Wanderlust Heaven!

The elections are coming up, on May 14. People are a little on edge and various atrocities are being committed around the country. One was nicely timed to coincide with my trip last week to Cebu City.

I had gone up there from Dumaguete to see a young lass – the aforementioned Cebu Date #2. We met a the salon near my hotel – she was getting her nails done, for the second time since we met 2 weeks ago. Is that a high frequency? Should I be concerned – or flattered? Female readers please chime in.

Date #2 requested that her sister join us…uh oh. Well, that’s standard practice around here – the third wheel is either a chaperone/bodyguard type (typically a homely friend who never gets out), or a sibling looking to freeload. You can only grin and bear it – otherwise you lose face and seem heartless. So off we went, to The Wineshop, probably mentioned in an earlier entry. This place is a gem – from the outside it appears to be a simple retail shop, but inside it’s a full-blown Spanish-y bodega, with lots of different wines and a decent selection of tapas. No way near the quality of Casa Armas in Manila, but perfectly acceptable, particularly given my feeble diet in Dumaguete.

The house wine is very drinkable and only about 50 pesos a pop. The girls aren’t wine drinkers – too bad. I got a bottle of the house red and polished that off myself – the girls had a couple San Miguels and then mixed drinks. We had a few tapas. I was feeling oh-so-fine as we traipsed out and hailed a cab.

Went over to the Crossroads Center, where there’s a K1 KTV (karaoke) place. It’s like the Japanese joints – you get a room for you and your gang, and rent it by the hour. No, it’s not a short-time motel, you just sit there, sing, eat, and drink. Nooky is probably possible, but given that Date #2’s sister was with us, I was behaving myself.

Meanwhile, Date #2 turned out to be a shockingly good singer – impressive range, knowledge of all the big hits, and multilingualism (Filipino, English, and a bit of Japanese). I was floored. She had told me that she loved to sing, and had been in a choir, but I was still expecting highly inflected English and occasional moments of auditory torture. But no. I felt like I was in an intimate music hall…and was feeling frisky. Too bad the sister was with us.

Next day I got up and found a local newspaper. You thought I forgot to get back to my point on the elections, but no – here’s the tie-in. The front page story: a candidate for mayor (and former mayor) of Santa Fe town, Bantayan Island, was gunned down right outside the Cebu Provincial Capitol building the afternoon before. I had been in Santa Fe a few weeks before…and there was a bit of gunplay there, as readers may recall. Here was another round, with more deadly results, right at the epicenter of Cebu politics. Where were the security guards? How did the perp get inside the grounds? The police sketch showed a seedy-looking guy with shades – not the sort of fellow you’d allow to poke around the Capitol grounds, at least not without being patted down. Unbelievable.

I believe the national body count due to election politics is well above 50 by now – with plenty of injuries besides. The next few days, till May 14, might be even worse…I don’t expect any issues (besides loudspeaker-blaring trucks) here in Dumaguete itself, but I’m not planning any trips to the countryside till the smoke clears – literally.

Went over to SM Mall to look at Sony cameras. I need to buy a new one, despite being very happy with my current DCS-T7 – because no underwater housing is available for mine. Nice one, Sony. Took a look at the newer models – and in common with many other manufacturers (New Balance, Dell, etc.) Sony makes a confusing array of models, split by different ‘lines,’ and these change yearly, so that you can’t really follow the advance of technology. I found a model I like – the T100 – and there appears to be an underwater case for that model. But it turns out that the prices in the RP are nearly double what you’d pay in the States. I don’t think you can chalk that up entirely to tariffs, shipping costs, etc. I think Sony is skimming off the wealthy locals and blowing off the middle class. The T100 runs about 33K Pesos, which is about US$700. In the US it would run for $400. Eek. I suppose I could order online from Sony.com and have it shipped here…but might just wait till I visit the States in late July. No underwater photos till then…oh well.

Also visited my local chiropractor, based in another mall, the Ayala Center. If you want presence in this country, base yourself in a mall. The foot traffic is remarkable. Dr. Pardis decided to work on the L5 vertebra this time – as opposed to just adjusting my sacro-iliac package – and sitting here typing this, 6 days later, I can say that this time did the trick. Really. I feel vastly better and very little discomfort – less than I have in 8-10 months. My faith in chiropractic has been renewed and I’m going back for more soon. Oily massages are fine – but one good chiro adjustment is far more effective.

As I sat in a cab en route to my hotel, I noticed a t-shirt vendor outside the mall grounds. One of the t-shirts / sweatshirts he was selling had a ‘University of Pittsburgh’ logo. That’s where my parents went and met. Random. I doubt the average Filipino has ever heard of Pittsburgh – although the university has a good hoops team and hoops is huge here. Should have bought it and sent it to my father. It would probably be the cheapest Pitt garb he’s ever had…

Went out that night with Date #2. No sister this time. But weirdness loomed – her brother was in the hospital for some sort of operation on his rear end. Couldn’t understand quite what the procedure was, and didn’t press it. I met her at the hospital (Perpetual Succour – oh my), and understood from her that she needed to return there at the end of the night. Wonderful. Did I mention that in the future I will refuse to date anyone who has more than one sibling? Actually, zero might be safer. Anyway…by this point I was well-acquainted with the unpredictability of Filipinas and dating them, as you may have gathered.

Went to Café Havana, which does a reasonable approximation of Cuban food…actually, it’s much better than the real thing. The menu goes well beyond stringly chicken and rice, and includes some decidedly non-Cuban items – mainly Spanish – which are lifesavers. This time we were alone – no sister tagging along. And I was pleased about that, despite liking the sister. So we had a good dinner, enjoyed each other’s company (presumably), and I played with her little feet and admired her new nail polish (pedal). She wasn’t that hungry so I did most of the eating – no issue there. Then she ordered a drink called a ‘wing-wing’ and that’s when things got weird. Apparently this is the Filipino version of a Long Island Iced Tea – 5 kinds of alcohol – and little Date #2 got drunk in about 3 minutes. Her voice slurred…her eyes drooped…I moved the drink to my side of the table and tasted it. It was not weak…and Date #2 only weighs about 95 pounds, give or take a gram.

To reverse the course, I ordered her some food. She wasn’t hungry 30 minutes beforehand, but now it was important to get some food in her before she passed out. So along came a Sandwich Cubano, and that helped a bit. But she wasn’t particularly lucid…and it was early enough in the evening that I could drop her off at the hospital and go out for another couple drinks. So that’s what I did. And the next morning I got an SMS from her – ‘thanks for taking care of me, I get drunk.’ No kidding, baby. I usually don’t drop drunks off at the hospital, but do make exceptions from time to time…

Went over to the Lone Star Bar, a decent place not far from my hotel. The foreigner sitting a couple stools over had a pierced eyebrow. I was in a cranky mood so decided to internally disparage this fellow. What’s the point of piercing your eyebrow? Does it demonstrate a level of coolness that non-piercers lack? Isn’t it painful when you sleep? And if you get in a fight, wouldn’t your opponent go for that first? Moustaches/beards are about as far as I can reasonably extend my progressiveness these days – beyond those it’s just posing, methinks. Reactions?

Heard about a deal at Ratsky’s bar/music joint in the Ayala Center. For 150 pesos (about 3 bucks) you can sit there and drink their draft beer from 2-6 p.m. each day. So that’s why so many foreign piss-heads are hanging out there in the middle of the day. The draft beer may taste like bongwater…but for 3 bucks you can tie on a large-size buzz and then go out and coast for hours. Must try that one of these days…but my lifestyle doesn’t really fit, I tend to have a few things to do in the p.m., and when the sun sets I want to go out for a run – if I don’t, I feel guilty. Every now and then an afternoon buzz is perfectly acceptable, but it’s a special occasion and I’d prefer to save them up for when I’m with good friends. I fully expect that when I get to Tokyo, my friend Rob and I will spend a few afternoons whiling away our time at the Hobgoblin Pub. Sirrah.

Went back to Dumaguete on Friday morning. 6 a.m. ferry – oh yeah. Did a few things in Dumaguete, then had a nice 3-hour nap before going out. Had dinner that night at the Italian restaurant, with the cute manager there. While finishing off my tagliatelle there was a commotion outside. A (mostly) blind old crone was yelling at some fellow and waving her stick around – I swear it was something right out of Lord of the Rings. The old woman is completely bonkers…but the fellow was probably giving her a hard time. I’d call the bout a draw. Afterward, we went out – of course, accompanied by her two cousins, and then some friends –up the road to the Hayahay Bar. It was Folk Music Night – decent music, and in a sense preferable to the crazy Reggae Night each Wednesday, when you can’t hear yourself think. Got a table and sat around chatting and polishing off San Miguels till late in the evening. Divemaster Mike and new friend Steve also came by – it felt like I was sitting with every single person I know in Dumaguete. And that was pretty much the case. Good fun. Then made a brief appearance at the Why Not Disco – which was packed – before calling it a night.

Next day I rode my motorbike out west to the pretty little town of Valencia. There’s a nice waterfall (Casaroro) up that way – went there last year with Mike. This time I just rode around – wanted to get some air and enjoy the benefits of an internal combustion engine before they’re legislated out of existence. Found myself on a long unpaved track. Lots of big rocks and loose gravel, and ridges too. Driving a motorbike on this stuff is like skiing moguls – you’ve gotta decide each second whether to go over the large rocks, or around them, and whether your ‘edges’ are going to stick on the inclines of the slope. Bike got a bit wobbly a few times, but was generally steady and eventually I got back to the asphalt.

That night I had a drink with another young lady in Dumaguete – the one with the crazed chaperone. I had stipulated no friend this time. We just sat along the boulevard and ate skewers of squid balls (better than they sound) and fish tempura (no match for anything you’d find in Japan). Chatted for a while…not much in common. Plus she’s about half my age – so we parted ways and I went over to the Why Not Disco to see what was happening on this Saturday night.

Disco was much less crowded. Attendance here is probably driven by packs – if 2-3 groups show up, the place is full. Not so on this night. So mostly watched the big-screen movies playing. That Nicholas Cage munitions seller movie was on. He sells lethal weapons to anyone with the cash – including the usual African renegades – and eventually realizes the error of his ways. Reminded me of selling some consulting projects to clients who weren’t quite ready to handle them.

For some reason started thinking about Native American names. Dances with Wolves popped into my head…then I thought about what I’d call some friends of mine, particularly those with unique traits. Bryan in NYC – old college buddy – is a longtime partner in the consumption of buffalo wings. He can clean a wing (drumstick or thigh – versatile) in about 5 seconds, and rarely leaves any meat on the bone. He’d be ‘Cleans Wings Swiftly.’ This train of thought didn’t last for long, but I do mean to add to this list…

Also thought about McD’s, given that there’s a brand new outlet right next to my hotel here. Apparently it was a big deal when it opened – everyone wanted to make an appearance there. McD’s in the RP of course cater to the local tastes – there’s fried chicken, rice, and ‘McRice Burgers.’ Nothing special, but popular here. I wish I had bought some McD’s stock when it was down a couple years ago – everyone was gunning for McD’s and ‘SuperSize Me’ was making the rounds. Meanwhile, McD’s is the largest restaurant chain in the world and has considerable resources. And most people love the place, despite its lethal offerings. So as global warming became the big news, McD’s quietly made some changes, climbed out of the trough and is now performing well again.

Slept till 11:30 on Sunday, the latest I’ve slept in many moons. Missed the live broadcast of the Mayweather-de la Hoya fight – oh well. Walked over to MartOne to see what kinds of cameras they have – and then noticed that the fight was on one of the TVs on a shelf. Stood there with 5 locals and watched the entire fight. And I thought de la Hoya won it. He was the aggressor, and seemed to always have Mayweather retreating, albeit with control. Perhaps de la Hoya was less accurate with his punches, but I was surprised that he lost. All in all, a deeply unsatisfying bout that won’t help the current state of boxing much.

That night, took a ride on my motorbike, just to feel the breeze. En route back to the hotel, I passed a kid on a bike. He had dyed blonde hair, a pin to keep his locks in place, and as we passed each other, right in front of the big, imposing church, he crossed himself with one hand while holding the handlebar with the other. Amen.

I’d like to get a get a transcript of Queen Elizabeth II’s thoughts during her conclave with Bush. What the hell do you think went through her mind? QE2 is probably the world’s most refined person – emotionally stunted, of course, but that’s beside the point. And here she was with perhaps the world’s least refined person – the President of the United States. He does have a few emotions, for sure. After spending a few minutes with Bush, the Queen may have been pleased that England lost the Revolution – and she may have silently thanked George III for blowing it.
Next day, took another bike ride, this time north up to the town of San Jose, 15 km from Dumaguete. You can get to the well-known Twin Lakes from there – I decided not to bother this time but will later on. En route, I stopped to take a peek at the lovely Negros Oriental Provincial Capitol building – reminded me of the Leyte Capital I saw last year. This one is set against the Cuernos de Negros (Horns of Negros) Mountains – nice backdrop. Here it is:

Noticed that Spiderman 3 is absolutely dominating cinemas here. In some cinemas, it’s literally taking up every screen – sometimes 6 screens simultaneously. They love their pop culture here…

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 9th, 2007 at 1:46 am and is filed under Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.