driving fun

One thing is for sure and that is that driving conventions and habits here in Davao are nothing like my previous UK experience or for that matter anywhere else in the world. There are of course rules and regulations but they treated with a broad brush of interpretation by the driving population and generally speaking more or less anything goes.

For example the rule that driving should be on the right of the road only applies if it gets you there quickest, otherwise left side will do nicely, or going the wrong way down wrong carriageway will only be a matter for the convenience of the offending driver.

More or less, anything goes, except in heavy traffic when yes, anything goes.

To be honest it suits me because at any time and any place on the road, anything can happen, so, you need to slow right down and be prepared for some alarming sites of being carved up in traffic and generally seeing people drive as they wish. It is more creative, it is more fun.

My favourites are at small busy intersections where main road traffic meets local tricycles and jeepney passenger drop off and pick up places. Anything can happen here and to preserve life and limb for all including yourself and passengers and to avoid stress, drive slowly, if you see a gap go for it, smile, wave and be polite and generally all will be fine.

What also i find here is i make mistakes. Like yesterday, now who put that drainage ditch there next to that road repair excavation. Did i see it? can't now remember but the back wheel got more than stuck, it disappeared...see photos.

But, and this always happens here....within minutes, people almost drop everything and rush to help....with skill and hard work, smiles and imagination too. A series of jacking up the car, wedging increasingly large size timbers under the axle, before jacking again on top of smaller timbers, we had a 5 or 6 step jack process that raised the car to a position where a bracing timber could be slipped beneath the offending wheel and then a quick push and we were out. 400 peso tip for the lads, no damage at all by a miracle and 20 Min's later we are on our way.

All top fun here, even at the expense of feeling really stupid for getting stuck in the first place, i didn't have one person laugh at me either, got away with that as well.

Included a couple more graduation shots as well to brighten up the post.........

Jaiya and Nika graduation 31st March 09

Joy (Ann's sister and mother of Jaiya and Nika) invited us to attend the graduation yesterday of the 2 girls from their primary school. The event took place at the Apokon Baranguay hall, starting at 1pm. The event was formal, the crowd was approximately 600 hundred....200 plus kids, 200 plus parents and guardians and about 200 others, attendees, of which we were 15 or so, adults and kids, so, there may have been more say around 700 people.

The girls were splendid and beautiful in their uniforms, Ann did the girls make up, which was formal and for me a bit over the top but this is the tradition and the girls loved it of course. Each girl was accompanied by a parent or guardian and as the girls father is in Manila, Auntie Karen stood in place of the dad.

There was an grand parade entrance to fanfare music. Jaiya was second scholar out of the whole year and made a speach and was presented with many prizes and awards for her achievements. Nika was presented with her award too and surprise was Joy also awarded a prize for parent of the year.

There were speaches by "guest speaker" by the headmaster and other teacher, there were songs and recitals, no idea how we got through it all in about 2 hours but we did, it was bloody hot in the gym and we were glad we left Annika with Germaine at granmas house.

So, that was it, we all survived, girls were happy, Joy was delighted too, Grandma suitably proud and the rest of us, hot and glad it was over.

Green Pool water and Dutch ladies visit

Two subjects, running in tandum. We had a spell of problems with the pool water turning various colours, its all to do wth the chemical balance and when it goes green the balance is out. Anyway we "worried it" back into line and within a few hours it went from this murkey green to a clear blue.

Currently its a crystal perfect blue but we all peer at the pool in suspicon and mutter to ourselves, "think its going green again today" but so far all seems perfect again

I agreed to put up for 2 weeks, 3 ladies from Holland who are here to visit the orphanage and to view the labours of their fundraising efforts, see the progress of the children, bring joy and presents and generally see the Philippines.

Nelleke has been here plenty of times but the other two ladies, Margaret and Annita are on their first visit and although there was some culture shock, they have had a great time.

They are staying in our guest area and so are fairly self contained and we have worked out the key situation so they can come and go without always disturbing us. They leave friday morning, just 2 days left for them, for us, onwards and upwards.

Pictures show, blue and green pool water and snapshots of the ladies soon after arriving with Raul next door neighbour being friendly.

8610 Music and resto bar

My Dutch friend Roel introduced me about 6 months ago to a Filipino guy who is now also my friend Oogie.

We get together once or twice a week usually and lately at 8610 bar because Oogie is the mananger there at 8610, he is usually busy but then joins us for drinks and chat when he can, its a simple place to eat and drink, the food is good and the beer is cheap and cold. The mission statement for the bar is well written and has normal points about courtesy, honesty etc but the one that caught my eye, was "to serve the coldest beer in town" thats one of Oogies, he has a great sense of fun and style although you may not pick that up sometimes from his dress sense, Oogie sometimes dresses like Bart Simpson.

Also and not least important is the live music on there every night, not the same performers every night and last wednesday was a typical nght where Emee and Jean with keyboard guy Richard played. Both Emee and Jean are good vocalists and give similar performance to Ann and Terry when we met in Hong Kong....Panda hotel.

Roel always seems to find himself (although he would deny it) in the company of pretty girls and i have met Jean andf Emee before at another bar...voice clips here in Matina.

I think Emee is probably one of the most beautiful girls i have met in person so could not resist putting the shot of me with her, me looking happy, Emee making the best of it.

Other shots are of the bar itself, the stage with the girls on their second set and Ooogie Rick and Roel. Finally we have another "friend", "Jam" who works at 8610 as floor mananger / meeter and greeter or whatever you call her job and so i posted one of Roel and Jam looking pleased with themselves, Roel sporting new dyed (too black) hair style which is supposed to make him look younger but...well you can judge. The salon job went wrong... ask me if i care?, i don't he does.

So, thats 8610 its a good place to visit and good relaxed atmosphere, a bit rustic but open plan, comfortable and friendly staff all round, suits us. The bar is in town so if i'm not feeling tired i drive, or we get a taxi...its about 20 mins non rush hour journey about 100 peso (pounds 1.50) each way.

Lizelle's 21st Birthday party

Ann told me yesterday at about 5:30pm that it was Lizelle's 21st Brthday that day. We digested this for 10minutes and decided we should have a party. Lizelle has been with us for about a year now and although she is a quiet girl and still shy of me particularly she is a lovely girl and a pleasure to have round the house, she is lovely with Annika and is part of our family, allbeit a working part, she s our maid and excellent cook.

Ann gave the girls some cash for party food and cake and to invite Roselle, Kitkat and Keisha, Dodong was also on hand and also invited and the message came through that Karen and Arnel wanted to join, so, more food was sent for and by 6:30pm, just one hour later we were having a party.

It was mid week thursday night but of course the drinks came out, we had some rose wine in the fridge, that got spliced, the girls and the kids went swimming, the guys had Emperador and Tanduay and so everyone was happy.

Me, Ann and Annika went to bed after 9pm and left them to it, the party lasted till around 10:30pm, checked with Lizelle this morning, she was very happy with her party, she deserved it, and if she had of told us the day before we would have given her the day off and she would have gone to her sisters, so, selfishly we are glad she stayed with us and enjoyed the party. In typical Filipino style, she was too shy to tell us about her big event and it was Germaine, Annika's nanny who told us it was Lizelle's birthday. We won't forget Germaine's birthday because it coincides with Annika's. Annika was born on Germane's 18th birthday, that was a great day for us.

Naromal childrens tennis tournament

Mum met Nathan when she was here, Nathan is (i think, and am sure so does he.....) Davao's best tennis coach. I have been having lessons from Nathan weekly, they are a great work out and also great fun. We discussed what we wanted to do and we settled on NOT trying to re-construct my game.....good decision that but to concentrate on hitting balls and trying to improve things on my game. Its certainly working for me.

I was challenged last week to a set of singles by a guy called Joel who told me he was a class C player. I could have lost but at 3-1 down i tightened up, he started making mistakes and i won 6-3. Joel wanted a replay but i was tired after an hour with Nathan and so declined.

Nathan told me that Joel was the best class C player in the club (GSIS heights) and therefore i was a class B player. I think Nathan may have been being kind but anyway i will take that.

No chance of being class A, you need talent and class for that, so, will settle for class B.

I would say its like golf....club players are handicap 30 and above. Class C are between 20-30. Class B are 10-20 (yeah i am a tennis 20 handicapper) and class A is 0-10, no chance of me getting there, no way.

We play at GSIS because Nathan has had a falling out with "the committee" at Ecoland but anyway GSIS s closer for me and i enjoy to play there. As usual in the Philippnes, everyone is friendly.

Nathan runs 4 times yearly a childrens age event open tournament. It s well run, i would say has a mixed level of participants but at the finals stage the kids dsplay a very high level of talent.

I have been part sponsor (minor sponsor) of the last 2 tournaments and i went for a couple of hours last Saturday morning to watch some finals. One of the under 14's boys is a fantastically talented attacking player, sorry can't remember his name but from the backhand and forehand he was striking the ball wth amazing power and control for someone his age. I felt sorry for the boy playing him who was also a talented player but he got worn down and wilted under the bombardment. Most players would have i can assure you.

Nathan as Mum knows is the chap with a microphone in his hand on one of the pictures...he is announcing the order of play etc

I took a few pictures from the event but also post a cute one of Annika in a wash basin as well just for...well for no reason at all........

Agusan Del Sur, Trento

We were invited by Richard and Jessa to their house blessing and house warming party for saturday 28th Feb 09 and went with a car full....Mats and Cora invited....2 maids, Germaine and Lizelle and Lorenz and Annika as well of course, dropped off Joy (who had been staying with us) in Tagum on the way through to Trento.

It was a pleasant 3 hour drive and the road was good, we missed the turning but quickly corrected ourselves and turned left for the Tansley place...i knew it was big and on a hill...seen some pictures and Paul had also described the place for us and we spotted it through the trees, approach was through a set of gates and past the guardhouse, yes guardhouse, over the river and sharp left up a steep incline, felt like about 60deg in one place but sure it would get easier after a few goes, made that with a deep breath and first gear.

As you can see with the pictures Richard and Jessa took on a big project with land clearing, building and maintenance...sort of 3 hectares of land but then there are adjacent rice fields, stream and pond and woods, Richard is a bit of an estate management person and he now has his own to manange and beautiful it is too.

Party was great, food and drinks and all the normal philippine hospitality and the only monkey there was the rain...not exactly true actually coz they have a monkey, birds, guinea pigs and other wildlife...back to the rain, yes it rained for nearly all the time we were there. Richard and Jessa are used to it and we have rain too in Davao but not quite like this and it went on for a long time, probably still raining now.

Lovely party and great fun, off we went home next day and had a funy incident when we were dropping off Lizelle in Monkayo on the way home to visit her family. We stopped and drove to within say 1 metre of Lizelle's house people started gather...who was this....rich foreigners turning up in the local Baranguay. Ann wound down her window and asked her Mum, where is Lizelle? (she was in the back seat behind tinted window) panicky relatives explained that lizelle was working away, which turned to laughs and smiles as Lizelle clambered out of the car....don't know if it comes across funny but it was and smiles and Cige Salamat (thanks goodbye) all round.

Had an uneventful trip home and went with Mats for a few cold beers what more can you ask for on a sunday............well there was one more incident worth mentioning about 6:30 pm there was an explosion in the kitchen, flying glass everywhere, fortunately nobody was near, me and lorenz on the computer were nearest....what happened we think was this...there was a glass "safety top" over the cooker...one of the kids (keisha stand up) must have twizzled the knob to full and under the glass the thing heated till it exploded, wow was there glass everywhere...nobody hurt phew...we don't even use that cooker (we use our outside kitchen all the time) and we didn't even know it was switched on, so, it was our fault we left it on for little fingers to twizzle.

Strange end to a great weekend