When I made it back from my jaunt in the rain I met some new friends at the hostel. Daniel (D3) from the US and John from Canada. Because I have met so many Johns already on my trip let's call this John Canadian John, or CJ. CJ reminded me a lot of my brother Jeff. CJ was taller and a ginger with a beard, but still kind of looked like Jeff. Both are the same age and have a similar sense of humor. Their laugh was even alike! I actually caught myself nearly calling him Jeff once or twice. It was weird. Anyway, I had dinner at the night market with CJ and D3, made a reservation for a few more nights after returning from the mountains, and went to bed.
I awoke early the next day because Ley and his family were set to pick me up at 8:00 to go to the mountains in a province about three hours south of Manila. I was looking forward to the mountains, but not the hiking Ley said we would do. I also honestly didn't want to spend so much one-on-one time with Ley. He was very nice, please don't misunderstand me; and I know I was very lucky to have someone basically willing to adopt me. It was just that I am so used to being independent and only getting assistence or company from other people when I ask for it, his constant attention grated on me. I was also very tired from the eight miles I had walked the day before, most of it in the sun, and part of it with a migraine. In short, I would have preferred to go to the mountains the next day instead. Regardless, I was at least looking forward to having Ley's children there to act as a buffer of sorts.
Too bad when Ley picked me up he said his wife couldn't come because she had a marathon to run the next day and his children had "school activities." Here's a bit of narcissitic paranoia- I wondered if they really had "school activities" or if they just didn't want to come away for the weekend. I wondered because just a couple days earlier Ley had said they would accompany us. I was a bit confused. I got in the car with low expectations. Which I know was not nice of me and I really needed to get over myself and enjoy getting to experience Filipino culture. I think it was just awkward to spend so much time alone with him than anything else.
***Let me take a moment here and say I know I have sounded a bit harsh in my thoughts about Ley, but I want to stress here that my feelings of "animosity" if you want to call it that, were more like that which a child feels towards an aunt (the one who always fusses over the kid, pinching his cheeks, wiping dirt off his face with a saliva covered thumb, etc.) than any real negative feelings towards Ley. They were more like things the child puts up with because he loves his aunt. I hope that makes more sense.***
Laguna, the province in the mountains, was about three and a half hours south of Manila. We chatted some, went through a McDonald's drive-thru for coffee, and listened to music. About halfway there Ley told me his niece who had just graduated from university would be there. I looked forward to that reprieve.
When we pulled up in front of a beautiful house in a small village Ley's niece, Mara, came outside to greet us. Mara was very quiet and reserved at first, but opened up later. I met Ley's brother, whose name I don't remember so we will just call him LB, and LB's wife, Ani. LB was smoking mackerel and Ani was just finishing up lunch preparations. We chatted some and I learned that LB is a restaurant consultant, primarily for Jollibee. He had been very successful in what he did and the house in which we were staying was actually just a weekend/summer home. LB's family lives most of the time in Manila.
For lunch we had a traditional Filipino meal- chicken adobo, rice, mackerel, crab, and some kind of a soup. They were just trying to be polite when they told me to serve myself, but it is really a bit frustrating when other cultures do that (it has happened in Japan, Spain, and countless other places as well) because I am often unsure how something is meant to be eaten or served or dished and I am more worried about making a fool of myself or offending my hosts. I also don't like the special treatment. I would rather just have someone else serve themselves first so I can follow suit. Ah well no big deal.
The food was good and lunch went OK; except when they were telling me I was eating my crab wrong. I was relieved when they said everyone was taking a siesta after lunch and Mara showed me to my room. I read my book and napped some and woke up refreshed. I figured after the siesta we would go for this big ol' hike Ley had mentioned, but I woke up to a thunderstorm and I was thankful it likely meant there would be no hiking. After the siesta I also relaxed a bit and was able to enjoy the family's company.
As it turns out, there was never a plan for any hiking. I am not sure how I misunderstood. We did go into the mountains when the rain cleared, but by car. It was really pretty, overlooking a huge lake and lots of palm trees. We drove around for a bit and I saw a Filipino caribou. We visited a ig church in a shoemaking village and walked around the small town. We bought some homemade cheese and ice cream and some indigenous Filipino fruit.
In this village I met more of Ley's family. I met another one of Ley's brothers, Ezek, and his wife and daugher and baby granddaughter. Mara bought some friend chicken intestine and chicken hearts and shared some with me. We also ate the cheese and fruit. One of the fruits was mango and I don't know the other kind. It looked like cherries, but it was different. Maybe part of the cherry family. It was really tart and left a bad aftertaste. It looked like another storm was coming, so we left. Oh, this house of Ezek's was also just a weekend home.
On the way back to LB's house we stopped at a Filipina psychic. I wasn't so psyched to see the psychic (ha ha, see what I did there?), but it seemed like Mara and LB really wanted me to go. I don't buy into this stuff and have never had my palm read, but I went anyway. The old woman had me write down my name and birthdate and used numerology to tell me all about myself and my future. It was a crock of shit is what it was. The woman told me I am a traveler (yeah, clearly) and I should be careful with my bones. She said sometimes my arms and legs go numb (they don't) and I need to be cautious with my head and wear a helmet when on bikes (yeah, everyone should). She told me my lucky number is 10. She said I will get pregnant in the next year. At this Ley said, "Oh? You will fall in love and get married this year!" With a very serious face the psychic said, "No. It will be accident." (Gee, thanks lady.) She went on to tell me that I am "more attractable" to women than men. I am not sure if that means I am a lesbian and am attracted to women or if women are attracted to me- neither, which as far as I can tell, are true. When she said this I said, "So how will I get pregnant, then?" To which she replied, "I said it will be accident." She also told me I am generous and like to help people, but sometimes overly critical of myself and others. Then she asked if I had any questions. Um, no. She said, "Really? No questions?" And I really couldn't think of any. I think she pretty much covered everything. Traveler, lucky number 10, be careful with my bones, wear a helmet, and I will accidentally get pregnant this year. But at least I am giving- maybe too giving, actually. Awesome! Oh, psychics.
After the psychic I showered and we went to a party of Ani's friend. I was the only white person there and the topic of discussion. Although no one really talked to me, just about me to others right in front of me. "Where is she from? What is her name? How do you know her?" I didn't understand the questions, but I got the answers. I spent most of the party talking to Mara. I got on really well with her and we planned to hang out some in Manila because I had to be there a few days more waiting for my passport. I tried a coconut vodka, but it was too strong. With a mixer I'm sure it would be nice, but on its own it was too much. We sang Happy Birthday to Ani's friend. It was funny because whereas no one at the party spoke much English, the song was in English. It was different than the American version. Where we usually sing "Happy birthday, dear So-and-so! Happy birthday to you!" Filipinos sing "Happy birthday, happy birrrrthday! Happy birthday to you!" It threw me off. The party ended late and when we got back to LB's and I quickly fell asleep.
In the morning we had mackerel for breakfast then went to see a dam. LB was really proud of it, but dams fall into the same category as churches, temples, and parades-once you have seen one or two, they are all the same. Perhaps even more so with large concrete structures and even larger bodies of water. Washington state has Grand Coulee Dam, which I have been to a few times. I did try to act impressed though because LB was so happy to show off the thing.
On our way to lunch we stopped at a vendor on the side of the road selling bibingka, a Filipino rice cake with cheese and coconut. It was really nice. For lunch we went to what I was told was the place all Filipinos go after Sunday mass. It certainly appeared that way it was so crowded. There was also a 50 kilometer race that finished just in front of the restaurant. We had noodles and sausage, a little personal pan pizza that I'm sure was from a frozen dough, and for dessert, halo-halo. Halo-halo is a shaved ice dessert with evaporated milk, coconut, boiled beans and fruit, and Jell-o. It was good, but I prefer the bibingka.
Back at LB's house, I met his niece, Selene. Ani hadn't joined us today because she had to check on the shoe shop they run in the village and Selene was visiting her. Selene is another granddaughter of Ezek's. She is ten years old, speaks perfect English, and is very sassy. I didn't spend much time with her because Ley and I had to leave to try and beat Manila traffic so he could be home for Sunday night mass and dinner with his family. It was Father's Day after all. We took a photo and left.
I awoke early the next day because Ley and his family were set to pick me up at 8:00 to go to the mountains in a province about three hours south of Manila. I was looking forward to the mountains, but not the hiking Ley said we would do. I also honestly didn't want to spend so much one-on-one time with Ley. He was very nice, please don't misunderstand me; and I know I was very lucky to have someone basically willing to adopt me. It was just that I am so used to being independent and only getting assistence or company from other people when I ask for it, his constant attention grated on me. I was also very tired from the eight miles I had walked the day before, most of it in the sun, and part of it with a migraine. In short, I would have preferred to go to the mountains the next day instead. Regardless, I was at least looking forward to having Ley's children there to act as a buffer of sorts.
Too bad when Ley picked me up he said his wife couldn't come because she had a marathon to run the next day and his children had "school activities." Here's a bit of narcissitic paranoia- I wondered if they really had "school activities" or if they just didn't want to come away for the weekend. I wondered because just a couple days earlier Ley had said they would accompany us. I was a bit confused. I got in the car with low expectations. Which I know was not nice of me and I really needed to get over myself and enjoy getting to experience Filipino culture. I think it was just awkward to spend so much time alone with him than anything else.
***Let me take a moment here and say I know I have sounded a bit harsh in my thoughts about Ley, but I want to stress here that my feelings of "animosity" if you want to call it that, were more like that which a child feels towards an aunt (the one who always fusses over the kid, pinching his cheeks, wiping dirt off his face with a saliva covered thumb, etc.) than any real negative feelings towards Ley. They were more like things the child puts up with because he loves his aunt. I hope that makes more sense.***
Laguna, the province in the mountains, was about three and a half hours south of Manila. We chatted some, went through a McDonald's drive-thru for coffee, and listened to music. About halfway there Ley told me his niece who had just graduated from university would be there. I looked forward to that reprieve.
When we pulled up in front of a beautiful house in a small village Ley's niece, Mara, came outside to greet us. Mara was very quiet and reserved at first, but opened up later. I met Ley's brother, whose name I don't remember so we will just call him LB, and LB's wife, Ani. LB was smoking mackerel and Ani was just finishing up lunch preparations. We chatted some and I learned that LB is a restaurant consultant, primarily for Jollibee. He had been very successful in what he did and the house in which we were staying was actually just a weekend/summer home. LB's family lives most of the time in Manila.
For lunch we had a traditional Filipino meal- chicken adobo, rice, mackerel, crab, and some kind of a soup. They were just trying to be polite when they told me to serve myself, but it is really a bit frustrating when other cultures do that (it has happened in Japan, Spain, and countless other places as well) because I am often unsure how something is meant to be eaten or served or dished and I am more worried about making a fool of myself or offending my hosts. I also don't like the special treatment. I would rather just have someone else serve themselves first so I can follow suit. Ah well no big deal.
The food was good and lunch went OK; except when they were telling me I was eating my crab wrong. I was relieved when they said everyone was taking a siesta after lunch and Mara showed me to my room. I read my book and napped some and woke up refreshed. I figured after the siesta we would go for this big ol' hike Ley had mentioned, but I woke up to a thunderstorm and I was thankful it likely meant there would be no hiking. After the siesta I also relaxed a bit and was able to enjoy the family's company.
As it turns out, there was never a plan for any hiking. I am not sure how I misunderstood. We did go into the mountains when the rain cleared, but by car. It was really pretty, overlooking a huge lake and lots of palm trees. We drove around for a bit and I saw a Filipino caribou. We visited a ig church in a shoemaking village and walked around the small town. We bought some homemade cheese and ice cream and some indigenous Filipino fruit.
In this village I met more of Ley's family. I met another one of Ley's brothers, Ezek, and his wife and daugher and baby granddaughter. Mara bought some friend chicken intestine and chicken hearts and shared some with me. We also ate the cheese and fruit. One of the fruits was mango and I don't know the other kind. It looked like cherries, but it was different. Maybe part of the cherry family. It was really tart and left a bad aftertaste. It looked like another storm was coming, so we left. Oh, this house of Ezek's was also just a weekend home.
On the way back to LB's house we stopped at a Filipina psychic. I wasn't so psyched to see the psychic (ha ha, see what I did there?), but it seemed like Mara and LB really wanted me to go. I don't buy into this stuff and have never had my palm read, but I went anyway. The old woman had me write down my name and birthdate and used numerology to tell me all about myself and my future. It was a crock of shit is what it was. The woman told me I am a traveler (yeah, clearly) and I should be careful with my bones. She said sometimes my arms and legs go numb (they don't) and I need to be cautious with my head and wear a helmet when on bikes (yeah, everyone should). She told me my lucky number is 10. She said I will get pregnant in the next year. At this Ley said, "Oh? You will fall in love and get married this year!" With a very serious face the psychic said, "No. It will be accident." (Gee, thanks lady.) She went on to tell me that I am "more attractable" to women than men. I am not sure if that means I am a lesbian and am attracted to women or if women are attracted to me- neither, which as far as I can tell, are true. When she said this I said, "So how will I get pregnant, then?" To which she replied, "I said it will be accident." She also told me I am generous and like to help people, but sometimes overly critical of myself and others. Then she asked if I had any questions. Um, no. She said, "Really? No questions?" And I really couldn't think of any. I think she pretty much covered everything. Traveler, lucky number 10, be careful with my bones, wear a helmet, and I will accidentally get pregnant this year. But at least I am giving- maybe too giving, actually. Awesome! Oh, psychics.
After the psychic I showered and we went to a party of Ani's friend. I was the only white person there and the topic of discussion. Although no one really talked to me, just about me to others right in front of me. "Where is she from? What is her name? How do you know her?" I didn't understand the questions, but I got the answers. I spent most of the party talking to Mara. I got on really well with her and we planned to hang out some in Manila because I had to be there a few days more waiting for my passport. I tried a coconut vodka, but it was too strong. With a mixer I'm sure it would be nice, but on its own it was too much. We sang Happy Birthday to Ani's friend. It was funny because whereas no one at the party spoke much English, the song was in English. It was different than the American version. Where we usually sing "Happy birthday, dear So-and-so! Happy birthday to you!" Filipinos sing "Happy birthday, happy birrrrthday! Happy birthday to you!" It threw me off. The party ended late and when we got back to LB's and I quickly fell asleep.
In the morning we had mackerel for breakfast then went to see a dam. LB was really proud of it, but dams fall into the same category as churches, temples, and parades-once you have seen one or two, they are all the same. Perhaps even more so with large concrete structures and even larger bodies of water. Washington state has Grand Coulee Dam, which I have been to a few times. I did try to act impressed though because LB was so happy to show off the thing.
On our way to lunch we stopped at a vendor on the side of the road selling bibingka, a Filipino rice cake with cheese and coconut. It was really nice. For lunch we went to what I was told was the place all Filipinos go after Sunday mass. It certainly appeared that way it was so crowded. There was also a 50 kilometer race that finished just in front of the restaurant. We had noodles and sausage, a little personal pan pizza that I'm sure was from a frozen dough, and for dessert, halo-halo. Halo-halo is a shaved ice dessert with evaporated milk, coconut, boiled beans and fruit, and Jell-o. It was good, but I prefer the bibingka.
Back at LB's house, I met his niece, Selene. Ani hadn't joined us today because she had to check on the shoe shop they run in the village and Selene was visiting her. Selene is another granddaughter of Ezek's. She is ten years old, speaks perfect English, and is very sassy. I didn't spend much time with her because Ley and I had to leave to try and beat Manila traffic so he could be home for Sunday night mass and dinner with his family. It was Father's Day after all. We took a photo and left.
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| From left, back: LB, Ley From left, front: Ani, Maggie, Mara, Selene |
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