Whoooo Hoooooo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! back from the Philippines !!!!!!!!

[Cbear]

Ok, what can I say, I had an excellent trip to the Philippines. My girl was everything I expected and more.

I flew arrived in manila on the 14th about midnight. My girl and her mother and her best friend (her chaperone) met me at the airport. I couldn't believe how pretty she was in person.

I had given her money to find a hotel for manila with the instructions that it must be clean and have AC. She found us a travelers inn that was inexpensive but clean.

We only stayed there 2 nights as we had reservations at the Blue Crystal resort in Peurta Galera.

[Cbear]

The area there is poor and the roads are not that great but it is easy and cheap to get around. Trikes are especially cheap but we hired a driver for a couple of days for only 700php a day. This is very cheap for a driver, expect to pay another 1000php if you don't know someone who knows someone.

We did the tourist things but at our own pace. Tours are offered but they are expensive compared to just hiring a driver and telling him where you want to go. We went to a traditional village back in the mountains and to a water fall that is used by the locals mostly. There is another falls that the tours take you to that is over run with people. Myself and my German friend were the only westerners at the falls we went to. Without the driver we would never have found this place on our own. My camera died before we got to the falls (my German friend is sending me a disk with his photos, I'll post some when I get the disk) Here is the village we went to.

[Cbear]

In the above pics, my girl is in the pink shirt.

I found out that she isn't that good at negotiating good prices. There is a stand there at the village where they sell hand made wicker items. I wanted a fruit bowl for my mother and my girl got me one for 300 php. But my German friends girl got him one for only 150 php. We all had a good laugh about it but my girl was embarrassed but hey, she's young and my friends girl said she would teach her how to bargain.

We spent 4 days in Peurta Galera, we went out at night to eat and have a few but she doesn't drink much. We had a good time. I will say that we didn't have any real standout food in PG. Well except the spagetti dinner we all had our last night there. Who would expect to find great spagetti in asia. LOL It was awsome. We also got free massages while we waited for the food.

A few more pics of PG area

[Jeff S]

Looks like you had a great trip! Thanks for the report and pics. Planning to go back soon or?

- Jeff

[Cbear]

Jeff, I loved it there. I want to go back now. LOL but she has school and no time to see me until December. She won't even know what days she has off till about the first of December so it makes it hard to plan a trip.

I have a lot more trip info that I will be sharing, just give me some time to get it together.

[Bear]

Sounds like you had a great time.  How did the discussions go with the future MIL ? What kind of things did she ask you?

The Bear Family

[Cbear]

Bear, the MIL only asked me about my children and their ages. Thats it. She doesn't speak english very well so everything was translated.

She was called back to work by her employer on the second day and she still allowed her daughter to continue with the trip so she must have liked me.

[Cbear]

More about the trip.

After we left PG we went to Baguio in the mountains. It was cool there temp wise. It was a very touristy place. many many people there. The parks were crowded and there wasn't much to do that wasn't touristy. We hired a driver here also but it was much more expensive. About 2500 php for the day. We went to a Chinese temple and the botanical park. And the mansion house which is the presidents vacation place there, kinda like our camp david I think, only not as big.

My pics of the mansion house didn't come out at all. We also did the row boats at one park that had a small lake. Honestly, it was yucky green water and after the crystal clear waters of PG I was disappointed.

[Cbear]

The one thing we did in Baguio that the girls loved was... well just check out the pics. They couldn't stop talking about how much fun it was.

[bcc_1_2]

awesome. hope every thing works out. its only march. take lots of cold showers until december. 

anyways I hope for the best for you two.

[piglett]

Glad to hear you had such a good trip. sounds like you had a really good time.
keep posting pictures & info. we want to hear all the details

piglett

[Cbear]

I found out that in Baguio there are a lot of filipinos who like American country music. WE found several places where it was the music of choice. One was the Music Magic bar. Now it has a dim atmosphere but excellent bands and the food was really good. We ordered spicy sisig and grilled squid and some pork thingys that were rolled in these wraps like an egg roll but longer and tastier. The sisig was super spicy but it was the best we had the entire trip.

I tried to get my girl to dance with me but she is just to shy.

I tried a bunch of new foods while there but I can't remember the names of any of it. LOL some things I don't want to remember. I did have pigs blood while in baguio and of course we ate balut everywhere we went. It is actually good once you get your mind past what you are eating.

More pics

[Cbear]

We went to the SM mall in baguio and ate at Mcdonalds there. I must admit that big mac tasted good after not eating any American food for almost 2 weeks. Speaking of malls we also went to the festival mall and the mall of asia in manilla.

Let me say this guys, there are more beautiful woman there than you can imagine. My lady and I got stared at all the time, I mentioned it to her and she just said its because they like me. Some would smile but I am already taken so I wasn't interested but it goes to show that the rock star effect is still there.

Oh my, the sales girls in the mall are just gorgeous. So you single guys still looking. GO THERE.

[Cbear]

some observations I have made, just random thoughts here.

The average filipino I spoke with liked Obama and didn't like Bush. They seem to think Obama is going to save the world. Of course as soon as I tell them his stance on abortion they go from loving him to hating him. It seems the press has left out that he is pro abortion and in this Catholic nation that doesn't go over so well. Not one person said they still liked him after I told them his abortion stance.

Poverty is everywhere there, but so is enterprise and wealth. I have never seen so many small businesses in my life. Everyone has something to sell. In some of the places we went, just about every home had a small market of some sort in the front.

In some places the economy is booming and houses are going up just like they did here 5 years ago. But in others it is staggering poverty. People living on trash piles.

I was appalled that my girl didn't give any thought at all to the begging children. But I must say that I don't live there and I won't judge her. I did have her give some money to a guy who begged on the street who was burned badly. I told her that someone like that has no options in life and deserves our mercy. She understood that. But giving money away to strangers is hard for them I guess when they have there own family to consider.

Traffic. Oh it was bad in Manila. But one observation I made was that everyone is courteous and that is how the system works there. Everyone gives way to everyone else. No road rage, it is expected that the car beside you is going to cut you off so you just let them, and when you need over, you just cut off the guy beside you. Horns are used all the time but not to signal amger, they use them to say, hey, be careful, I'm coming through or your too close, don't you see me.

We took a bus back and forth from manila to Batangas pier and from Manila to Baguio. Not a bad ride, we slept most of the way with my girl sleeping on my shoulder. I will say I enjoyed that immensely.

We had to take a boat from Batangas to Peurta Galera. It was about 1 1/2 hour boat ride. The seas where calm so it wasn't bad but I talked to some who came over when it was bad and getting sick on the boats is common.

[Cbear]

We left Baguio and went back to manila, we stayed in a hotel near the airport that wasn't all that nice but it was very cheap and that seemed to be more important to my girl that luxery so I didn't say anything. It did have AC but the shower water wasn't that hot. Oh well.

WE met our German friend and his lady for lunch at one of the local markets, one of the markets where the locals go and they almost never see westerners. We took a taxi there and he turned in the wrong drive by accident and asked the boy out front where the restaurant (corzina) was. The boy directed us around back of the market where we were accosted by every restaurant there. They each have someone who stands outside and tries their best to get you to go to their place.

The boy lied to us so when we left the taxi driver yelled at him for lying. It was just one drive down. We found it no problem after that. One interesting note, there were lady boys everywhere in the markets. Tons of them. My girl is learning spanish and I know a little so we could converse about them without them knowing we were. it was funny to say the least.

The girls went to the market while us men stayed away, didn't want to influence the price. For 6000 PHP including the restaurant fees for cooking the food and drinks, 12 people were fed. With enough food left over to feed all their kids when they get home.

The dishes were, fried chicken, 6 chickens. 4 big crab platters, I do mean big, with maybe 4 crabs per platter. More prawns in more flavors than I could ever eat. Steamed and cheesy mussels (very good) some kind of fish head soup in a spicy coconut milk broth. The broth was good but I didn't like the fish in it. Also grilled and blackened fish and tons of rice and vegetables. Of course after we were all stuffed the fruits come out for desert. One of the dishes that was made just for me (because I like spicy food) was a raw fish and vegetable dish. It was very very spicy and the raw fish tasted more like pork than fish (I don't know what kind of fish it was, the flesh was grayish brown) I loved this dish. Perfect.

Some pics of the food.

[Cbear]

My lady's chaperon left us alone for a few hours before I had to leave. We just held each other and she cried. For hours she cried, I didn't think she would ever stop but she finally pulled it together and shut off the tears. I love her even more because of those tears. It proved to me that she really does care. She begged me to stay. To find any way to stay with her. I wish I could. Soon sweetie, soon.

I know at least one of you (you know who you are LOL) is wondering. Yes, she is still a virgin. We had a conversation about that. She said that it isn't like it used to be and that a lot of girls have sex before marriage now but that it does ruin them because no good filipino man wants a girl (for marriage) who isn't a virgin. Its kinda a double standard because the girls expect their guy to have experience but they aren't allowed to be the one to give him that experience. It is accepted that men will have sex before marriage but that a good girl won't. ?? That is just the way it is.

If anyone has any questions about PI that i might be able to answer, then just ask.

[Jeff S]

Did you see my shipyard in Batangas? It's Lusteveco's (Div of the Philippine National Oil Company) main maintenance facility for their tankers.

[Cbear]

I saw some tankers but I don't remember seeing that particular dock.

[Cbear]

We have been talking about marriage for almost the entire trip and it hasn't stopped since I've been back. She still has 2 years of school left and a few months of board review after that, so we aren't in any real hurry. Her family wants her to wait until after she graduates to even court so a marriage is going to shock them.

We have been discussing the merits of a K1 vs a K3, She will need some lag time for the visa process before she graduates. Right now we are actually thinking about the K3 and getting married about 1 year before she graduates.

While it is obvious in some things that she is only 18, in matters of a relationship she is far more mature. There are no separations or divorces in her family (many of whom live in the states) so she has a high standard to live up to. She and I both feel that if we commit 100% that our marriage will work. So we are starting to make plans. No date is set but it will probably be early next year. That gives us time enough for a CR1. She does not want to marry in the states so the K1 is out.

When I left to fly out she was so scared of being caught PDA by her uncle who was arriving from New Jersey at the same time I was departing that I didn't even get a kiss at the airport. LOL

She was afraid he would see her and be upset that she kissed me in public. LOL, She is very shy. She says now she regrets not kissing me goodbye, but that if she had the tears would have rolled again and she was frightened to be seen crying also.

I just spoke with her on the phone and it is so hard to hang up. I sing to her often and she wouldn't let me say goodbye until I sang a song for her. I miss her so much. I don't know how I'm gonna get through the next 2 1/2 years with only seeing her for a few weeks each year. 

[Bear]

Durn Cbear.  You sound just like me!  Glad you listen to her though about PDAs.  Funny how a little hugging and kissing could cause so much pain but in my case it really did.

Sounds like a good plan,  Pretty close to the same Honey and I planned but I wanted her to finished her last college year here because I thought an American degree would be better if she ever had to work.  I think now it didn't matter and it would have been better to finish there.

The Bear Family

[Cbear]

I hadn't even thought about her finishing her school here. That does open a new door. I will have to check into it.

Right now she goes to one of the best private nursing schools in the Philippines. Her tuition is 108,000PHP a year. Very expensive by PI standards. But the cost of an American nursing program would be much more I'm sure.

Right now her family is paying all her expenses, but of course after I marry her, it will become my responsibility.

She is going to have another break before her next semester starts. I don't have time to go see her but I am thinking about flying her to Bermuda or Jamaica. Which is only a few hours flight for me. She doesn't need a visa to travel there. Maybe even Colombia, she is learning spanish so she might enjoy that. Colombia is a longer flight though. About 6 hours from here. I don't think she will mind only seeing me for 2 weekends. I'll give her enough money to enjoy her trip and hire a translator to stay with her during the week while I am gone.

Not sure if this is a good idea or not, all I know is that I miss her terribly.

[bcc_1_2]

I hadn't even thought about her finishing her school here. That does open a new door. I will have to check into it.

I was going to ask about that. In Colombia (or honduras for that mater) they aren't going to recognize the lady's college education. If she goes through all the schooling back home will it pay off for her here in the USA?

If I remember correctly my home town has nursing classes even at the community college level. Plus I think there are a lot of programs out there for future nurses. From what I've heard they need them pretty bad.

Personally I hope you make more visits and really see how this relationship with this very young lady progresses. 2 years is a damn long time though. Huh I'm actually suggesting you consider making some more trips and possibly bring her over sooner. who would have guessed that.

[Cbear]

The good thing about the Philippines is that her education will be recognized in the US and her boards I was referring to are the California nursing boards. She passes that and she is an RN.

I am going to be making more trips to see her. She is the real deal. I don't think anything will get in our way now.

[Bear]

When Honey got here we had her transcript certified and I believe almost all of her hours transferred except Filipino Class.  They require way more hour there that we do here.

Of course the more degrees you have...  Even with my company we are given a 10K bonus in stock for adding degrees, which I intend to do.

The Bear Family

[evoltnvii]

looks like you had a great time and have a great girl. Good luck to you with your plans i hope all the best for you two i only hope my trip is as successful.