It doesn’t matter how many times I see girls/women in ‘cosplay’ (portmanteau words meaning costume play), it still amazes me that they can go about their daily life dressed in such ridiculous costumes. I could understand it if they were 10 years old but these are young women. There are a couple of girls at… Read More »
It has been very cold recently so I haven’t drawn up the blind in my sitting room. However this evening, it was a bit milder and I fancied seeing some daylight so I pulled the blind up and low and behold, what was behind it but a pile of bamboo scaffolding. Oh fabulous! How long… Read More »
When I first arrived in China I sought out everything which was familiar, I clung onto it like a child to their favourite blanket. For a few weeks I lived on MacDonalds and snicker bars. Then I discovered I could order egg fried rice (only 4 words) and then I started ordering more things like… Read More »
Public transport in the Philippines is very easy to use and there are plenty of public buses which run between cities. Sometimes they are air conditioned and sometimes not and the prices vary accordingly. Coaches often show a film but in the case of mine 5 hour journey to Iloilo it was a history of… Read More »
I took some advice from a Swedish guy early in the week and decided to stop at Sablayan and look for a local boatman to take me to Pandan Island. It was a risk as I hadn’t booked any accommodation or done any research on hotels on the island. As it was Chinese New Year… Read More »
It seems that wherever you go in the world every knows Rowan Atkinson as Mr Bean. He must be one of the UK’s most successful exports. But do we want the world to think we all have teddy bears and are a bit pathetic? I think as long as we’re happy, who really cares. I… Read More »
Sunset Resort on Oriental Mindoro island is what you would expect of a luxury beach side resort with a price tag to match. While there I had met a few people who told me about a charity across the road called Stairway Foundation which works with street children from Manila. The staff of the hotel… Read More »
We call it hog roast but the Philippinos call it ‘lechon’ but basically it’s when you thread a pig onto a stick and turn it over a fire for a few hours. All over the country you can see and smell pigs browning slowly while your mouth waters waiting for it to turn into something… Read More »
It’s not always possible when you’re on holiday to see into the real life of the locals. So often we are installed in a hotel or B&B in tourist resorts without the possibility to break loose and go off the beaten track. I am lucky to have a friend who lives in Dasmarinas city in… Read More »
I decided to take a look at the Philippines over the Spring Festival. I had seen some pictures of white beaches and big blue skies and after being stuck in polluted Shanghai since the summer I was desperate to get away. Dasmarinas is a city in Cavite province and this is where I started by… Read More »