Jeff asked...in regards to the Philippines...

"as always...some interesting photos. but, i'm compelled to wonder and
ask: of all the places you could have gone, what caused you to spend
time and money in this one??

jeff (who knows that age, and the recognition of limited years and
opportunities, requires a particular focus in discretionary
travel/vacation choices - and who always marvels at the "tao of asadi")"

That said...in response to some postings on binaries...


To be honest Jeff, I don't know. There is an old Rastafarian greeting that
says, more or less, "Come, sit in the dirt with me," and I guess I've never
been much on tours and big cities. I like to sit in the dirt, and I like to
kick a pig now and then.

I got pretty good at running around in some countries in South America, but
it's a bit of a volatile political climate and I didn't want to go there any
more, so I opted for the Philippines. English is the business language so I
knew there would be no problems in that respect. Granted, the fishing was
doubtful and it turned out to be rather....morose? Unless you do ocean or
deep sea....good fishing can be had in that respect...

I just enjoy getting out and going to places where there is a true story
about to happen, as it were....

You jump a bus...go to a town and jump a boat....see where it takes you! I
jumped a bus for a ten hour ride to Davao, I had my eye on a little tourist
island and thought I would get in a little beach time...you know, sunglasses
and lawn chairs. Imagine my surprise when the bus stops after only six hours
and every body gets off. I spoke to the conductor and we talked a bit and I
told him I thought it was longer to Davao and he explained that yes it was
longer to Davao, about fifteen hours.....I was on the wrong bus.

Undaunted, I whipped out my maps, threw the I-Ching, consulted my star
charts and found an alternate destination about an hour off shore.....

And then, I jump on this boat. I would wager that it used to be a tramp
steamer but was now past that stage and was well on it's way to becoming a
garbage scow and I was caught in the middle. Cows and chickens and people
everywhere and not a seat to be had. People hanging on the rails and the
only place I could find was on a big coil of rope about five feet away from
a urinal with no door. It stank.

They did have beer and I bought a few and got in a conversation with a fine
young man and expressed the sentiment that I was glad this was only a one
hour trip. After talking a while one thing became clear,I was on the wrong
boat....

Six hours later I'm walking down a sand road and stop in a place that
obviously sells beer. I question the young girl behind the counter, the
conversation develops and I pour out my heart, telling her I have no idea
where I am at, have no place to stay and could she possibly, pretty please,
give me some direction.

It turns out she knows of some cottages down the road on the beach and her
younger than me momma doesn't mind if she escorts me there....just to make
sure I don't get lost again.

Momma didn't bat an eye and neither did the owner when I checked in.........

Two hours later I'm on my back on a bamboo slat bench looking up at a thatch
roof. I've got a boat lined up to take me on a three island tour in the
morning for a little R&R and that little girl is fetching me another bottle
of a delightful mango fruit and rum concoction and she says she is going to
stay me with me just to be sure I'm okay and I'm thinking.....

.....how am I going to explain this to Jeff?

john