I guess you can call these the in-between scenes. They are as important as the posts that made into a blog post because they reflect a dose of daily reality travel life. The less glamorous part I guess?
Well, I actually still have 2 more blog entries for Cebu, but it can wait.
I am so backlogged with my blog entries but that is nothing new. If I were to choose between work and blogging, I think many would not bet on the latter, haha. But yeah, that is real life. We all have to earn our living, especially these days when most I think of is retiring early. Ergo, need to work my bum off.
The state of the Philippines last November 2016. This was the headline news. Duterte is still the president of the country though, so he is still very much into his term. Am I pro- or anti-Duterte? Let us just say that I both like and do not like his ways.
Pimped-up Japanese manufactured jeepneys. These ply the Naga (south) to Cebu City route and vice versa.
I flew from Xiamen, China to Manila, Philippines (then to Cebu) with the national carrier, Philippine Airlines (PAL) and they gifted the passengers with a free mobile phone sim card from Globe. Nice, thanks!
The church in Naga, Cebu. My sister and I were shopping in the mall across. We were looking for silver and gold ribbons and luckily the small shopping mall has them.
SisterJ and moi at the Sky Park of SM Seaside City Cebu mall. We went here to shop, eat and watch a movie.
Whenever I arrive in the Philippines, there are a few comfort local foods that I crave and always buy within the first 24-48 hours of the plane touchdown. This is one of them.
I was into the Pokemon thing last year. Well, this is so last year.
My mom made some noodles with veggies with the lechon manok (grilled chicken on a spit) dinner leftovers. It was my special order because she knew I like vegetables.
SisterJ and I went to visit our dear aunt and great timing that my cousin (let's call her Cher) was there as well. Of course, we made a few selfies.
This brings me back to my childhood. We use to catch them and place them inside jars with holes so they can breathe. Don't judge us. We are just curious kids.These green stick grasshoppers are harmless though.
A popular local street food in Cebu - Kikiam. I much prefer fish balls... dipped in spicy vinegar and sweet 'n sour sauce.
Driving in traffic in Cebu. Can you see the temperature in the dashboard? It's 32C - normal all-year round temperature in the Philippines
Visiting another mall, again. This is the (posher) Ayala Mall.
One of my mom's dogs. He has a twin dog and he is half-daschund and half-askal (native Filipino dog). He loves to lay down like this because the granite-marble cement cools his stomach.
Lots of presents under the Christmas tree!
A visit to the Philippines always includes a makeover at the local (cheap) salon. Haircut, blow-dry and styling, foot spa, pedicure, and manicure. Need 3 hours minimum.
I went here with my friend Sheena... will be posting a separate entry about this interesting place.
I went with my mom for last-minute Christmas shopping at Robinsons Supermarket. We just bought a few stuff that we did not have at home.
My parents always stock this in their freezer. Rocky Road from Magnolia brings me back again to my childhood memory lane. This is my favourite ice cream back then. Lucky that I do not have a sweet tooth now and that I only found out they have the ice cream a few days before we left for Vietnam. Good thing the ice cream is at the bottom of the freezer, haha.
My nephew is crazy about the basketballer Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors. I think half of the Christmas presents he received from the family was Golden State Warriors stuff.
We had a low-key Christmas family dinner. Nothing fancy at all.
Then we played -- "Cashflow - How To Get Out Of The Rat Race" board game on Christmas day. I was a pilot with a high-maintenance lifestyle + children. Well, it was the truck driver who won and got out of the rat race, haha.
View from the Scape Skydeck restaurant on Mactan Island, Cebu (near the airport). I will be posting our dinner and views here soon.
My nephew is making fun of the oldies here. He is being silly and trying to be funny =)
My brother and sister-in-law both drive huge cars which are so typical in the Philippines. Big cars in the Netherlands are heavily taxed. We pay an additional monthly road tax here which depends on the weight, size and how C02-emission friendly your car is. SUV's are super high maintenance here.
At the Mactan International Airport, my father bumped into an old business acquaintance. We had to hurry as the gate was closing!
Here we are, one of the last to board the flight to Manila... and then to Saigon, Vietnam.
Travel Period: November 2016
Destination: Cebu (Visayas), Philippines
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Happy Travels! Enjoy Life =)
All pictures were taken by a point and shoot pocket camera or a smartphone.
