To file you need to send an I-130 form “Petition for Alien Relative” and an I-325a “Biographical Data” form for both your wife and yourself.

Once the petition is approved, you will need to file a G-864 Affidavit of Support to show you can support your wife and she will not become an expense to the country. With this form, you need to show you made a specified income for the past two years.  Being in the Philippines for over two years and not earning any money except a small pittance monthly from an annuity, I do not have the income qualifications. Luckily, a family member can submit the form too as a joint sponsor. Both my mother and brother have offered.

These forms are not difficult to fill out and there are instructions for them available online.

Now for the other side of the coin, Elena realized her passport will expire soon and decided to go to the DFA (Department for Foreign Affairs) to renew. After standing online for many hours she was informed she cannot renew until she had a CFO sticker.

CFO (Commission on Filipinos Overseas) is a government agency that gives seminars for any Filipino who is planning to move abroad. To get this sticker you have to attend a seminar. The problem is the seminar is only taught in Manila or Cebu.  There is also a Catch 22 with this needed seminar and Elena’s process for her Visa.

When Elena goes for her interview at the US Embassy, she must have a passport valid for at least six months. To get the CFO sticker, Elena has to show her US Visa. To get her passport renewed she has to show her CFO sticker. With all this said, you cannot get anything until you show something you cannot get until you get the other. If you are confused reading this, think of me writing it.

Well it turns out you can take the CFO seminar before you receive your visa, which should allow the DFA to issue her passport renewal. Then once she receives her visa, she must return to the CFO to get the sticker. This will entail another flight to Manila or Cebu.

If you are saying that this is a real “pain in the A__” you are right, but then again, with the Philippines, what is easy.

For a while I have heard rave reviews about Korean Airlines but for me it was nothing special. It was as good or as bad as all the other airlines I have flown internationally. Food was just ok and the service maybe less then I have had on other airlines. The only think I liked this trip was the airport. It is not as huge as the airport in Singapore, but to me much more accommodating. I also liked that you did not have to go to an area for wifi, the entire airport is covered.

On the flight I was so tired but as in my past flying, could not really fall sleep. I did doze a few times but nothing to really help with the extreme fatigue. I could not concentrate on any of the movies and would have to put my book down after a chapter. The flight was good in the sense there was only a few turbulent spots and they were mild.

We finally were coming into Las Vegas and I was shocked how much the city has grown. The last time I was in Vegas was 1993. There are now entire new areas of casinos and freeways. The plane turned and descended comfortably and the wheels finally touched terra firma. As I walked into the Immigration area I saw all the people in front of me. There was an officer telling which line to go to. Most lines had about 10 people in each.  When I got up front he pointed me to go straight ahead to a line marked for crew. I walked up to the counter; the officer looked at me, asked where I was arriving from and let me go through. Wow, so easy and fast.

Next was customs and I realized there are no porters to assist with baggage. I grabbed 2 carts. The Long carousel was moving but nothing on it then a short one started. As I moved to it, I see one of my boxes. It was the second item to come out. I was excited but not as much as a few moments later I see my other 2 boxes and 2 suitcases come through too. I have never had my things come out this fast before in my life.  Later I noticed the people in Manila put Priority stickers on all six of my pieces. Now comes the trick, I had to move two heavy carts by into the maze of the dividers to get to the customs officer. There was one lady officer at the entrance. She asked me if the boxes contained saleable items. When I explained everything was from America and I lived in the Philippines for 2 plus years and now moving back, the lady send me directly to a big X-Ray machine.

I again explained to the lady and she just told me to put each item on the conveyor, which I did. Then I moved to the rear or the machine and saw all my things. I expected some questioning or be asked to open something when I asked the office what next. He just pointed and said, go through that door, I am done. Another Wow, It must have been about ten minutes from the time I exited the plane to the time I could exit the airport.  In all my travels, I have never gotten out this fast. There have been times it took longer to get out of the ramp into the main airport.

To keep my friends anonymous I will call them Bill and Jane, not their real names.
As I exited the doors all I saw were limo drivers with their signs with their fares names. Then I see a short Filipina and her mouth saying “Bruce.” I called out her name and she smiled. As I approached her husband walks up. We all shake hands and he points where we need to move my stuff while he gets their SUV. We loaded all my baggage in and off we went.

In the 80’s and early 90’s I had been to Las Vegas many times and had been around the city. Because some of my trips were business trips, when I was a service tech for a computer company, I had been to areas away from the casinos and hotels. Looking from the plane and then driving to their home I was amazed how this city has grown. The area between Vegas and Henderson used to be mainly barren dessert is now filled with housing and shopping. You cannot tell where Las Vegas ends and Henderson starts.

We arrived at their house and I was shown where my room was. I brought in some of my stuff and started getting settled. Thursday morning Jane told me Bill told her he would take us to the M casino for their buffet dinner that evening. I spent the day doing more unpacking and settling in. Of course I spend a lot of time online talking to Elena. We are now using Skype to video conference.

Next post I will talk more about my plans and activities getting settled in Las Vegas.

We arrived at Davao Airport around 2:30pm and with the assistance of a porter got all my baggage into the airport.  Also because of a good friend of Elena’s, I was able to get my five heavy pieces accepted with a savings on their usual charges. Because of Elena’s friends, she was able to go with me all the way to my departure waiting area.

Finally the time came for me to board the plane. With hugs, kisses, goodbyes and tears in our eyes I walked through the doorway to the departure walkway to the plane. The flight to Manila was comfortable and quick and arrived in Manila approximately 8:30pm. Elena’s friend from Davao Airport contacted a friend of hers who works at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport to assist me on my arrival.al 1.

Once I arrived, I headed to the baggage claim area. As my baggage came off, this friend showed up as we got all the pieces onto a cart. Unfortunately the terminal I arrived at, Centennial 2, is a distance to the international terminal I had to depart for the next leg of my trip. Once outside we had to arrange for a van to take me and my baggage to Terminal 1. In true Filipino tradition, I was asked to give a gift to the “boys” for their help loading the van.

At the next terminal we loaded up two carts with my baggage and onto the long line for check-in. My new friend met me there and was able to get me to beat the line and check in where first class checks in. While there he introduced me to his supervisor. These two, plus all their associated people helped me get checked in, through immigration and security.  Then came the payoff. The original friend had discussed with me that I would give him 1000 pesos and he would share with the porters and others who assisted me. As I got through everything, his supervisor walked with me and told me how he was instrumental in getting me on the First Class check-in and through security. Then he motioned to his hand, showing he expected a “gift.”  As I pulled out loose bills and he saw there were 100 peso notes he frowned. So I gave him 1000 pesos.

Well, I told him I needed to use the facilities and shock him off from continuing to walk with me and I finally reached the departure gate. The next leg of my trip did not leave until 12:30am so there I am for more sitting and waiting. We finally arrived in Korea 5:20 AM.

When I purchased my tickets online I saw my arrival in Incheon was at 5:20 and departure to Las Vegas was at 8:50. What I did not realize was I arrive at 5:20am and depart 8:50pm. So after all the stress in Manila and no sleep on the plane, I now have a 13 hour layover.

Since I am trying to conserve money and do not know of any interesting things I want to see in Seoul, I will just spend my day on the laptop, strolling or napping in the airport. While writing this article my battery was running out of charge. In the waiting areas there are electrical outlets available but with one problem. Here they use the two round prongs and not the flat ones that our charges have. By the outlets there is a notice to go to the information desk for assistance. With all the businesses finding ways to squeeze some extra money from is patrons, at the information desk they will loan you an adapter for free, and you just leave your boarding pass as collateral.

I will wander around now and look for a place to get some lunch. I will continue the story of my journey and the beginning of my new life in Las Vegas on my next post.

Greetings from sunny Cebu and Bantayan Island was a wonderfully peaceful and relaxing place.  Something you might see in a travel brochure.  I have included a few of the many pictures taken there and hope you will enjoy them.  Close your eyes and you might even hear the waves breaking at the decks edge.

Getting there started with a taxi ride to Cebu North Bus terminal. We then caught a bus, (no air conditioned buses leaving). So we boarded a non a/c bus and headed north to the small port city of Hagnaya, Cebu.  This trip would take approximately 3 to 4 hours depending on traffic and stops along the way.

As we left the big city behind the landscape changed dramatically.  We wound up and down mountains and hills. Winding ribbons of concrete, twisting and turning through small towns and villages.  The sea was usually ever present on our right. To the left was a stunning landscape of Coconut trees and vast sugar cane fields carved into the hills and valleys.

Scattered native nipa huts dotted the landscape as well as the roadside.  People selling their goods, everything from fresh fruit to dried fish.  Small boys running naked on the road side playing with discarded rubbish, yet always smiling and waving as we passed by.

Province life consists of a daily grind to make a few pesos to provide for the family. Back breaking work in the sugar cane fields for a mere 2 dollars or so a day. A 12-hour day, 6 to 7 days a week is the norm.  Day after day, week after week, year after year they toil.  Gripped in poverty till the day they die.  This is their reality, but they still have a smile on their weathered faces. This is the real Philippines, the worker bees of the colony providing for the fat to get fatter.

We stopped in numerous nondescript places along the way for passengers to board and disembark.  The driver and the conductor had a nonverbal communication system. A series of taps with his hole puncher on the overhead handrail and the bus stopped and started off again. We are now about halfway into our trip and still have not paid a fare.  The conductor made his way from front to back punching holes in slips of paper. Embark and disembark information, collecting money from each passenger.

He arrived at our seat, made a series of holes in our slips, and collected 240 pesos ($5.00).  I gave him a 500-peso bill and he walked off.  I think to myself “hum, where my 260 pesos change is”.  I had did some reading before taking this bus journey and remembered that it’s a common practice if he has no change.  However, not to worry, he never forgets.  An hour or so goes by and we stop for a 15 minute break. Comfort Room(restroom), a smoke and a coke before starting again.

Meantime and older Filipina, perhaps in her mid to late 70’s had sat down beside me.  She shyly glanced at my light skin from time to time if she thought I was not looking.  I did the same to her.  The deep lines in her weathered tanned face told many stories.

I wondered about her life, her hardships, and her joys. I thought about her age and the fact she had probably endured WWII, and the Japanese Occupation of her homeland when she was a young beautiful Filipina.  I truly wished I could speak her language and open this wealth of information and human interest sitting beside me.

Lyn was taking pictures out the window as our journey continued.  I saw the curiosity in the old woman’s eyes, as we looked at the pictures Lyn had just taken.  I thought to myself, maybe she has never seen a digital camera and the instant gratification one has from viewing pictures taken only seconds before. I quietly told Lyn to take her picture when she was not looking. Lyn says, “no” and I said ”give me the camera.”  I took Lyn’s picture and purposely let the old woman see what I was doing. She saw the picture as I viewed it and smiled.  I slowly sat the camera on my knee, as she turned her head and giving me a profile, click the deed was done. I slowly fiddled with the camera until I saw her watching again and replayed the picture of her I had just taken.  Her face lit up and she pointed at herself as if to say, that is me. I nodded and motioned the camera at her to ask permission to take another.  She pointed at herself again and I nodded, she smiled and I took another.  She was delighted when I showed her the display.

The bus stopped again shortly, she stepped off and disappeared down a dusty trail leading off into the dense vegetation.  Maybe to where she had lived all her life.  Perhaps I left her too with a story to tell as well.  I would like to think so.

The bus continued and we stopped in a small town.  No one boarded or disembarked, and then I noticed the conductor crossing the road to a small gas station.  I queried Lyn as to what he was doing, “maybe change,” she said.  “I hope so” I replied.  He boarded and off we were again. He started at the front again handing money to various passengers.  Upon making his way back to us he said, “500 pesos right?” I nodded in agreement and he handed me 260 pesos. Two and half hours had elapsed, I guess they don’t forget.

The scenery has flattened out now and the smell of fish drying in the sun fills the air.  A sure sign we are approaching the sea and ferry landing. We bounce down a non-paved dusty road and stop.  At last we have arrived at Hagnaya port.  We disembarked and made our way through a horde of hawkers and vendors selling everything imaginable.

We purchased tickets for the 1 hour ferry ride across to Bantayan Island.  First class this time with a/c cabin, 260 pesos ($5.40. I texted our host, Robert, to let him know that we were leaving Hagnaya in 1 hour to make our crossing. To my surprise he was their too, treated us to a soft drink and rode with us across.

Robert is from Germany and owns the house I had rented. He also owns the Jungle Restaurant and has lived on the Island the last seven years.  Although he is 71, he doesn’t look it.  He was a walking treasure trove of information.  We settled in for our one hour voyage.  The seas were calm and blue and “Con Air” was playing on the television.  Lyn watched intently, but understood little.  Robert and I chatted, discussing Filipino customs and mind set.  Finally, we pulled into the pier.

Robert had arranged a couple of pedal powered carts to deliver us to the house.  Through the small narrow village streets we rode, lined with an assortment of open-air restaurants and shops. Their thatched roofs, blending in harmoniously with the coconut trees and various tropical foliage.  I felt like I had gone back in time, a true paradise surrounded me.

About ten minutes later the narrow paved street turned to sand. The view was grand, the sandy beach and blue sea stretched out before me.  The cool breeze blowing in from the sea was a welcome relief.  We walked about fifty yards through the sand and there stood a large native house built on bamboo stilts about ten feet above the sandy beach.

Three sides are glass panels, one facing out to sea, the other two sides facing up and down the beach.  A coconut plank deck wraps around the three sides with bamboo railings.  The inside has marble tile floors, bamboo furnishing and Chinese decor abounds. Fresh cut yellow flowers are on every table. The exposed thatched roof rises twenty foot above the large living room.  A coconut tree comes through the floor and out the roof in one of the two air conditioned bedrooms.  Another penetrates the deck and out through the thatched overhang. For interior and exterior light, they all have dimmer switches for every mood. Two large bamboo loungers with 4-inch foam cushions, (each will accommodate two people easily) and bamboo table and chairs for breakfast grace the deck.  All facing the open blue sea.

Its ever present cooling breeze blows through the house when I open the glass door panels that lead out to the deck. The noise of the waves gently pounds the sand, the tide is coming in and the sun is fading.  Now the waves are disappearing underneath the deck.  To be closer to the sea one would need a boat.

I have arranged our dinner to be catered and served at the house tonight at 7:00.  A special evening and treat for Lyn as she has not a clue. Robert and his staff has prepared a feast that exceeds my request and expectations. The large dining room table is covered in various dishes, beef, chicken, fish, soup, salad, rice, 5 or 6 sauces and a few things I do not even know what was.  I assure you everything was excellent in taste and presentation. We grazed for perhaps one and a half hours. We then lay on the lounger listening to the waves and watching the small lights of native fishing outriggers dotting the sea before us.  It is well after midnight now and retreating inside seems almost like a punishment, but I want to rise early to see the sunrise.

Next Week will be the conclusion of Rob and Lyn’s trip.

At this point, if you want to continue your stay you must leave the country and return. At that point, your passport will show an exit stamp and a new entry stamp and you can stay again 16 or 24 months. Cost varies for each extension but it is somewhere around 3000 pesos ($65 USD). At the six-month extension, there is a higher fee and then if you plan to leave the country and return, you need to get an exit visa.

Accommodations:
There are many choices of stay in Davao and the rest of the bigger cities in the Philippines. I can only talk about Davao because I have not spent much time out of the city.

For a visitor to the city the available accommodations vary in quality and cost. One of the cheapest is a boarding house. These places are small and have little in what a foreigner would find desirable. The rooms are small and most times shared. A room for four would have two bunk beds. There is usually only one CR for the house and consist of a non-flushing toilet and a faucet to fill a pail of water to bucket shower.

Next is a Pension House. The amenities vary, some have air conditioners and some do not. Most have a shared CR. Prices range from around 695 pesos a night ($15 USD). I have never seen the insides but they cleanliness will probably vary with price.

There are many hotels here from the basic to the high end, 5 stars. The prices vary too and many times, you can get a discount from some of the booking sites. Since prices vary, I am not going to list them. Many of the hotels offer free wifi in the rooms, some charge.

There are also many Apartelles here, which are small rooms. They are clean and come furnished with hot water showers, TV’s, wifi. Some come with small kitchens. One I know of even has a pool and a small restaurant/bar if you do not want to travel and do not want to cook. These places cost around 1000 pesos ($22 USD) a day and for extended stay of over a month will give some discounted rates.

For longer stays, there are furnished and unfurnished houses and apartments available.

Restaurants:
Lately there have been more restaurants opening with a more international choice of foods. Again, prices vary. For a visitor, most of these higher end restaurants have cheap prices. Those on a budget can still find decent foods. If you want to be more native, there are little roadside Caranderias. At these places, you can get a meal for as little as 20 pesos ($0.50).

For high-end cuisines, you can eat for 1500 pesos ($30 USD) including a Black Angus steak. However, there are many restaurants where you can eat well for a third of the price.

There are many restaurants in Davao I enjoy that are not high priced and some higher end restaurants I do not frequent because of cost. My favorites are:
Boyd’s Pizza/pasta house on Palma Hill, Obrero,
Red Knight Gardens, in Guadalupe Village, Lanang
Coco’s on F. Torres, Bajada
Bigby’s Grill on Jacinto Ext., corner of F. Torres, Bajada

Transportation:
The basic transportation here is the Jeepney. It looks like an extended jeep that can sit approximately 18 passengers. It is open-air vehicle with vinyl windows that will be rolled down during rainstorms. This is to the Filipinos as a local bus in the States. An average ride costs 8 pesos ($0.17 USD). That is to cover a trip not more than 4 kilometers. After 4 KM, there is an additional 1-peso fare per KM. On the sides of the Jeepney their route is painted, which streets they travel and areas they travel too. For someone that does not know the city, it might be best to take a taxi.

Here in Davao most taxis are air-conditioned. There are still some non-aircon taxis but they are slowly being eliminated. The taxis are metered; the meter starts at 30 pesos for aircon and 26 peso for non-aircon.  Then the charge is 2.50 pesos per KM. Usually you can get to most places in town for around 100 pesos.

For short distances or in areas not covered by Jeepneys there are various types of vehicles powered by a motorcycle welded to a sidecar or a little van type size which can seat approx 8 passengers. There are also little 2-4 seat sidecar powered by a bicycle.

Budget:
It is hard to explain a budget since some live large and some are conservative. Then you have to look at how much you will travel around town, if you are going to the beach resorts on Samal or how you will spend your time and with who.

Some of the things you need to discuss with your girlfriend before you visit is who will be joining you for meals or activities or if you will be visiting her family. Many times a Filipina will ask to invite a friend or relative to join them. Other times I have seen foreign visitors at a restaurant with 10 Filipinos at the table.

Even if you explain to your girlfriend your limited budget for your visit, in many Filipinos mind foreign men are rich and can afford their every whim. You need to discuss this before you travel here and set your boundaries. I know we all want to impress and to treat our lady well, but you need limits.

If you are coming with no lady in mind to visit and just play the field, you will need more money. A date usually includes their transportation fees to meet you and their return trip, of course by taxi, meals, drinks and going to Karaoke or clubs. If you bring one of these ladies you meet to go back to your hotel, most will expect a monetary gift. I am not saying they all are prostitutes or whores, but many Filipinas use private time with a foreigner as a way to earn money.

In future articles I will try to discuss courting and visiting “The Family”

I encourage comments from past visitors experiences and questions from future visitors.

In the two years living here, I have seen dry hot days and then there would be a break with heavy rains. This would happen all year long. Elena told me to her, the rainy season is January and February. I remember a visit here in the end of July and seeing rain for many days and the muddy streets.

Usually here, when it does rain, it is in the evenings or late at night. There are many times I have been woken from my sleep hearing the pounding on the roof of a heavy rain downpour. By morning, the sky is clear and the only remaining sign is the wet streets and many puddles.

Well in the past week or so most days were cloudy and rainy. The good part is it really cooled the temperatures. The bad thing is when the sun did come out the humidity rose since all the moisture in or on the ground would evaporate and add to the moist normal air.

I remember having to go out and our poor helper, with a little umbrella is out by the street, waiting for a break in traffic to open the gate for me to backup the car. Then you need extra caution in traffic because many Jeepneys drive around with bald tires.

The other day it was raining pretty steady from when I woke, later I was driving around town and the rain stopped. I looked up and noticed nice blue sky with just a few wisps’ of clouds. Within ten minutes, the clouds filled back in and the downpour started again.

Sunday we were out for our weekly food shopping. Lucky for us, the rain stopped just as I picked Elena at church the rain stopped and we were able to shop at the public market without rain. We came home, unloaded, relaxed a little and off to the mall for the rest of our shopping. While there a light rain would, start and stop but when we were to come home, the rain turned back into a real heavy downpour.  Elena mentioned to watch for the flooded streets on our drive home.

I was greatly surprised, in front of Victoria mall where it usually gets flooded was clear. I just do not know if the drainage was fixed or the rain was not as heavy there.

Again, this morning, I woke up and looked at the sky and I saw clear blue skies with a little cottony wisps of clouds. About ten minutes later I looked out, the blue was gone, and the nice white clouds were turning gray, so I am looking for another day of some rain.

They say every cloud has a silver lining, when it rains here, the air cools and the dust and dirt outside and on the car gets washed away. For those who use  public transportation, these rainy days can make traveling difficult. Many taxi drivers hide because they do not want to take fares to flooded areas.

Later it was reported to be a 5.3 level earthquake and 31 km south of Tagum. I am not sure the distance from Davao City.

I had lived in Southern California for 18 years and felt many earthquakes, but never experienced one where there were no high frequency vibrations and just a swaying feeling as if in a boat.

While looking at the new reports and views of all the destruction, I thought about if this could happen here in the Philippines. Yes, it can but it would need a bigger earthquake. As I heard from the report, many of the buildings are built with masonry block but no structural steel reinforcements.

Being in the Asian “Ring of Fire” an area from New Zealand through Asia to Alaska, there are many earthquake faults and active volcanoes. As we have seen over the past years there have been many earthquake activity in the Philippines, China and Japan. Recently there was a volcano activity on Luzon. It has not been much in the news so I think that threat has calmed down.

Regardless of where a natural disaster happens, it is a tragedy.  The loss of homes and life is something nobody wants to hear. It is even worse that some of these loss of life could be reduced with lower populations crowded into small areas with homes built on top of each other and such a density that would never exist in a first world nation. With good and enforced zoning laws and well-engineered construction technologies, many of these problems would not exist.

We have seen much destruction in the Philippines not too long ago when Luzon was hit repeatedly with Typhoons. Flooding and mudslides causing loss of life, homes and agricultural areas destroyed. Sound planning, construction, planting conservation and drainage could defiantly help. However, as I see in Davao, once everything is over built over many years, how do you tear everything down and start over.

Maybe with a natural disaster wiping out an area, once it is rebuilt it could be zoned and controlled to do better. I can remember where whole neighborhoods in South Florida were gone after Hurricane Andrew. From working in the architectural industry in South Florida after this tragedy, I saw how the building codes and inspections became more and more stringent.

We are to learn from our past. I hope this will be a learning experience for Haiti and homes and buildings will be constructed better for their future.

A while back he mentioned that once he retires here, it there was something he needed from the States he would ask friends planning to visit to bring some items or have them ship it through a Balikbayan shipper.

Balikbayan shipping is a way to ship personal items and the shipping cost is based on box size and not weight.

Well, I joked, if he visited, I would like some Seagram’s 7, which has not been available in Davao. The next comment I received was just one word, “done”.

Since electronics are imported in the Philippines and with that a import tariff, I asked about purchasing for me an external disk drive to have for backup and then replacement if my large external drive ever crashes. He informed me a good system available that I did not know about was a docking station where you can just insert an internal drive. The price is less than the external drive type that I use and with it; I can have multiple drives to use. I was interested in a Terra drive, but he convinced me to get two 500 GB drives so I can alternate for backups.

There were a few other items I asked for that is not available, one being the PM type of non-aspirin pain relievers, like Tylenol PM. Again he said no problem. Well Monday evening they came to our house for dinner and with them all the items I requested. The price was even less than I expected. Since I am not a big drinker and rarely ever drank at home I was shocked to see two 1.75 liter bottles of Seagram’s 7.  I hope I can finish these bottles before the alcohol evaporates.

The main point of this article is to show the help, assistance and friendships that can develop over the internet. Here is a couple that read my site for the information I provide, and at times comment with any agreement or even disagreement. They planned a trip here and were willing to purchase and bring items I wanted and needed.

With an article about having hobbies, he decided to open his own site Philippines or Bust (Retiring in the Philippines) http://www.philippinesorbust.com/

I have met other readers from this site, some who live here and some that visit. One of the most memorable was meeting Evelyn, a Filipina from General Santos City that works as a Caregiver in California. When she came back to visit her family, she invited us to visit her city and gave us a tour. She and her friends were so friendly, gave is gifts and would not even let us pay for anything during the day.

This is one of the most delightful ways that shows how the internet makes the world smaller and the connections and friendships that can be formed.

Gene is an American from North Hollywood, California. He met his lovely wife while visiting Manila in 1996 and they were married in 2003 when he retired and relocated here to the Philippines. They donate their free time to their local Barangay Police. In this little travelogue, Gene tells about the nicer life of Angeles City. Maybe after Gene sees his byline here, he might decide to be a regular contributor.

Angeles Tidbits
by: Gene Davis

Ready, Set, Angeles…

Mabuhay and Greetings from Angeles City, Philippines. I’m a retired American living close to Angeles City in the Philippine Islands. Bruce of “American In Davao” asked me to write a bit about our area and life on the largest of the Philippines 7,107 islands. Most of what I write here comes from others with far more information than I can provide from just my own personal experiences.  Whether traveling the world in search of the perfect vacation spot, or like me, finding a warm place in the sun to enjoy my retirement years; the Philippines is a place of beauty and a relaxed lifestyle that would be hard to find anywhere else. Following is an article about our area of Angeles City. Things to do, how to get here and the like. As time goes by I will try to write a note or two on Bruce’s  site with thoughts about life here as well as personal experiences. If you have never been to the Philippines before or even if you have lived here for years, remember this is a third world country with wonderful but very poor people. Use caution and good common sense when traveling in the country at all times. And remember the old saying, “if it sounds too good to be true—it usually is.”

Angeles is a city mirroring two images; that of the beauty of nature and that of the glitter and glamor of city life. If you’re bound for the Philippines, then it is one city that you should visit.

Location:
The city is located in Region III, north of Manila / NCR (National Capitol Region), Philippines. It is more or less 80 kilometers from the Capital.

Access:
From the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), one can take an airport taxi to nearby bus stations (Victory Liner, Rabbit, Dagupan Bus lines most buses going up north pass by Dau the entry point to Angeles City.) The Victory Liner is the most comfortable, based on the author’s experience. Only the Rabbit Bus lines however, have a station inside the city. For the other buses, a stopover is usually done at Dau which is a jeepney- ride away from Angeles. There are ordinary buses and air con buses which offer affordable prices.

Private cars could be rented and taxis from the airport could bring you directly to Angeles, but it would be more expensive than the bus fares.

If you decide to take the bus until Dau, then you could ride a jeepney from Dau to Angeles. You have to walk though, the short distance from the bus station to the jeepney stop. If you’re totally new to the city, a taxi ride from the NAIA Airport provided by legitimate and certified airport taxis should be utilized.

The Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) is situated also inside Clark Freeport, (which was previously the US Clark Air Base.) Travelers from different entry points could now land directly at the airport. Flights from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Inchon Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong and Thailand are quite affordable.

For first time-travelers, it is not advisable to hail a taxi outside of the airport for these are no longer covered by airport rules and may not be guaranteed for your personal safety. Accidents can happen in any part of the world no matter what safety precautions are in place if you don’t travel wisely. One could easily be lost in the crowded, metropolitan mazes.

Within Angeles city, jeepneys and tricycles are readily available.

Recommended places to visit:
If you’re a nature enthusiast, the remains of Mt. Pinatubo would be a good place to go. The remains of the eruption in 1991 are still indelibly etched on the landscape. The oldest house-Pamintuan’s residence found at Sto. Rosario St. could be a treat for you. The intricate designs of the house reflect the influence of the Spanish occupation. The Clark Special Economic Zone could be a peaceful place to visit, just to see how the former – US Clark Air Base – looked like. It occupies a large area in the outskirt of the city. There are also several duty-free shops. Taxis can be hired at the gates of Clark or at taxi stops outside SM Clark (a leading Filipino Mall, found just near the gates of Clark).

Several popular hotels are also within Clark’s perimeter: Mimosa and Holiday Inn to name some. Mount Arayat stands majestic in the center of Pampanga and is less than an hour’s ride from the city proper. It is the only mountain found in the heart of the province. Mother Nature abounds and local folks usually spent some respite there during the summer months. A guided tour would be advisable if you want to include it in your list. It would be wise not to venture without a competent, local guide. Balibago – one ride from the city proper is where most tourists stay. There are several hotels in this area, Swagman, Oasis, etc. which are frequented by tourists. Night life is also spectacular. There are several bars and bistros (some are opened 24 hours), which cater to foreigners who prefer the night life.

Whatever places you decide to visit while in Angeles City, you should be a wise traveler. Always have a map of the city with you, bring only valuables that you need when going out. For maximum enjoyment, stay in groups and avail yourself of the services of legitimate local guides.

My personal favorite place in Angels for a quick and affordable meal is the VFW post.  Good Mexican tacos, great sandwiches, and the best cup of coffee this side of Los Angeles Calif.

That’s all for this time, my sweet wife, Viol, is calling me in to surprise me with yet another delicious Filipino snack of some kind. Gosh, I have a hard life…

But, we guessed that they would do the same and have the floats on display at SM City Mall in Ecoland but we were disappointed.

We did our usual Sunday morning chore of going to the Palengke for our usual meat, fish, and vegetable and fruit purchases. After we were done we stopped at McDonalds for a quick breakfast. When we got home we unloaded our provisions and after the girls unpacked and put away all the foods, we relaxed a little, showered as usual.

Instead of going to Gaisano Mall, as we usually do, we decided to head out to the other side of town and go to SM to have lunch, see the floats and finish our marketing there. We took two of our nieces, one had review school, and our new addition to our house, our maid/helper (this will be explained more I a future article) and headed out to Ecoland. As I guessed, the parking lot was very full but after waiting in an aisle, a car moved out and we got a decent spot.

The mall was so very much crowed but we made our way to one of our favorite restaurants at that mall, Turquoise, a Turkish Restaurant (More about this restaurant will be highlighted in a future article also). Because of the crowded mall all the restaurants had waiting lines and Turquoise was no exception. We were lucky and only had to wait about 5 minutes until we got a booth and a waiter brought a chair right away for the 5th of our group to sit at the end of the table. The restaurant was overwhelmed with the crowds and also they were short two of their wait staff. Because of this, the meal was slower than usual and Elena had to wait a long time for her entree to arrive.

After we finished we headed out to see the beautiful floats, or so we expected. Last year one whole section was dedicated for the float display. As we were walking and got closer, we saw the area had cars parked. We kept wondering if they moved the display to a different area. We decided to continue to head our way and see for sure. As we got real close, we saw a float towards the far end. As we arrived, we saw there was only one big float, one medium sized and 2 small ones that would have had to be pulled my man or maybe a small vehicle. One other arrived being pulled by a horse. This one came in, passed by us and then continued out of the mall lot to head home, I would guess. We took a few photos and then headed back into the mall. As we got through the crowd at the door Elena and I was going to go to the Super Market and the girls were going to explore the mall.  For reasons that will be explained later in the week about “Peso Mentality” we decided to text the girls to meet us and go to Gaisano Mall instead.

Again, because of the Kadayawan festivities, Gaisano was packed with people. I dropped Elena and the girls off before parking and planned to meet at the Super Market. It turned out there was a show planned with celebrity singers at the mall, so along the rails on the upper floors and the main floor was packed with people. As I went to go outside for a cigarette, the crowds of people entering almost filled the isles to the exit.

I finally met up with Elena, and after we finished the shopping, the girls met us by the cashier. As usual, Elena, now with the girls, went outside with the groceries and I would take the receipts to get our shopping points and go get the car. This is because at Gaisano, the parking is a multilevel parking structure. So I get the car, and drive down to the lower level to have all our bags loaded into the car. Well, by the time I reached the first floor, the isles leading to the Atrium where the stage is was packed with people. I had to squeeze through the crowds to get to the information desk where they enter our receipts into their computer. Then with my ears ringing from the screaming fans, I had to squeeze my way out to get to the escalator to get up to the 3rd floor to get my car.

I know as most people do, and probably more so for Filipinos in Davao, who rarely get to see and hear their famous celebrities in person, the mall was so full. With the threats in this country, and even for a fire emergency possibility, I wonder what would happen, and how many people would get hurt if any type of emergency happened in there with such crowds packed in the mall. I hope and pray it never does.

Maybe next year I will be able to get the energy and give a better report with more “On the Scene” photos of the events of Kadayawan.