Beginnings

[keithAngel]

Got my contract today 1 year and option for a second and my delightful landlords have offered to plant a Bay tree and have their carpenters knock up some herb beds, They took me on a field trip to Makro today and i got some frozen cod for 129 a kilo, its the same here as Europe you need to do proper research as a lot of things are cheaper in the supermarket.

Last night a mouse ran under the bed so my Cebuano phrase book was more useful than i had first thought we didnt catch it though so i cant tell you what it tastes like yet

A little later we were visited by a very large frog on the porch must have been 10 inches tall sitting having assured it of my good intentions ( and lack of French influence) it remained and we had a nice chat my Honey was delighted to be got out of bed to share my enthusiasm,

I met the neighbors today and suprised myself by discovering an un-named Basque garden resturant hiding two doors down so paella and a rather good red made a pleasant dinner for us both and we were home after the meal in 30 seconds first rate manifestation even by my standards......

[keithAngel]

Well its been three and a half weeks now since moving to the new house and also since my last update doesn't time fly when your having fun!!

Ive explored the neighborhood pretty well now and know where all the local stuff is and feel like a local in the "fooda" supermarket now as I have chatted to all the checkout girls and they are resigned to my unavailability I kid you not for the first week it was "hullo where you stay? are you alone? In the end the only solution was to take my honey at the weekend and let her glower at each in turn

Im sometimes even allowed to pack my shopping now as Ive completed my Trainee Bag Packers course (I did it years ago in the UK)

Ive also made friends with the local can recycler who has hit pay-dirt with me and seems to now live just outside the gate

As we get more used to one another we have been discussing future options and from this has sprung a change of direction for Angie we now have an ever expanding social network of expats and there is not enough time to accept all invitations, as the results have a tendency to mean I fall over,

We are in the process of opening a Cebuano and English tuition service as you may have seen in a recent post and the first 3 customers have arrived from the USA (no not for English) and this has made life a bit more hectic as my honey is still working full time until Christmas unless she is released earlier from her contract which reads like a 16th century "we own you for life" bond servant deal.

The role reversal thats been going on is so far so good and I was pleasantly suprised that my cooking gets a consistant 8-9/10 it was pies yesterday and crinckle cut chips and salad with homemade banana ice cream at weekends she cooks and I enjoy innan unnan and humba and am working on my own interpretations of classic pinoy cuisine the oven is not quite as good as I would like and the yorkshire ,whilst acceptable did not rise as much as I had hoped but since no-one knew what it should be like I pulled it off I think.

Ive been trying to introduce the Idea of low impact living by such amusing sugestions as using vinegar as a general purpose cleaner toilet/floor etc and hiding the bleach.

Ran out of coal tar soap the other day and had an interesting conversation in the soap department by inquiring whether they had any that would not turn me white this lead to a spirited conversation ending with that well known phrase "out of stock" I have to admit I created this situation later by purchasing the last three bottles of HP sauce.

Time for Breakfast I think.....to be continued

[keithAngel]

Had a great night out on Mactan last night at Dionnes Bar not to far from the Airport, Thanks for the invite David good to meet you and Connie It was great fun seeing the ladies singing and all the smiles many thanks also met a few other Brits and Im going to the Kiwi Lodge on Tuesday for pool and libations

[keithAngel]

Having been here for a couple of months I thought it was high time I had what passes for a good night out with the boys so I met up with "the gang" and off we went.

The bars were rather unusual as the female clientele all seemed to think they were at the beach but social customs do vary of course, I will have to ask my honey about it.

Pool was our purpose and sure enough the establishments all had pool tables but I must say it was sometimes difficult to get a clear shot (its amazing how many ladies out for a quiet girly chat are big fans of games in progress and vocal encouragement was high) what with fans and tables encroaching in the playing area I sometimes had to unscrew my cue due to obstacles,

I must also say that whilst the pool was free the beer prices were high but as the locals were very friendly and seemed genuinely glad to see us maybe some sort of subsidy is taking place I will have to research some more and when I find out I will let you all know.

The last place we went to was the silver ollar near Osmena and they had a strange thing there was a little bucket like you get Ice in full of ping pong balls and I noticed guys paying 300pesos and throwing them up in the air much to the ladies delight its some sort of game were the women compete to "win" a ball and then get enthusiastic with the thrower perhaps there is some kind of league table didn't catch the name of the game but pool is a serious business. after all

[keithAngel]

Doesn'T time fly when your having fun!!

Christmas is finally upon us and I guess my honey will soon arrange the Donkey(or has she already got one?) and carpenter to build the full scale Nativity Scene in the yard

This weekend we are off to the beach at Danao at a resort

http://www.elsalvadorresort.com/photos.html

with a local Hash for their Xmas bash their dedication to support the local brewing industry is legendary here so my fitness should improve dramatically

http://www.cebuhash.org/NextRun/nextrun.html

Finally tracked down what may be the cheapest Golf in the Phills last week and had my first game last Monday.

Its very Tight postage stamp greens much up and downing ,many opportunities to meet Locals, Goats and Caribou and People and cars (I saw a jeepney the day we found it)occasionally criss cross a small road that runs through it.

Longest hole is maybe 190 yds.

They claimed the cost was 260 but clever haggling (Hang yu) the phrase "pobre man ko" with appropriate eyebrow rolling and claiming my companion was "Katihik nimo" (stingy as they come all covered in this weeks group class on Cebuano) gave some credence to my claim to be local and meant we got it down to 150peso for week days and you can play all day for this

We did rent clubs and a caddy to show us the way and I hope he was amused a half set with two putters 150 caddy more pobres 100

Took us a couple of hours but then we did want to fully explore less visited parts of the course In the UK we would call it a pitch and putt with fly tipping opportunities you can also purchase 20 pickups for around 150

To maintain the exclusivity of this find if your handicap is based on balls lost and you do not wear loud yellow check trousers PM me and I may reveal the location But please no Riff Raff

The Cebuano Teaching has picked up to the point my Honey is tendering her notice to her English School so she can concentrate on developing this so we will have more time together

Ah well its 9.15am "Horas para na mag-inum"

[Paulboy]

Great stories Keith - are you still loving it ?

[keithAngel]

Well I have been slack posting here and now with less than 23hours left in Cebu and the long journey back to the UK I am experiencing a surreal shift I will wait till im in the UK and then perhaps be inspired to bring this blog up to date and recount more of my experiences Bear with me