Wow!

[cruisingkerry]

Hi everyone,

Just got back from Phils yesterday and all I can say is WOW!

I had an amazing time over there, was treated like a princess by everyone.

Spent a couple of days in Manila, met all Berts family (brothers sisters nephews niece mother) on the first night. Then went to Subic to the beach for the weekend with the whole family, I've never seen so many people in a minibus before! Had a blast - practically 24 hour karaoke, and I've never eaten rice on a beach before!

Then Bert, his mother and I flew to Naga where all of his aunts, uncles and cousins live. Spent 2 weeks there, touring around, spent a few nights at his mams farm, a day at a uninhabited island - more rice on the beach...

Rode on the carabou sleigh, a tricycle, a jeepney.....

Ate (or tried to eat) everything that was put in front of me - balut (yuk! - never again, Bicol Express (even yukker than balut!) goat stew made with the goat that was killed at 4am on the farm, chickens that had been alive minutes earlier, more crabs than I ever thought possible.... and of course the rice - Mammy was proud that I ate rice at least twice a day.

Saw the Mayon Volcano, mt Isarog waterfall, visited the Hot Springs near Naga a couple of times. Had a facial and body scrub with whitening treatment (!!)

Witness the 'Our Lady of Penefrancia' procession, with the madness of the devotees trying to touch the icon - looked pretty dangerous from where I was standing - protected behind someones gates....

Drank the Ginebra and the brandy and the San Mig beer and the red horse.

In the end we didn't get married, didn't really have enough time to organise things the way we wanted so we decided to wait until next time I go, hopefully for a bit longer and have a proper celebration.

So all in all a totally amazing time, can't wait til Bert goes back to sea and comes home again so I can go back over there.

K xx

[maria_and_matt]

glad that you had a good time, welcome back, now you are a certified pinay coz u tried eating balot

[walesrob]

Glad you had a great time Kerry, agree with you about Balut - I'd rather eat sheep's poo than that stuff.

[LEAHnew]

Welcome back Kerry
Nice to know you had a great time here in Phil

[jonnijon]

You need to be certified to eat Balot

[jonnijon]

OOOPS Balut

[joebloggs]

You need to be certified to eat Balot

yes,

unless your doing it to win a million £

[KeithD]

Glad you had a great time Kerry, agree with you about Balut - I'd rather eat sheep's poo than that stuff.

You probably do, Elsa hasn't figured out the right ingredients for those chocolate drop cookies she makes you

[IainBusby]

Welcome back Kerry,
Sounds like you had a ball out there!
Louella & Iain.

[KeithD]

Sounds like you had a ball out there!

....or two

[IainBusby]

Sounds like you had a ball out there!

....or two

[vbkelly]

wow! im glad you enjoyed your holidays in the phillipines and welcome back kerry

[Mrs Daddy]

glad you enjoy it kerry and not suffer a tummy problemwell done girl

[Alan]

Why on Earth do people put themselves through the ordeal of Balut????

In my opinion...........oooops! Sorry guys, my tripe and cowheel and jellied eels are ready. Laters.

Al.

[Mrs.JMajor]

Rode on the carabou sleigh, a tricycle, a jeepney.....
Drank the Ginebra and the brandy and the San Mig beer and the red horse.
K xx

That is PI ...

Glad u had great time,hope the next time u come u will get marry

[andypaul]

yes,

unless your doing it to win a million £

Some things in life are more important than money and avoiding balut is one of them

Good to see your back in one piece and had a great time.

Sounds like you packed in a lot you must be cream crackered

[Ana_may365]

hey!every one,BALOT is like a viagra,it makes ur knees hard

[andypaul]

hey!every one,BALOT is like a viagra,it makes ur knees hard

LOL thats what the Wife says but I say Milk and weetabix do that for me.

I think she finds that just as disgusting

Her mates at work cant belive she eats such odd things at breakfast such as rice and noodles she was telling me this morning

[Jay&Zobel]

Hi everyone,

Then Bert, his mother and I flew to Naga where all of his aunts, uncles and cousins live. Spent 2 weeks there, touring around, spent a few nights at his mams farm, a day at a uninhabited island - more rice on the beach...

Rode on the carabou sleigh, a tricycle, a jeepney.....

Ate (or tried to eat) everything that was put in front of me - balut (yuk! - never again, Bicol Express (even yukker than balut!) goat stew made with the goat that was killed at 4am on the farm, chickens that had been alive minutes earlier, more crabs than I ever thought possible.... and of course the rice - Mammy was proud that I ate rice at least twice a day.

Saw the Mayon Volcano, mt Isarog waterfall, visited the Hot Springs near Naga a couple of times. Had a facial and body scrub with whitening treatment (!!)

Witness the 'Our Lady of Penefrancia' procession, with the madness of the devotees trying to touch the icon - looked pretty dangerous from where I was standing - protected behind someones gates....

Drank the Ginebra and the brandy and the San Mig beer and the red horse.


K xx

Wha!!! I so envy you, I'm a certified Bicolana from Naga! I missed Naga City so much, especially during Fiesta Holidays (though Im not in favor about touching the 'icon'). My sister from home shared some photos that she cooked for the celebration... They look so delicious and was absolutely torture in my part huhuhu... I miss everything in Bicol!

But I love Balut and Bicol express (it's our signature dish).

Where exactly is Bert from?

[alicat]

welcome back..

[cruisingkerry]

Hi Zobel,

His close family (mother, brother, sister etc) live in Makati and Las Pinas, Manila. But his mothers family are originally from Naga City itself, the family still has the house that his great grandmother was married in and all the kids were brought up there.

I'll be going back next year, probably may or June, keep in touch and if you need me to take anything over we can arrange it.

Where in the UK are you now?

K xx

[amyburple]

Congratulation that you really have fun and you really enjoy your stay her... And nice to hear that you tried to ate everything LOL Same with my hubby hahahaha everything he ate like what you did...

[fred]

Kerry..You are supposed to put the Bicol express on the Balut..
It then tastes totally like chicken.(If you dont forget to spit out the beak)
I used to live in Bicol and dont worry..I made the same mistake.

[cruisingkerry]

all I can say fred is bleurgh bleurgh and double bleurgh....!! But thanks for the tip!

[amyburple]

Kerry..You are supposed to put the Bicol express on the Balut..
It then tastes totally like chicken.(If you dont forget to spit out the beak)
I used to live in Bicol and dont worry..I made the same mistake.

Balut and bicol express are absolutely Super YUMMY

[aromulus]

Balut......


I stated on a couple of occasions in different posts that this "speciality" should be dyed blue and condemned unfit for human consumption.....

To each his own, I guess......

[missmiles]

Balut is the best.... I love it hehehehe

[Jay&Zobel]

Hi Zobel,

His close family (mother, brother, sister etc) live in Makati and Las Pinas, Manila. But his mothers family are originally from Naga City itself, the family still has the house that his great grandmother was married in and all the kids were brought up there.

I'll be going back next year, probably may or June, keep in touch and if you need me to take anything over we can arrange it.

Where in the UK are you now?

K xx

Thank you Kerry, so kind of you!

I'm living living in North Swindon, Wiltshire what about you?

[cruisingkerry]

I'm up in the north near Durham. So how do you like the UK? a lot different to Bicol eh??

[Jay&Zobel]

I'm up in the north near Durham. So how do you like the UK? a lot different to Bicol eh??

UK is my home now and I'm loving it. hehe, but it took me quite a while to adjust. Bicol will always be my home away from home.

Thanks Kerry!