Beautiful Cebu!

My plan when I took the job in Cebu and stated in my first blog entry was " is to find a lovely place for me and Susie Q to live.(Done) We will explore Cebu, (happening now)  and the Philippines(still to come) and learn the ins and outs (still learning), We will discover the good places to go and great restaurants.some yummy spots
Then you come and visit.  The first week is Cebu, you recover from jet lag and play in Cebu with me.  Then we plan an excursion, Hong Kong?  Manilla? Bangkok?  Phuket?"



Since my last post I've had one 5 day holiday and two 3 day weekends.  I've been exploring and loving it. 
Swimming with the whale sharks was awesome, literally, it filled me with awe.

We drove to a town called Oslob, about 3 hours from here.  We had reservations at the Milas Inn.  When we arrived, no one was there.  Tucky talked to the women next door, who called the caretaker.  A few minutes later a teenage girl, the caretakers daughter showed up.  We had booked a triple with A/C, for two nights.  There was no triple in the hotel and the hotel was empty.  We convinced the girl to give us two singles. And we never saw anyone again.  It was one of the strangest hotel experiences I've ever had.It was lovely but weird. The shower in my room worked, sort of.  The one in Tucky's did not.  She was using another  shower downstairs.  Great view from the balcony, Angry Bird sheets, clean enough, secure, with parking, but weird.

Angry Bird Sheets

View from the balcony, Oslob, Cebu

In Palawan we spent two days island hopping and snorkeling. We took a van north, to El Nido.  Two days at a lovely resort, Qi Palawan, one day of rest,  one day of incredicle snorkeling.  The best I’ve ever seen! We spent one day in the town of El Nido, small, welcoming and charming. 

Slide show here:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/104308979472323473524/albums/6079286299150924897

I went for one night to Moalboal, about two hours from here.  Sweet! not much in the way of beaches, but diving and snorkeling is available, cute town, lots of fresh fish and friendly people.

Tucky and I also took a ride to the north of the island, not all the way to the top, that is for another trip, to Bantayan. Great to see the different terrain and slower back roads.

So, the plan is the same, I've scoped out places to visit and hope you will come!  I'm 62 and there's more to do!

Fall in Cebu

Fall in Cebu is actually cooler and I’m adjusting slightly to the weather.  I enjoy the occasional downpour and the sprinkles.  The temp is cooler mid 80’s .  I’m getting more used to sweating, which is good because I hear May and June are hotter.  There is no color change that I have noticed but the light is different.  

Having a car here has been a great change. .  It takes about 25 minutes to go  the 6km, or 3miles to school.   

 I’m not dependent on Jeepneys or taxis.  Jeepneys are actually fun when they are not crowded.  Open air bench seating, you sit as close to the back entry as is available. The cost is 10pesos, about four cents.   When full, they are packed. They stop wherever they are flagged and you tap on the roof for a stop. You can hop in the cab, next to the driver if it is free

Last weekend, I went to a local resort on Sunday.  Awesome lunch, slept on a chaise, swam in both the sea and the pool.  The weekend before, I was at a workshop in a suburb of Manila.  Good workshop,PYP teaching and learning, my section had 6 teachers from Pakistan, one from Bolivia, an American working in Vietnam and me.  This weekend I’m heading south to a small village, Oslob, to swim with the whale sharks.  

So although I’m not in love with Cebu, all is well. I plan to continue to explore.

View of the school from the road.'

These are some of the sights outside of the school

   Palawan Island later this month. Christmas in Thailand?  November closer to home since I have no long weekends.

I won’t go so far as to say Cebu is a dump, but it is not someplace that I would tell someone to spend tons of money to get to, unless you want to see me or my house.  I am exploring and enjoying the surroundings.  Bohol was great and I will go again.  The snorkeling is the best I’ve experienced! I’ll let  you know about the whale sharks.  Check out the exclusive resort, near where I’m going. http://www.bluewatersumilon.com.ph/.  Palawan, and more to see, Boracay, Camotes and Negros etal.

Reality check , all is well

Some things I am loving about Cebu, the people, the smiles, the courtesy and friendliness.
Some things I don't love, the pollution, the traffic, the expectations that things will not work ie mail, bureaucracy, people will be on time.

So, six weeks in.  School has started and a routine is in place.  My house has come together nicely, although it is still too big, it is comfortable.  I bought the funniest washing machine, about $125.00.  You fill it with a hose, it agitates and drains.  You fill it again to rinse, it agitates and drains.  Then you wring out the clothes, because I didn’t buy the one that spins, and hang the clothes to dry.  You can pick it up easily, it is that light, mostly plastic.   One friend compared it to an easy bake oven.   It is still better than taking my laundry out and my cleaning women does it for me.  I have Ruth, one day a week to clean and iron.  It is enough.   

View from my back porch.

I live in a subdivision called Dona Rita, in Banilad, Cebu City.  I take the school bus, for staff, to school at 6:30 every morning.  We arrive about 7.  School starts at 7:30.  My library is sad.  The collection is worn and dated and the catalog records are poor.  Lots of work to get it in shape. It is comfortable, good A/C and the kids are enthusiastic.  It also keeps me busy with classes from preschool to grade five. 

 The plan is to build a new library this summer.   I also teach ESOL one period a day to five, fourth graders.  It is a bit of a challenge because they are at such different levels but we are progressing and having fun.  

Last weekend the new staff and administration went to the island of Cabilao.  It is about three hours from here.  It was a delightful resort with comfortable rooms, pools, great food, spectacular snorkeling, massage and walks.  A few of us chose to take a trip to the island of Bohol.  I finally got to see the Chocolate Hills.  It is an awesome sight, unlike anything I have seen before.  The resort took us to Bohol, about half an hour by boat, then a driver picked us up.  The island is beautiful and unlike Cebu, has clean air and clean streets.  We drove to the Chocolate Hills where you walk many steps to the lookout point.  On the way the driver pointed out many damaged buildings from last year's earthquake.  Most of the bridges had to be rebuilt, some houses still down.  Bohol was hit very hard.   Then we went to a butterfly sanctuary that was beautiful.  We also stopped at the Tarsiers sanctuary.  Tarsiers are the smallest primate, they could fit in your hand.  They are strange and cute.  They are nocturnal so we didn’t see them doing much, but they do have some situated so you can observe them.  We had lunch at a resort called the Bee Hive Farm, with a ocean side table, excellent salad and marlin.  It was a full and delightful day.   A walk and snorkeling the next day, all in all an excellent long weekend.   Looking forward to more excursions!

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