Tricycle is big

Tricycle is tuk-tuk in pinoy land. Used to all transport from people to baboy. You must have one. You want one? Easy, they are made everywhere. And every shop have their own design.

Ours is a light service type, welded in town, painted in Tunga, polstered in Ronda, texts in town. Took 5 weeks, when raining, cannot work 'cause workshop is out in the free. Cost 28k. Driving a trike is different. Have to learn how wide it is when taking corners. The 3rd wheel has no brakes, so breaking in the trike want to go left. Very nice experience.

Word of the day: asaka = where You go?

Believe it or not

This country officially catholic. However, like in whole East Asia, people believe in spirits, things, bats, koan. Dont talk of White Lady, they get scared. Bats, kwaknet, very bad sign. Looks like they want to see a bat, but mostly it is a butterfly or a bird. Siquijor witches famous.

In mercado You find shamans, or medicinmen/women from mountains. One guy brings a big pyton which works good as people magnet. Their elixiers and plants, herbs, oils, people have bigger trust than in any doctor. Also these medicines cure every known sickness from cancer to black skin. Well, advertising is free in this country. US multinationals also promise in their adds whatever, no need proof, tests. White skin in 10 minutes.

Word of the day: koan = whatever, gizmo

Mercado

Go early to market so selection wider. Especially fish market. Best fish You get early in the morning, or after 4 PM when piskador return. Fishermen or piskador are specialized, some work night, because squid and bulinau they catch night time. Also they follow season, now is a lot of bigger tuna and maquerell. Pic is 8 kg sailfish.

Common seahorses for sale in market.

Word of the day: malasugi = sailfish, seahorse = kabayo-kabayo, horse = kabayo

Frutti di mare

Always interesting to check the markets for new things, or things I dont know, never seen before. I always ask name and what taste and how to make. Tindera happy to tell. Many kind of seaweed for sale. Usually seaweed served with dressing of vinegar, kalamansi. Sometimes they cook the seaweed too long and it looses taste. I like it fresh and crispy. It doesnt hurt that seaweed also very healthy. One portion 10 p.

Sometimes I bring home from the sea lato or seagrapes. Very lami. They have in Mactan island lato farms and export to Japan where lato or umibudo is highly valued.

This weed also very common, called guso.

Word of the day: lato, guso, lokot = seaweed, tindera = salesperson

Public road

Highway they call this coastal road. Well, rural road better name. Or, public road 'cause this highway is also livingroom, basketball court, kids playground, cows feeding half-out the road, roosters with too long rope, dogs sleeping place etc.

When somebody die, family must mourn 2 weeks and they take half the road and set up tables where playing, eating, drinking day and night. Funeral processions walk from home to cemetary long way outside town. It is not good habit to pass this prosession, and many times impossible. So all line up after. Worst I remember was in Carcar where it is always a jam, with prosession took one extra hour. Some wiseguy said people want to join the prosession and walk the walk only 'cause when done they get snack; drink and eat. And snack is holy in this country.

Season for tampis or roseapple, a crispy snack. Sometimes green ones more sweet, not this time. Price only 20 p per kg. We just planted tampis, and get 5 pieces fruit and the plant is small.

Word of the day: patay = dead, tampis = roseapple

Traffic jungle

Traffic is a mess. Many swear they never drive motorbike here, that is after smthing happened (and they survived). Most of them yankees with Harley, that is replica from China; same as the driver: overweight, underpowered, horrible mileage. Driving a motorbike in kitchen...Lot of harleys for sale in cebuclassifieds...

Then they change to car. Well, cars IMHO more a danger 'cause always stuck in traffic, and more situations all time along the road. Motorbike You are more flexible.

Dont know what most dangerous, dogs, kids, animals, jeepneys, pot holes... They share the same, lack of sense, they never look when crossing, walking the road. Back mirrors, forget it.

Ofcourse when You hit a dog with motorbike and You are down, it is a serious case. But after seeing what damage a car can make, I am not so sure want to get a car (I will, I know). When Librando (bus) hits You, doesnt matter You have a car or a bike. You are dead, patay.

Pinoy praxis is never stop when You hit smthing, sbody. When in Rome...

Word of the day: patay = dead, baka = cow

Happy every year

New year started with rain. Locals say keep Your money tight if january 1st is rainy.

Health center is standard pinoy style, built so bad it rains in. Here they dont fix it, they put a bucket or five to save the situation, and hope the rain stop soon.

Take it with humour, and think of Your health. Doctor wanted after lunch to play majiang for two hours, so all and their grandmother just wait. Phils national sport is - waiting.

Word of the day: hulat = wait