Well, I'm off again, off to a new land with a new culture and new surroundings to experience. I'll let you all know in due time.

This is San Juan Bech, the most popular surf destination on Luzon, and very close to where most of my family lives.

After the waves in Daet died, I travelled further south in Bicol, admiring the perfectly symmetrical cone-shaped volcano, Mt. Mayon, and then began my island-hopping campaign through the Visayas. I started on the boring island of Masbate, which really only acted as an intermmediate between Bicol and the more exciting island of Cebu. Once in Cebu, I immediately hopped on a bus and headed north through the coconut palms and farms, and then hired a boat heading to the tiny, beautiful island of Malapascua. This place was picture perfect, with dazzling white sand beaches, beautiful coral reefs teeming with aquatic life, and groves of coconut palms under which to hide from the baking sun. I would like to return to this place after I get a scuba diving certification, as it seems most of the excitement takes place below the sea's surface. Most of my time was spent reading or examining the creatures not far from shore, though I did take a nice kayak trip around the island one sunny afternoon.

Ft. San Pedro in Cebu, erected by the Spanish in 1565.

The very impressive Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.

However, my travels through the Philippines haven't been all bright and cheery. First, my digital camera ws stolen on the ferry from Masbate to Cebu (hence no pictures of southern Bicol, Masbate, or Malapascua). I take full responsibility; I was careless and fell asleep in my bunk without securing the the thing thoroughly enough. I did end up buying a new one when I returned to Cebu, and boy did I pay (looks like I'll be working plenty this summer to pay off that credit card debt). I have never met more hustlers than I have in this country! Really, people are either really awesome here or they just flat-out suck ass and care only to take your money or violate your trust in some way. I am no homophobe, but I have been avoiding any male whom I suspect to be gay here, as I have only had problems with those that are. These aren't the same gentle fairies you'll meet in America; these fuckers are conniving and manipulative. Really. Moving on...the staring has gotten annoying. I am one of the few white (well, the Flips see me as a totally white person, although many Thais think I'm Japanese...go figure) folk travelling through the country this time of year and I seem to be some kind of oddity or spectacle. It was cute at first, but I've had enough. Finally, the monsoon has hit the Philippines and I am being drenched almost everywhere I go, so it's kind of pointless to hang around anyway.

I'm not trying to paint an ugly picture of this country. Some of the most memorable experiences of my life took place here: meeting my relatives for the first time, catching my first wave, eating dog and the dreaded balut, and of course, I will never forget the majesty of the rice terraces at Batad. I'd come back here just to see that again! There is natural beauty to be admired throughout the land. It's just that the Philippines has been the most challenging place I have travelled through so far, which, though painfully bothersome at times, has also provided me with the most opportunity for personal growth. I have had enough for now and am ready to move on and begin my next adventure.

Me and the fam at San Juan Beach after a lunch of adobo, kare-kare, beef and brocoli, and lechon baboy.

Alvin's crib...and more cousins!

I wrapped up my trip by seeing my huge family one last time. My cousin Jacky and her husband Alex drove me out to La Union to meet up with my aunt Gigi and few cousins. We had a nice lunch on the beach at San Juan, not far from where most of them live. I then met up with my Uncle Alvin, whom I hadn't met before, and his family back in Baguio. We went out to karaoke (it's a Filipino thang) and beers and got to photograph and video them singing their hearts out (humorous). As a parting gift, I made the fam a small album full of photos of our times together and also of some of the more beautiful places I got see while I was here. Just as General McArthur promised the Filipinos back in WWII, I'll be back.

Hey, I found a place I actually like in Manila! It's called Paco Park now and I'm not sure when it was built, but it's pretty old.

"There comes a time in every man's life and I've had many of them."
Casey Stengel