The Philippines

Well...here it is the next step on the road.....I went to the Philippines for a vacation.....we started off with a day and a half of plane rides...not your ideal way to go...ended up in Manilla for the evening....went out at night....will return to that later in the program....went and had a beer at a Karaoke bar and tried to sing Leggs by ZZ top...have you ever heard it in sort of ballad form...well it was there and we had a heck of a time singing that....but the locals were very kind and at least didn't boo..spent the next day flying and then riding a bus for about 3 hours...with some pictures of the countryside.....it is a poor place....lots of schools and lots of kids but lots of poverty...roads in poor shape...houses the same....lots of water....we got there after a typhoon and water was standing all around....great place for mosquitoes....even the house had the floors soaked....some were up in the air but others I think they just waited until it dried out...

Boracay...supposedly one of the best beaches in the world...and I think it could have been but like I said it was after a typhoon and there was a lot of cleaning up to do...we loved the weather....it was quite warm....but it rained every day....most during the evening though....didn't really matter much...what was a little more water...cheap living and eating....$20 per night for some places and good ones....drinks were cheap but not as alcoholic I think...went swimming in the ocean and sunbathing...only saw one topless sunbather...maybe not the thing to do there...

Several of us went para sailing and also on a thing called the Flying Fish....a glorified air mattress that held 6 people and was pulled by a speedboat...we almost were vertical a couple of times.....lost one of the girls off the end once and almost another off the side...but a screaming time was had by all.....an adrenalin rush...

Saw an interesting past time called kite boarding....a kite pulls a water skier along the waves.....and you can go like a bat out of hell...but I think it would take many moons to learn how to control it and I didn't have enough moons to spare so I passed on that...but I wouldn't mind trying to either do that or surf sailing....saw a couple of them too....one afternoon it was raining so we went out into theocean and just let the waves crash over us....salt water was warm and the rain was cool as it washed the salt off our heads and from our eyes....didn't get that picture..but it was a neat feeling....

On the last day, most of the group went shopping...right up my alley..not...so I flagged (well not really) hired a sailboat to take me out for about an hour on the rough seas....they have outriggers on each side of the boat so it is fairly stable but it still goes fairly fast...something like a catamaran...enjoyed the company of the 4 crew memebers...they seemed to think they needed them all...we chatted about their family..where they live...how the summers were...the typhoon....normal grassroots kind of guys...backed the boat into the island....I got a couple of pictures of them so I will put them on the blog.....actuallly got some fairly good ones to comment on...so I will shut down for today (October 8) and try to finish up this week...after the week of softball with the Canadaian national ladies...should be a hoot..I have all my hooting gear...just hope the kids have as much fun as I do...chiao baby

The week went well....we were a little late for the first inning but saw the team win 5-2. Friday about 14 staff went to the final round robin game and Canada lost 4-2 to China.....we were yelling and screaming...unike the Chinese who don't cheer un;es their coach told them to....he/she would get up and yell something and they would do their thing....quite a sight....even were all colour oordianted...yellow hats, orange banners to wave.....red and white handclappers to make noise...blue thunder sticks...nice facility....saw a lady I met in Moose Jaw from New Brunswick....an umpire who I got to know well as whe was the officials observer there.....she was umpiring here...and hopes to come back for the Olympics....I asked her if she could get a signed ball for the school since we came out and supported them so well...she got one for me on Sunday when we went to watch the fianla ...Canada vs China....Australia had been the best team all week and lost two games in the playoff ...go figure....Canada beat them 4-0 and China beat the 5-0. Canada lost in the finals 5-0...one bad inning....but they had been dodging bullets in previous ones...our crew this time was 21 strong....and we were on BTV as they were televising the game....our strong cheerleading crew must have impressed them....plus we had a lot of hats and paraphanelia from Canada on display....did my imitation of the Calgary horse...a real fun night and the girls from Canada were very appreciative of all of our rowdiness....

Went to the Terry Fox Run on the weekend....had to jog 20 minutes to get there......wait for about 1 hour for speeches and entertainment...had a chance to talk to some of the students form last year at BCCSC...nice....they were good kids.... and then a 20 minute jog around Chaoyang Park and then a 20 minute jogb back to the apartment....where I met Fred and we went golfing in the afternoon....sprinkling rain whe we started but nice sunny day when we finished...worst damn game in 15 years with my newest clubs...115...good god...but Fred is trying to teach me a thing or two...and it is hard with this old fart..interesting course...you have to take 4 ferry rides across to complete the 18 holes....lost a lot of balls but only 1 to water...parred only one hole....not a forgiving course....narrow fairways...but had a good time...

The Sunday was good with the ladies games..a bit of a day of rest....

Am now the Athletic Director of CIS...whatever the hell that means....no more pay just more to do.....plus I have had to organize a sports Day for grades 6-11 and so now I am also a sports convenor....seems a little strange...but I really don't care.....if I don't do a good job all they can do is fire me....the beauty of retirement...

Talked to good friend Denis from the ''gaspe" in Quebec....he said he might even consider coming over for a while....wanted to know the best times etc.....

Am waiting to see if the BCCSC apartments will be made available to the staff here....these buildings are not going to be available for us as the owner is getting a hotel management group to run them over the Olympic period...so I will be looking for some place to stay during the Olympics...and Jennifer and Doug are coming as well...good deal.....

1/2 marathjon this weekend and then I will rest for a while...I think I am going to run in Boston this spring...the windo of opportunity is there and I should take it ...means a lot of training agian but I did it once I think I can do it again....will mean asking for a weeks leave without pay...unless I can convince the powers that be that I am running for the school...yeah right

Have a load of clubs and stuff to get back to Canada.....about 20 so I need to start sending them soon...also some other stuff to go home...will be able to take some home if I go home for Christmas...a possibility......still haven't bought my 3 wheeled bike...was a good one but it was the wrong color,...guess I could have painted it over again....

Got a maid today....they clean up the apartment...wash the floors....clean the bathroom....washed my clothes and will even iron them I hear ....and generally tidied up everything.....for about $7...quite a deal....

Play hockey tomorrow night after about 3 weeks off...will be in pretty sad shape..not sure if I should even go as it is a little too close to the marathon....which was sold out so to speak...you could not enter it after a certain date...all the spots were filled...there is a professional hockey team here too.....we plan to go see one or two game this year....my record is in tact...still no goals....well maybe one in 7 years.....but I back check like crazy.....

Enough...I wanted to put one icture on here form the Philippines...it was a sign that had plastic surgery... and one of the options was virginity restoration...we all had a good chuckle over that one...will see if I can find it....

Take car everyone.....































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