I’ll probably keep remembering things I should have included, but it seems to me like a represenative sample.
Filipinas
Lernie’s smile.
The first sweet, shy girl from the provinces I met.
Food
Lechon Baboy at a birthday party. One of the two best whole roast pigs I’ve ever had. I was the only foreigner there. The young woman I was with made the first cut on the pig and gave me the best part. Whoo hoo!
My first bite of a Silvana.
Discovering the ‘Kuripot’ pizza at Neva’s, complete with cheddar cheese, is the best pizza I’ve had in the country.
Culture
When living in Tonros Aparetlle, I’d return home in the late afternoon to find most of the staff, all members of a single family, hanging out in the reception area. I would usually stop and visit with them. When school let out for the two month summer their youngest son appeared for the first time. Each day I said ‘hi’ to him or waved and he would turn away embarrassed. One day he scampered out (after some behind the scenes urging from his mom, no doubt) took one of my hands in his, pressed it briefly to his forehead, then scampered away. I’d just been honored.
Every time a Filipina (or a group of them) laughed in response to my humor.
Places and Events
Ma-Cho temple (same link as below).
Hanging out at one of the surf resorts in San Juan, La Union. (same link as above) It was fun talking with the surfers of all ages who found their way there. The wind in the palms, the surf wrapping around the point, relaxed in the shade with nothing on my mind but more of the same was pretty nice.
Sinulog. (Too many links. Select ‘Sinulog 2009’ in ‘Tags’ box in the right hand column to see the posts.)
Seeing tarsiers in their natural habitat.
And just about anything that gave me a lasting smile.
Four Letter Nerd 