A special Friendship

The first time I met Jay was in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in 2005. He was teaching media students at the Royal University of Phnom Penh. I was finishing my diploma thesis on newspaper marketing in Cambodia's changing environment.

The second time we met was in Berlin, Germany in 2006. Jay was traveling to Europe in his position as producer for a Philippine television network. I had just resigned from my job in Germany and accepted a consultant position in Manila, Philippines.

Today, Jay and I met for dinner before both of us will be traveling to Europe again next week. This time simply for vacation.

Despite living in the same city for the past 4 years, the opportunities to meet each other have not improved dramatically. As a matter of fact, the last time we met for dinner in Manila was almost a year ago. The reason for this involuntarily neglect is not only distance and chaotic traffic within Manila. We are both traveling extensively for our jobs.

And, here is the funny part. Whereas Jay has traveled to more European countries than I have, I have seen more of the Philippines than he has. Jay recently published a book about his travels, mainly throughout Europe. He got me inspired to gather my travels around the Philippines. Complementary literature: Europe as seen through the eyes of a Filipino and the Philippines as seen through the eyes of a European.

Going local...

Going local is nowhere easier than on the beach. Encouraged by our Filipino friends we participated (and to a certain extend enjoyed) two of the most typical Pinoy entertainment activities: eating balut and singing karaoke.

The Filipinos eat balut, a fertilized duck egg just like Westerners eat chips or ice-cream. It's a snack and an aphrodisiac, apparently causing a 'strong knee'. Balut better have a promising selling proposition! Why else would one want to eat a partially developed duckling? In peer-pressure moments like these ("C'mon Jana, try!") I pull my I'm-a-vegetarian card out my sleeve and get off the hook. To be honest, even during my non-vegetarian days I refused to try balut. The idea to chew on bones, feathers, and a beak has never watered my mouth.

Glenn on the other hand is brave. He faces the culinary challenge. I document everything on video. Peeling the hot egg without spilling all the 'soup' is the first task to master. The egg is boiling hot and soon the table is covered in brownish water. Much to the dismay of our friends, who explain that the soup is the best part! A strong smell of chicken escapes the egg. Facing the embryo Glenn reaches for the vinegar to spice it. The laughter and excitement is increasing at the table. Chow, chow! Two bites, a lot of chewing, a tough swallowing and the duckling is gone. Such bravery deserves a drink! What makes a better chaser than a Mindoro Sling?! Tanduay, fruit juice, apple cubes and a lot of ice (without any hygienic track record, but who cares? If not the ice, the dirty glasses will upset your stomach for sure.)

After a few Mindoro Slings it's a walk in the park to convince us to sing. A karaoke bar is quickly identified and soon after, our friends hug the microphone. It takes us a few songs but eventually I start and give my best to perform Paula Abdul's famous 'rush, rush'. Yes! Rush! For safety because next in line is Glenn! I've never heard 'YMCA' so loosely interpreted before! The karaoke machine doesn't seem to mind. Glenn scores 85% based on a questionable automated standard!

The concept of standard was surely never heard of before in the next establishment we stumbled upon: a transvestite beach bar promising fire dance and a variety show. Well, while we are here why not enjoy? Jona, our waitress proudly presents his hormone-puffed boobs. After a quick girls talk about hair treatment and shape supporting bras we are up for 'picture picture tayo!! Sure, let's do what we do best: camwhoring!

Silence! The show starts! A dramatic light and sound show sets the stage for the phantom of the opera, dressed in yellow tulle. For the next 45 minutes, anorexic, choppy, pretty, and pretty ugly 'ladies' conquered the stage in their high heel shoes. Frankly, I'm most impressed by these guys' ability to walk in those shoes! More manly was the fire dance performance. At least nobody wore heels. I did get concerned though about some of the (s)hes' long and fancy wigs catching fire!

Encouraged by Mindoro's Sling and cheerful friends I found myself fire dancing with this mixed batch. The perfect closure for a great beach day!

Not just happy. Proud!

People often assume that in my industry, work is rewarding. Browse this blog and you'll see that, unfortunately, this is not always the case. It's a thin line between frustration and happiness, when supporting local economic development. The influences for either are too complex to explain in a few words.

The more so I'm happy, no, not just happy but proud, to see successful enterprises grow out of what started as a Strategic Corporate-Community (SCOPE) project.

I always point out, that without the creative mind of all the entrepreneurs I have the pleasure working with, my job would be really hard. Without their vision, determination, and drive the seed of SCOPE's contribution would fall on infertile soil.

Take GracieQ Creative Designs, for example. I work with Grace since 2007. Driven by her passion for fashion accessories she decided to venture into a business. Right from the start, her efforts were supported by Dedon, a high-end furniture company based in Cebu, and the Don Bosco Training Center. The demand for high-skilled designers and workers quickly rose with local and international orders pouring in. The pieces started falling into place and SCOPE was one of them.

During the past 3 years, Grace's "hobby" has turned into an ever growing business. With buyers from as far as Europe, Turkey, and Japan Grace's products conquer international markets.

The local newspapers picked up her story long ago. Telling the story of GracieQ Creative Designs, Grace becomes an advocate, an inspiration, a mentor for other Filipinos. She makes my job a lot easier!

To me, personally, Grace is all of the above and more: a true friend.

Gambas on the helm!

After two exciting and exhausting days in the mountains we couldn't be stopped! For the first time in 7 or more months, we joined the monthly Sunday Club Race at Taal Lake. Inspired by last week's 3rd overall place in the Corregidor Regatta, we dragged our sore bodies onto the boat and over the water, knowing that this is rather practice than competition.

With nothing to lose and a friendly soft breeze Glenn decided it's time for me to helm in a race.

With shaky hands I grabbed the tiller and maneuvered our Cat somewhere near the starting line. Starts freak me out, always. Everybody is fighting for a good start and clean wind. Naturally, the line is crowded, the skippers tense, and the mood competitive. In reversed roles, Glenn is counting down the seconds for me while advising in which direction to steer the boat.

I felt like steering the boat down a pizza slice: starting from the wide crunchy crust to the narrow cheesy greasy tip. Almost magically, I managed to slip our Cat between the committee boat and another competitor. A perfect start, which means a lot!

Just then, the wind basically died! Without any wind sailing becomes a whole different sport. Under such conditions, collecting stamps or holding down the couch become exciting and adventurous activities.

Rule number one in light wind: do not stall the boat! Easier said than done! I glued my eyes to the tell tailes on the jib. Let's keep them happily flying! I held the tiller extension so tightly, I think I squeezed some water out of the aluminum rod!

After what seemed hours, we were the second boat to round the first mark. Hoping for a shortened course, we aimed for the committee boat. No flag on the boat indicated any course change. So we dragged our hulls, leaning against mast and boom to keep the sails from collapsing.

We almost neglected the sound of the horn we heard. It was only then that we realized something was going on near the finish line. Could that be a shortened course? And could we be in perfect position to cross the line first? No way! And yet, we did! Beginner's luck!

Way to go, Gambas!

Banau, Ifugao

Despite an uncomfortable 10 hours bus ride to get from Manila to Banaue, the trip is worth the while!

We got to Banaue at seven in the morning. Our first stop was the Sanafe Hotel to get our needed coffee fix for the day. From there we took a tricycle to get to the Batad rice terraces... or so we thought. After a bumpy 45 minute drive, the driver dropped us at the Batad-Junction. From there it is a one hour walk to "the saddle" from where it is another one hour hike to Batad from where it is yet another one hour walk, traversing the stone-walled rice terraces, to the Tappia Waterfall.

The hike was most scenic, the weather perfect, and the interaction with the local Ifugao just amazing! Old women showed us there traditional handicraft skills or explained the (hi)story of the Rice God to us. The local hospitality was overwhelming.

While the elder people were very willing to be photographed, a young mother stopped me politely just when I was about to snap a picture of her 18 months old daughter. In perfect English she explained to me, that "in our culture we believe that you not only take a picture, but also the soul of my daughter."

I apologized and said, that I should have asked her permission first. She thanked me for my understanding. I was amazed, knowing that I was the one intruding not just her privacy but also her culture and believes.

Banaue bus trip

Who thinks it is a nine hour trip to Banaue, errs. It's maybe a 5 hour bus ride and another 4 hours of digging around. Every 1.5 hour our bus stops in some remote place. Food stalls are readily lined up to offer 3 in 1 “coffee”, cup noodles, chicheron, and chips. Toilet facilities get more and more simple and are eventually limited to the street side (good luck to us ladies). But anyway, I can't even drink so fast to need a pit stop every 90 minutes! After a while I wonder if I paid 400 Pesos for a bus ride or a parking ticket!

On top of the artificially prolonged trip, the temperature in the bus is nowhere near any normal human habitat (except for the North Pole, maybe). I’m wearing two pairs of socks, an outdoor jacket designed for heavy rains and winds over my t-shirt and sweater. Still, I’m close to losing limbs to frost bite.

It is so cold inside the bus that the water condensates on the outside and I can’t even appreciate the landscape rushing by. When we finally get off the bus in Banaue I can’t use my camera for another 40 minutes as the lens is fogged. All the while I thought I’m in the tropics!

Corregidor Regatta - TS (1)

The sailing season has started in the Philippines! For two days, a light yet fluky wind carried nine Hobie Cats and three Hobie Getaways around the history-laden islands of Corregidor and 'Fort Drum'.

The Corregidor Regatta was the first of six races of the Travellers Series, an eight-month long sailing event organized by the Philippine Interisland Sailing Foundation.

Glenn and I, alias team Tiger Gambas, started the Traveler Series with a promising 3rd place! The first time ever we took a trophy home! Despite a torn trampoline (due to be replaced within the week), a missing fixtures one of the shrouds (which could have easily de-masted the boat), a few tactical and technical lapses (which buoy is the windward mark?) we managed to reap in two first places! Our combined fighting weight of 287 pounds (only 2 pounds above the minimum racing weight requirement) surely helped in the rather light wind conditions of around 8 to 10 knots.

While s(n)ailing our way from Puerto Azul Marina to Caballo Island just off of Corregidor, we had to cross the South Channel which connects the South China sea with Manila Bay. How exciting it was to tack last minute to evade a commercial fisher boat (yes, we saw it and heard its warning horn!) or to duck the Super Ferry to not be run over by it! Although our Cats are fast considering their size, there is no use in trying to bully a floating condo building.

The scenery of the race was great! Rounding Caballo Island we could see the remnants of buildings, once the bastion of the American military and later the battle ground during the Japanese invasion. Just then, the wind picked up. With good boat speed we passed Fort Drum, formerly a natural islets. With a considerable amount of concrete, the island was transformed into what looks like a war ship.

“Tiger Gambas” is definitely not a war ship. But, we are ready to battle for a good overall place in the Travellers Series! A third place is a good start, I’d say.