Madam, I'm Adam

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While I would love to provide you with a chock-full of information regarding the Philippines and the intricacies of travel within - this would take me much too long. Besides, Sarah will have probably entertained you with the full itinerary (and if you are not reading her e-mails, please let her know at swoolgar-at-gmail-dot-com.

The full details will come when we return from the whole thing, but here's a short take.

Positives:
*The country is gorgeous - ancient rice terraces, caves, underground rivers, coral reefs, small volcanic islands, crystal clear waters, blue skies.
*Outside of airports, specialized resorts, and tours, it is rare to see non-Filipino tourists, unlike Thailand, where nearly every other person you see is a Farang (person of European descent).

Negatives:
*The capital, Manila, is pure chaos, and truly lacks a center. Nobody walks anywhere, largely due to heat, and largely due to the lack of sidewalks. City life occurs in air conditioned shopping malls.
*In urbanized places, most restaurants appear to be parts of chains. It's almost like Texas in that respect, but without the gigantic parking lots covering. Also, while Filipinos tend to understand Vegetarianism far more than Argentines do, there are few tasty traditional vegetarian food options.
*Filipinos love to sing. While I believe that this reflects a general satisfaction with life, it can be a pain for the ears of others, particularly those who do not enjoy oversung off-key ballads. Upon our arrival in Manila, we heard a recording of "Waiting for a Girl Like You" by Foreigner, and I am still trying to figure out if Lou Gramm just couldn't sing or if we were listening to the cabbie or one of his friends doing videoke (it's what they call karaoke in the Philippines).

Neutral:
Filipinos are extremely polite. I was always "Sir" and Sarah was always "madam." And most older Filipinos speak more English than you would expect - very fluently


We thoroughly enjoyed our time in the country. I look forward to providing you with more details regarding our travels when I have more time.

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