At long last....

We arrived on 25 Feb on Japan Airlines. It was soooo much better than American Airlines. The service is friendlier, the food better and there is not a charge, $5 charge to be specific, for a glass of wine.

After collecting our luggage, passing customs, and getting picked up at the airport, we went off to an all you can eat midnight buffet. It had many of the things I've known before such as pancit, lumpia, chicken and pork adobo, pan de sol (a sweet roll). There were some desserts such as fried plantain and a caramel sauce. A new dessert that I hadn't encountered before was one made out of a rice powder dough then rolled in fresh shredded coconut. To wash it down, I had a soda made from dolondon, think grapefruit like, and Vince had one made from calamansi. I think the calamansi are akin to key limes and are served everywhere with many dishes.

Fish has been prolific and I don't think I've eaten such a great variety in such a short amount of time, save a sushi line up. We've had marlin, tilapia, bangus (milk fish), and about a dozen others I haven't been able to identify. I've also never eaten so many whole fish , like sardines...when in Rome.

The following day we traveled to Lucena which is where Vince's mother's lived after elementary school. While on the way we stopped at several shopping areas where we got some slippers to wear in the houses and some leather goods.

The travel by vehicle is quite an experience. There are various and sundry wheeled machines, motorcycles, tricycles, i.e. think of motorbikes with a large covered side car, cars and trucks of all kinds, jeepney's, with pedestrians and people selling items on foot between the vehicles at the stops. Manila was worse than Houston traffic. I suppose there is a certain amount of efficiency though. Where else would you be able to fit 3 cars, a motor bike and pedestrians selling goods in 2 lanes of traffic?

Once we got out of the city things moved slightly more swiftly. Nevertheless because most everyone else is traveling more slowly than you, you give a couple honks on the horn, pass them with the traffic oncoming (there are mostly 2 lane roads) and then dart back into your lane before you hit the oncoming vehicle which is also honking.

After arriving at Lucena, we stayed at a place by the sea called Pueblo de la Playa. It is a collection of cabana styled houses done in a Mexican carribean theam. Yes, the irony is not lost on me that I would travel half the globe to then sleep in a Mexican styled resort.