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 Warning: Kids may find roaches
in Asia :) by jumpingnorman
You will also see small lizards in houses, sticking on the wall or ceiling. These are helpful in that they gobble up mosquitoes which may be harboring the dreaded Dengue virus. So, don't hurt the lizards. They are called "butiki". So that I don't play with them or hurt these lizards when I was a kid, my grandma used to say that these "butiki's" were the toys of baby Jesus....awwww... Leave a Comment
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Many Filipinos will tell you not to use the black market money changers. This is good advice in that a lot of these money changers will cheat you. However, the exchange rate on the black market is generally higher than at the banks. The key is to remember the old adage that if it sounds good to be true, it probably is.
I got taken by a classic slight of hand. A tout on the street showed me a card listing in exchanges rates for various foreign currencies (this is common to encounter on the streets and even in shopping malls). I followed him to the nearby money changer to exchange my Chinese currency. I thought I was being wise by asking to be paid in small P20 and P50 notes (to reduce the chance of getting counterfeit bills). The money changer paid me the rate we agreed upon, which was outstanding. As I was counting one stack of peso received, she stole back another stack (half the stack) unbeknowst to me. I didn't realize that she had taken back 50% of the stack until I got back to my hotel!
Amazingly, I went back to that money changer and was able to get most of the stolen money back. The woman behind the counter denied any wrongdoing and ignored me for 10 minutes (just ate her lunch and said "hey you counted the money and it was all there"). I bluffed by saying that I had some influential friends in Manila that would make things difficult for her if she didn't give me back the money. She called my bluff, but when I pulled out my mobile phone and started fiddling with it she suddenly offered to give me back about 85% of the stolen total! Of course this was an unspoken admission of guilt; I tried briefly to get the full amount back but realized I was l was lucky to get anything given that I had no real recourse. I think she saw that I was going to be problematic and maybe deter other business that day by standing there (calmly but repeatedly) explaining that she needed to return the stolen money. After I left they quickly locked the door behind me, surely wanting to keep me out of there! Leave a Comment
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 Tuba (A coconut product) by whvcebu
In certain barrios of Malolos, in Bulacan province, tuberculosis patients are advised to drink or even bathe in tuba as a cure.
Nursing babies in Bantayan, Cebu is fed with this beverage. (Would not suggest) Tuba when distilled produces a 96 proof "Lambanog."
It is said that only tough men can withstand the effect of Tuba that affects men's senses and sanity. Filipinos consider Tuba as a type of hard drink.
To ferment, the sweetish liquid is stored for one to three days in earthen jars or bottles in modern times. The rust tint of tuba is acquired through the addition of powdered bark called tangal.
Crystal-clear lambanog is distilled from tuba. Some people store it in clear milk bottles in the frigerator. Don't be mislead - it is not water but a more than 90 proof hard drink!!! About 15-gallon tins of raw coconut juice makes a quarter of a gallon of lambanog, making it more expensive than tuba. Lambanog is a local moonshine, as it is surreptitiously distilled in hidden stills, a process to make it more of prized possession as a vintage wine.
Drink anyone? Be careful - it is a very tough drink. Leave a Comment
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 Danger on the roads by herzog63Leave a Comment
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 by syllybabe
Be warned! The beauty and charm of Pinays all over the world are one of a kind. If you do come and visit, be prepared to be enchanted by beautiful smiles. Leave a Comment
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I am sure most of you expect me to start warning you about guerrillas and thieves and abductions...Well, nothing is happening here. People are most friendly, kindhearted, talkative and polite. I liked them. I made many friends. Some families kindly asked me to be their guest in places with no accommodation. I respected them and they gave me their heart. Most are very helpful and hospitable. A lot of them are educated and progressive.
Of course one should be careful and avoid very remote places or regions where guerrillas have acted but it's no more dangerous than many other countries around the world. Actually the only island I was warned by locals not to visit was Mindanao. Although I stepped on it going to Camiguin, which by the way, is completely safe. All in all, one should take the usual precautions and be friendly and relaxed.
I have to tell you I was traveling alone. And I had a wonderful time! They posed for me-they love being photographed- they sang with me-they have beautiful voices-and they did their best to make me happy! I am moved and grateful!
Click on the photo
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 Novaliches, Quezon City by kylian74Leave a Comment
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 by elsadran
I had a sinking feeling at the sight of houses razed flat and uprooted trees laying dead in Bicol, the region which sustained the highest rate of casualties. It was more than 1000 souls, as I read in the newspapers, that the ruthless typhoon Durian took away and many more were left homeless...Many people living at the foot of Mount Mayon were deathly covered by mud as the hurricane broke away a big piece of the volcano's top and caused lethal mudslides.
It is said it was the worst disaster after the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991.
I was wondering why on earth couldn't the state protect them. I asked the locals why didn't people in danger evacuate. The answer was their poverty prevented them from going away because they had nowhere to go and because they desperately hoped themselves and their shanties would escape death. Only, the hope of the poor is not enough....
If you look closer in the picture you can see a big piece is missing from the top....
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 watch out for crime,
Philippines by trisanna
Carry a money built and be careful. Don't be out on empty streets at night. Leave a Comment
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Your friends say not to travel to the Philippines and you ask: "Is it really that bad?"
I'm not sure what the people are saying. As many above have noted, you need to be as careful as anywhere in the world, including parts of Sydney, I bet.
Here's my general tips for safe solo travel:
- Guard your passport. It maybe one of the most valuable items you carry.
- Don't flaunt your wealth. Look, everyone knows you're rich - how else could you afford to travel abroad? But don't flash a fancy watch, jewelry, camera or computer. You're asking for trouble.
- Separate your cash. Put large bills in a separate place from small ones, stash an extra ATM card away from your wallet, etc.
- Travel light. Being burdened by a bunch of stuff makes you tired and a target. You need to be self-sufficient but not self-indulgent.
- Stay alert. This comes in a number of different forms from being aware of your surroundings and knowing how to get back to your hotel to not being overly intoxicated.
- Be careful how much you drink and who you drink with. I have a friend who actually got knockout drops in her drink from some seemingly nice people. Her stuff was taken, but luckily she wasn't raped and still has all her organs. If you drink at a legitimate place, don't get so inebriated you "can't handle"
- Don't break local laws. This is especially important regarding illicit drugs. There is the death penalty and/or extreme prison consequences for these. It's no joke.
- Don't be a jerk. If you're offensive, loud, abrasive or otherwise annoying, you make yourself a target.
- Have fun. Don't let this get you too uptight. Make local friends and take a few well-calculated risks. Your stuff isn't your vacation - your experiences are.
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