Filipino Food

Food is central to Filipino life. Filipinos eat often and eat a large variety of food. The table is laden down with many dishes of various combinations of fresh vegetable and meat. Fish, chicken and pork are the most common meats on a table, but beef and shellfish are often present as well. They are combined with fresh vegetables such as okra, beans, egg plant, lettuce and tomatoes. And no meal, including breakfast, is complete without a pile of rice heaped on the plate. No one should leave a Filipino table hungry. We North Americans are concerned that we will need to pay an overweight surcharge on our airline tickets when we fly home.

Our first host told me that Filipinos eat seven meals a day, and I believe him as I am sure that we have been fed at least that many times each day. He said, "Count them. Breakfast, mirienda (or snack time), lunch, mirienda, dinner, midnight snack and one more that you can stick in any time you like." Breakfast is no light repast such as we eat in Canada. It is full course meal with several dishes set on the table for diners to choose from. I can not tell how it is different from dinner! Even mirienda is a giant sized snack that includes sandwiches and other foods that would make up my average lunch meal at home.

Fruit is fresh, delicious and offered at most meals. Papaya, mango, banana, watermelon, both red and yellow, pineapple and coconut are wonderful addditions to a meal. All of them taste better than the ones we eat in Canada. I will especially remember the bananas. I eat many bananas at home, probably one a day. Now they will never be the same because the smaller Filipino banana is so much sweeter and tastier that I will always think of them when eating a Canadian banana. A special treat is halo-halo, a word that means mixture and is really a mix of whatever fruit is available at the time. On one occasion we were served halo-halo mixed in a coconut shell with coconut milk. What a delightful treat! That now rivals apple pie as my favourite dessert. (No Carol, that does not mean that I don't still want apple pie when I get home.)

When a Canadian greets someone, he is likely to say, "How are you?" So important is food to a Filipino that he is likely to greet a guest by saying, "Are you hungry?" If you were to say "yes" you could be assured that you would be set down to a table groaning under the weight of all the food and watched while you dug in.

As visitors we have been treated to fine displays of Filipino cooking. It is excellent and greatly appreciated. However, we have also learned that it is OK to say, "No." and to eat smaller portions that will leave us  in shape to be ready for the next round, sure to come in the next two hours.

Traffic

Traffic is the Filipino answer for being late. And it's true! At least most of the time. You have not truly earned your driver's licence until you have driven an automobile in the chaos that Filipinos call traffic.

4 lanes of traffic headed in one direction, 6 vehicles, side by side heading down the street and another 6 moving in the opposite direction. Lane markings are suggestions only and 3 of the 6 vehicles are straddling the lines intended to separate them. Wait! there is an opening. Quick jump into it quickly before someone else does. Signal lights? What are they? You don't have time to use any signal when you decide to make that lane change in case smeone else gets there before you do. Just honk. He who honks first has the right of way, unless soneone else is bolder and takes the opening first. How about that motorcycle? Into the far lane, across the front end of the semi and back into the right hand lane, moving quickly down the street in the short opening that appears and then a quick weave to avoid the pedestrian trying to cross the street. Why is that bus stopping in the intersection? To pick up passengers and not give up his lane of course. Tricycles move along in front of automobiles slowing them down to a speed that a 100cc Honda can maintain while carrying a side car with two passengers inside and another on the saddle behind the driver.

Traffic in the Philippines biggest city,Manila, is chaos defined. There appear to be no rules for how drivers use the space designated for automobiles. Cars, trucks, tricycles, jeepneys and buses battle for space and have little time for any pedestrian brave enough to try to cross the road while the autos speed by. Only the bold survive. You must move quickly to assert yourself if you wish to maintain your place in this traffic nightmare.

Any urban designer who could pass his Ph.D, would never design a system that resembles the Manila model.

And yet it works! There do not appear to be any more accidents than there are in other places. people manage to get to their destinations, slowly for sure, but they do get there. How can that be?

I maintain it is because Filipinos are courteous. They will ease off on the gas to let someone in. They will move aside to allow the overtaking vehicle room to avoid a head on collision with oncoming traffic. They will wave to the vehicle behind to let the driver know that it is safe to pass. It is this basic sense of courtesy that lies deep within the Filipino soul that allows them to manoevre through this traffic chaos.

Manila traffic is the perfect metaphor for the Filipino character. Wildly independent with an anarchistic streak, Filipinos are quick to disregard the law if they do not see any sense for the law in question. But their deep sense of politeness and courtesy rein in their wilder free living spirit in order to help their neighbours.  This dual nature both creates the traffic chaos witnessed by westerners and makes it work in a way that westeners are unable to understand.

So being late due to traffic is a perfect excuse for a Pinoy. All his friends understand, and if it is more excuse than reason, all his friends have used the same excuse anyway.

Buffalo

On Monday night we arrived at the Philippine Caribao Center where we were greeted by Assistant Governor Tess Cruz. The PCC is a center for the study of the water buffalo in Philippines, has a hotel with conference centre and was the site for our Tuesday workshop. It was a great place to have a workshop as the conference centre ws close to the hotel where we are staying (the same bulding) and was air conditioned. Apparently the centre is world renowned for its research. It is in the middle of an agriculturally concerned research area in the Science City of Munoz.

When our workshop was completed we were taken on a tour of the Caribao center. We saw the milking barn, the feeding station, the corrals and the pens for the new calves. It looked very familiar, reinforcing the iddea that Nueva Ecija was similar to my home province of Saskatchewan. Domesticated caribao and prairie cattle are different species, but their care and handling are similar. A milk machine is still a milk machine and a barn still smells like a barn.

Tonight it Rained

Travelling to Philippines in July is risky for this is the rainy season. Typhoons are possible and heavy downpours are inevitable. For us the rains have held off. Our first day in Manila caught us in a rain storm, but it was brief. Sure the rain came down hard for a while, but it was nothing a true wet coaster couldn't handle. Besides the rain was warm. It was actually fun.

Today began as usual for our trip, hot and dry. The temperature was in the mid 30C's and the sky was clear. We were driving in the northern part of Nuevo Ecija and crossed the boarder into Neuvo Vizcaya. It reminded me of a hot day on the prairies, a golden sun hanging over endless green fields, with a scattering of trees throughout the plain. As we climbed through the Dalton Pass the scenery changed, but the weather held consistent.

Now it is raining. I am inside the home where we are staying. The rain is falling in sheets, hammering on the roof and streaming across the window. I have never seen so much water fall in one length of time, even in the wildest Vancouver Island storm. It is truly an experience.

We are staying three days in the home of the Past President of the Bayombong Rotary Club's home. Nonette Tiam has been more than gracious in her welcome, beginning with a fine meal and permitting us free access to her incredibly lovely home. We are so fortunate to have been accepted by another Filipino Rotarian with such great hospitality.

Day Off

Today was our first day off. We chose to use it for some sight seeing around the beautiful province of Nueva Ecija. It was certainly a good choice.

AG Rey Diego, his wife Cecile and cousin Jun picked us up early in the morning and drove us south to Gapan City where they had made arrangements to show us around. We began by meeting members of the RC of Penaranda. The members of this club had arranged to show us a rice farm.

Soon after we arrived at the farm we learned that the women hired to do the planting had stopped work to greet us. They then took us out to the field and showed us the technique os planting rice. Soon our team members were deep in the mud in their bare feet planting rice plants into the bottom of the paddy. Each of them vowed that they would never again think of rice in quite the same way as before.

Soon after everyone was cleaned up there was an opportunity to take a ride on the back of a water buffalo. The buffalo was pulling a cart and with one after another of the team members upon her back she carried them down the highway among the non stop trafffic, before turning around and returning to pick up another load.

Soon it was time for lunch and Filipino hospitality again came to the fore. We moved into the backyard of the farmer's home where the women had prepared a wonderous feast for us. Never again will a picnic be the same. The picnic consisted of several dishes ending with a triple dessert, each of which seemed equaly delicious. We soon left with our stomaches full and wondering how we could ever eat so much.

Further touring led us to see the inside of a beautiful old church, an old house full of antiques collected after many years of use and Rey's boyhood home. We also managed to find time to stop in Penadanda Public School for a look around and a local private school which was housed in a new building.

Our final stop was in Rey's business, a rice mill. Due to the fact there was an electrical shut down for the day, the mill was not in operation. However, we were able to see what the interior of the mill was like and to witness the hard work of men unloading 50kg sacks of newly harvested rice and carry them to a storage space. The impression of these men carrying these heavy bags of rice on their heads and that of the women rice planters bending over their tasks is ample proof of the hard working nature of Filipinos.It certainly reinforces our strong opinion of the people of this beautiful country.

Nueva Ecija

Yesterday we moved north to the second of the five provinces we will visit, Nueva Ecija. It is a  marked contrast to the last province we were in, Bulacan. Bulacan is an urban province, in reality a bedroom province for Manila. It has all the characteristics of a city, traffic, large population, etc. Nueva Ecija is a rural province. It is a large plain between two mountains. From here one can not see the mountains at all. There are only fields of rice for as far as the eye can see. To a prairie boy it looks like home.

Munoz is called the Science City of Munoz. There is a university and several research institutes concerned with farming issues, aquaculture, buffalo and rice. This morning we met a young man from North Carolina who is here to study Tilapia farming.

Our workshops are going well and the teachers and Rotary members are so courteous that we are made to feel welcome at every turn. Our trip is exceeding our expectations.

End of Week One

We have completed one week of our time in Philippines. It has been a fantastic experience, hectic, fast paced, ever changing, challenging, rewarding and most of all fun. Our hosts have been gracious, understanding and so kind that one can only marvel at their hospitality. It would never be possible to duplicate that level of hospitality at home.

On Monday we visited 4 schools, one private and three public. We were able to observe lessons in the public schools while our visit to the private school was brief and only allowed time to look at the classrooms and meet the staff and students. This was an important learning experience for me. I did not know what level of expertise the teachers would have. Our workshops had been planned with only a smattering of understanding about the needs of the teachers. However, after observing these lessons it was clear that the teachers were indeed professional educators with excellent training and experience. Their classes were interesting, followed a basic lesson planning outline (which resembled the one we used at Malaspina very closely) and classroom management practices were in place. It was clear that we could approach our workshops as if we were working with people who would understand what we wanted to do.

From Tuesday to Friday we travelled around the province, staying at host families and arriving at school by 8:00. Our workshop would last until about 3:00 and then we would meet as a team to talk about the issues which we encountered throughout the day. This had proven to be an important idea as it is the only time we were alone and together at the same time. Our hosts would take us out for supper and to Rotary events so that we were able to get to bed by 10:30 or 11:00.

Driving here is quite an experience. It is like nothing a Canadian can understand. Our trips to and from school would take from 1 1/2 to 2 hours in each direction. Highways are very narrow, automobiles, people, and animals share the space, often as narrow as a residential street in Canada with the buildings built up to the edge of the street. As a result, a distance of 10 kilometres can take 1/2 an hour or more.Traffic is extremely heavy and chaotic. Lane markings are only suggestions. People drive in which ever lane they feel is fastest, including the passing lane. Even driving along the lane line seems accepatable. They weave in and out with a honk of the horn to let others know that they should stay out of the way. You must be bold.

And yet it works. That is what is amazing. It seems as if there is a level of courtesy that allows one to dart into an opening with the knowledge that the other driver will give way. In fact, if you don't, no one will take you seriously and you will be left where you are. Considering the number of people sharing the small amount of space it is remarkable that it works as well as it does.

The food here is fantastic. Unusual, with names that I can't seem to remember, but appetizing, delicious and plentiful. You can not enter a Filipino home without being offered a smorgasbord of delicious food and being asked to try this. Food seems to be central to the culture (and what a great centre it is). The way a Candian says, "How are you?" as a greeting, a Filipino asks, "Are you hungry?" If you say "yes" you will be fed delicious food to the point you willl feel that you will never be hungry again.

Our trip to Philippines is has been amazing. We have been welcomed, fed and made to feel that we are important to the point that we feel as if we are a group of Hollywood stars touring the country. It is wonderful and in future blogs I will try to describe some of the experiences we hhave had. 

View of Manila

Today we have been treated to a tour of Manila. A fascinating city. It is as modern as anything in North America, while having the characteristics of developing nations everywhere. Streets are crowded with vehicles and traffic patterns appear chaotic. Even at midnight there are more vehicles travelling down the city street than one sees on the Island Highway during rush hour. The car horn is an essential part of a car; signal lights appear not to be. Still, the chaotic appearance marks an underlying pattern that local drivers appear to understand. It allows motorcyclists to drive in the space between larger vehicles without fear of being mashed. The streets work. There appears to be an element of courtesy that means that every driver pushes through an opening when it appears, but other drivers recognize the one who has the right to use it and hang back to allow the change to be made. Think about how a crowd pushes through a busy shopping centre. Everyone rushes along in his own way, so the timid get left behind. But for those who are hurrying ahead, paths seem to open and progress is made for everyone. It works; and so does the traffic in Manila.

For much of our tour it was raining. Unlike Vancouver Island the rain was warm. It was fun to be out in it. The temperature was 24C, but so humid that it felt much warmer. Once the rain started to fall the humidity fell with it and the entire atmosphere felt better. And of course, it is because of the rain that so much plant life abounds here. Palm trees along the streets. Plumeria blooms in front of the hotel and other flowers and trees everywhere.

We stopped at the old walled city, which is reminiscent of Quebec City, and toured the reconstructed historical site at Fort Santiago. It houses a museum to one of the father's of the Philippine Republic, Jose Rizal. An interesting stop for anyone from North America who is fortunate enough to travel to Manila.

Western institutions are frequent sites here. Signs paying homage to "the Colonel" appear everywhere. Kentucky Fried Chicken has obviously found a place in the Filipino diet. Other western fast food places seem less common, but there are many Filipino entrepeneurs who have learned to provide a similar service to the Filipino customers who enjoy eating like North Americans. As a result there are many Filipino versions of our fast food culture. Some of them would be interesting hits if one were to import their franchises to North America.

The Mall of Asia shows an interesting blend of Asian and western cultures. It is the largest mall in the world, but parts of it are open to the elements. We were able to stand on a walkway on the western side of the mall and look out at the China sea. At night we watched fireworks from the same vantage point. In other parts of the mall we were protected from the rain, but could feel the breeze coming through from the open roof. In places, the smells from the ocean dominated the smells of commerce. My initial impression was that the mall was dominated by small shops of local business people, much like an updated form of an Asian market. However, we soon found ourselves in a major department store that made Sears and the Bay look old fashioned. Along another corridor the stores belonging to all of the high end designer brands appeared.

Many jobs are apparent here that do not appear at home. Service is important and there are more workers in any shop than there are in any Canadian store. When I work at Wal-Mart in Nanaimo, I am often the only person working in one corner of the store with about 4 departments. In the department store we entered here there were workers standing beside each stack of shoes in the shoe department. The store elevator had an attendant pushing the buttons of a modern elevator and calling out the floors as the car came to a stop. In the hotel there are attendants on each floor making sure that we are OK. I like it.

These are some of my impressions after my first day in Philippines. It is truly an exciting place to be. We have been treated so wonderfully by everyone, our Rotarian hosts and the business people with whom we have dealt. This has been a great way to start our trip.

Arrival

We finally made it. Great reception. 6 people to greet us and a special banner. Everybody is so pleasant that they are making us feel especially welcome. When I needed to call Sandy, the public phones weren't working, so a security guard loaned me his cell phone and I was able to make the call on that. Needless to say all of the Rotary people have been great and the staff in the hotel have been exceptionally hospitable. This is a great start to our trip.

Arrival in Korea

It is 2:00AM in Nanaimo. I have just finished watching four movies, ones I probably would never have rented! I feel stiff and sore from sitting for 11 1/2 hours. But we have arrived in Korea. The journey truly has begun now. There is a feeling that we have completed our first task.

The pilot announced that the local temperature was 23 C. As we walked down the passage to the terminal I realize this is not the same 23C one would experience on Vancouver Island. It feels as if I am in the bathroom when someone has just completed a long hot shower. The humidity is palpable.

We are soon in the terminal and begin the long walk to our gate for the connecting flight. The terminal is beautiful, clean, modern and stylish. The corridors are lined with the top of the line shops that will never open their doors in Nanaimo. I tease the ladies they don't need to go to the Mall of Asia because they can do all of the shopping they want right here in the airport.

Korean Air Lines was an excellent way to travel. The plane was great, the service by the air hostesses was excellent and the flight was as good as any trip in which one is caught in an aluminum cylinder for 11 1/2 hours .

Just think, in another hour we will get to do it again!

Excitement builds

It has been too busy to get excited yet, but that is changing now. I am waiting in the departure lounge of the Victoria airport with the plane now on the tarmac. Passengers are disembarking and we will soon be on our way. 24 hours from now we will be landing in Philippines and the adventure begins. It is going to be a greatt trip. Did I say that I am now excited????