Foreign Travel?

[ning]

This is reported as being a 2 leachon celebration with the second with more family in Cebu and a celebration mass at the Cathedral in Cebu...

Being the matriarch of a large family comes with provides...

Temp actually the same or slight cooler there right now... the difference is California is 90 blue sky and 57% humidity and Mindanao is typhon with rain everyday of 10 day forecast and humidity in the 90's expected.

Get lightweight travel gear, button-downs made of ripstop ideally with a mesh upper lining, or deliberately wrinkled gauze linen (more traditional tropics wear).

 

[ultrarunner]

Get lightweight travel gear, button-downs made of ripstop ideally with a mesh upper lining, or deliberately wrinkled gauze linen (more traditional tropics wear).

I picked up a few items of Tropic wear in the last couple of weeks…

Not sure on footwear as I’m always a boot person and never sandals or as they say “Slippers” person.

If it’s going to rain a lot it sounds like the right footwear is important…

 

[garry1p]

I have been fortunate to have traveled to many foreign countries including the Philippians I stopped traveling in 2001 and happy to do so. My last trip was to Venezuela and I had and armed guard for a chauffeur, kidnapping was becoming and national sport.
Many years ago I visited with some friends living in the Philippians they paid the local police monthly for protection for their house and car and it was well known you were paying and left alone.
I also received the State Dept travel advisory and paid attention to their warnings.
As far as Mindanao that's a tough call staying in a plantation would be a safe call and traveling with natives is far safer than just being a tourist however, there is a travel advisory so if you do go trust you friends and enjoy.

Reading this doesn't seem to be much help in making a decision but my advice is if you go, avoid late night parties or bar hopping, I was never scared traveling but cautious, use common sense and you will be OK.

 

[ultrarunner]

The connection with the United States runs deep for those that remember WWII

Dad had some Navy transport pilot friends and they knew little of the Philippines except it was hot and they spent layovers in the A/C of the officers club where the beer was cheap.

We hired 2 new nurses this week and both have parents born and raised in the Philippines… one had visited relatives once and the other has never been.

33 years ago from not having any staff with connection to the Philippines to now with 60+ percent ties to the Philippines even if born here.

Some go back every year and have homes there and plan to retire there and others have never been to the ancestral home.

In high school I bought a Camaro with Subic Plates from a Navy guy… it had been in a typhoon awaiting stateside shipping… it had fine rust everywhere but ran great with only 19,000 miles… was a very dependable car for $400

I guess it was in a salt bath best I can describe because every inch of exposed underside and engine bay rusted…

 

[dmccarty]

Red Horse or San Mig?

We have a pretty good selection of beers in the stores but I have not see those beers. Will have to check the local store that only sells beers and see if he carries those.

I do miss the beer in the Netherlands. MUCH cheaper than here, even if one did not return the bottles/cans for the deposit.

 

[dmccarty]

The connection with the United States runs deep for those that remember WWII

Dad had some Navy transport pilot friends and they knew little of the Philippines except it was hot and they spent layovers in the A/C of the officers club where the beer was cheap.

We hired 2 new nurses this week and both have parents born and raised in the Philippines… one had visited relatives once and the other has never been.

33 years ago from not having any staff with connection to the Philippines to now with 60+ percent ties to the Philippines even if born here.

Some go back every year and have homes there and plan to retire there and others have never been to the ancestral home.

In high school I bought a Camaro with Subic Plates from a Navy guy… it had been in a typhoon awaiting stateside shipping… it had fine rust everywhere but ran great with only 19,000 miles… was a very dependable car for $400

I guess it was in a salt bath best I can describe because every inch of exposed underside and engine bay rusted…

We are watching a TV show filmed in Canada about a boy, his family and friend growing up in Newfoundland. Pretty good show, and oddly Malcolm McDowell is on the show. The main characters best friend is from the Philippines which is weaved into various episodes.

One of our neighbors when I was a kid was a doctor from the Philippines. Doctors and nurses from the Philippines have always been something I have been aware of in the US.

What model year was the Camaro? I had a 1984 model, a cousin had a another GM model, but of the same year and color as my car. Both had rust issues.

 

[ultrarunner]

Red 1968 stick with 6 cylinder and heater delete.

Bare bones but very dependable...

I had it until I found a 68 Mustang convertible for 1600... still have the Mustang and rust free.

 

[mjarrels]

Red 1968 stick with 6 cylinder and heater delete.

Bare bones but very dependable...

I had it until I found a 68 Mustang convertible for 1600... still have the Mustang and rust free.

Last time I was there was less than two years ago when my FIL passed away. Yes, we still own a house there in San Felpi. Many earthquakes almost on a dally rate. Volcanic eruptions too and typhons are par for the cource in that part of the world. And yes the cars and trucks don't have heaters.

mark

 

[WinterDeere]

What model year was the Camaro? I had a 1984 model, a cousin had a another GM model, but of the same year and color as my car. Both had rust issues.

... and there we have it. Proof that any thread on this forum, no matter how obscure the topic, can eventually evolve toward cars or hot rods in 7 pages or less.

 

[ultrarunner]

I did a search to see if there is an active Model A or Model T club in the Philippines but did not find much…

Maybe the elements are too harsh for longevity?

That said Hawaii has a very active Model A Club as well as many countries.

I’ve reached out to members and always a good source of local info…

 

[2manyrocks]

Never been to California, but from afar, looks like a heck of a lot of change in the urban areas of SF and Oakland.

Lot of change in Nashville, TN. Lower Broadway downtown used to be retail merchants like a feed store, banks, furniture stores with the odd ball honky tonk lounge or two. Now mostly all loud bars for tourists milling everywhere. Traffic congestion has at least doubled.

 

[ultrarunner]

Change for sure but much of bustling SF is a urban ghost town so traffic no longer a problem and shops still closing.

My guess is the after effects of the longest and most severe Covid Lockdown…

People found life goes in outside the big city with remote work.

 

[ultrarunner]

I’m still on the fence but enthusiasm from coworkers has not diminished one bit…

Lots of advice but not much specific to my destination island.

I do get lots of laughs with my one new Philippine word of the day and it’s very well received by patients for the 90 minutes each morning I’m doing double duty as security in the main lobby for surgery check in.

Seems just about anyone in the Navy of a certain age has stories about time spent there.

Similar for my air force friends with Germany.

 

[Fixastuff]

I’m still on the fence but enthusiasm from coworkers has not diminished one bit…

Lots of advice but not much specific to my destination island.

I do get lots of laughs with my one new Philippine word of the day and it’s very well received by patients for the 90 minutes each morning I’m doing double duty as security in the main lobby for surgery check in.

Seems just about anyone in the Navy of a certain age has stories about time spent there.

Similar for my air force friends with Germany.

I know many people that were in the Navy and every single one is on disability, no matter how able bodied they are. None of them saw any combat so it’s not mental either. I think going on disability is one of the selling points for the navy.

 

[ultrarunner]

I know many people that were in the Navy and every single one is on disability, no matter how able bodied they are. None of them saw any combat so it’s not mental either. I think going on disability is one of the selling points for the navy.

My friends are sadly gone but they were mostly from WWII to through the 60’s

None on disability although many had scars from active duty…