Waterfront Lapu Lapu

... ja paattanyt viela jatkaa elamaansa toistaiseksi. Takaisin kaannyttya kyyti oli selkeasti turvallisemman oloista ja alus ratsasti myotatuulen aaltojen harjalla. Satamaan paastya jarkyttyneet matkustajat saivat massinsa takaisin ja haipyivat nopeasti takseilla paikalta. Memmun kanssa suuntasimme takaisin Kukuks Nestiin ja takaisin suunnittelupoydan pariin (pitaisiko koittaa huomenna uudelleen?). Kylla veneily on poikaa...

-I-

... rento meno jottei jano paasisi yolla yllattamaan. Kaupunki itsessaan vilkkaan oloinen ja jaettu pahamaineiseen "Downtowniin" ja ylaluokkaisempaan "Uptowniin" (majoittaudutaan siina valimaastossa). Filippiinien toiseksi suurimmassa kaupungissa sinansa ei ole ihmeempaa nahtavaa mutta Cebu toimi risteyksena Visayasin saarien keskella ja taalta onkin paremmat kulkuyhteydet ympari Filippiineja kuin esimerkiksi Manilasta(!).

Cebu City, Visayas, Philippines ilari

... might find it hard to compete.
Public transport is very cheap, cities rely on jeepnies and tricycles, intercity fares are often below an average rate I observed in most SE Asian countries, that is US$1 per hour. Obviously, bangkas (small wooden boats) and ships are also widely used in this kingdom of islands, although safety standards are very low which can be fatal especially during rainy season. During my visit a ship sank near Luzon leaving five ...

... The dancers so sweet and include the customers in some of the dances. Always smiling faces, and the best Customer service you could ask for. The fire dancers will take your breath away. This was the highlight of Mactan Island. Please visit their website at

http://thejunglerestaurant.weeb ly.com/ If you are on Mactan Island you will want to see this.

... for the very nice and polite cooks and staff, we confirmed what we already suspected: Filipino cuisine and flavours are far from the top list of our favourites.   The style of preparation and spices is something thatwe just cannot get used to and probably never will.   We ventured out of the resort a few times and the contrast was striking.  Our luxury resortand a handful of others in the vicinity were surrounded by poverty.  Lapu Lapu City is a crowded ramshackle ...

Back to Cebu for a day or so to plan my new trip. I had plenty of information about Mindanao. All not good. One Aussie traveler told me about going on a ferry down to Mindanao. Saying it was more like a 3 star cruise for the price of about 2000 pesos. It would end up in Davao. via General Santos. General Santos was the home of Manny Pacquio. The Philippines most prized sporting export. A champion boxer. And it could be quite easy for a westerner to meet him ...

After a reasonably long day with flying, and more to the point waiting for a delayed flight to Cebu via Manila. I finally touched down in Cebu City. Well Mactan Island. And was welcomed by a muchmore quiet airport than the capital. A women approached me and offered a van for 1000 which I said i would only pay 500. Which she reluctantly agreed to. I was later told that must of been some great negoitiating on my behalf. Which it was.

I figured I ...

... or as locals have called them, chocolate kisses. As we got their fairly early the light was nice, it wasn't too hot and the crowds were minimal. We then went to a (very small) sanctuary (wired cage you walk through) to see the tarsier. They are rather cute, very small, big buggly eye creatures that are now very endangered. There was only one guy trying to control the crowds so we were saddened to see lots of tourists touching ...

... Dan, Juliet, Kyle and I went to happy hour at a place called Charlh's and there were 2 for 1 drinks, which were really delicious. We got french fries too that were okay. We got kind of tipsy and then went back to the Orchid to change and get ready for dinner. For dinner some of us went to a sushi bar and mongolian BBQ place. The food was pretty good. We met two older guys from Seattle who said that they were visiting their childhood ...