Chapter 2 (25-Dec-08)

Hello everyone
First, I must answer a few questions about the last adventure.
I did have shaving cream when I left America, a brand new cannister, used only once. I went through Atlanta and San Francisco without any problems, but Hong Kong expected me to do nasty things with it, so it was confiscated. I know, someone that has flown as long as I have should know not to carry large cans of anything. In fact, a month before I left I purchased a small tube of soap specifically for the purpose of using for shaving cream on this trip. It is still in my bag.
One pound of fresh shrimp for $2.25? No, in my hurry I typed what came naturally. It was one kilo for $2.25. One kilo is equal to 2.2 pounds.
Mobile sawmills (ie chain saws) are actually manipulated by hand, there are no guides to follow. The operator merely places the end of the saw (which is more than 3 feet long) on the wood, and see-saws forward until the end of the log, but only half way through the depth of the log, and then immediately returns backwards, see-sawing through the remaining half of the log. During this time a helper alternately brushes off the sawdust and oils the chain, using a plastic coca cola bottle filled with oil.
A few days ago I saw another crew come to bring down a dead tree. A small boy, with a rope around his waist, climbed high into the tree, attached the rope and then slid down the rope. As the chain saw began to cut the tree, 7 men and boys pulled the rope until the tree began to crack, and then they scattered. They tell me that to their knowledge no one in living history can remember anyone being hurt during this process.
This morning I had a cup of hot cocoa. Seems we have a cocoa tree on the property, and Didith's daughter Jhoy rose early to prepare the cocoa. Not Hershey's, nothing similar actually, but very good in itself. The cocoa fruit is dried, then taken to the market where a special machine will grind it to powder to be used with hot water.
Speaking of morning. No clocks here, there is no need. Bedtime seems to be somewhere after dark, and round about 4:15 or so, many roosters begin to crow. Usually by 5 I am finally out of bed. It is my understanding now that the rooster, depending on the moon, may start crowing at 2am. And, there are many roosters that are tied to a rope, and its owner will carry it around pridefully, petting it continuously. These are the future champions of the cockfights, one of the national pastimes.
Last week the neighbor's young teenager had 3 of her friends visiting, and they decided to have a little fun. Toys are not very visible here, I have not seen any other than in a couple market stalls. The girls decided baseball was the order of the day, however they did not have a ball. No matter, a thong slipper works very well, and, a benefit of only 2 girls on a side, it can be flung at the runner to tag her out. They played for almost 2 hours with much laughter, and the neighboring boys pretending not to watch.

A few nights ago an old lady came to the door after dark with a guitar and started singing Christmas carols. We had her sit down in the house to make it easier for her. Her guitar playing consisted of strumming the strings with one hand while the other kept time on the neck of the guitar. Her singing left a lot to be desired, and no one was counting the mistakes she made with the words. Didith's children pooled their money together to give the old woman, as she has many grandchildren to support because her daughter and son-in-law are addicts, and she is no longer able to work. They gave her 50 pesos, a princely sum to all. $1.06.
On the evening of the 23rd we went to Cebu City to renew my visa. We took the overnight ship, and splurged by going 1st class so we could have aircon. An extra $0.75, but well worth it. 1st class is a room set aside with bunk beds for the 32 people able to afford it. Sleeping there is a luxury as many noises occur, and trips to the comfort room (only one on board for about 250 people) with that many people is not possible to schedule.
We arrived at 3am, and decided to have a coffee and a biscuit on the pier, but first we had to chase a few people off the benches at the cafe. Coffee comes 3 at at time, which means coffee, powdered cream and sugar. Do not bother to ask for anything else. On the walk to the cafe, we were pestered by taxi drivers anxious to get a fare. While we drank our coffee some of them loitered at the front of the cafe (no walls here, this is a stall) waiting for us to finish.
About 4:30 we left and accepted a ride with a taxi, who took us to the Immigration office in town. When we arrived, it was only 5:30 and they did not open til 8am. So, the taxi driver asked us to wait, and he roused the guard and arranged for us to be able to enter and have a place to sit. The guard then entertained us with his many questions of Ubay as he had never been there. Some of the questions were very strange, a city boy asking about a place he considered to be as alien as Mars.
One of the officials arrived at 6:15, and immediately invited us to his office. After asking our business, he said that he would consider me to be the husband of Didith, and could therefore grant me a year's visa for 20,000 pesos. Now, consider that in a year's time I would have to renew my visa 7 times, for a cost of 24,500 pesos, plus the ship tickets another 8,400 pesos, taxi trips 2,100 and tricycle trips 168 pesos, a total of 35,168 pesos, plus food. A bargain for 20,000. However, I only had 9,000 pesos in my pocket, so Didith asked for a discount. He then offered the bottom price of 15,000 pesos. However, we did not have that kind of money, and had to decline. He asked when we could have the money, and said if we could call him in January with the money, he would meet us at the pier and then extend my visa for one year. Apparently he has the ability to make such deals, however, he did mention we should not mention his price to anyone.
On the taxi trip to the Immigration office, it being December 24th, the streets were thronged with tens of thousands of teenagers returning from early dawn mass. It is a common superstition here that on Christmas eve day, the early bird catches the worm, that early mass attendees have a much better chance of gaining their wishes for Christmas. Thousands I tell you, thousands and thousands. A very nice sight.
Our business completed by 6:30am, we decided to stop at the airport to speak to an employee of Cathay Pacific, who I had met when I arrived on December 4th, who told me he could obtain some things I required (such as shaving cream) on his trips to and from Hong Kong. However, once at the airport, we could not find anyone from Cathay Pacific as their flights do not arrive until 11am. We asked one of the guards, and he decided to take us to the back offices, but there was no one there, so he then took us to his own office to use the phone as he said it would be cheaper than using Didith's cell phone. (an aside: am I the only one in the world without a cell phone?)
We decided then to go to the pier and take a ship to another village in Bohol instead of waiting until noon for our ship to Ubay. So, we went to Tubigon where we caught a hire van to Talibon. In Talibon we went to the shopping mall (Talibon is smaller than Ubay, but Ubay does not have a mall), and there we met many people who where either friends or relatives of Didith. Seems her family is well respected, and her especially. So far I have met many of her former teachers who remember her fondly, and even call her their best friend.
From Talibon we took the local bus to Ubay. Of all days for me to not have my camera, this was the day. So many sights that I wanted to capture, to send for all to see. Maybe next time.
Last night some children arrived after dark to serenade us with carols. While the songs are familiar, the words are difficult to understand as they are unaccustomed to speaking English. But oh so sweet.
The other day we sent the boys to get some food for our meal, but they returned without anything and asked for a kilo of rice (2.2 pounds, about 30 pesos, which is about 63 cents) to trade with a local fisherman who did not have any rice for his meal. The boys left, and then returned with a bucket of clams and 6 rather good size crabs. The clams were cleaned, and then a big pot of water was started, with some onions and some garlic. The clams were thrown into the water and then a second pot was started for the crabs. A third pot was for the rice. Once everything was finished, a small dish of vinegar was placed by each plate, and some garlic placed inside. The whole idea was to dip the clams and crab into the vinegar garlic. OMG. The only thing that was better so far was the fried squid. OMG twice. Especially the fried squid heads.
Christmas Day, a very special but also very normal day. People visiting, some asking for a gift of money, others just wishing goodness. But also a normal day, cooking to be done, laundry to keep up with. Laundry, an interesting proposition here. Washing machines are available, but not metal ones as they rust. There are plastic ones, even Whirlpool! But we do not have one. Laundry is done by hand, a series of basins out in the yard. Washing with soap occurs in the first basin, and a second basin is available for those stubborn stains. This basin has a stain remover in it and a stiff brush for scouring the stains. There are 4 rinse basins, although with the rigorous squeezing the fourth is hardly used. However, it is necessary to have that fourth one just in case there is still a little suds coming out of the clothes in the third basin. My clothes have never been so clean. Here is Didith on Christmas Day, with nephew Zeil offering his advise (although I suspect he was not listened to).

My short note to wish all of you a very peaceful Christmas and New Year has turned into a rather lengthy letter. I still have many things to tell you, and I hope I am not boring everyone. I must tell you more about these people, the poorest being busy singing, smiling and giving. A most unusual people, where sharing is considered a priority irrespective of coins in the pocket.
I hope that everyone is thankful for what they have, as we have far more than we need. I am learning some very valuable lessons here, ones I wish I had learned many years ago.
True contentment depends not upon what we have; a tub was large enough for Diogenes, but a world was too little for Alexander. - Charles Caleb Colton, 1780 - 1832
Many of you will not receive this email until after Christmas Day as I will not be able to send it until late Christmas Day evening, but please know that my thoughts and wishes are with you during this day.