After the birthday cake on Friday -made our first escape from manila (see the local traffic jam outside our gated community) for my birthday on Saturday morning. Pcitures of the cake cutting and gooey cake!! the woman in the picture is teh girls nanny lyn.
Got 8am bus from manila to the port of batangas which took just over 2 hours (but then held up for an hour in a traffic jam at port where they are building new link road) then caught a ferry over to Mindoro which took about 1 hour. We arrived on the beach at 1pm just in time for lunch. It was great to get to a beach and clear clear water. We chose a relatively expensive resort at 20 quid per night for room with air com and TV etc. http://www.coral-cove.com/ It was English run by an ex British solder who had worked with Gurkha's - for my birthday dinner we were treated to an Indian banquet which David (the Brit) puts on each Saturday night. Marc was able to watch the Man U match afterwards so was just like blighty but a little warmer - Only joking. Poor Marc is suffering terrible sports withdrawals at the moment.
On Sunday we charted a small boat (banca) to take us off to a little cove to play castaway (complete with picnic of fried chicken and chips). A guy came into shore on another boat selling shells etc and very helpfully hired us some snorkel equipment for the day. The fish and corals were amazing and Gianna did really well snorkeling. Marc went on a rather short jungle trek but dressed the part to scare off any snakes as u can see in the picture above.
The evening was rounded off in the local village were Marc had made friends with an Aussie who had set up a small bar/restaurant for philipinos. He had 6 kids all brought up in Australia and although half philipino only spoke English. The youngest was 3 and therefore adopted by Angelica as her friend. As per usual there was loud karaoke blasting from the jungle and general good natured mayhem that seems to exist everywhere, as the local fishermen celebrated someones birthday. Once again avoided actually singing but sooner or later......................
Got up early the next day and got the 7am boat back to Batangas and was back in manila by 11.30 in good time for our first Tagalog lesson at 1pm. The trip only cost a tenner for the buses and boats for all of us so we will be using this bolthole again!
The teacher Ferdie seems great and is taking us off to see the real Crucifixions on Friday as part of our lesson plan. Rather more exciting than a trip to the local catholic church - we'll be leaving the kids at home as I'm not sure they'll be that taken with the self flagellation. Bet your looking forward to the pictures next week!!!!!! Marc says hes the best language teacher he has ever had. Four hours per day is very intensive - hopefully some of it is sinking in! Although everyone speaks some English speakign Tagalog would avoid all the little misunderstandings that happen when ordering stuff asking directions etc and would hopefully mean we could avoid tourist prices!
As for house hunting saw a house yesterday which has 3 large bedrooms, living room kitchen 4 bathrooms, maids and drivers rooms all for under 300 quid per month. Very roomy but although has big outside area its concreted and shaded over by huge tree. Philipinos hate the sun and build their houses to avoid it. I would really like a garden with SUN but we may just have to go for the space and comfort for now and leave the garden till next year. the tennis courts and childrens playground are opposite so places to play for kids. (Gianna starting tennis lessons 3 times a week for the next 4 weeks)
On Sunday we charted a small boat (banca) to take us off to a little cove to play castaway (complete with picnic of fried chicken and chips). A guy came into shore on another boat selling shells etc and very helpfully hired us some snorkel equipment for the day. The fish and corals were amazing and Gianna did really well snorkeling. Marc went on a rather short jungle trek but dressed the part to scare off any snakes as u can see in the picture above.
The evening was rounded off in the local village were Marc had made friends with an Aussie who had set up a small bar/restaurant for philipinos. He had 6 kids all brought up in Australia and although half philipino only spoke English. The youngest was 3 and therefore adopted by Angelica as her friend. As per usual there was loud karaoke blasting from the jungle and general good natured mayhem that seems to exist everywhere, as the local fishermen celebrated someones birthday. Once again avoided actually singing but sooner or later......................
Got up early the next day and got the 7am boat back to Batangas and was back in manila by 11.30 in good time for our first Tagalog lesson at 1pm. The trip only cost a tenner for the buses and boats for all of us so we will be using this bolthole again!
The teacher Ferdie seems great and is taking us off to see the real Crucifixions on Friday as part of our lesson plan. Rather more exciting than a trip to the local catholic church - we'll be leaving the kids at home as I'm not sure they'll be that taken with the self flagellation. Bet your looking forward to the pictures next week!!!!!! Marc says hes the best language teacher he has ever had. Four hours per day is very intensive - hopefully some of it is sinking in! Although everyone speaks some English speakign Tagalog would avoid all the little misunderstandings that happen when ordering stuff asking directions etc and would hopefully mean we could avoid tourist prices!
As for house hunting saw a house yesterday which has 3 large bedrooms, living room kitchen 4 bathrooms, maids and drivers rooms all for under 300 quid per month. Very roomy but although has big outside area its concreted and shaded over by huge tree. Philipinos hate the sun and build their houses to avoid it. I would really like a garden with SUN but we may just have to go for the space and comfort for now and leave the garden till next year. the tennis courts and childrens playground are opposite so places to play for kids. (Gianna starting tennis lessons 3 times a week for the next 4 weeks)
Anyway must dash as off to meet with owner for some haggling.
More soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
More soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
2 comments:
Happy Belated Birthday Kathy!!! I asked Marc in my email when it was but after reading this blog I now recall our conversation when you were down here...man, gotta watch out for 'dem beers.
I'm glad to see you created this blogand really enjoyed reading about your adventure thus far. Please do you best to keep it up.
All the best to you and the fam,
Mark
looks fab- glad kids didn't see the crucifiction !!! we have em all the time in sodbury ! why the black icing on the cake ? gat the holiday ranch sorted !! xxxxx
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