Communicating:
The Philippines is the truly the only English speaking
Christian country in Asia, so communicating with the
driver or almost anyone is not a problem. Taxis are
air-conditioned, new, and readily available. You can go
to anywhere in town for $2.50 and a long trip to the
airport is about $6.00. Make that even less with the
recent continued devaluation of the peso.
Yesterday I went to visit a friend and my taxi fair was
25 pesos. I gave him 30 pesos, .75 US cents then. He
actually chased me when I got out of the car to give me
the change, about .10 cents. He could not understand why
such a big tip, or a tip at all. I guess I am just a
spendthrift.
I do not recommend buying or driving a car here. Today’s
peso rate is 56.20 to 1 US dollar. Today is December 14
here. 8 hours ahead of the States. Jeepneys (elongated
locally made jeeps) are the way most people travel. They
are ornate, gaudy or loud, depending on your taste. They
are jeep style vehicles that carry from 14 to 20, seats
on each side. Two ride with the driver "shotgun." Those
seats are reserved for the disabled but often taken by
young women. They have decorations, colors, family and
nicknames, logos from everything imaginable, mud flaps,
and other ornaments covering them. And they even altars
on the dashboards. You can travel across the whole city
for about .10 US cents. The oil prices have made the
prices go up. Jeepneys are harder to get at rush hour,
though there is not too much rush here. Have you heard
of Filipino time? Only kings can set their own time. Her
everyone has that prerogative it seems.
Jeepney travel is a good way to meet a lot of nice local
folks. You sit with them face to face. They do love
Americans and all foreigners here, perhaps to a fault.
You can do no wrong, if you are a guest in their
country. Jeepneys and taxis are safe. In fact Cebu City
is a lot safer generally than most places I have lived
in the States. You can walk the city streets at 3:00 in
the morning and have no problems, male or female or
in-between, in almost all parts of the city.
Personal, Medical and other Services:
I got a haircut and short massage yesterday from my best
barber in his air-conditioned shop for .80 cents. A one our massage
at a good parlor is between 200 to 300 pesos, more in
Manila but not if you bargain. At a first class hotel is
much more. But you will probably find someone in your
neighborhood to makes house calls and may get a good one
for a dollar.
Getting here:
Airfares are low to get here, especially off season, so
if one is considering dental work or cosmetic surgery,
they could save a lot of money by visiting here. The
saving would more than pay for the airfare and other
expenses you will have. Now if you are only going to
have one gold heart implanted in a tooth, it may not be
a good idea. But I don't know recent US dental prices.
It may pay do come here to do wild stuff like that if
you are or that bent. Tattoo artist and piercing is very
cheap too and there are quality tattoo artists. I have
passed that up but you never can tell. I have always
wanted an ornate tattoo that said, “Tattoo.”
Shopping:
There are many mammoth shopping malls here with
everything you can get in the USA. If you don’t like to
shop, send a helper. Some of the imported good are
higher priced but some are lower.
New books, reprints for sale only in the Philippines,
can be very cheap. I see books on computer and other
subjects US price $40 selling here for $30. But I know
there are discount bookstores in the States where you
can do better.
There are local markets that are more "old Filipino" in
nature where a lot of bargaining goes on. Best send a
helper for that or sharpen your negotiation skills. At
the malls the prices are fixed price. The local markets
are much more colorful. But you do have to be a skilled
in bargaining local style to get the local price.
Southeast Asians are known for their bargaining
abilities. And they know the "nibble," and can take a
big bite out of you budget. Send your helper.
Food:
If you want American food it is all here, from Shakey's,
McDonald's to the Marriott Hotel's best restaurant I
have ever eaten in. The Hyatt is upscale and good too.
Radio Shack, I heard, just came here and other discount
US retailers have just gotten permission to move in,
including some banks though, Citibank, Bank of American
and HSBC have been here for a long time.
I trained one of my maids who was formerly a cook for a
group of Japanese students how to cook American. She is
pretty good. And I get my hot whole wheat bread fresh
from the oven every day made to my specs. There are
international cooking schools you can send your cook to
if you are a gourmet and want special food. There are
schools for baking and deserts. In the States only a
king can afford a trained international chef.
How can you do this?
Does this sound like kingly living to you? To me it is.
I live it. I feel it. You might too. There is so much
more than I mention here. If you would like to know
more, read the website, and hear from other by joining
the free Yahoo mailing List. Then get a plane ticket and
come on over!
I don't own a hotel or resort. I don't charge for the
List or the website. Here, retired in the Philippines, I
have enough, little though it may be, to live in the
Philippines like a king.
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*Legend, some say fact, has it that General Yamashita
buried a lot of gold in the hills here when the Japanese
occupied the Philippines during World War II. There are
always people looking for it. No one has ever found it
as far as I know. But Yamashita's gold is an exciting
story, gold laying around always makes for interesting
conversation.
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