The Day Caubian One Stood Still

A surreal experience can be something someone experiences frequently or rarely, depending on who is describing the experience and how they classify it. It can be said that an experience is only as surreal as you choose to make it. However, there are just certain experiences that are just undeniably surreal. They embody every sense and implication of the word.  You are in the moment, your senses tuned in to everything around you, yet at the same time you seem to be a spectator of yourself; almost as though you are watching a movie about your life and living it at the same time. 

About an hour out on the water from Mactan Island, we were losing hope that we would find the right place to shoot the next episode of our show. Looking for the right balance between beauty, isolation and development can be a challenge here, especially when most small island residents rely on the day’s catch and taking advantage of boatloads of Korean tourists eager to shell out pesos for souvenirs and local food for survival. Reluctantly ready to admit defeat, we saw two islands on the horizon. We signaled our boat captain to head in that direction, and after much discussion and the agreement of additional pesos we were on our way. As we drew closer, it appeared as though one island was created in the other’s likeness, as if two twins were born the day the volcano pushed them up to meet the sky and sun above the surface of the water. However, through the years the two twins had matured very differently.

The island of Caubian 2, as we came to know it, was still in its natural state; largely uninhabited other than a few homes and an overpriced Korean resort. It had a beautiful small stretch of unspoiled beach. In contrast, every inch of Caubian 1 was “developed”, with roughly 2,000 people packed into a small isolated space.  Understanding why so many people would chose to call this place home is something I think only a resident of the island could ever understand. We stopped at the crowded Caubian 1 first, hoping that we could find some sort of launching point from where the competitors in our show could race to Caubian 2. However, the fact that our boat could only find one place to land on the island should have been a sign that our scout would be unsuccessful. 

Now having been in the Philippines a while, we are used to our fare share of stares, waves, smiles and the perennial “Hey Joe!”.  This experience blew everything out of the water. You know the climax of a movie, when the protagonist has been telling everyone all along that the aliens are coming and then they finally arrive: this was that moment. 

At first the island seemed almost deserted, other than a crowd of about 20 children watching us silently from the shadows of a tree. Our boat captain, Boboy, then found a local fisherman and asked him how to get to the other side of the island. The fisherman motioned down a small path, never once taking his eyes off us. As we followed the path which was no more than 8 feet wide and lined by small concrete homes and stores, we soon realized we were on the main street through town. For the next 15 minutes as we passed through the island, it was as if time came to a screeching halt. The locals stopped everything they were doing to watch us; no one saying hello or smiling, just completely blank stares.  It was as if some sort of silent religious procession had begun with reverent children and women holding babies following behind us. Their eyes were filled with disbelief and revealed a desire to reach out and touch our skin just prove we actually existed.

We too were just as silent, barely able to comprehend what exactly was happening and where exactly we were. Initial instinct was fear of this alien land as we tried to touch absolutely nothing and breathe as little as possible for fear of what harm foreign objects might bring to us. We passed roosters tied to benches, pigs wallowing outside doorsteps and strange pink seaweed drying in the sun. Each step was swift, but also careful and respectful, so as not to disturb anything. 

Once we made it to the other side and realized we had discovered the island’s trash dump, we moved through the growing crowd and backtracked our steps quickly to the boat. As we disembarked, we found ourselves pinching our legs to make sure we weren’t dreaming, while the residents of Caubian 1 were probably rubbing their eyes to make sure they weren’t dreaming as well. 

There was no “greetings earthlings”, no “take me to your leader” or “we come in peace”. We, the aliens, had landed without really doing or saying anything, but it was still about as surreal as anyone could handle.  

Caubian 1

 

 

 

Caubian 2

All the following pictures were taken in discretion,  holding the camera on my hip

 

Top 10

Here are some of the top 10 reasons why the Philippines is so great.

10. Videoke- Where else can you find 20 men huddled around a TV while one belts out Total Eclipse of the Heart?

9. Jollibee- The Philippines is one of the only countries to have its own fast food restaurant chain that is more popular than McDonalds.

8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lqh8e2KYIrU

7. The number of people that fit on a motorbike- it never fails to impress.

6. Cab Rides- It's like going to Astoria from Midtown, but it only costs $2.

5. Fruit Shakes- At every restaurant, no matter what the genre, you can order fresh fruit shakes. The flavors almost always include pineapple, banana, watermelon, and mango.

4. Jeepneys- No more long waits at the bus station or the subway, stand by the road for 2 seconds, wave your hand, climb in and your good to go. (Watch your head and other people's feet though)

3. Jingles- The radio jingles and advertisements are one of a kind, almost like the 1950s. Here is a sample (make sure your audio is up): http://oceanjet.net/  

2. Beautiful Water



Malapascua

Olango



Moalboal

 1. Friendly People

A Walk in the Philippine Clouds

It's been a little while since we posted so we thought we'd give you a taste of what every morning is like for us during our morning routine.

7:00am: Alarm goes off. Snooze is hit, but the roosters are already crowing.
7:30am: On a sunny day, we will get up. If rainy....snooze again. (roosters continue to crow)
7:45am: Getting ready...which involves first a layer of sun screen followed by a layer of insect repellent lotion. (and yes..the crowing is still going on)
8:00am: Quick breakfast which is either toast with mango jelly or our new favorite, cereal with nestle milk which never expires because it is powder based.
8:10am: Closing front door quickly so lizards, spiders, etc don't come in, even though there are too many to count already inside.
8:11am: Strange wafting smell....is it poo from the poodles again?! Say hello to our parrot buddy. Who occasionally will whistle or say hello, but most of the time stares at you blankly until you walk away and then he talks and eventually shouts at you. Did I mention the roosters are still crowing? When are these cock-fights? And can I sign these ones up?
8:12am: We are outside of our gate waving to the men on the roof of the new building being constructed. We are also looking at the turkeys who are gobbling away and walking in no clear direction. When is thanksgiving again?
8:13am: Strange smell....Stepping over two large puddles formed in potholes on the street. Getting dangerously close to the man who is standing and peeing on the side of our street.
8:14am: Saying hi to the peddi cab who greets us with "hey wanta ride?" Which we normally turn down.....Strange smell...oh, it is just the trash pile being burned on the side of the road...and yes, and the roosters are still crowing.
8:15am: Goat with baby goat walks by...baby goat is eating a giant leaf. (they do eat everything). Little girl excitedly jumps up and down waving at us to say hi. Other kids run and giggle. (sometimes the kids are getting washed at the public water well)
8:17am: Dodging giant puddles...and yes, some piles of poo from goats and dogs and the occasional cow.
8:18am: More hellos and waves from the neighbors. Another goat and baby goat...this baby is eating a banana peel. Again proving our theory they eat EVERYTHING.
8:19am: At the end of the street. We cross the street to the H Mart parking lot (Korean Market) where we normally wait to catch a jeepney.
8:20am: Hit my head on the jeepney, if people notice I get compassionate smiles, Kevin pays the driver and 90% of the time we get the correct change.
8:21am: Jamming to the loud music on the jeenpney...either soft rock or occasionally Tarzan Boy
8:22am: Trying to cover our noses after our jeepney gets stuck behind a giant truck not moving fast enough...too much exhaust in my nose!
8:23am: Clinking the handle bar of the jeepney (which I hit before) with a coin to signal our departure, even though they almost always know where we are getting off. Hitting my head on the way out.
8:24am: Walking into work, hearing the mix of the same 10 songs that we hear everyday. (sometimes with Little Drummer Boy mixed in)
8:25am: Clocking in to work with our finger print. So new -agey...and yet they wonder why everyone gets pink eye all the time. =)

And that is our morning. We see something new every day!

Driveway to our house

Our Neighborhood. We walk this street every day.



Our Jeepney Jam: Close your eyes, it's 85 degrees, and your crammed in the back of a small van with
15 other people listening to...this: Tarzan Boy

Saturday Night Dengue Fever

We are in the midst of a major Dengue out break here in Cebu. Several co-workers and their family members have gotten dengue this year, luckily with no fatalities. But for many of those here, particularly young children without proper access to treatment, their lives will be cut short by this deadly disease. It’s a constant reminder living here of how fortunate we were to have grown up in the place and situation we did. I saw Fight Club for the first time last week. The pounding rain on the roof of our place made it so hard to hear at times that we had to pause the film; sometimes for up to 20min at a time until the rain subsided. Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) says at one point, “We are not special. We are not unique. We are the same decaying matter as everything else,” which left me thinking about all the time I’ve played the story of my life in my head. My wants and needs take center stage as I close my eyes and replay old acts of the story in my mind; going over what should have or could have been, still hoping there is a triumphant happy ending at the end of Act 3. Will remaining ambitious and always wanting more lead to the path of success or just leave me always unsatisfied with my position in my career and my personal relationships? Why do I a dream to be something important and notable and why should I be disappointed if I am not? It’s Monday night after work and the employees have gathered behind the studio at the Tiki Bar, many of them indulging in a beer and a bit of self-pity. They came here to be something great or at least be a part of something great. They thought they were something special and they deserved better than the reality of their current situation and maybe they’re right. But behind the Tiki Bar there is a metal fence with a bulkhead to the sea. At low tide some children from the houses next door climb up onto the bulkhead and peer through the fence, hoping someone might stop and notice them. The smile on their faces and happy disposition masks the complete poverty that they live in. There are about 10 kids in all, brothers, sisters and cousins. Sometimes they have to alternate who eats on what day because there is not enough food for everyone. One girl’s 6 year old sister just died of a heart condition because they could not afford treatments. Another girl lost one of her arms in a fire when she was younger.  Tyler Durden may want to sign these kids up for Project Mayhem because they are certainly accepting of the idea that they may die at any moment and I don’t think anyone tells them everyday that they are special and deserve better. I’m sure they would like to hear someone say it even if they didn’t really believe it.  I think if Mr. Durden was next to me at that moment I would have to disagree with him. I don’t know why, and I certainly don’t think I deserve it, but for some reason beyond my control I am special. This I know simply because I am here now standing on this side of the fence as opposed to being one of these children on the other side starring into an unattainable world. I am not saying people should worship the ground I walk on, that’s not what I mean when I say special. I don’t deserve something more than anyone one else because I think I am special.  I have been blessed in this life and being here is a constant reminder of that. I’ve been given it all, love, health, safety, support and opportunity and I grow more and more thankful for that with every day I spend here. With all I have been given in my life, I can’t help feeling obligated to take it and turn it into something great and if I fail along the way I won’t run off and join basement bare-knuckle boxing club to make up for it, I’ll simply wake up the next day and say, “thank you for letting me live another happy day” and I’ll try again to do something great until I succeed.

Days of Tropic Thunder

Out on the road in Cebu: make sure your seatbelt is tightly fastened, that is if one exists, most vehicles don't have them. If you aren't covering your eyes or ducking under the seat from the countless close calls with trucks, motorbikes, dogs and children....and street vendors...and horse drawn carriages....and food cart bikes, you actually get to see some crazy stuff. See below.

Yes, that's an automatic riffle.



He is very relaxed for doing 45 mph.

  

The people blurred in the background are part of a drum corps parade marching down the
middle of the street with traffic speeding by on both sides.



Tricylces (three people sit on the bike, and as many as can fit in the side car)



7 people, several bags of groceries, 2 motrobikes

 

Pastry bike



Just long enough



 

This mattress will be good for wind resistance

Tricycle- not nearly as crowded as we've seen



Video of driving in Cebu City. About 30 sec in you will get to see

the free-for-all that is a typical Philippine intersection. Notice the

motorbikes weaving in between large trucks and jeepneys. The Jeepney

barker clinging to the back railing in flip-flops and the bizzare wet child

standing in the middle of everything. The guy who shows up in the bottom

of the frame is a motocyclist who nearly rammed into us trying to cut

across traffic.

Christmas In September

Yes the holiday season has begun in the Philippines. Radio stations have begun the countdown: only 105 days until Christmas! Little Drummer Boy can be heard playing in the lobby of our office and even the occasional 'Merry Christmas' is said by one of the local employees. To top it off, department stores have already started their Christmas displays which apparently grow considerably as Dec 25th approaches. I can only hope we make it to December to see what the final month leading to Christmas brings.

Christmas Decor at the Dept Store and yes those are people actually buying something already.

The River Wild

We made our way down to Moalboal this weekend, Panagsama Beach to be exact for a river climbing adventure. I don’t think we anticipated the drive there to be perhaps the most terrifying part of our trip. Our very capable, but very fast driver, Sir Jay, made record time to our resort but not without about 20 close calls that left us all gripping our seats and grasping for air. But for him this was probably just another day of driving in the Philippines. After enjoying a delicious meal at our Thai/Indian/Indonesian/Chinese/Filipino restaurant we went to one of the local bars and decided to try one of their ‘signature’ cocktails. As Red Horse Beer and rum and cokes are pretty much the staples here, we found that they didn’t actually have the ingredients to make most of the cocktails on the menu. They were finally about to scrape together an odd concoction of ingredients and make drinks like the Ning Ning, which we think was coffee and coke with some sort of alcohol. Luckily there was a group of Cebu City college students celebrating their recent basketball victory who poured us some drinks from their large beer bottles and invited us to dance and sing karaoke with them. We started the next day with a delicious ‘American’ and European breakfast at our hotel and then boarded our all-terrain action-adventure vehicle for the river climb. After about an hour of hiking and lots of sweating we had finally reached the BEGINNING of the river climb. Now granted the scenery was amazing, it was an indescribable feeling of joy when we were finally able to jump in the cool, crystal clear water of the river. We swam our way upstream through rocks and rapids, climbing almost every waterfall we came to. Fortunately, we had two guides with us to show us the way, but this didn’t necessarily make gripping onto wet rocks with a waterfall gushing over you any easier. It was tiring and dangerous but the reward of seeing the beautiful pristine river and its surroundings were well worth it. Plus it finished with a delicious barbecue meal at the end of the climb; probably the best meal we’ve had since we’ve been here. As the saying goes, the pictures just don’t do it justice, but they can give you a taste of what it was like and will help remind us of the awe struck feeling we had during the whole climb. We certainly hope to be back for another adventure soon, but for now we’re just thankful we made it back home safe and sound with only a few scrapes and bruises to show for it.

Our Action-Adventure Vehicle

Climbing one of the many waterfalls

Taking a break, moments before we jumped off that rock into the river and climbed that waterfall