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Published: December 27th 2007
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Toilet instructions
These instructions were placed across from the toilet in the temple annex building. My favorit is number two. The Walled City
Phill and chona went to order the cake. They are getting married tomorrow. They are getting one with their faces airbrushed on it. Ithink it is funny. We got a taxi to take us back to the country affair store. Inside of the store is another little store called the CTR store. It is owned by a member of our church and sells church related handicrafts. Yesterday we didn't have cash so we went back today. My father purchased a liahona and a creche set carved out of wood. He also bought be a case for my scriptures, it is royal blue with gold thread elephants it is beautiful.
We got another taxi to take us to the old walled part of the city. It took forever because traffic is so bad. His car died and he somehow didn't have the key in the ignition. Then he couldn't find the key. So Phill and a traffic cop started pushing the car to jump start it. That didn't really work though. He then found the key in his pocket The key can be taken out when the car is running apparently. We all laughed at
Traffic and Billboards
There are huge billboards all around the city him. He then told us a story in broken english about how he used to be a fisherman. He got accidentally pulled off the boat with a large rope. He fell into a fishnet and was scared. He had to get out of the net or he would drownd, he did but then there were lots of sharks (that is what they were fishing for). For some reason he was convinced that he had to keep the bottoms of his feet and palms of his hands out of the water because sharks are attracted to them. He swam back to the boat with his hands in balls and his feet out of the water. He used to drive the boat but didn't do well navigating around other boats. He does better as a taxi driver apparently.
The walled city is where the old Manila was when the Spanish ruled. There is lots of old ruins there. We were there trying to find native handicrafts. When we got there we were starving so we ate at a place phill likes called Bacolod Chicken. He used to live in Bacolod and had been to one there, it is a chain. They
serve chicken cooked spit style with spices. Rice with garlic and soysauce and limes were our sides. Phill and Chona showed me how filipinos eat with their hands. You scoop it up with three fingers and push it in your mouth with your thumb. You squish the rice to make it more solid and easier to pick up. This whole thing is served on a round banana leaf on a wooden plate. It was actually really good.
We walked around a bit lost. Most of the vendors are from the provinces and went home for Christmas. There were a lot of beggar children in the streets and it was annoying, they follow you around with their hands out. While we were in the resturant some came to the window next to where we were eating. First there was one looking all sad holding his hand out pressing his other hand to the glass. They soon started to multiply. They had bags of plastic bottles. When they gave up begging they sat right down there and started cutting the labels off of the bottles. There were also men with horses and a cart that would follow you trying to get
Phill and Chona
This is at the Bocolod Chicken House. you to hire the. We saw a bunch of kids playing basketball right next to the ruins of a church. I believe lots of things were bombed durring the world war I'm not sure which one.
We finally found Fort Santiago. there were some shops in there where we bought some things. We wanted to find things to bring home for people. We also walked around a bit. I was able to take lots of pictures. The bathrooms had no toilet paper so it is a good thing I brought my spare. I am excited to get back to the normalcy of home.
We took another taxi home. I had fun taking pictures from my window. Manila is a dirty cramped city with LOTS of peole everyhwere it seems like everyone is trying to sell something even if it is a just from a box of single wrapped mints. People walk along cars at stop lights trying to sell trinkets. Things like water, dishclothes, hats, purses, etc. Chona says it is against the law to give money to beggars because they are part of a gang and the money goes to a gang leader they are working for.
Street beggar
They set up shop right outside our window Kind of like in 'Oliver.' It is sad because some of them are young pregnant women holding dirty babies. Also if you give money to one, they start to swarm.
Tomorrow is the wedding, the luncheon and then dad and me are checking into a hotel next to the airport. Hopefully getting in the airport isn't as hard as leaving it was. The guy who picked us up has been hired as our drvier for all day tomorrow. It will be so nice to not have to rely on finding a taxi. This makes me not want to move to New York City ever. Unless I have lot of money. Tonight we are making spaghetti for Chona's family. It should be interesting. My dad doesn't know what to do without chorizo and little smokies. SHEESH.
Later- It turned out just fine. The noodles were a little different but like I say, when you're hungry just about anyting is good. I was surprized to see how much liam ate. The older kids didn't seem to like it as much. It would be different if we made it at home. Ate Tenit made us a dessert that is long shreds
Horse and buggy
There is a name for these but I don't know what it is. of chewy coconut, sweet potato flavored jello cubes, marble size tapioca balls all swimming in a mix of cream and sweet and condenced milk. It is good. She also told us they put sweet and condensed milk in their spaghetti. It seems to be used to sweeten a lot of things.
The boys are always running all over the place. I have noticed if they want something they go get it themselves instead of whining about it. I don't think I have seen any ugly filipino children. They are all cute, except maybe the street beggars but they would be cute if they had a bath and clean clothes. The people outside Phill's apt. who are recycling stuff are actually his neighbors. They run a junk shop. I don't know what that means.
Dad, Phill, and Chona went to run errands. I can barely keep my eyes open. One more full day!
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Chris
non-member comment
travels
I had a couple friends from Laos and they lived in a big city (can't remember the name) but anytime they needed money they would take something they didn't use anymore and go outside and sell it. Anytime, you would just walk out onto the street and start hawking your stuff. It's a completely different social norm than the 'compartmentalized' barter that goes on in North America. Also on the number 2 in the toilet pic, in many parts of the world toilets consist of a hole in the ground that you squat above. Even places with running water and sewer treatments. So I think the 'Don't squat on the toilet' instruction is very apt. On a related note squatting is physiologically easier than sitting.