I went over to meet a long time pen pal and ended up meeting several

[dewey4350]

Some of you knew I had been planing a trip to Bacold City for over a year. Just before I did my lady was caught in a lie. I still had time to cancel and do something differant. I was so mad at Via I couldn't bring myself to see her. So I sacrificed and made myself go. I am so glad I did also. I hired a young lady that I had meet on line to tour me in Cebu and Bohol. So I cancealed all my inter island flights and restructured. She meet me when I flew from Manilla to Cebu. It did not take long to figure out that my carry on was heavy. So I payed for that LOL. Eve was great she made sure I had all my transportation and water travel in tact. I probably could have done it all. But I would not have enjoyed my trip as much either. It left me time to meet families freinds and even mothers alot of mothers. It's OK i enjoyed them also. All of them cooking for me and watching and showing there daughters. I met people on each social ladder even the very poor. The steet chidren did tug at my heart. I met farmers livestock and rice and fruit farmers. There chicken fighting amazies me. I can remember when it was legal here. I got to see the islands the beeches white sand and black. The cities inner and outter. My tour guide even brought ladies with us that she thought I may of had a eye for. Eve was special. I am so glad I took the plunge and went. Deep down I would have regreted it, if I would of died and just wondered. I learned that a six pack of Sam Miguel is a good buzz wow I want my money back on this Texas beer now. I had a great time and meet a lady I really liked andI will go back and visit her next probably December. She is from Davo city. So planet love thank you I have passed my apprentiship and look forward to more travel now. I am definatley hooked Dewey4350    thanks KFC and RAY

[Ray]

 
That's the spirit dewey!
 
A great example of how to turn a potential disaster into a memorable experience.
 
So when is your next trip to the Philipines? 
 
Ray
 
 

[dewey4350]

Well my lady friend has invited me back for Christmas holiday. I ll'e get some more rest meet her family and take in some more culture.Any advice on a cheaper flight than Delta, I am all ears. Have you been to Davo City Ray? I here its where the the beeches meet the mountains and its like the third largest city? Maybe you can explain to me why most of the white guys over there would avoid conversation and  and some form of confrontation too.

[Jeff S]

Great report Dewey. Thanks. Yeah - nothing wrong with traveling for the fun of it. You learn so much more than reading about it. Great idea to hire someone you met online to show you around.

[Ray]

Well my lady friend has invited me back for Christmas holiday. I ll'e get some more rest meet her family and take in some more culture.Any advice on a cheaper flight than Delta, I am all ears. Have you been to Davo City Ray? I here its where the the beeches meet the mountains and its like the third largest city? Maybe you can explain to me why most of the white guys over there would avoid conversation and  and some form of confrontation too.

Never been to Davao City but just up the road in Surigao, Butuan, Cagayan De Oro.
 
Christmas time is the most expensive for flights. Try to be as flexible as possible with the dates when searching fares. Try Cathay Pacific for flights into Cebu via Hong Kong and miss the Manila hassles.
 
Christmas is the best time of year over there IMO. Cooler weather and losts of great cultural experiences.
 
Ray
 
 

[robert angel]

Dewey,
 
Congrats on a great trip--and on your courage to make what probably wasn't an easy decision and still head over there, not sure of what to expect. It tends to make the good even sweeter.
 
Davao City is my favorite--I like it a lot more than Cebu and most certainly more than Manila. It's just much more livable to me--not too big, not too small. It's actually the second biggest city in the PI now, at about 1.5 million and an estimated 2 or up to 2.5 million more people come in during the day to work, but for some reason, the traffic doesn't seem as bad as elsewhere. I had no idea it was growing so fast. My wife just got back from a month there and other than yet another really nice new mall, she said it seemed much the same as a a few years ago and we definitely still want to buy a home there. It's a few hours bus ride to the west to her family farm in Compostela Valley (formerly part of Davao del Norte Province) and that area is peaceful and lovely as well.
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davao_City
 
 
A lot of people talk about Mindanao, being a dangerous place and yes, in someplaces it is, but I have always felt safer in Davao City than in most US cities and certainly safer than in Manila and Cebu. The Mayor for many years was Rody Duterte, and I understand that he's now Vice Mayor and his daughter, Sara Duterte is Mayor now.
 
To say they're 'no nonsense' about crime there is an understatement. People who are habitual criminals--as in 3 or more violations, either leave town forever, as requested, or otherwise 'disappear, so crime is pretty rare and tourism being good business, everybody finds it easy and they seem very real and sincere, to be 'nice'.
 
Even the street beggars seem nicer there than in other places--kids and grown ups. You learn to say 'no' firmly but nicely, or else they will find out what your 'routine' is and kids may shadow you for an easy peso or two. I would be out walking around at 3AM alone in any part of the city there and not worry. I wouldn't do anything extra silly to prove my point, but you get the idea. I even have taken public buses several hours out of Davao City, but I'd check on safety on cities more than a couple hours out of town. People from there will usually err on the side of caution when asked.
 
There are some really nice beaches on close to Davao City on  Island Garden of Samal--all about 20-30 minutes by taxi and a quick boat/ferry ride, total time. Everybody talks about the pricey and full of foreigners 'Pearl Farm resort'--I wouldn't call it a giant red flag of your girl wants to see it--but I'm glad my wife's more practical. We prefer 'Paradise Island Beach' there, not only is it one of the easiest to get to, but it's got more of a 'local flavor' than some of the fancier places--yet has really good food and stuff to do and see--even a little zoo and private cottages--some for overnight with air con. You can bring your own food and drink too (no glass) we usually cook a bunch or pork and chicken the night before, bring that, fresh fruit, drinks, etc. It's especially nice on weekdays, when you might get an area along the water pretty much to yourselves,  paddded lay back chairs under the palms, with the nation's highest mountain--Mt Apo (also a volcano) lazily poking his head out of the clouds in the distance. All KINDS of potential there..
 
 
I don't recall any real major volcanic activity and have heard of rare but mild earth quakes where my wife's family lives. That whole area--Davao City and it's surroundings, due to geography, doesn't even get typhoons!!
 
Many Cities around the world call themselves the 'Pearl City" or the 'Pearl City' of Asia, and Manila (now the MOST densely populated city on earth)  has long been called that, but a lot of people consider Davao City to be 'The Pearl city of Asia' now, with Shanghai sure to contest that.
 
 
Wages and the cost of living--really the prices on almost everything, are cheaper in Davao than in other bigger PI cities. It doesn't cost too much --especially if your GF haggles a bit, ( she should 'negotiate' hotel rates too) to book a taxi for a day and make a couple day trips to parks and widlife preserves--but if it's anywhere near to Xmas, check to make sure they're open.
 
Yes, you'll pay more to fly to to PI at Christmas time, but they are so 'into it' and in a nice way at that, that I hope to one day get over there for the Christmas 'season'--I hear it's worth every penny.

[whitey]

More proof that the most important step to finding a foreign bride is TO JUST GO ...

[piglett]

Maybe you can explain to me why most of the white guys over there would avoid conversation and  and some form of confrontation too.

glad to hear that you had a good time Dewey
 
i don't have a good answer to your question though
i myself found that some of the foreigners in the PI wanted to avoid conversation. my wife & i were at one point sitting rite next to a white guy & his pinay wife/girlfriend not sure which.
 
I looked over at them a few times & at one point the guy & i made eye contact & he ameditly looked the other way ......wtf???
so i just left them alone. the other foreigners that i saw all seemed friendly. if i happened to be walking by one i would say hello & if all they said was hello back then i figured they were busy & went on my way. some like talking so i would linger for a couple of minutes
& talk with them. but yes i too find it strange that if you see a person from your home country while the 2 of you are on the other side of the planet that one of you wouldn't want to atleast say hello to the other.
 
 
piglett
 
 

[thekfc]

Glad you took the trip & enjoyed yourself.

I too meet a few foreigners but non of them wanted to chat or even return my hi reply. 

It looks like RA can tell you more about Davao City.

I too want to visit during Christmas time & may do my next trip around that time - hopefully next year.

[Ray]

Maybe you can explain to me why most of the white guys over there would avoid conversation...

 
I don't know. Maybe they were German, or thought you were German?
 
 
Usually, most Americans and Aussies are pretty friendly.
 
 
Dave H would have said hello (I think)   
 
 
Ray
 
 

[robert angel]

I think Ray may be 'on to something' there-Germans-'the Krauts'--the guys with the 'Teutonic chill' and often insular attitudes, can be standoffish. I've seen that kind of demeanor from Germans--not all, but plenty all over--from Ireland to Asia--even here in the USA. Not really 'snobbish'--just cool and distant. Maybe that's why I'd venture a guess that probably the highest amount--percentage of failed marriages to foreign wives (a stat. like that doesn't likely exist) is lead by German guys.
 
 
I found the Philippines to be the friendliest place this side of Disney World and even though I've only seen a sliver of it, I find that people in Davao City overall to be the friendliest. However once they've gotten to know you better, they will play jokes and even pull a prank or two on you--all in the name of 'fun'. In a way, I guess that makes you more like 'one of them'--and then you'll know your 'in'--although almost to a one--having a relative in 'the states'--they probably have an allegiance of sorts with you already.
 
The Philippines has long been a 'melting pot' of ethnic groups already, but a lot say Davao, now the second largest city in the nation, has the most diversity, of indigeneous people, many Asian nationalities, Spanish, Indian (that's Asia too, I know) and a whole lot of Europeans, many who've married Filipinas and bought up businesses, beaches and more.
 
The Australians are pretty popular all over Asia about now--with the Aussie dollar worth about a 100 compared to about 91 cents from a US dollar, the Australians--already a lot closer geographically, are making their physical and economic presence more well known, even if a good number of them can be rather dismissive of Asians back in their own nation. A lot of people overseas, especially in the Philippines, are wondering "What the heck is going on with the 'Yankee dollar--are they OK?".
 
Out in the country side and I've just been up to a few hours outside the city--it's kind of the same 'friendly wise'--maybe even friendlier (someone out in the country--if they have two beans left to their name--will probably offer you one before they'll eat)--in fact when a white (or black) guy turns up, pretty much EVERYONE has to have a 'look see' and while a few kids (at first) may be shy--only maybe the 'black magic' kind of people won't greet you with a smile. And if you have chocolate--and you SHOULD, by the next day, even all those 'shy' kids will be around.
 
I went a few weeks one time without seeing a non Filipino, when I chanced to come across a Brit--who of all things, was out riding a bicycle out in the middle of nowhere in particular. I damn near concocted a right proper British accent and would've liked to have said "DR. Livingston" I presume?", but that would've been too formal, as we quickly we 'hit it off' and he told me what a "lot of rubbish NASCAR is" and how and why Formula One racing was the "real deal" among other things....

[InnocentVixen]

I think Ray may be 'on to something' there-Germans-'the Krauts'--the guys with the 'Teutonic chill' and often insular attitudes, can be standoffish. I've seen that kind of demeanor from Germans--not all, but plenty all over--from Ireland to Asia--even here in the USA. Not really 'snobbish'--just cool and distant. Maybe that's why I'd venture a guess that probably the highest amount--percentage of failed marriages to foreign wives (a stat. like that doesn't likely exist) is lead by German guys.

This is so true, I used to think good looks made up for it but it doesn't... it's interesting that even though I limited myself to one country I still have to consider this things, thank god for italians! 

[thekfc]

 
I don't know. Maybe they were German, or thought you were German?
 
 
Usually, most Americans and Aussies are pretty friendly.
 
 
Dave H would have said hello (I think)   
 
 
Ray

German? 
I am there thinking that they were French. 

[dewey4350]

Well I just thought it was funny,it felt strange to me that a hello was so hard to conj-er up. To me it felt like they were sort of sneaking around-LOL. I will not have to make any hotel accommodations because Zel has offered her house to me. I will study and check the things do and see. My next step in the culture will be to meet her elders and family. I do look forward to my next visit and will stay in touch here as well. Maybe one day I can actually give advice here LOL. I know that most of the advice I received here was great. Until then!!!!! Dewey 4350

[piglett]

I myself figured that i should walk rite up to every foreigner that i laid eyes on & see if they knew something that i should.
Or maybe the other way, maybe i am the one who knows something that they need to know about
you don't really know till you "compare notes"
but your rite Dewey it sure felt strange with some of them.
 
 
pig

[Tanuki]

Dewey,
 
Great information.  It is nice to know that even if things didn't turnout like you planned at first, the trip was still a success!  Makes me really look forward to my trip!
 
Thanks for sharing.