Month of MARCH – 2013 This is one page per month devoted to the more personal experiences related to my life in the Philippines. Daily life and the strange adventures that come up every so often. I’ll toss in some photos & video links as needed for emphasis so.. no telling what you’ll encounter here. — Henry V. Oh, subscribe using the E-mail box along the right-side of the site to know when I update with a new entry. Many of the photos here enlarge if you click on them.
[03/06/2013] — What a busy week it’s been. Preparing for the move, getting my license and bidding a slow farewell to Basak, Lapu Lapu as my home. It was a great place to make my landing, get my bearings and meet some wonderful people. But now Bohol is waiting for me and I’ll be loading my big stuff onto a ship first thing in the morning. I defrosted the fridge, bought a mosquito-net and renewed my Net access for the next month at the mall down the street (Grand Mall). I spoke with a (married) Filipina in line since it was moving exceptionally slow. Very lovely woman. After a bit of conversation she mentioned that her husband is out working in another country. At that point the line moved and she was on her way while I paid for my groceries. I then made my way to the main lobby of the mall and just sat down for five minutes, making one last observation of the mall.
A lot has changed here at the mall, to me anyway. Seven months ago I walked in here absorbing it all in. The nutty gang of Filipinas, ladyboys and gays that first befriended me are all gone.. one by one they finished their contract and were not re-hired. Haven’t seen them since October around here. Except for Linda, I ran into her at Chicago Joe’s around December, she managed to get her bartender job back there again. Even Michelle and Denz seem to be missing.. the ‘Pink Daisy’ duo who first caught my eye in their hot pink mini-skirts when I walked in the mall my very first day. We had a great
time going out together but now, they are apparently gone too. A different Michelle is working there now, she’s the girlfriend of a Frenchie I met at Chicago Joe’s. I had stopped by the day before to chat with the original owner of the Pink Daisy, an Iranian-German guy who is great conversation. He sold the place to new owners two months ago. He’s now selling shares in his international school for English on the other side of the island.
From the second floor I saw two ladyboys take the escalator down to the ground floor as they window shopped on the other side of the lobby. Never seen them before. I guess I’ve been here too long if I already know which ladyboys are new to the area. As I mentioned to my friend, Delia, later this evening, “It’s a strange thing when you have to admit that most of these ladyboys have nicer looking legs than some of the real women.” She agreed.
I figured it was time to take my last walk out of the mall. I’m sure I’ll be back sometime in the future for a visit. But this would be the last time I’d be here as a local. The security guard did his usual marking of my receipt with a red chalk-stick as I exited the mall and who should I happen to see there on the steps waiting?.. the married lady I’d spoken with in the grocery line. Her back was to me and she seemed to be taking her time getting a taxi, there were at least six of them ready to go. She didn’t see me and for a moment I considered making some small-talk with her. But I quickly nixed the idea. For one thing, she’s married and seems to have a good thing going with her husband. I’m a lot of things, but home-wrecker is not on my resume. Besides, I’m skipping town in the morning and the odds of things taking a dramatic turn are just too high for this scenario so I turned to the left and made my walk home into the night.
With the fridge defrosted I decided using what was left in there to make up some pasta was the best route. But what to do with these remaining four eggs? I knew I wouldn’t have time to cook them in the morning before breakfast so.. I hard-boiled them. I figure I can then take them as a snack in my back-pack while I’m on the ship to Bohol. It’s only a 4-hour trip so that and the book I’m reading, “The Cay” (a favorite of mine from my childhood) will help pass the time. Unless I just fall asleep, which is just as likely to happen.
I must admit, despite meeting many, many people here.. the two I will be missing the most are Delia and Kristine. It’s not like they’ll be all that far away, from Bohol to Cebu is only 90 minutes on a fast-ferry. But, setting my emotions aside, I think this move is going to be good for all three of us. Me, I’ll be able to focus on my lifelong dream of writing all day, with some adventures every now and then to stir up the creative process. Delia and I will be staying in touch and since I need to return to Cebu every 2 months to renew my Visa, I’ll stay a few days so we can visit. Kristine.. well, you know how that goes. It won’t be long before someone else notices how sweet she is. She’ll fall in love and there’s no room for a platonic friend like me once that happens. But, I’ve resigned myself to that inevitability. That’s life and it would be selfish of me to delay her that next chapter in her life. So.. I believe it’s gonna turn out okay for all of us in the end.
Well.. it’s 11:34pm and I’ve got a big day tomorrow. I’ll pack up the remaining things, get some shut-eye and start my new adventures out on the tropical paradise of Bohol. As usual, I’ll keep you posted. Be sure to subscribe if you haven’t already so you get notified of the new stuff soon as it’s posted. And now, for some “farewell to Basak” theme music as I finish packing. This one’s for you, Sirk!
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Author: Reekay V.
Since 2012 I’ve been traveling through various islands of the Philippines as a full-time Expat and spent 1999 living in Vietnam.
Share with me my ongoing adventures of life in the Philippines. Hopefully you find my observations helpful in your own adventures.
— Reekay
Life is so full of re-births. Bohol must be a spectacular place to be re-born in.
Kinda like when Spock regenerated on the new planet. ha! I’m so excited, can’t sleep. I figure I’ll nap during the boat ride.
Good luck, have fun and we’ll be in touch on the come-around!
Looking forward to it!! 🙂
Henry…is that VISA run something simple and easy? No where closer for you to do that ?
This once a month diary ain’t working…keep it to once a week please 🙂
So,did u get paid in full for the scooter? Where is the video tour of the cat house girls?
Don’t forget, I want to buy the property behind you but I ain’t got no money but I am sure U will sell it to me hahahahaha
Good luck Tarzan…enjoy the jungle and I hope u finally find Cheetah!
The Visa renewal.. on the one hand, Cebu is the closest place for me to do it. I can’t renew on Bohol or online. However, the good thing is that it’s a fairly quick and painless procedure. 30 to 45 minutes and I’m done, unless I go on a Monday after 12pm.. then it’s kinda hectic and jammed.
I could renew and pay for up to 4 months or more in advance as far as I know. But making the run to Cebu gives me a chance to visit for a day or so. So I don’t mind. 🙂 I’ll probably have more time to update once I’m settled in to Bohol. As for the remainder of my money, that’s due by the 15th of the month so we’ll see how that turns out. I’m surprised I even got 60% back already.
Happy things are turning in your favor. Nice to see some justice for all there. Good Luck, Henry!
p.s. I asked about how things work there in the cat-house. Apparently it’s a 1,200P cover charge (about $25 USD) which includes a couple rounds of drinks. During that time the girls introduce themselves and there’s another fee for some private time. If that’s not what the guy is there for, they try to get him to start up a tab for food, drinks for the girls which they get commission on at the end of the shift. In my opinion, this whole method is too expensive and lazy a way to go about having some fun. I’ve been to the other karaoke place further down the street.. same process but no cover charge. But even so, a foreigner doesn’t need a karaoke joint to pick up women. It’s mostly the rich Japanese dudes with zero-game who seem to flock to those places around here.
Hey Henry, you can renew on Bohol, here is the office address, still hope to see you next week after we get our appointment in Cebu we will go to Bohol to that resort I told you about for a few days, heres the Immigration address in Tagbilaran, Torral Building, Carlos P. Garcia Avenue, Tel 2356064, Office hours, Monday – Friday 8am til noon, 1pm to 5pm. Hope this helps. Seeya and have fun on your new adventure. Alan
That is awesome!, thanks. 🙂 I will use that and still make visits to Cebu every so often.
Hi Henry just wanted to say I hope it all work out well for you in Bohol. It does look lovely. I have a Filippino friend here in Vancouver who has a store that sells most Filippine items. He is from Bohol and is moving back later this year to build a house and retire. Like me. My plan is to move to General Santos City in July this year. Will look you up when we go to Cebu and probably to Bohol for a few days later this year. Take care and good luck. And thanks for the stories they make the move I’m doing more fun. Mark from Vancouver
Sounds like a good plan. I still have half my things in the suitcase and finding places for kitchen items. I’m exhausted though.. but relieved to finally be settled in here. 🙂
Awesome plan you're pursuing, Henry. Hope you enjoy every minute. Bohol is such a great spot – it is truly a paradise. The difference between it and Mactan or Cebu City is night and day.
Your articles are all great!
Hi Henry, Bohol does have NPA and wanted criminal hiding in the mountains. They come and go over time. Usually they don’t bother foreigner. But you cannot get out of the mountain if you fall and break a bone. No one will know where you are in the mountain if you get lost. Responsible diver always go in pair so should mountain hiker. Please take a local along for your safety. One lone white female tourist was rape was killed on her hike to the Banaue Rice Terraces. She passed by the sari sari store owner who killed and rape her. The killer had a filipina wife with kids. There were peaceful mountains four hour away from Cagayan de Oro two years ago. But the area now is full of Philippines military to pursue the NPA. Philippines has security concern just like the USA. Philippines is a paradise but it depends on where and when. Have fun hiking but come back to write your story…:-)
Yah, it’s a shame there’s always some lunatic somewhere to ruin things. Just a few weeks ago some tourists in Acapulco were raped at their cottage on the beach. Same happened in Rosarito years ago. I’ll see if I can find someone local to go with me but seems like the men’s response is, “Why? Why you want to go there? Is nothing there.” ha!
Small world Henry……I know those two. They were the waitresses at The Pink Daisy but sadly no more, since it has changed hands.
Yah, Michelle and Denz.. two peas in a pod. 🙂 I went out with Michelle for a few weeks. But then I figured out she was also seeing some Filipino guy at the same time so, that was the end of that for me. Denz is sweet but mostly I just enjoyed them for a night on the town but not as a relationship possibility. The owner, can’t think of his name (the German-Iranian guy).. he sold the Pink Daisy finally and the other Michelle who worked upstairs in the clothing boutique works there now. She’s super-pretty but last I heard is still going out with a French guy. The other girl, Leia, who worked at the Pink Daisy is really nice and seems to have a good head on her shoulders. Very sexy dancer as well. But she has a kid and me, I’m kinda done with the whole raising kids thing so I didn’t pursue anything with her. But altogether, Pink Daisy won’t be the same without Michelle, Denz and Leia in their cute, short, pink micro-skirts.
Yah, Michelle and Denz.. two peas in a pod. I went out with Michelle for a few weeks. But then I figured out she was also seeing some Filipino guy at the same time so, that was the end of that for me. Denz is sweet but mostly I just enjoyed them for a night on the town but not as a relationship possibility. The owner, can’t think of his name (the German-Iranian guy).. he sold the Pink Daisy finally and the other Michelle who worked upstairs in the clothing boutique works there now. She’s super-pretty but last I heard is still going out with a French guy. The other girl, Leia, who worked at the Pink Daisy is really nice and seems to have a good head on her shoulders. Very sexy dancer as well. But she has a kid and me, I’m kinda done with the whole raising kids thing so I didn’t pursue anything with her. But altogether, Pink Daisy won’t be the same without Michelle, Denz and Leia in their cute, short, pink micro-skirts.