Surf Lanuza 06

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Hello all,

I have just experienced the one big party that is the annual Lanuza Surf Festival. For most of the year Lanuza is a small rural Philippines town, very quiet except for the incessant (and defiantly not timely) crowing of the fighting cocks. The exceptions are at Fiesta time and at the Surf Festival. This is the biggest week of the year with lots of visitors from foreign places (mostly Australia) and from other parts of the Philippines. As well as the surfing competitions there is karaoke, boxing, cock fighting, billiards, lots of drinking, gambling and the highlight - a Bikini contest. For food as well as any number of BBQ stalls there is a Jolibee catering truck. That’s similar to McDonalds but with lots more sugar.

The surf contests include an International longboard comp with enough prize money to attract the Longboard world champ over from Auz. The national competitions cover longboard, shortboard, ladies, and probably a few other categories. If there wasn’t a prize for it surfing while standing on your head should have been on the list. There was no contest for surfing dogs although the cute white dog that lives in my corner of town would have probably won it paws down. He is better at staying on my surf board than I am! Unfortunately the waves were not very big for the contest but the pros still shine through. The longboard competition was dominated by nose riding and helicopters, those sort of technical moves. (didn’t mean anything to me either before I moved to a surfing town)

Just before the finals four of the Australian pro surfers held a "Bamboo Expression Session" the idea was to go out on the localy made bamboo boards and show off. The surfer that pulled the best moves with the most flair and creativity won themselves a bamboo longboard just like mine.

There is of course one picture here of a contestant in the Bikini open. I hate to say it but 16 young ladies (18 or 19 years old) strutting around a stage in a succession of Bikinis can start to get a little boring - after 3 or 4 hours! This is not a lads only event, it’s very much for the whole family. I was part of the media team so I could stand right at the front of the stage and also get in back stage to see the makeup artists at work. Not a bad night out.

The picture of me having breakfast is a slightly unusual one - that’s the daughter of the president of the Philippines. Despite flying in by helicopter she is surprising normal and importantly for the future has a soft spot for environmental issues. You might just be able to make out the England football shirt in the photo. I thought I had got away from football for a whole 2 years but it looks like that might be impossible anywhere in the world.

Did you see on the news that we were hit by typhoon Durian a couple of weeks ago? Mudslides triggered by the heavy rainfall killed something like 800 people on the flanks of Mount Mayon volcano. Two villages that Viv and I were in as sightseers less than 3 months ago are no longer there- the houses were swept away by volcanic mud flows. There is something sickly poetic about naming a destructive typhoon after one of the most obnoxious fruits I have ever tried to eat.

The picture of a crazily loaded motorbike is long overdue as is the one with me on the back of a carabaw. Its not the most comfy form of transport. His back is bonier than my backside and there needs to be more padding than an empty sack to separate the two.

Last week I became fully immersed in Filipino cinema culture while on a visit to the countries second biggest city - Cebu. I went to see Casino Royal, walked into the film half way through, watched the end then the beginning then left at just about the point I went in. I am not sure it’s the best way to appreciate the twists and turns of the plot but very convenient when you want a couple of hours of air conditioned comfort while waiting for a ferry.

One last thing. For those of you that have got used to saying Matt & Viv or Viv & Matt you will now have to think about us separately - we are a couple no more.

Hopefully the next instalment will be cheerful all the way through!
Happy Christmas to everyone and see some of you soon
Matt

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Photos

Blokes with boards
This is at the end of the bamboo expression session. The boards are manufactured from Bamboo by my next door neighbour here in Lanuza.

Snacks anyone?
I would not like to try and ride that on a windy day

Comments

[Lorna Chamberlain]

Merrty Christmas to Matt
Hi there Matt. It's early Christmas morning here and my turkey is in the oven and all other necessary chores have been completed. Wiith a couple of hours to kill before the television provides its usual festive films I've been doing a bit of 'surfing' myself and paid another visit to your blog. You certainly seem to be having a good time - although I'm not certain about some of the food or some of the local transport - especially that carabaw! I might have sufficient padding to make it more comfortable but that sharp back-bone looks positively dangerous! I note it's not all been hard work for you and I'm wondering what skills you have that permitted you to be part of the media team for that bikini contest! Your protestations that it all became a bit boring doesn't really ring true - especially with that 'Gwapa lady' photograph. Keep up the good work in the forests Matt and I hope you had a lovely Christmas - can I airmail you a brussel sprout or two? Regards Lorna