Sunday, August 15, 2010

The Philippines

Summer Begins

For summer vacation I left Japan and went to the tropics, my destination the Philippine archipelago. 2 weeks later I returned a different, sunburned man. This a summary of my trip.

Day One

Left home for Osaka. Took train to Universal Studios Japan. Stayed the night at a cheap hotel.

On our way to Universal Studios Japan
Park Entrance
Universal Studios Japan

Japan, being the modernized country that it is, has many, many theme parks with the latest attractions and rides. In Tokyo for example there are Disneyland and Disney Sea, both built alongside the glamorous Disney Hotel. A monorail conveniently connects the three.

To the west in the city of Osaka is a third theme park of international renown, Universal Studios Japan. To go to the Philippines I chose a carrier that only flew out of the nearby airport, so I thought I would leave a day early to check out the park. The experience it turned out was well worth the extra trip.

I soon became giddy with excitement when crossing through the Universal City Walk, a large mall between the park and the nearest train station. Because it had been 15 years or so since I last visited Universal Studios in Los Angeles it was like I was entering this type of park for the first time. Inside several attractions awaited, including roller coasters, boat rides and cinematic shows. My personal favorite was the one we went on first, The Space Fantasy Ride. Built within a large dome, the roller coaster passed mostly through darkness. The occasional celestial shaped light created the sensation of being outer space. Moreover, as the cars speed along the track the seats spun horizontally. This was a very unique feature I had never experienced before.

The rides aside, Universal Studios boasts dozens of restaurants and shops. After dark the park lights up brilliantly and comes to a close with the Magical Starlight Parade. Started back in 2007 this became Universal’s answer to Disney’s Electrical Parade, which is still featured at Tokyo Disneyland. But of course, rather than having floats with Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Universal created large lit up versions of their own licensed characters such as Sesame Street friends, Hello Kitty and Snoopy.




Posing with Spiderman

A Stage Show


The Magical Street Parade, Universal's take on Disney's Light Parade

Day two

Went sightseeing, first to Dotonbori and later to Osaka Castle. Caught an evening flight to Manila. Left the Manila airport and soon caught a night bus to Baguio.





Big Electronic Store
Gian Mechanized Crab
Famous Dotonbori Shopping Street

Dotonbori Okonomiyaki Restaurant
Glico Man Sign
Osaka

My flight to Manila was an evening one. To kill time beforehand I decided to do some sightseeing. I don’t like particularly big cities, but Osaka does have plenty of places to check out in and around the city center. First I went to the shopping area of Dotonbori. I didn't care for the multitude of shops and restaurants though. What I really wanted to see was the Glico-man. The local attraction is a large electronic sign featuring the logo of the large Osaka based Glico Company, it being a man running down a racetrack. My interest in the sign stemmed forth from the school lunches I eat at work. A small carton of Glico milk always accompanies the meal and on it is the famous logo. In Dotonbori the Glico man logo is but one of many extravagant neon rectangles that don the area. A 10 story tall poster for the recently released Inception film also stood out prominently. It featured a huge blown up version of Leonardo Dicaprio's face.

With more time to spare I rode the subway to Osaka Castle. A modern day reconstruct made of reinforced steel, the main keep stands in the center of a large park punctuated by stonewalls and wide moats. Like all the other recently rebuilt castles in Japan the air-conditioned innards of the keep double as a museum with historical displays and well preserved artifacts, which is great for me because I’m the kind of person who enjoys learning about the history behind prominent locales. In the case of Osaka Castle the original was only in existence for a few years before being destroyed following a winter siege. The new castle keep erected in its place didn’t fare much better. It was burned down by lightning, yet due to its strategic position the castle was rebuilt again and again until World War II air raids decimated the entire area. It was not until 1997 that the castle keep was completely restored to its modern form. At five stories high atop a large stone base, the main tower offers a spectacular panoramic view of the city.




Osaka Castle
Recreation of the Fall of Osaka Castle

View from Castle Tower
Outside the Castle

Day Three

Checked in to a hostel then went sightseeing. Visited a recreation of a native village. Saw the local church. Went to the Mines View lookout to see the surrounding mountains. Had roasted chicken for dinner. Ended the night at a country music club.




Tamal Village in Baguio

Baguio Houses
Jeepney Bus

The Lookout from Mine's View

Our Lady of Atonement Cathedral
Baguio

After Osaka the next city to see was Baguio. We went there directly from Manila. Baguio is to the north of the Philippine capital nestled among the inland mountains of Luzon Island. Thanks to the city’s rather high altitude it enjoys cooler year round temperatures than the rest of the country. That makes Baguio a popular summer destination for many Filipinos.

The plan was to go from Baguio further north to the Ifugao Rice Terraces, the Philippine’s one UNESCO World Heritage site. Unfortunately, poor logistical planning made that leg of the trip an impossibility. We instead stuck to the sights near the city. Most impressive were the shantytowns built in to the hillsides surrounding the heart of Baguio. Their colorfully painted corrugated metal roofs and narrow alleyways stood out in chaotic fashion against the thick and vibrant greenery of the region's endemic pines.

We quickly realized there was really not much to see other than the city itself. But the layout of the streets and the character of buildings made for some worthwhile exploration. It was also nice to be in place where the signs were in English. As a result we had little trouble navigating the city.




Nasty Squid Bits for Sale

Crowded Intersection

Beer that 'Nourishes true Filipino friendships'
Night Out at a Country Music Bar
Day Four

Returned to Manila by bus. Walked through the historic district of Intramuros. Saw the Manila Cathedral and Fort Santiago. Checked out the Mall of Asia and ate dinner at El Pollo Loco. Spent the night back at the airport.




Cathedral in Manila
Cathedral Altar

Fort Santiago

Fountain and Nice Garden

A view from the Fort
Manila

From the cool hills of Baguio we retuned to the hectic streets of Manila. Beginning to end, our brief run through of the city was sweaty, polluted and rushed. When it was all done I felt I had seen enough of Manila to last me a lifetime.
First off we went to the historical part of the city where the Spanish held colonial sway over the coastal areas of the island archipelago.

The largest landmark was Manila Cathedral, the sixth incarnation of the original built in the 16th century. Having seen the grand cathedrals in Spain the building was not much to look at but it is unique in that while most southeastern Asian countries are adorned with Buddhist temples or Islamic Mosques the Philippines has its catholic churches.

For our next stop we opted for the air-conditioned walkways of the Mall of Asia. The obscenely oversized mega-structure is the world’s third largest shopping center. To my surprise it was also quite expensive. I’m talking American prices much too high for a developing country. From what I saw though that did not deter the throngs of local shoppers. Apparently, the people in Manila are seen as big spenders when compared to their thrift minded compatriots elsewhere in the country.

Inside Mall of Asia

Skating Rink
SPAM JAM. For a quick fix.
Jollibee, Fast Food of the Philippines

Super Fun Cakes
Day Five

Flew to Davao. Met my friend Ice and had breakfast at his wife’s family’s home. Checked in to a hotel. Visited crocodile farm. Had dinner at Ice’s friend’s Auto Shop grand opening celebration party. Closed out the night at a popular hookah bar.

Davao City

The Philippine archipelago consists of 7,107 islands, Luzon being the largest. Next is Mindanao which forms the southeast extreme of the country. I spent the majority of my stay on that island in the city of Davao.

Davao at a glance was rather large and surprisingly safe. None of the rampant terrorism taking place in the Mindanao country spills over in the city’s streets, not like before when Muslim extremists would often commit kidnappings and bombings. It was only after the former governor created Task Force Davao that the terrorism stopped. A state sponsored group affiliated with the Philippine military, Task Force Davao discretely executed suspected terrorists, drug dealers, thieves and other dissidents effectively reducing several criminal elements. It was a highly illegal, totalitarian response to the city’s problems but most locals give the impression they feel the ends justified the means. That is not to say the former mayor is considered a hero. His reputation was forever ruined once he decided to fight violence with violence regardless of the result.

As I walked around the city I spotted several of Task Force Davao's soldiers. They stood around dressed in green camouflage fatigues. Some were armed with Ak-47s. Others held M-16s. Almost all of them looked bored. They hadn’t much to do other than establish a threatening presence to ward off evil doers. Outside the public eye though, the men were much more active torturing and executing criminals. Or so my friends in Davao assured me.

Entrance to a Recreated Village

Ice Looks Around

A Tropical Bird

Bunched up Bamboo
At the Crocodile Farm

Friendly Orangutang

Wendy holds a baby croc

Ice temporarily overcomes his fear of snakes

Tribal Fire Dance
Day Six

Took a ferry to Samal Island. Saw the bat cave. Back in Davao we had Halo Halo, a Philippine treat. Ate Chinese food for dinner and went clubbing afterwards.





Ferry to Samal Island



Traditional filipino hut



The entrance to the at caves



A baby fruit bat




One of many caves with fruit bats



A boat on the beach



The bats up close



Thousands of cute little bats



Lush jungle

Ice

Back in Japan in my town of Minokamo I make due teaching English at elementary schools. The decent pay and lengthy breaks between semesters allow me to travel up to three times a year for two or more weeks at a time. Plus I get paid for all 15 weeks of my annual vacation. I really can’t complain. The same goes for the other English teachers I’ve met in the area. Take Alritz for example. He is Filipino and ever year he spends his summer vacation at home. That’s six weeks for him to see friends and family. His being there was the main reason I went to visit the Philippines.

Anyhow, Alritz, or rather Ice as we all call him, is from Davao City. He went to a local university, married his high school sweetheart and had it in mind to make a career out of radio. The only problem was his wife who had lived on and off in Japan wanted to settle there. Reluctantly, Ice gave in to his wife’s wishes and moved overseas. That is how we met.

Ice is a funny guy. He has a loud and scandalous mouth. Thus, the man is happiest when relating an embarrassing story at someone else expense. At the same time, he is never hesitant to dish out the juicy details of his own personal life, much to the chagrin of his wife. But the man in neither mean-spirited nor egotistical. His problem is he simply does not know how to keep his mouth shut. He often digs himself in to a hole by making careless remarks. Then when looking to friends for validation, he soon drags them down with him.

Ice is still a good guy in my book. He and his wife personally saw to it that I enjoyed my stay in Davao. They took me to the local places of interest and the best of restaurants. And Ice even let me be a guest on his old radio talk show. That I’ll get to later.

Day Seven

Took a drive to Mt. Apo. Went zip lining at Camp Sabros. Returned to Davao and ate dinner at Jack’s Ridge.





Entrance to Camp Sabros



We rode horses to the zip lines



Me coming down


A group shot



Mt. Apo, the tallest mountain in the Philippines



Man in air



Ice and company drove us outside the city to the base of Mt. Apo, the Philippines largest mountain. Nestled in the hilly island interior was Camp Sabros a zip lining camp with three runs extending high above the jungle canopy.

Our first run was 300m. As the assistants placed me in to the harness I felt quite nervous. They had me suspended face down so that I would fly forward like Superman. With a minor push I cleared the platform and soared across a narrow valley. Though some 40m above the ground my fears quickly passed when I realized the harness and line were both secure. There really was nothing to be worried over.

Next up was a similar 400m run. To get to the platform we had to ride in the back of a truck and cut up a bumpy dirt road. That was an adventure upon itself.
The longest run came last. At 920m someone said it was the lengthiest in Asia. The platform started from a perch high up. Looking down I again felt butterflies in my stomach. The others joking about the cable snapping did not help. But it was all for not. The run down was an enjoyable cruise over beautiful lush jungle with Mt. Apo in the distance. When the day was over I was dully satisfied. The total price tag: 10 dollars.





Dinner at Jack's ridge

Day Eight

Crossed over to the Pearl Farm Resort. Went snorkeling and enjoyed a top notch buffet for lunch. Joined Ice’s Radio Talk show at night.





On the way to Pearl Farm



The resort



A bungalow with a beach in the distance



Beautiful palm trees on a beautiful day



White Sand

The beach is good. No. It is better than good. It is fantastic--a striking taste of the ocean’s glory and wonder. I love the beach and have been to many across the globe. However, I had never visited one of those white sand beaches where the aqua marine water is clear and warm, and one only need swim out 50m to see coral and tropical fish.

Well, in the Philippines there are numerous spots that meet the description. We spent a day at one such place, The Pearl Farm Resort. The isolated bungalow setup took up a strip of sand where jungle met the sea. I rented a snorkel set and explored the shallow waters marveling at nature’s design. It truly was a majestic experience. Little did I realize, snorkeling for me was only the beginning.






White sand


Day Nine

Went to Deca Water Sports Park. Wake boarded all day. Had a BBQ chicken dinner. Joined the Radio Talk show.





Wake boarding at Deca Watersports



Equipment, 8 hours of wake boarding and lunch for only 20 bucks


Wakeboarding

Before my trip I was never interested in water sports. But when I heard there was a wake boarding facility near Davao City I thought why give it a go. The day began early at 9pm. Twenty dollars covered the cost of the equipment and use of the facilities. Lunch too was included. The set up was actually very impressive. A cable system pulled wake boarders around a man made circular course.
It took several failed attempts for me to stand on the board but on my sixth or seventh I successfully completed a circuit.

I next worked on switching 180 degrees to a regular stance and back. Then it was on to short hops. My goal was to switch in air on a short hop but every time I tried I ended up in the water. Considering it was my first time out I still think I accomplished a great deal. Some of the other newbie’s, by comparison, couldn’t even stand on the board. It was painful to watch them repeatedly fall off the launch, maybe as many as thirty times. By the end of it my entire body was also in agony from numerous falls. What hurt most were my forearms. The soreness lasted five days.

Now that I got a taste for wake boarding I really wish I could go again, but at Nagara River the closest spot an hour out on the water costs 70 bucks. I think I’ll try kayaking instead. That's only half that price for four times as much time.





Ready to launch



It took me six tries to finally stand



Waiting in line



Holding on tight



I spent more of the day swimming than wake boarding



Ready for more

Day Ten

Signed up for Scuba Diving Open Water Certification Course. Trained in a pool. Saw the movie SALT at a mall. Was exhausted and went to bed early.






TIme for my scuba lesson



Listening carefully



I'm ready to dive for real

Scuba

For whatever the reason the Philippines awakened my desire to try new sports. Actually, everything was so damned cheap I couldn't resist. Next up, I enrolled in an open water scuba certification course for the low price of 160 dollars. Learning the fine art of scuba was the perfect way to end the trip.

During the first day I had to cover the basics in a swimming pool. Everything from breathing through a regulator to controlling buoyancy. My instructor made sure we were clear on the dangers of diving. The most important rule is to never hold one’s breath while in the water. When I dove in the ocean the following day I was careful to keep that in mind.

My first dive was 30ft deep. There was plenty to see but I was too focused on my buoyancy to enjoy the aquatic surroundings. I also failed to steady my breathing. I took short, repeated breaths and as a result quickly burned through my air. Later in the day on my second dive I fared better.

The third day of the course was spent in the classroom. I needed to take a test on the material as well but the instructor allowed us to reference our text so it wasn’t too bad. For the final day I was back in the water. I successfully completed all the underwater skills such as removing and reequipping my gear. My buoyancy was not of an issue by then. On my fourth and final drive I kept my arms at my side and navigated through the corals using only my fins for propulsion. The ease of control allowed me to closely examine the abundant marine life. M instructor led me across a steep cliff wall which we paralleled for a good half hour. I saw clown fish, sea cucumbers, sea snakes, a sea turtle, corals and anemones.
My final verdict: scuba diving in the tropics is a mind-blowing experience. I highly recommend it.

Day Eleven

Went out on boat for two scuba dives. Joined in on Radio Talk show. Stopped in at a Karaoke bar for drinks.





Equipment



Getting my bearings



There are plenty of stange creatures in the water



My instructors

Radio Talk

As I mentioned earlier my friend Ice got involved in radio after university. After jumping from station to station he eventually settled in at 89.1 the Killer Bee. Within a few years Ice had his own talk show program that he held with another guy, Rod. The two formed a popular duo and were rewarded with a regular time slot they for years hosted. Then Ice left for Japan. A local attorney took over as the show’s co-host. However, since Ice does return to Davao on occasion they always let him come on air to do what he does best--talk. And since I was also in town they put me on as well.

The format for their show was simple. The hosts spent three hours discussing a topic. More often than not that topic was related to love, dating or the like. Listeners could join in with their opinions via the Internet or telephone.
I was in the studio booth for four nights and contributed some, but for the most part I listened to Ice and Rod complain and bicker on air about their marriages. Every five minutes they kept telling me the same thing. While both assuring me of how much they loved their wives, they said I should never marry.



Ice and Rod in the middle of a three hour radio talk show



Joining in as a guest on the show



Ice and Rod on the aIr

Day Twelve

Took written course work for scuba license. Went sightseeing around Davao. Joined in on Radio Talk show. Went out to a bar.




Davao's cathedral


Some statue in front of some building



University students flood the street after class



Ronald makes an unannounced appearance

Languages

I’m a man fascinated by language. Having gone from only speaking English as a child I can now proudly say I am quadrilingual. It is quite a feat for an American. But in the Philippines quadralinguists are not that uncommon.

Officially, the main language is Tagalog. It is widely spoken throughout the country and understood by all. Next is English. I don’t know the statistics but most Filipinos seem fluent. They pick it up at school because it tends to be the only language of instruction. After English there are a slew of regional languages that are still in use. In Mindanao it is Visaya, their own dialect of Cebuano, a minor language originating form the Philippine island of Cebu. In Davao they mix Tagalog, Visaya and English in their everyday speech. The resulting amalgamation of languages is whit I like to call Visaloglish. To further add to linguistic potpourri, Spanish, though not spoken in Mindanao is still very much present in that there are countless words that have been incorporated in to Tagalog and Visaya.

You have common Spanish nouns, adjectives, prepositions and conjunctions being said in the exact same way. For example to say ‘but’ in Spanish the word ‘pero’ is used. So in Tagalog they say ‘pero’. Or if they want to say ‘for what?’ Filipinos say ‘para que?’. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. I heard so many Spanish words I lost track. The real interesting thing is that none of the Filipinos realized how many of the words were originally Spanish.




Gabe, Ice's friend




A flash flood




The NCCC Mall



Bumper cars with Gabe

Day Thirteen

Went for two more dives off of Samal Island. Had a going away party with Ice and friends. Finished up at a bar.

Jealousy

If there are two things I learned about Filipinos is that they are gossipy and that the women are always apt to become jealous. Among Ice’s friends both characteristics came to a head during the ‘plate incident’. It began after a few hours of clubbing. For a nightcap everyone went to a dim sum restaurant for noodles. Then as we entered one of the girls among us became extremely jealous when she saw her boyfriends ex-girlfriend seated at another table. It was purely coincidental but she made it seem like the boyfriend was at fault. He tried to calm her but the woman became further incensed. Her anger culminated in the banging of a plate against the table we were seated at. Had the object not been plastic it would have easily shattered from the force. Meanwhile all the other patrons in the restaurant stopped what they were doing and looked over with a collective hush of silence. For good measure the girl banged the plate down again and shouted I’m angry while flashing a nasty look at the people seated around her. Boyfriend and girlfriend then stepped outside for a long and fiery one side argument. While everyone agreed that she overreacted the woman said she had every right to be jealous considering the circumstances.

For those who were not there to witness the event recounted the event again and again to great fanfare. Friends wanted to know all the juicy details including the couple’s tumultuous history together. And then came the other stories of similar incidents involving different people. Listening to them I concluded that the Philippines creates an unhealthy environment for dating. The women are way too jealous.

The guys were certainly annoyed by the fact they but at the same time seemed to enjoy the excitement that came as a result, especially when a woman’s suspicions proved to be true. Ice summed it up best. He said, “Japan is boring. There just aint enough scandal.”





Ice ranting on and on over some scandalous story



Last night out in Davao

Day Fourteen

Got up early and went to Davao airport. Spent the whole day in transit. Arrived in Osaka late and took a night bus to Hiroshima.





Waiting at Manila Airport



My plane about to be boarded

Day Fifteen

Pulled in to Hiroshima station early. Took a train and ferry to Miyajima Island. Toured Itsukushima Shrine. Went further west to Iwakuni and saw castle. Retuned to Hiroshima. Ate okonomiyaki and visited local sights.






The Ferry over to Miyajima Island
Miyajima's Itsukushima Shrine


Tame Deer, a familiar sight at the Shrine

Me Posing in front of the Shrine

Silk Painting
Gateway to Itsukushima Shrine

Famous Kintai Bridge

Iwakuni Castle
View of Iwakuni from Castle Tower

Hiroshima

For the last stop on my trip I flew back to Osaka and took a night bus west to Hiroshima. The city is best known for the 1945 atomic blast that killed 70,000+ in seconds. There is a large museum that chronicles the event including the horrific aftermath that some survivors are still dealing with. Just earlier this year Tsutomu Yamaguchi passed on. He was the only person to officially survive both the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings and as a result suffered life long health problems.

Poor man. I mean what miserable luck to have been in Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945, then in Nagasaki three days later. Not surprisingly he made it his mission in life to advocate against the use of nuclear arms.
The Hiroshima of today has long since been rebuilt and only a few monuments remain as a reminder of the destruction. One structure in particular, the Atomic Dome, has been left in its post blast condition and was eventually declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. The skeletal frame of the building somehow withstood Little Boy's 13 kilaton blast though located only 150m from the epicenter.

When I returned to take some night photos a group of locals were holding a candle light vigil commemorating the anniversary of the Nagasaki bombing. Had I been there a few days ealier I could have instead seen the Hiroshima bombing vigil, which I imagine is a much bigger affair.


Okonomiyaki Shop in Hiroshima

Okonomiyaki, one of my favorite Japanese foods
Covered Shopping Street
The Atomic Dome
Hiroshima Castle
A Shrine Beside the Castle

Sign marking the epicenter of Little Boy's nuclear blast

The Dome at Night

In Conclusion

Fifteen days of nonstop action wore me out. In that time I saw and did many things that left me with an indelible impression. More than anything I have been introduced to the wonders of scuba diving. For my winter trip to Australia, I am already planning on visiting Cairns to dive off the coast and see the Great Barrier Reef.

But before I get ahead of myself, I must say, the Philippines is a wonderful place. It is cheap, enchanting and everyone speaks English. There were also few tourists and not once did I come across a tout. If you care to travel off the beaten path see Davao City. Don't let terrorism advisories scare you off. The city is safe and full of things to do. You could try scuba, snorkeling, hiking, kayaking, wake boarding or go shopping at the many malls. Whatever tickles your fancy, I'm sure they have it.