Cebu Journal (pg. 6)
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September 2005 trip: Page 2--The people, the lifestyle
Sunday, September 11, 2005: I spent a good part of my day writing Page 5 of my journal. I covered our trip to the Northern Provinces. However, I did not cover some of the other things I looked at. I continue to have a fascination with the people here. They are happy and friendly, despite their poverty. It is my hope to show some of that here, though I did cover some in my earlier pages as well. I also adore the children here. They are so very cute... More photos here
Here are some of my favorite shots from yesterday's trip:
The little girl on the left was selling candles at the Virgin Mary Shrine. Her smiling face had such a glow. The guys in the middle were seen at a shopping area. While we were sitting there, the older man lifted up his shirt to cool off. I am sure the guy in blue was complimenting him on his round belly. On the right is a shot of a lonely Jeepney picking up a couple of people out in the middle of nowhere. This serene scene was typical throughout the day in many places.
Here are a couple more shots:
When we were at the various churches yesterday there were weddings everywhere. Having married off three daughters this summer, I felt some excitement. We saw this bride waiting to be married to the man above her. This was inside of one of the churches. I couldn't resist the granny on the right lounging away after a meal. Throughout the day I saw many people relaxed and lounging, taking siestas, etc.
Finally, when we visited the Virgin Mary Shrine, there was a group of boys who were acting pretty goofy. They probably got excited because of the big foreigner that they were seeing. So, I stepped in and joined the fun.....
Of course, it is not always about people either. There are other things that are common here but not back home. Check these out:
A spidey bus? Yes, and there are many others with decorated windshields. When I saw the Coke bottles in front of all of the little shops along the road, I commented that the yellowish/orange color was not truly Coke. The others laughed and said that was gasoline. Most of the small villages do not have gasoline stands, so the motorbike drivers and tri-cycle drivers tend to fill up using litre-sized Coke bottles full of gas. There are Pepsi bottles and Sprite bottles as well. Coca-gas anyone? The photo on the right is of a typical Lechon stand. Lechon is a roasted whole pig and is considered the national food of the Philippines. These stands are everywhere and are almost always yellow colored. And the roast pig is pretty good too!!
