White Beach

Every island have at least one White Beach. Of some reazon folks like sand beaches. I dont. We have White Beach in Saavedra but locals call it BasDako or BigSand. Beach in Panagsama is called BasDiot or SmallSand.

Many stories where Panagsama´s sand beach gone. They say taifun took it. I say look at all the concrete buildings in Panagsama. There is all the sand.

When even little sand blown in by tides and monsoons, they bag it away. 10 peso a bag. As building material it is used as it is, salty and weak for contruction. Or washed sand, little better.

Worl of the day: bas, balas, bunbon = sand

Unos

Strong gust took down the big tree blocking half of our view out to the sea. Now we can see Pescador island from all of our lot.

These gusts come in very fast. Still I cannot predict what dark clouds just rain and what is just strong wind. I mean, soon I have a banca and when caught in open sea by these strong winds, I smell trouble. Must have respect for local conditions.

Bukid mama one night bring a mouse home and eat up. Following two nights bring in birds and give to kittens to play and eat. Only I was early morning standing in kitchen and filling up water kettle, suddenly feel strong bites in my feet, look down and see red ants who come because rests of bird all over the rug.

I can handle most in here but not red ant bites. Takes more than one week to heal. First I have to scratch the coming bubble so blood comes out (and poison), then slowly with zink paste dry up the wounds. Really PITA.

Word of the day: unos = gust

Walk the walk

September 9 Junior walking longer streches. Before only 3 steps. His walking was maybe a little late, by almost 14 months, but he is very careful and wont fall recklessly.

Jerry and Banjing loading a 60 kg bucket on Honda to sell in Ginatilan. Today the catch is tagnipis, a small anjovis, coming from Zaracosa. One bucket is 950 peso. Resale price is 25 peso/kg. Profit 10 peso/kg. Hinay hinay.

Pancikol coming again. Price is from 100 peso.

Word of the day: tagnipis = anjovis (one of many a kind)

Majs, majs

We buy sweet corn in Balabacong. 100 peso and we get 36 pieces. Small but so sweet. Just cooked and eat. No salt, no butter.

Corn is stable food here as is rice. Milled corn, white or yellow, is mostly just cooked and eaten as rice. Cheaper than high quality rice but government rice NFA is cheapest. Actually I like cooked corn better than rice, makes You feel full. Corn bread also lami.

Cat mamas still take care of kittens together. Kittens suckle what ever mama avaiable or willing.

 

Word of the day: majs = corn

Full moon and bagyo

At full moon at night, every year same time, these bugs with big wings will swarm - and die. Millions of them all over. They are not ants, look more like cockroach? Dogs and cats eating them, good protein.

Now they had bad luck; we have a taifun tail giving strong winds and rain which effectively decimate their numbers.

Word of the day: mamang = bug, ubos = this bug in bisaya

Single mamas

Nobody know how many single mamas in here. Some source say 2 million, some say more.

We also have 2 single mamas. Papa may be neigbors red head who was streaking around when girls in heat. First to give birth was Bukid mama, only 2 kittens. Three days later White mama deliver 4 kittens, one died day after.

Bukid mama one night had moved her kittens over to White mamas box, and both happily together take care of the small ones. White mama make most of the work. Looks like Bukid mama is a lazy mama.

Junior was always into kittens and picking up them 'cause the home box in veranda corner. So one morning all gone. Later afternoon I saw White mama disappear behind gas stove. And they all hidden in a cabinet behind. Smart move. Now they start coming out, looks like one has only one eye?

Word of the day: manoy = old man

Happy day

Junior one year. New house one year. Happy family, happy together.

How many in multicab van? 14 pax and two dozen balloons.

Word of the day: laay = boring

First come, first serve

As in title, this is not true, in pinoy-land all want to come first. You are at shop, office, whatever, always comes a pinoy and interrupt, want to pass You in line. Get used to it. Or, better, do it Yourself, many times they respect kano (e.g. his money) and You pass the locals.

My dentist is so gentle and good, and her prices local.

Joseph can fix electric fan.

Shoe repair in Badian market can fix any shoe, even saved my running shoes 2 times.

Most common problem for me is short circuit in cellphone battery 'cause of humidity. Shop by Floremi hardware can help.

Word of the day: manang = old woman

Iloilo in Panay

I had only 200 km in meter when arrive in Iloilo. Drive via Toledo, San Carlos, Kanlaon, Bacolod to Dumangas, Iloilo. Distances not so long, only ferries take time. Also roads good except from Dumangas to Iloilo. No signs of damage round Kanlaon after earthquake

Iloilo was a positive surprise. Clean, organized city, bigger than Dumaguete or Bacolod. No beggars on the street. Iloilo is Bacolods mother city, settlers from there, also language ilongo. IMHO ilongo and visaya very close, like brothers.

Iloilo has Chinese impact, shops, things, temples, arches. A nice la mian restaurant with fish balls only Chinese can make. I also found fish paste in market, like nam phrik kapi in Thailand.

Got some new knowledge of deo stone. It is called tawas is visaya. You can use it over all body,like soap, the man told me. There is also different kind of tawas, powdered, to wash clothes or violet against allergy. Now I know that tawas is chrystals of potassium.

Small island next to Panay where Iloilo lies, is Guimaras. It is famous for carabao manga, big sweet manga; 60 peso small ones, 80 peso big. Taste good but I would fail in blind test against Negros, Cebu manga.

Word of the day: tawas = deo stone

Rainbow runner

Tanon strait full of rainbow runner. In Visayas they call it pansikol. Price is down to 90 peso/kg. Fish camp close to us have big buyers coming from a far, they buy all. I first thought pansikol is maqerel family ´cause colorful stripy like but it is a jack. Makes good as paksiu, or grilled, firm meat.

Fishermen complain big boats with long nets coming now and take too much. Their catch get down from what last week. They have only one line, hook and as bait they use uyap or small shrimp.

Word of the day: pansikol = rainbow runner

Ray Bradbury R.I.P.

His books changed many a peoples mind. He has more books than "Fahrenheit 451". He died at the age of 91 R.I.P.

Also announced today Vladimir Krutov died after injuries in accident. He was one of the legendary red machine who showed Canadians how to play hockey. He was so fast, impossible to stop.

Many days divers report whale sharks in Pescador. Maybe these same as in Malhiao. Now is full moon and bulinaw not coming to play in Malhiao. So whale sharks choose Pescador to catch some sardine. A theory as good as any?

They take four harvest of rice in Bugas. They work with buffalo (carabao), and all moments of labour are manual. Nice to look but I know it breaks Your back. All and sister helping. Child labour? You dont know what You talking of.

Word of the day: bugas - milled rice, humay = cooked rice

Lumos sabaw

So many single mothers in here. Some say girls want to get pregnant to get out from family home. Well, many also stay there. Normally they know who is the father. But if the father doesnt recognise, sign, that the kid is his, there is nothing to do. No DNA-tests here.

They have a soft way to tell the kid that no father. They say: Papa lumos sabaw. This literally means: Father drowned in soup. Meaning: Father drowned in the sea.

Tolo has no balls anymore. Vet just cut out the balls. Most easy way, he said. Still Tolo tries on Bella LOL. And keeps on good alarming, barking. I couldnt look the operation. Feels uncomfortable. Yes, dont call me names.

Word of the day: lumos = drown, sabaw = soup

Dolphin charge

By first light we sail out direction Tanon Strait between Ginatilan and Bais - the famous dolphin spot. Half-way Pescador to Bais we saw 4 family groups and 1 came to play with us. At the spot where dolphins use to be, was not one to be seen...

Our dolphin trip turned to mighty climax when close back home; suddenly 50+ dolphins in full charge from Alegria side of Tanon strait. The string of dolphins jumping in full speed was maybe 200 m long. Only later I found out my cam lins very dirty. Can use just a few seconds, all out of focus. Already packed cam in a bag and it get dirty. Human error? No, human stupidity.

However, a nice trip. With this boat from Panagsama to Bais is 2h 20min. Too long for kids.

Word of the day: lumod = dolphin

Yellowfin run

Yellowfin run going on, big ones in Tanon strait. Pic below tail end of 42 kg. Selling in pieces 220 peso/kg - lami.

Last night they saw tuki again in Malhiao bay.

Found big gekko, tuko, on the wall this morning, full of ants. Question is who killed it. Cats kill the small ones, tiki, but I dont think they dare on the big one. Maybe dogs. Gekko body no visual injuries, wounds...

Word of the day: tuko = gekko (big), tiki = gekko (small), tuki = whale shark

Bolinaw, tuki in Malhiao

8pm we sail out from Malhiao, new moon but we can see in the dark, sea like mirror. Strait between Badian island (Zaracosa) and mainland belong to Malhiao fishermen. They have own divided sites to fish, marked with bayong. Mangrove in the beach but where they fish bolinaw, is 26 m deep. Now is the season for bolinaw or small anjovis, all pinoy favorite for kinilaw, ginamos.

They have 6 boats with a crew of 6-10 men. Net costs 160 000 peso, a big investment. Owner of the net takes half of the catch. They lay out the net, and wait. Owner is inside with a small light checking when bolinaw coming. He decides when to pull in the net. They can take hundreds of kilo with one drag. This night they said water too clear! We checked 3 boats, and the catch was not many kilos.

Whale sharks every season follow bolinaw into Malhiao bay. This year they are 4, and big ones. Last year only one tuki as locals call whale shark. Funny but they afraid of tuki. Sometimes they cannot drag in the net ´cause tuki inside and eating bolinaw. This night 2 fishermen had seen tuki. One old man, alone in his banca most far away, said tuki passed his banca 2 times. It was big as Librando (buss), he said. He said if comes the 3rd time, he goes home. We didnt see any. Went home round midnight. Could not film, too dark. Cannot use lights ´cause scares the bolinaw away.

Nobody see the tuki day time. Where they go?

Word of the day: magiisda = fisherman

Fiesta

Moalboal fiesta (festa) coming. Just survived Basdiot festa, and now. You seen one fiesta, You seen them all. Gambling, cockfight, drinking, evening disco. If at least one dead, usually a bolo (machete) in stomach, people think festa was good.

This seasons best rate; manga from Negros, selling in Badian, 20 peso /kg.

Word of the day: unahan - over there

Center-of-the-sun-hot

Hot season now. But not like in Thailand. Just have to put a short quote from latest Dana: "Thailand has three seasons: rainy, hot, and center-of-the-sun deathstar hot. It is the deathstar season now. Dogs are laying in the middle of the road hoping a car drives over them. Throw a cheezeburger at a dog and if it lands more than an inch away from its nose it will not even move. Too hot. Any girl will go home with you to your hotel room. Any woman. You've never been able to score a 10 before out of the ground floor Rainbow bar across from the Mothership? You will now. Why? It is the deathstar season and your hotel has air-conditioning. Suddenly you are a hansum man. Take off of your clothes and look at yourself in the mirror. Now consider how beautiful some of these girls are. That's how hot it is..." Hilarious like most of Dana.

On the roadside to Badian they have some violet sea weed drying in the sun. This is guso or gulaman (agar-agar), used for jelly, also making slippers, and for medicine. How I know? I stopped and asked.

Word of the day: guso, gulaman: agar-agar, jelly sea weed

Ring of fire

Lot of water running since latest. Many things happened. More of that later.

Feb 6 was the big shake. But it is still shaking in same place, yesterday 2 shakes on 3.1 and 3.3. Definetely a new fault line opened and active. This means in future we gonna enjoe more of nature´s power. Best in the show is that nobody can predict when next one coming and how big. We sit on (in?) Ring of Fire. I like it.

You know how many ticks can be found in one dog? Many, I tell You.

Word of the day: libon = tick, kuto = lice

One more - 4.7

Now I know why I wake up last night just before midnight. There was a 4.7 shake in the same place like before, out of Guihulgan. I didnt feel but my body/mind made me wake up. So still some tensions left. What ever will be, will be.

After all the shocks

No more aftershocks...knock, knock.

Count is 17 mightier than Richter 4, hundreds totally. I felt totally 4. The first one was a major one.

Now my daily routine is also to check live earthquakes page: http://quakes.globalincidentmap.com/
This all started with 2 shocks in Samar, Mindanao. It will be a fore warning.

No news from Mt Kanlaon. Now kano feeling scary in Duma/Valencia area cause Mt Talinis is also a volcano. They sit on it.

Landslides caused the deaths in Negros. Can be seen clearly from Panagsama. Must be up from Guihuligan where the epicenter located. Whole mountain sides coming down. All people run up to mountains cause of tsumani fear!

We have the best seats when/if Mt Kanlaon wakes up.

Word of the day: anas = landslide

More aftershocks

Show is not over. Afternoon 2 pm two more; 4.9 and 4.6. We didnt feel anything. Happened in same location, and same depth, i.e. shallow 10 km deep.

In Cebu city police arrest a radio announcer who made people panic by telling tsunami coming.

Small shakes also in Mindanao and Mindoro.

Negros Occidental mayor asks seismologists to monitor Mt Kanlaon activity. Round this volcano ground water changed to black and acid.

Mayor also ask people to pray for Mt Kanlaon NOT to erupt. Dark ages we live here in...

Show is over?

No more aftershocks, show is over. Sounds disappointed hah. Well, earthquake was high on my Want-Experience -list. Next volcano eruption plz. We can see Mt Kanlaon in Negros from veranda. Would it even be a stromboli-like eruption, which is more like an explosion, pretty sure we survive. Preveiling vinds are always blowing the poisonous ashes out. Also Tanon Strait is some 550 m deep. Gotta get a banca for evacuation plan anyway, in case :-)

After shocks

15 registered bigger shakes by USGS, hundreds of small, and counting. Show can go on one week or more. Maybe a new fault line opening. All this activity out of Guihuligan in the sea, just out from here. We sit on it :-)

Of these shakes, I felt 4. The big one, two in the evening and one this morning. People different, some more sensitive,

This epicenter is actually close to Mt Kanlaon, a dormant volcano. We get some real action if it will wake up...

Panic even in Cebu city 'cause government goes out with big alerts. Vendors abandon shops, folks leave cars - and run, all run. Like headless chicken.

Landslides and falling walls kill people in Negros, count now 43 dead.

9 more registered by USGS

MAP	4.9	2012/02/08 01:53:02	9.899	123.211	10.0	NEGROS - CEBU REGION
MAP	5.2	2012/02/08 00:41:04	10.258	123.397	11.8	NEGROS - CEBU REGION
MAP	5.0	2012/02/07 21:59:12	10.090	123.336	6.2	NEGROS - CEBU REGION
MAP	5.3	2012/02/07 20:37:45	10.162	123.343	10.2	NEGROS - CEBU REGION
MAP	4.6	2012/02/07 14:20:51	10.015	123.113	10.0	NEGROS - CEBU REGION
MAP	4.9	2012/02/07 13:08:05	10.173	123.344	10.2	NEGROS - CEBU REGION
MAP	4.9	2012/02/07 04:05:38	10.297	123.190	10.0	NEGROS - CEBU REGION
MAP	4.6	2012/02/06 23:47:15	10.148	123.283	14.9	NEGROS - CEBU REGION
MAP	4.6	2012/02/06 22:35:13	9.842	123.361	10.0	NEGROS - CEBU REGION

Richter scale 6.7

My first big earthquake, and in a six-pack. We were just a few km from epicenter. First shock happened at 11:49 local time Feb 6, 2012. Chart is from USGS. First one lasted some 30 seconds. It was a mighty one. But no losses, only maybe one cubic water shaken out of pool. Pool was like hit by a storm. Dogs, cats running scared. We scared too.

After we check the sea, and soon see the water retire like in all tsunami vids. I would like to stay and film, but have to drive family in safety to mountains. Panagsama road full of people running, driving like headless chicken. And they run to town. Which is closer to sea!

Luckily the wave coming is only some 1 feet high. It was low tide and it didnt even reach high tide mark. Some bancas got damaged.

Drive back home after family in safety. All looks normal. Check the beach, talk to some local men. Beach full of stones, coral washed up. Have to check how much damage tsunami made to our home reef.

Next two afterchocks must have occurred when we on the road, we didnt notice them. Number four happened when we visited extended family in evacuation center in bukid. Suddenly they all sit down and tell me to so also. I didnt notice anything.

Last two afterchocks happened in the evening 06.33 PM and 06:40 PM when we back home. It was already dark. Like all afterchocks, these also very short, just a few secs.

Notice: locals dont know how earthquake and tsunami work, like afterchocks and why tsunami coming. They just run. Well, better run than die. I am only disappointed ´cause no shots of what happened. Family comes first. So no pics, vids.

Eartquakes online, update quite quick: http://quakes.globalincidentmap.com/

Word of the day: linog = earthquake

6 quakes so far, more to come...

MAP	5.2	2012/02/06 11:40:20	9.845	123.041	15.0	NEGROS - CEBU REGION
MAP	5.8	2012/02/06 11:33:37	9.804	123.051	15.1	NEGROS - CEBU REGION
MAP	6.0	2012/02/06 10:10:24	9.874	123.070	15.0	NEGROS - CEBU REGION
MAP	5.6	2012/02/06 04:20:04	10.058	123.171	15.0	NEGROS - CEBU REGION
MAP	4.8	2012/02/06 04:03:28	9.873	123.260	34.8	NEGROS - CEBU REGION
MAP	6.7	2012/02/06 03:49:17	9.964	123.246	20.0	NEGROS - CEBU REGION

Sago in Binignit

Going down the hills close to Car2, You find these pieces of 'wood' dried up on road side. This is sago palm, here used in binignit. Binignit is a veggie stew in Visayas. The stew is usually cooked and eaten during the Holy Week, especially Good Friday when the Visayans are fasting. It also is a popular afternoon snack. The stew is best served when hot. It is oversweet. Pinoy like sweet.

He shaves slices of sago stock.

Word of the day: tam-is = sweet, aslom = sour

Banana farming

One feet deep hole enough for planting sagin or bananas, they said. We had lakatan or yellow banana before. Now we found new kinds of; tundan or small yellow, fit for kids; kardaba or cooking banana; balangan or green; salibagyo or small. Still I want to find amorado or red banana. Have to hit the mountains to get one.

Word of the day: sagin = banana

Fly on the wall

Mayor built a nice park at seaside downtown. Tax money well spent. Restaurant in compound has become popular amongst local and kano. Separating the park from market stands a wall painted with marine motives. Really impressive actually.

They were in a hurry to make it ready before governer coming for inauguration ceremony. No time to let the concrete dry upp means it is cracking and the painting falling apart. So pitty.

Word of the day: pintura = paint