Manilla, Philippines 

I was wide awake at 2 am - I guess I am experiencing jet lag!  First thing I did was book a bus to Banaue which leaves at 10:15 tonight.  Banaue is where the rice terraces are in the north and I will move onto Sagada tomorrow afternoon.  I’m not looking forward to an overnight bus but there is no other option so…

After a very good breakfast, I walked to the ferry to try to get a ride to Intramurros, the historic part of Manila.  I had to take a shuttle to the other side-

Unfortunately it was full until 10:30 so instead I caught a jeepney , transferred then transferred again.  Luckily lots of people speak English and are very helpful.  

Intramurros is pretty lame compared to most cities this size and age however sign after sign explained - here stood ___________ destroyed in WWII.  I had no idea but had also never thought about it-

There are also empty lots where buildings used to be-

There’s a very sad monument-

This is the seventh Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral.  Previous ones were either destroyed by fire, typhoons, earthquakes or bombs.  Catholics are resilient!  Because this one was built in the late 40s and early 50s, it’s not very interesting-

Kind of a funny sign in a church-

Further down the street is San Agustin church-

where a baptism was happening- and other families were waiting outside for their turn-

The wall surrounding the old city still stands-

Intramuros is a few restaurants, schools, a couple churches and homes-

Mangoes are processed in the building I liked the most-

It’s not really worth visiting but… right beside it is the Intramuros Golf Course-

It costs about $40 a round and quite a few were playing.  A caddy is required.  I visited the pro shop and it’s about the size of my bedroom.  The grass is that thick bladed stuff that doesn’t really grow but is heat and drought resistant.

Fort Santiago is also in this area.  It was occupied by the Spanish and lastly by the Japanese.  A moat surrounds it-

The entrance-

There’s a dungeon-

where during the Spanish reign they used iron shoes to crush the bones of the feet, thumbscrews to dislocate joints in the hands, forehead screws were used to put pressure on the sides of the skull and lead weights were used to crush the chest and abdomen-

There are also pictures of the city at the end of WWII.  100,000 people were killed in one month during the Japanese invasion-

After Manila was liberated in 1945, the US army discovered 600 decomposing corpses.  They died from suffocation and heat exhaustion.  They were buried in a mass grave below the white cross-

It’s also where José Rizal was imprisoned and eventually killed for being a traitor.  Today he’s a national hero.  He was killed by a firing squad in this room-

There’s a museum honouring him and a garden-

The American barracks were also destroyed in the war-

On a more positive note, there’s a Lego display of historic buildings-

The Pasig River meanders through Manila-

Afterwards I went to Chinatown, the oldest in the world outside of China.  It was established in 1594 by the Spaniards as a settlement for Catholic Chinese-

It was very busy.

Kumquats-

What?

Lucky red-

I went for lunch at Wai Yang Fastfood which isn’t fastfood as we know it.  I had to wait outside about an hour before a table was available.  The cutlery arrived in a glass of hot water-

I had roast duck with abodo sauce-

Fried dumplings with fish sauce and very hot chilis-

and for dessert buchi balls-

It was good but not exceptional.  I think some of the best Chinese I’ve ever had was in Winnipeg when Nico was sick.

I tried to come home on the ferry but it was full so took a couple jeepneys.  It took an hour to get back to the ZHostel where I have new roommates- no one stays too long.  But before I got here I stopped at Saint Peter and Paul Church which was also constructed a few times with the most recent in 1849-

There’s a black Jesus-

I had a shower and am ready to take a Grab to the bus depot for my 10:15 departure to Banaue.  Hope I can sleep!

      Tagaytay, Philippines 

I slept from about 7 pm until 2 this morning, then was wide awake for the rest of the day. There were 3 guys and me in the room but one left with a girl about 2 am.  The other 2 were very quiet - I’m sure I disturbed them with my rustling.  

I decided to go to Tagaytay to see the Taal volcano-

I took a Grab (Philippine Uber) to PIXT, the main bus station, then prepared for a 3 hour trip to go 67 km.  I was first on the bus as the last was leaving when I got to gate 2.  This meant I got the front seat but I qualify anyway because it’s for seniors!  Annoyingly, a woman named Carolina, asked to sit beside me even though there were many open seats.  Fine.  I started quizzing her and we had a very good visit.  Along the way-

I love that sellers hop on the bus selling food such as corn on the cob-

and bibingka rice cake-

Traffic-

Because of traffic, or lack of, I got to Starbucks, the apparent place to go for a great view, in just 2 hours.  There were lots of big and fancy cars (for the Philippines) in the parking lot-

What a view-

There are many islands with a small volcano in the middle. 

After Starbucks I caught a jeepney, Philippines version of a collectivo, to the Mahogany Meat Market.  Some jeepneys are pretty customized with ornaments on the hood and wings on the roof!  I got to sit in the front too!  

At the market there are numerous booths of freshly butchered beef-

Not only are the hind quarters hanging-

but also the hooves-

and skinned tails-

The only part missing was the head.  Upstairs are the restaurants where one can have bulalo, the local specialty.  Of course I wanted to try it but was disappointed to see it was a soup of Chinese cabbage - the crinkly kind, and chunks of beef-

You could add juice from a lime/orange and fish sauce which I did but all I could taste and smell was the butchered meat I had just seen.  I ended up eating the cabbage and a bit of meat but found it rather disgusting!  After, I walked around the small market with booths selling different rices-

dried fish-

salted eggs that have been kept in mud-

fruit and vegetables.  There was even Jack fruit-

I returned to the main road to catch a bus back to Manila and just as I was 30 yards away, a bus went by.  I was thinking I’d have a fair wait until the next one showed so I started walking.  Soon another came but drove right by, probably because it was full.  I kept walking and 15 minutes later another came.  It stopped and guess who was sitting in “her” seat - Carolina!  She’d gone on to the next place, paid her taxes and was on her way back to Manila.  We talked all the way back and she helped me get back to the hostel via the metro and a jeepney for less than $1, a far cry from the $10 it cost to get to PIXT.  Once again, there was a reason I missed those first two buses and if you think about it, with all the buses and our different timetables, what are the chances we would end up together again?

Once back close to the hostel I stopped in at the meat bbq we saw last night on our walking tour and had a pork only skewer  but the chef snuck in a big chunk of fat that I promptly spit out.  I also had a piece of flan from the bakery across the street which was average.  I returned to the hostel and had my free cocktail which tasted like sweet.  I wasn’t tired so walked down the street to Makati’s Red Light District where there were quite a few young, thin, scantily dressed women hanging around.  I found the midget wrestling-

then headed back to the hostel.  I procrastinated long enough that there are no seats left to go to Sagada tomorrow night so I’m going to have to think about my next plan of attack.  I’m hoping for a good night.

 Manila, Philippines 

I arrived from Taipei around 11 am and got a Grab to the ZHostel-

I had to wait about an hour before my room was ready.  I had asked for a bottom bunk and got one.  It’s more a hotel than a hostel as there is no kitchen although the city is full of restaurants so it’s not like I’m going to starve.  I just like the option of my own breakfast but that’s included so maybe it will be ok.  

I walked around, stopped in at a church, then ended up on the roof of the hostel for great views of the city.  Slums sit next to modern high rises - it makes for very interesting living arrangements.

The hostel offered a walking tour so I joined. We walked to the river where there’s a ferry leaving every hour going to Intramuros, the historic part of Manila, as well as Chinatown.  Both are on my list.  There were a lot of jeepneys, many souped up.  We stopped at a meat bbq where they were grilling liver, intestines, solid chunks of fat and chicken heads-

Pass.  Across the street was a bakery with a Philippine speciality called Halayang Ube which is purple because it’s made from purple yams-

We stopped at another table for balut which is a 17 day old duck embryo.  We paid for one but the seller ate it. Very gross!  

First she showed us how the top part is empty.  She snipped off the top of the shell-

She opened the egg-

Showed us what was inside-

Added salt-

and fish sauce-

Then she ate it as we watched on horrified-

After about an hour the tour was over and I went to bed.  Hope I get a good sleep!  

Vancouver to Taipei, Taiwan

We left Vancouver on a China Airlines Boeing 777 right on time.  I wasn’t looking forward to a 13 hour fight, especially sitting in a seat one from the aisle but it ended up being okay.  I am lucky because usually I sleep well on a plane and tonight/today was no exception.  The flight attendants are very efficient.  They serve drinks with the meal and then there’s no more.  I may/hope get skinny this trip as I’m not into noodles and both supper and breakfast contained them.  🤞

I don’t know what it is about flights but I had another “incident”.  I might have fainted.  I had eaten supper and taken my chocolate which had melted into the little Ziploc bag so I had to suck on the bag.  No one noticed.  All of a sudden, my body got really hot and I had to remove my blanket and sweater.  My head was swirling and I thought I was going to throw up.  Luckily, because I wasn’t on the aisle, I couldn’t get up but I know now that if I had tried, I would have dropped to the floor.  All of a sudden, everything went black and then it wasn’t.  Slowly I returned to normal and the rest of the night was fine.  I wasn’t starving, nor dehydrated and I only had a sip of wine before it started so I’m not sure what was going on.  Hope it doesn’t happen again.  

Breakfast was either chicken with udon noodles or omelet.  While in Rome, or in a plane, I decided to forgo what I’m used to and try the chicken.  Oh well.  Coffee at least was good and I did get a second and third cup.  There are no call lights for the waitresses so you just get what you get and that’s it which actually works just fine.

There was a boy, maybe 8 or 9 who did a lot of yelling and screaming.  Thank goodness I wasn’t that close too to him.  On the flight from Saskatoon to Vancouver, I sat right across from a little guy, probably 18 months or so, and he cried most of the flight.  Just shoot me now please.  Eventually the boy 15 rows or so behind me stopped - not sure if someone murdered him or what happened.  I’d have taken him into the bathroom and given him a good spanking.  When I walked by, he was freaking out over a video game and a couple flight attendants were hovered nearby.  

We arrived in Taipei without incident and I felt well rested.  It didn’t take long and we were in the air heading to Manila.  Once in Manila, you have to fill out an electronic form which obviously speeds up passing through customs.  I took a Grab, which is Pilipino Uber and arrived at the hostel at noon.  Today is Thursday, somehow, magically, Wednesday disappeared!   

Saskatoon to Vancouver

I had three rides in place to get to the airport and ended up going in with my first option.  Funny how things work out.  

I am a mess before I travel -so anxious but lucky that instantly disappears the minute I am seated in front of my gate.  Today was no exception.  This morning I had coffee with a friend, then said a proper see you later to another, washed my truck and had it backed in beside Randy’s house by 2:30.  I was at the airport shortly after 4 which seems ridiculous for a 7 pm departure when one doesn’t have to check luggage, but it works for me.  I would much rather sit in the airport than on my couch waiting to leave at the last minute.  It also didn’t help that I couldn’t check in on line last night.  Air Canada said I needed a visa - I always check during my planning because they can be a nightmare.  Fortunately, because of technology, most countries now offer evisas which are obtainable with a few clicks and a credit card.  I can’t believe how easy they have become.  When I think back to my first overland 10.5 years ago:  the kitchen table was covered with application forms and instructions.  Each country wanted different information.  Some demanded blue pen, others black.  Some wanted a 2” x 2” photo, others different dimensions.  I sent 4 applications together to New York via courier, then had the Uzbekistan embassy send the whole package on to DC.  Luckily I have a cousin living there so he picked up the first one and moved it to the second, then couriered everything to Vancouver to the Chinese embassy.  It was so nerve wracking but everything turned out, as it usually does, if we remember to just let it.  Anyway….

I booked my flight from Philippines to Chiang Mai last night and found out today at check in that that flight confirmation was required.  All good.  I was through security without any issues which is odd, usually they want to look through something, and in no time I was at the gate, 2 hours early but relaxed.  I feel for people who suffer with anxiety.  There seems to be no way to turn it off - what a living hell. 

The flight from Saskatoon to Vancouver left early, if you can believe that.  We hear so many stories of delays but I was lucky this evening.   Upon arrival in Vancouver, I strolled around, found my gate then a nice quiet spot and comfy chair to wait about 5 hours.  Hope I don’t fall asleep and miss my flight.  I won’t take my magic chocolate until I get on the plane, then that will be the last of that until I come home.  I don’t need any dogs sniffing, barking and growling at me in Taipei, my next stop!

On the Road Again!

On the Road Again!

After a whole year in Canada, it is time to get moving! For years, I have sent out a Christmas letter and this past December, when I started looking through my pictures and calendar to sum up 2024, I realized I hadn’t left the country.  (I had come home from Mexico December 31, 2023).  I was quite shocked and felt really weird.  I thought about my feelings and concluded that I think I get my identity from my travels.  I’ve read that a lot of people get their identity from their job and when they retire, they don’t know who they are.  I certainly wasn’t like that.  Teaching was not who I was but what I did.  However, it dawned on me that traveling is who I am, not what I do.  I’m going to have to get over that real quick because as I age, the way I travel will not be sustainable forever.  

So, I fly to Manila Philippines from Saskatoon January 7 at 7 pm and will hopefully arrive Thursday at 10am.  The flight from Vancouver to Taipei is over 13 hours and then there’s a 14 hour time difference!  After Taipei I still have a couple more hours to go.  I guess I’m on the milk route, except I fly direct from Saskatoon to Vancouver without a stop in Calgary so that’s a bonus.

I’m taking my Camino backpack which probably weighs about 15 pounds.  I’m packed and have bought an eSIM, hoping it will be convenient and that it will work automatically upon arrival.  It will save me searching for a SIM card and buying data in every country - I hope.  My neighbour is going to get my mail and look after my condo, my friend is giving me a ride to the airport - I think I’m ready!

Bon voyage!