Cheese Cheese Cheese and wine

Last night we went to the Manila Polo Club - (ever so posh) to the biggest cheese and wine event I have ever seen. Marc was in 7th heaven. To put it in context, I should tell u, that all ex-pats here complain that they can't get good cheese easily. Mic, a friend of Derval's, invited us as his guests to his monthly cheese club meeting. There was mountains of it. There was 30 tables each with 3 or 4 different cheeses, pate and huge piles of french bread and biscuits. There are also 3 or 4 wine stations offering really lovely wines. Needless to say we got stuck into both the cheese and the wine. One just has to attend these sort of events to network here.

I was surprised to find we actually knew quite a few of the 70 or so people attending. We are becoming quite the Manila socialites, what with parties at the Ambassadors residence and the Polo Club!!!I've even joined the BWA ( bitches and witches) or British Woman's Association and been to my first event - a talk on diamonds and how to buy them - a skill I do so hope I get to use at some point in my life but not immediately relevant to my circumstances!! Part of the reason for joining the BWA is to get access to their mailing list which in turn gives access to all the important functions and balls one just has to attend!! Only joking the real reason is because its how to find out about household stuff people are selling off when they leave Manila. Also helpful for answering important questions like - where does one get highlights done? or is it possible to get slim line tonic? or today's questions (after being at the polo club last night) where can I ride in Manila? (couldn't afford the Polo club!!) I've been asked to speak at the business leaders forum on Knowledge management but going to try and postpone that until I actually work out what it is myself :) Trotting along to their wine tasting do next week though - well on my budget I have to take up all offers of free wine!
Its Mothers day here on Sunday so we'll pop along to NOMADS a sports club, which is another ex-pat haunt where there're hosting a do with the French Ambassador apparently there'll be lots of pastis and french nibbles as well as their regular Sunday roast! They have all the football on a big screen and theres a pool and playground for the kids. Monday is a holiday here as its election day. So can't think of a good reason not to spend the day eating and drinking by the pool!
Crazy elections 77 candidates have been shot dead so far and apparently its only just hotting up. needless to say politics is not an occupation I intend to get involved with. Anyway better get back to resolving the main issue at the moment for the Knowledge Management "specialist" at VSO - What on earth I'm going to talk about at my workshop in 3 weeks time!