilled. I stuck mom in a wheelchair b/c we walked for miles and her leg was hurting so we blew through security, customs, and into our car service waiting room lounge like we were shot out of a cannon- here's a tip- always stick someone in your party in a wheelchair. Doesn't matter who it is just put someone in one- we didn't have to wait in any of the lines it was great. We had great help from our car service an porters, bellman at the peninsula which is beautiful.
Meanwhile I'm running around Manila handing out pesos like I'm Donald Trump thinking I'm tipping great except I made a mistake and instead of a peso being 10% of a dollar its 2% of a dollar so I've given all these poor people like 4 bucks to drag my crap around. I feel like an idiot. It was tight security here at the penn with a gated entrance with armed guards and bomb sniffing dogs. (Here's another tip- don't try an pet the bomb sniffing dogs- they take their job very seriously and don't want to be played with- or maybe they just heard I was a bad tipper and couldn't figure out the exchange rate)

Anyway it's humid and 85- bettter go mom is wanting to get on her IM and facebook- she's a bit like my resentful teenage daughter- shopping today- more later

G.

So I finally made it to the travel doctor- whereupon I immediately turned into a hysterical 5 year old. I'm not sure if it was the needle, the pain, or the millions of bacteria that they were shooting into me but I almost ran screaming from the office when the nurse came in with the tray of needles. In any event Autumn, my nurse and I, had to spend some quality time together before I let her shoot me full potentially life threatening protozoa. But she did give me the very cool sticker you see above, so in the end I guess it was all worth it.

They have me starting my anti-malaria medication right before I fly out- the only problem being that one of the possible side effects is "copious or projectile vomiting" which doesn't sound like much fun for the person sitting in front of me on the plane. If that happens will the air marshals consider that a "deadly weapon....?"

I had no idea we would need so many shots to leave the country. As I am not particularly interested in getting typhoid , malaria or the bird flu I have to get on the ball and get these asap. I also know if I get one of these diseases Donna will not let me back in the condo and maybe not even off the plane