Cebu

Well I made it through Cebu unharmed and with all my possessions still. The Philippines is another place that is worlds different from all the other countries I've visited on this trip. I'm staying at a hostel but I met a local(CJ) through couch surfing who has been showing me around.

First, the Spanish invaded the Philippines in the 16th century and established a colony and spread Christianity. This guy here was the leader of a Philippine resistance and was the first one to win against the Spanish. Lots of the history is about him

A local dish called halo-halo. Crushed ice, ice cream, fruit, some cereal? Halo-halo means mix-mix so you mix everything together into a delicious cold paste.

One of the Spanish forts from the 16th century

The local transportation know as a jeepney! Well I think this one is a multibus but it's the same idea. I think these things are so cool, they are all painted brilliant colors and with lots of accessories. To ride, you flag one down or catch it at a red light and hop in the back. There are two benches and you just pass your fare up to the driver. To get off you tap a coin against the metal to tell the driver to stop. CJ told me about the pickpockets and kids on the Jeepneys that will grab your necklace or earrings from outside the Jeepney when it is stopped at a light. Luckily I have neither of those. 

Also, I would have a better picture, but this was at the downtown center of Cebu where it is a bad idea to let the public know you have an iPod. There were lots of times I only took pictures with my old camera instead of the iPod, and there will be many more.

I decided my hair was too long for the hot countries I will be visiting. Probably the cheapest haircut I've ever had (CAD $1.25) and even though it was just a buzz, the barber was very good, evening the edges with a blade.

Other things, I had congealed pig blood and pig intestine. CJ did not tell me what it was until after I ate, then he laughed and laughed. Well it wasn't that bad actually. And service staff all say "sir" very generously. "Yes sir? No sir I'm sorry we don't have that sir". And Philippines is great at English, sometimes they are hard to understand, but nearly everyone speaks enough to communicate pretty well. 

Oh I walked through one sketchy area (at 12pm luckily) and was accosted by many children begging for money. So at one point I was walking down the street with four children under 5 hanging onto my hands. I kept a close eye on my pockets expecting those hands to reach in. They did not.