August has flown by and September is upon us. It has been just over a month and a half since we left Mangenguey and for the last few days I have been struggling to create a piece that encompasses all that is Mangenguey. In order to remain diplomatic, in the past I left many things off my blog out of respect for my employer but I no longer have to remain silent. I want to finally express the reality of our living situation for the 3 months we were trapped in servitude. Trevor and I strongly believe that every life experience serves a greater purpose. We feel that in this case we found our way to Mangenguey so that we could share with the world the truth behind the façade that sells this “utopian” island paradise.
As I worked on my expose, it kept growing and growing. I decided that it would be more exciting and fun to read (and write) a collection of short stories that illustrate the plethora of strange and unique incidents we encountered while living in The Philippines and on Mangenguey. As time was not of the essence on the islands, so it will be with my timeline of stories. I’ll reference past and future stories when necessary and introduce pertinent characters as new stories unfold but for the most part if you understand the “main players” the rest will fall into place!
Today’s story: Meet the Dramatis Personae of Mangenguey
Helena Carratalá Mander: The “self-proclaimed demi-goddess” and matriarchal dictator of Mangenguey, the gigantic Fidel Castro posters above her desk were our first warning that we may have been misled. Claiming she ruled with “fear and love” we saw no displays of “love” but many attempts to instill fear in those around her thru loud shouting, belittlement, insults and flamboyant hand gestures. Never afraid to call a person “stupid” or “ridiculous” to their face in front of others (including her “confidant” Ruben or her husband Richard), everything was an argument or confrontation with the Queen; anything and everything she says is right, no questions asked! To question her perfection implied a lack of loyalty of which she held in the utmost regard, 2nd only to honesty. Honesty meant not only telling her of EVERY last daily detail of Mangenguey business but also telling her what she wanted to hear and believed to be true, whether it was truth or not. With an infinite ego the size of the heavens, she believed it was her destiny to prove to others she could do anything they told her couldn’t be done. These accomplishments would come at the expense of anything and anyone that got in her way. Her “creativity” came from simply taking what others had done and doing the opposite. Overflowing with delusions of grandeur, the “utopia” she was building was nothing more than a shrine to herself and her achievements; a place where unsuspecting travelers could come and bask in her greatness while she controlled their vacation. Once they got there, what could they do about it anyways? They were stuck in the middle of nowhere and if they wanted to leave she was their only way off the island!
Ruben Nazareth: Helena’s “butterfly”, Ruben has been her confidant and servant/friend for over 30 years. The only person with pure loyalty to the Queen (or so she thought) and her tagalong translator, Ruben had Helena wrapped around his little finger. He referred to her as “Mother” and would never hesitate to tell the staff when their actions would “disappoint mother”. Uncertain of Ruben from the first time we met, he once told Trevor “He knew how to put cream in her (Helena’s) coffee and convince her it was black.” Our arrival on Mangenguey sparked a strange power struggle between us and Ruben. His discomfort with others having any connections to Helena or control of her life/business besides him completely hindered our ability to create any sort of consistency for the staff or ourselves. Helena and Ruben frequently referred to the staff as “dogs that needed constant discipline and guidance”, a blatant indication that the idea of honoring human dignity on Mangenguey was reserved only for people of a certain “class”. Ruben spent his days and nights spying on everyone on the island, always hiding around the corner with an open ear to report back to Helena or stir the pot with the local staff. When he wasn’t lurking in the shadows or napping, he was following the boys around with a long bamboo stick or machete, keeping the “dogs” in line. His other favorite pastime was to give commands or advice to people (including Trevor, Nick and myself) that he knew would get them in trouble with “mother” later. Always an innocent smile to your face, he was the master manipulator of Helena’s madness that she refused to acknowledge. For example, whenever Helena left the island he always “cleaned” her desk. Each time he did so, things went missing or were moved to strange locations. We heard her repeatedly chastise Ruben for touching the desk but whenever she turned her back, it happened again and again. The “cleaning” happened while we were trying to work in the kitchen and at our office desk too…
Richard Mander: Helena’s poor unfortunate husband, Richard’s heart was in the right place. Richard envisioned an island retreat where guests could feel as if they were home with old friends and he did his best to make them feel this way. Unfortunately, his ideas for the island were very different from Helena’s. We were frequently told it was part of our job to manage her husband and keep him on track with his projects which were strictly limited to construction based tasks. We were also told NEVER to do anything Richard told us to do without first checking with her for approval. She would regularly shoot him down when he tried to share ideas or get involved with any conversations or planning. He frequently had to remind her that it was HIS money that was funding her “utopia”. Once after one too many daytime cocktails he admitted to us that he would have preferred to invest in other endeavors but of course the queen always gets her way! His biggest downfall was his inability to communicate with the natives. He had not learned a single word of tagalong and frequently became extremely frustrated, yelling at the poor “boy” assigned to help him. It was an extreme version of kick the dog syndrome and we mostly just felt bad for the guy. Whenever Richard got the chance he was hanging out in the main house, keeping us company while we made family dinner, drinking with the guests and/or playing pool with whoever he could.
“The Boys”: A group of 17 – 40 year old local men, we never figured out why they were called “the boys” not “the men” or “the guys” or something more fitting for their age. The boys did everything: housekeeping (including The Mander’s House), grounds-keeping, construction, cleaning the septic tank by hand, driving the banka (boat), walking the dogs. Their day started at 5:30 and they were essentially on call at all hours. For all their endless hard work the highest paid “boy” was paid a whopping $5.50 per day and got 2 days off per month if somebody remembered to give it to them. All “the boys” lived together in a sort of compound called the bhang house. Their living quarters are next to the generator with 2 small houses for them to sleep on the floor, a small TV. and 1 shared shower and toilet. There were never less than 5 of them staying in the bhang house at a time and whenever men would come to do non-skilled construction they would also stay in the bhang house. It got pretty cozy at times! They had no refrigerator in the bhang house and “the boys” were not included in the family meal (that story to come later). They were not allowed to drink alcohol and had to ask permission to leave the island, even after their work day. They were not to come to our house and we were not to spend time with them other than during work. We found this all very strange and just another way to create separation so Helena could maintain ultimate control. When we first arrived, the natives were very wary of us and our intentions. In retrospect, the forced separation and the past treatment they received from The Manders and Ruben is probably why. As we got more comfortable, we decided to ignore the segregation law and attempt to bridge the cultural gap between us all. Despite language barriers we were able to create friendships with most of them, some closer than others, and we miss them greatly. It was our willingness to treat them like people that got us into the most trouble on Mangenguey. As the boys make their appearances we will introduce them one by one.
“The Girls”: When we arrived, I was the 3rd girl to inhabit the island (I do not count Helena). The two Filipina girls slept in a shared room above the desalinator. One girl, Ann, was the kitchen helper and responsible for preparing the continental breakfast, prepping for lunch and dinner and preparing family meal for the Manders, Ruben, Me, Trevor, herself and the other girl, Bridget. Bridget was the masseuse and when there were no scheduled appointments she helped with housekeeping. Every other day she would give Helena a 2 hour massage. Both girls had the will and opportunity to leave Mangenguey and when they made those decisions, we were excited for them to escape the drama and mistreatment they were receiving at the hands of “Mother”.
Our first story begins on what turned out to be our last night in Mangenguey…
Next Time:
What Happens When the Queen Gets Hungry...
A.K.A. The Sudden Group Goodbye
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Playing Catch Up Part 4: Wrapping Up Manila & Back to Sunny Seattle
We got back to Manila, full of shabu shabu and M!ne. Exhausted from our week of walking we headed to the hostel to rest before we set off for Tagaytay.
Since we weren’t able to get a ticket back to the states until August 2nd we figured we should take the time to see a bit more of the Philippines. Because we were on a budget and unfamiliar with the cost of the transportation options available we decided to pick a place relatively close to Manila. Tagaytay is located just south of Manila. It is slightly more temperate in climate and the tourism there is centered around the tiny volcano that is located in the middle of the lake. We found a small room for rent at a place called Amora’s. Now all we had to do was figure out how to get there.
One would think taking the bus is simple, but in the Philippines taking the bus is anything but easy. All the buses are privately owned so they are constantly in competition with each other for your business. There is also little to no information online regarding bus routes. Everything is very convoluted and basically directs you to show up in a certain area where you then have your pick of bus lines and destinations. We narrowed it down to a few choice bus lines that went in the direction we needed to go and packed up to head out early the next morning.
The night before we left Manila, the rains started to pick up. Manila is notorious for mass flooding during rainy season so we got up extra early, eager to depart before the rains trapped us in the city. We jumped in a cab and he drove us to the main bus depot in Pasay. Immediately upon departing from the cab, there was mass commotion, a few people rushed up to us shouting out names of destinations (or at least I think that’s what they were doing) and one guy grabbed my bag and started trying to put it on a bus. After Trevor snatched it back for me we headed to what looked like an area where we could maybe get some answers. We asked for Tagaytay and were directed to a bus. With no other options but to get on and hope for the best, we did just that.
The way the bus works is there is an attendant on duty that once the bus departs, he approaches and asks where you are going. You then pay him accordingly. As the bus drives along, people just kept getting on and each time a new person got on the attendant would approach them and collect the appropriate fee. Sometimes street vendors would even get on selling water, hot nuts and snacks. Once they had made their way down the aisles they would just get off. It was a bit strange but I guess it would be nice if you were hungry or thirsty! Trevor had told the attendant where we were going when we first got on and he had told Trevor that he would tell us when to get off. When we got off we were to take a jeepney the rest of the way to Tagaytay. To get to this mysterious destination it only cost 140 PHP for the both of us (about 3.25 U.S. dollars). We knew the ride was about 45 minutes to an hour so we just sat back, enjoyed the rainy scenery and waited.
About an hour later we arrived at a small town where the attendant told us to get off and ask for a jeepney to Tagaytay. We had never ridden a jeepney before so we figured at least we would get the chance before we left the country! A man directed us thru a marketplace to what looked like a jeepney depot. We immediately saw the jeepney with a Tagaytay sign and got in line.
The first jeepney was already packed but luckily there was another one right behind it. The way the jeepney works is they just fill it as full as possible. And when I say full, I mean so full you cannot move an inch, are squished up against the people around you and there are even people hanging off the back. Once they had crowded as many people on as the jeepney could carry, we were on our way. Trevor was on the opposite side of me halfway down the bench and I was crammed in the corner with all of our luggage next to a nice older man. He was on his way to Tagaytay to pick up his daughter’s children to bring them back to his town to care for them. He was very sweet and conversational and spoke decent English. Everywhere we went in the Philippines people were very inquisitive, always asking how long we were here, did we like it, etc. It made the stay even more interesting and enjoyable.
As the jeepney rattled on, people would just jump off and others would jump on. There were no clear stops of any kind, we would just slow down as we approached people walking and if they didn’t want to get on they would wave us along. If they boarded the jeepney, they would pass their money thru all the passengers up to the driver and call out where they were heading so he would know when to stop. As we got closer to Tagaytay the jeepney began to empty out. We also noticed the temperature beginning to cool and the skies beginning to gray. We had been chatting with another nice young girl and she mentioned we had arrived just in time for the typhoon that was heading thru. We figured better to be outside the flooding city and away from the coast! Finally after about an hour, we got to Tagaytay, the final stop on the route.
When we got off the jeepney, we quickly got a tricycle and headed to Amora’s. It was a cute small boarding house, across from Picnic Grove (a popular tourist destination) and about 5 minutes outside the center of town. Just as we arrived, the rains started to fall. We had skipped breakfast and were pretty hungry so we took a tricycle to check out downtown Tagaytay. Worn-out from our journey, we ate at the first place we saw called Andok’s. An upgraded Filipino version of KFC, it actually wasn’t too bad. Trevor got his favorite fried chicken and I got some Bicol beans (beans stewed in coconut juice with small pieces of pork) and of course, some rice. The rains were beginning to pick up so we decided it was probably a good idea to head back to Amora’s before the typhoon hit. After a wet tricycle ride we got to Amora’s just before the down pour began. Exhausted and full of food, we figured it was the perfect time to watch some Sunny (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and take a nap.
Our "Filipino Fix" for Trevor's Computer
Keep Out, Our Room is Occupied!
Red Horse, our drink of choice in Tagaytay
The Impending Clouds
After a couple of hours we woke up hungry and decided to set out to find some food. Amora’s was a bit out of the way so we took a tricycle down the road for some Kinilaw (a white fish ceviche dish) and Puso Ng Saging (banana hearts), pork ribs and of course, rice. After our delicious meal we headed back and enjoyed a Red Horse and more T.V. before bed.
The next day the weather had cleared a bit so we decided to take a walk to look out on the volcano and try the Greek Taverna we had seen on our drive home the night before. It was actually quite good. As with almost every restaurant we went to in the Philippines they didn’t have the first couple things we tried to order but we ended up with Spanikopita and a tasty stuffed tomato and bell pepper. After our meal we walked the rest of the way to downtown but could see the clouds moving in again so we promptly caught a tricycle back to Amora’s.
On our Walk to Downtown Tagaytay
Finger Express?? A restaurant specializing in chicken fingers?
Views of the Lake and Volcano
Trying out the Greek Taverna
We were the only ones in the restaurant...
But it was pretty tasty!
Trevor enjoyed a fine brandy :)
The inside was VERY Greek
The typhoon raged on the rest of the night and the next two days. It was actually nice to rest for a bit after the crazy work schedule we had as slaves on Mangenguey and then our walking adventures in Taipei. We had downloaded all of “Nurse Jackie”, a show recommended to us by our old Mangenguey companion. The pounding rains and howling wind were the perfect accompaniment (and excuse) for our relaxation! We spent the rainy days watching all three seasons of the show, leaving the room to eat a meal or two at Amora’s son’s restaurant and a small restaurant down the street. Amora’s son was in his early 40’s and had spent a long time living in New Jersey and working in New York before returning to the Philippines after the economic recession in the states. He was very welcoming and after each of our meals we spent time chatting with him about the contrasts between life in the U.S. and the Philippines.
The Hotel Dog
Mmmm...Adobo at Amora's son's restaurant
The Daily Special, Beef Bulalo. Perfect for a stormy day!
Inside Amora's son's restaurant: There were 2 other tables like this and that was the entire place. It was very cozy and made you feel right at home.
On our last day the sun came out so we walked all around Tagaytay admiring the views of the lake and volcano. With mixed feelings about our impending return to the states, we packed our bags and headed back to the crowded city of Manila. Amora’s son gave us a ride to the bus and we got there just in time to jump on as it was leaving. The ride on the way back took almost three times as long with traffic but this time we got off right near the hostel. A second typhoon was on its way in and the rains were already starting. We were a little nervous our plane might not make it out!
Our last day in Manila (and the Philippines) we spent the morning organizing our things for travel. In the evening, we headed out to see our friend and former Mangenguey co-worker Ann one last time. When the first lady Kris Aquino visited Mangenguey, she offered Ann a job working for her. After much consideration Ann took the job and was now living in Makati, the nicest area of Manila. We met her at the Macdo (McDonald’s) close to her house and got to sample the Filipino version of the American chain. It was exactly the same. Ann had brought along her new friend Jane who also worked for Kris. The four of us set off from Macdo and found a cool margarita bar and Mexican restaurant. We enjoyed some farewell margaritas and beer before they had to go back to work. By this time the rain was intense and the streets were beginning to flood. We had hoped to say goodbye to our other friends Ria and Ronny (2 former guests of Mangenguey) but they were working and we couldn’t wait around and risk getting stuck in Makati. As it was, we tried 4 cabs before any of them would take us back to Malate, the neighborhood where we were staying! We got home, totally drenched and hung up our clothes, doubtful they would dry before making the 16 hour journey back to Seattle.
Another guest at the hostel had a couple of ferrets.
911 for Pizza??
It's hard to see but above the Seattle, this jeepney says Green Lake. We found it very ironic to see this on our last night...almost creepy!
Me and Trevor with Ann and Jane...we will miss you friends!
This is the water level outside our cab on the streets. It was rising as we slowly made our way back to the hostel.
This tricycle driver saw us taking a picture and struck a pose.
I told you there is a love for rice!! We certainly enjoyed it while we were there :)
Our flight to Seattle left at 12:20 pm and arrived back in Seattle around the exact same time, on the exact same day. It is interesting because it is almost as if your travel falls into some black hole of time and doesn’t even exist. If only your body and mind felt the same! We woke up early and headed out, weary of the bad weather and our minimal layover in Seoul. With only one hour to spare, if our plane was delayed even a little, we might not make our connection.
We caught a cab outside our hostel to run our errands before going to check in. We felt kind of bad for the taxi driver because he had no idea what he was signing up for when he picked us up. First, we headed to Cebu Pac (a Filipino airline) to pick up our cargo. Because we had so much luggage we had shipped three of our large bags via air cargo to be stored in the warehouse until we left the country. For only 1250 PHP (about 30 U.S. dollars) we were able to store our bags for the entire two weeks we were travelling. We had gotten our cash down to nearly nothing, assuming we could pay the cargo pick-up via credit card. Silly me, we couldn’t so after we had packed the tiny taxi with our bags (trunk cracked open and all) we had to make the poor taxi driver find us an ATM so we could pay him when he dropped us off at the airport. Luckily we found one quickly without getting too far off track and hurried to the airport.
When we got there we got in line at Korean air, crossing our fingers that they wouldn’t charge us the baggage fees. Two of our three bags were over the weight limit but we had noticed that even though they state a limit, they seemed to do a combined total of weight no matter how many bags you tried to check. Thankfully we were right and only had to pay the $200 change fee for our tickets. I handed over my credit card and we finished checking in. I assumed by the time we got our tickets my credit card would be returned, but I also should have learned by now never to assume anything in the Philippines. We were asked to step away from the counter to wait for my card to return. We waited…2 minutes, 5 minutes…I was beginning to think my card was never coming back when the lady finally appeared (from where, I don’t know because she came from far away) and we headed to our gate.
In the Philippines, you have to go thru immigration BEFORE leaving the country in addition to when you enter. You also have to pay a cash only fee each time you travel, 750 PHP (about 17.50 U.S. Dollars) per person to even get into the security check point. One is given no warning of this fee and there is no way to get cash so you have to exit again and find an ATM if you weren’t already aware of this strange practice and they of course only accept PHP. After you pay, you go thru immigration then security which is split up into a male and female line. Once thru we grabbed a sandwich and our last SMB before getting on the plane.
The weather looked promising and we boarded right on time. I knew it was too good to be true because nothing we tried to do in the Philippines had EVER been on time, but I was hopeful! It wasn’t until we sat on the runway for almost half an hour that I really began to worry. Apparently there was a back up to take off and when we finally did we were almost 40 minutes late. We crossed our fingers, sat back and enjoyed the free beverages (yes, even wine!) and 2 surprisingly tasty (for an airplane) meals served on our 5 hour flight.
We landed in Seoul with 10 minutes until our flight left for Seattle. We ran thru the terminal and of course when going thru security again the turtle-esque security guard had to re-check my bag in the machine twice and take the entire thing apart by hand. By this time our plane was leaving any minute so Trevor went ahead to get us a spot in line. When turtle man was done with my bag I ran up the escalator and down the terminal to find Trevor close to the front of the line. We boarded the plane and settled in for the long ride. Again we got free wine, coffee and tea, 2 meals and had individual t.v.’s with movies, video games, movies etc. I highly recommend traveling Korean Air if you are going to Asia. In addition to the amenities you are given great service by a fleet of flight attendants dressed in adorable matching cream colored straight skirts (there are no male attendants) with short sleeve baby blue blouses, a baby blue neck scarf tied with the ends at a perfect angle and a nice tight bun! After another 11 hours…we were home.
We were greeted by happy moms and gorgeous weather when we got back. It was nice to be home after so long and almost felt like we had never left! We spent the next few days adjusting our sleeping habits and catching up with family and friends. The weather stayed nice all week and into the weekend, perfect for Seafair!
After the usual Seafair boat party Saturday, we spent Sunday barbequing and recovering from the day before. Monday was Trevor’s birthday so we visited some more friends in Seattle before heading up to Everett to stay at his mom’s apartment while she was away on vacation. We spent the rest of the week washing the Mangenguey funk off every piece of clothing we brought to the island, catching up with old friends and re-packing to head up to Jen Hall’s wedding.
The timing of our return couldn’t have been better and just reaffirmed my belief that all things happen for a reason. Jennifer is one of my oldest and best friends in the world and since we were little kids we have been there for each other thru so many life changing events, good and bad. When I left for Mangenguey, one of my biggest regrets was that I was going to miss her wedding. Even though I decided to come back too late to be a part of the bridal party, I am just happy I could be there for the big day! She was one of the most beautiful brides I have ever seen and one could see that every little detail from the rehearsal dinner to the post-ceremony celebration was put together with love. Roche Harbor provided the perfect picturesque setting and tied together the whole weekend. Words can’t express how pleased I am that I got to be there after all.
Ferry Ride to Friday Harbor
Beautiful Roche Harbor:
Great weather and gorgeous views, we stayed in the Hotel de Haro
The Taxi Driver polishing his Awesome Old School Cab
The View from the Deck of our Hotel
Harbor Views from the Park
The Rehearsal Dinner:
Maureen and Trevor at our BBQ Dinner on the Dock
The Happy Couple at Speech Time
After the dinner, we all hit the bar to wrap up the night. Here we are just before bed!
Getting Ready:
Me, Em & Maureen hanging out with Ella
All the girls watching the beautiful soon to be bride get her hair and make up done.
She's almost all set...
Except we forgot the garter, oops! Maureen and Emily are on it :)
Paws!!
The Ceremony:
Exchanging Vows
Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Pugel!!
There was no other walking path for people to go thru and this poor lady's dog decided to relieve itself right in the middle of the path where Jen and Chris were supposed to walk! She tried to pick it up and dropped it all over her shoe and smeared it into the walkway. Her husband just left her behind. It smelled terrible so we moved the line down and luckily Jen and Chris were taking pictures and missed the whole thing!!
Maureen was there to make sure the train on Jen's dress didn't get in the dog spot :)
The Girls
The Wedding Celebration:
Just Married!!
Party This Way!
Dancing Pugels!
Beautiful Bridesmaids at the Cocktail Reception
Me and Jen Outside the Cocktail Reception
Me and Trevor enjoying Dinner
Just Two Happy Cats
After some intense dancing, Jen needed a little re-bustling!
The Wedding Cake and Roche Harbor's Famous Donuts
After the wedding I began planning our upcoming cleanse and we started attempting to get back into shape. We made a couple of trips up to exit 38 to do some outdoor climbing and also did a quick day at Magnuson Park so I could learn to lead climb.
Our First Trip to 38:
Trev Leading the Way
We have been so lucky, the weather has been beautiful since we got back almost every day!
The rock got too hot in the sun so we went down to the first wall. Unfortunately it is hard to take pictures of actual climbing when there are only two of you!
The 2nd adventure at 38:
For our 2nd trip, Trevor took us to The Far Side at 38. He neglected to mention the 30 minute hike, STRAIGHT up the mountain.
But when we got to the spot, not only was there nobody there...
But the view was gorgeous!
Trevor lead the first climb of the day.
Look at him go!
Matt went up second on top rope to try the route next to the one Trevor ascended.
It was a bit trickier but he muscled thru it!
Trevor, Looking Focused
I went 3rd but the boys forgot to take pictures so here is Trevor, starting his 2nd climb of the day.
It was starting to get hot as you got towards the top, but Trev wasn't phased.
Looking out over I-90
My 2nd Climb of the Day
Almost there...
Victory!!
Starting our Descent
Still great views!!
At some point, the trail we were on disappeared...
We got to a dead end at the bottom and started back up...and had to crawl under this tree.
We did so much hiking thru mulch, Trevor's shoe broke.
Finally, he gave up and carried his other shoe as well.
The boys superior navigational skills got us back to the path and the river. Had we had more time, we would have jumped off the bridge into that river!
Instead we settled for wading on the short cut back to the car.
We also made certain we had time to fit in a few nights out and some happy hours to get it out of our system before starting the detox diet the upcoming Monday!
With only three weeks before we left town again for our next big adventure, it was time to buckle down and balance our fun to work ratio. After almost 4 months abroad we were finally starting to reacquaint ourselves with normal living and our near one month vacation needed to produce something productive. We were feeling rejuvenated from our climbing: ready to cleanse and start a new project!
To help get back in shape we have been kayaking on the lake also. This time we went out we saw a mommy duck with her ducklings.
Naturally, we tried to chase them...but they got away.
Trevor enjoying the peace and quiet.
We also saw a Blue Heron hanging out on a dock.
We got pretty close before it flew away!
Oops, I got Trevor off guard!
Much better :)
Up Next:
Mangenguey: A Modern Day Dystopia
Since we weren’t able to get a ticket back to the states until August 2nd we figured we should take the time to see a bit more of the Philippines. Because we were on a budget and unfamiliar with the cost of the transportation options available we decided to pick a place relatively close to Manila. Tagaytay is located just south of Manila. It is slightly more temperate in climate and the tourism there is centered around the tiny volcano that is located in the middle of the lake. We found a small room for rent at a place called Amora’s. Now all we had to do was figure out how to get there.
One would think taking the bus is simple, but in the Philippines taking the bus is anything but easy. All the buses are privately owned so they are constantly in competition with each other for your business. There is also little to no information online regarding bus routes. Everything is very convoluted and basically directs you to show up in a certain area where you then have your pick of bus lines and destinations. We narrowed it down to a few choice bus lines that went in the direction we needed to go and packed up to head out early the next morning.
The night before we left Manila, the rains started to pick up. Manila is notorious for mass flooding during rainy season so we got up extra early, eager to depart before the rains trapped us in the city. We jumped in a cab and he drove us to the main bus depot in Pasay. Immediately upon departing from the cab, there was mass commotion, a few people rushed up to us shouting out names of destinations (or at least I think that’s what they were doing) and one guy grabbed my bag and started trying to put it on a bus. After Trevor snatched it back for me we headed to what looked like an area where we could maybe get some answers. We asked for Tagaytay and were directed to a bus. With no other options but to get on and hope for the best, we did just that.
The way the bus works is there is an attendant on duty that once the bus departs, he approaches and asks where you are going. You then pay him accordingly. As the bus drives along, people just kept getting on and each time a new person got on the attendant would approach them and collect the appropriate fee. Sometimes street vendors would even get on selling water, hot nuts and snacks. Once they had made their way down the aisles they would just get off. It was a bit strange but I guess it would be nice if you were hungry or thirsty! Trevor had told the attendant where we were going when we first got on and he had told Trevor that he would tell us when to get off. When we got off we were to take a jeepney the rest of the way to Tagaytay. To get to this mysterious destination it only cost 140 PHP for the both of us (about 3.25 U.S. dollars). We knew the ride was about 45 minutes to an hour so we just sat back, enjoyed the rainy scenery and waited.
About an hour later we arrived at a small town where the attendant told us to get off and ask for a jeepney to Tagaytay. We had never ridden a jeepney before so we figured at least we would get the chance before we left the country! A man directed us thru a marketplace to what looked like a jeepney depot. We immediately saw the jeepney with a Tagaytay sign and got in line.
The first jeepney was already packed but luckily there was another one right behind it. The way the jeepney works is they just fill it as full as possible. And when I say full, I mean so full you cannot move an inch, are squished up against the people around you and there are even people hanging off the back. Once they had crowded as many people on as the jeepney could carry, we were on our way. Trevor was on the opposite side of me halfway down the bench and I was crammed in the corner with all of our luggage next to a nice older man. He was on his way to Tagaytay to pick up his daughter’s children to bring them back to his town to care for them. He was very sweet and conversational and spoke decent English. Everywhere we went in the Philippines people were very inquisitive, always asking how long we were here, did we like it, etc. It made the stay even more interesting and enjoyable.
As the jeepney rattled on, people would just jump off and others would jump on. There were no clear stops of any kind, we would just slow down as we approached people walking and if they didn’t want to get on they would wave us along. If they boarded the jeepney, they would pass their money thru all the passengers up to the driver and call out where they were heading so he would know when to stop. As we got closer to Tagaytay the jeepney began to empty out. We also noticed the temperature beginning to cool and the skies beginning to gray. We had been chatting with another nice young girl and she mentioned we had arrived just in time for the typhoon that was heading thru. We figured better to be outside the flooding city and away from the coast! Finally after about an hour, we got to Tagaytay, the final stop on the route.
When we got off the jeepney, we quickly got a tricycle and headed to Amora’s. It was a cute small boarding house, across from Picnic Grove (a popular tourist destination) and about 5 minutes outside the center of town. Just as we arrived, the rains started to fall. We had skipped breakfast and were pretty hungry so we took a tricycle to check out downtown Tagaytay. Worn-out from our journey, we ate at the first place we saw called Andok’s. An upgraded Filipino version of KFC, it actually wasn’t too bad. Trevor got his favorite fried chicken and I got some Bicol beans (beans stewed in coconut juice with small pieces of pork) and of course, some rice. The rains were beginning to pick up so we decided it was probably a good idea to head back to Amora’s before the typhoon hit. After a wet tricycle ride we got to Amora’s just before the down pour began. Exhausted and full of food, we figured it was the perfect time to watch some Sunny (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and take a nap.
Our "Filipino Fix" for Trevor's Computer
Keep Out, Our Room is Occupied!
Red Horse, our drink of choice in Tagaytay
The Impending Clouds
After a couple of hours we woke up hungry and decided to set out to find some food. Amora’s was a bit out of the way so we took a tricycle down the road for some Kinilaw (a white fish ceviche dish) and Puso Ng Saging (banana hearts), pork ribs and of course, rice. After our delicious meal we headed back and enjoyed a Red Horse and more T.V. before bed.
The next day the weather had cleared a bit so we decided to take a walk to look out on the volcano and try the Greek Taverna we had seen on our drive home the night before. It was actually quite good. As with almost every restaurant we went to in the Philippines they didn’t have the first couple things we tried to order but we ended up with Spanikopita and a tasty stuffed tomato and bell pepper. After our meal we walked the rest of the way to downtown but could see the clouds moving in again so we promptly caught a tricycle back to Amora’s.
On our Walk to Downtown Tagaytay
Finger Express?? A restaurant specializing in chicken fingers?
Views of the Lake and Volcano
Trying out the Greek Taverna
We were the only ones in the restaurant...
But it was pretty tasty!
Trevor enjoyed a fine brandy :)
The inside was VERY Greek
The typhoon raged on the rest of the night and the next two days. It was actually nice to rest for a bit after the crazy work schedule we had as slaves on Mangenguey and then our walking adventures in Taipei. We had downloaded all of “Nurse Jackie”, a show recommended to us by our old Mangenguey companion. The pounding rains and howling wind were the perfect accompaniment (and excuse) for our relaxation! We spent the rainy days watching all three seasons of the show, leaving the room to eat a meal or two at Amora’s son’s restaurant and a small restaurant down the street. Amora’s son was in his early 40’s and had spent a long time living in New Jersey and working in New York before returning to the Philippines after the economic recession in the states. He was very welcoming and after each of our meals we spent time chatting with him about the contrasts between life in the U.S. and the Philippines.
The Hotel Dog
Mmmm...Adobo at Amora's son's restaurant
The Daily Special, Beef Bulalo. Perfect for a stormy day!
Inside Amora's son's restaurant: There were 2 other tables like this and that was the entire place. It was very cozy and made you feel right at home.
On our last day the sun came out so we walked all around Tagaytay admiring the views of the lake and volcano. With mixed feelings about our impending return to the states, we packed our bags and headed back to the crowded city of Manila. Amora’s son gave us a ride to the bus and we got there just in time to jump on as it was leaving. The ride on the way back took almost three times as long with traffic but this time we got off right near the hostel. A second typhoon was on its way in and the rains were already starting. We were a little nervous our plane might not make it out!
Our last day in Manila (and the Philippines) we spent the morning organizing our things for travel. In the evening, we headed out to see our friend and former Mangenguey co-worker Ann one last time. When the first lady Kris Aquino visited Mangenguey, she offered Ann a job working for her. After much consideration Ann took the job and was now living in Makati, the nicest area of Manila. We met her at the Macdo (McDonald’s) close to her house and got to sample the Filipino version of the American chain. It was exactly the same. Ann had brought along her new friend Jane who also worked for Kris. The four of us set off from Macdo and found a cool margarita bar and Mexican restaurant. We enjoyed some farewell margaritas and beer before they had to go back to work. By this time the rain was intense and the streets were beginning to flood. We had hoped to say goodbye to our other friends Ria and Ronny (2 former guests of Mangenguey) but they were working and we couldn’t wait around and risk getting stuck in Makati. As it was, we tried 4 cabs before any of them would take us back to Malate, the neighborhood where we were staying! We got home, totally drenched and hung up our clothes, doubtful they would dry before making the 16 hour journey back to Seattle.
Another guest at the hostel had a couple of ferrets.
911 for Pizza??
It's hard to see but above the Seattle, this jeepney says Green Lake. We found it very ironic to see this on our last night...almost creepy!
Me and Trevor with Ann and Jane...we will miss you friends!
This is the water level outside our cab on the streets. It was rising as we slowly made our way back to the hostel.
This tricycle driver saw us taking a picture and struck a pose.
I told you there is a love for rice!! We certainly enjoyed it while we were there :)
Our flight to Seattle left at 12:20 pm and arrived back in Seattle around the exact same time, on the exact same day. It is interesting because it is almost as if your travel falls into some black hole of time and doesn’t even exist. If only your body and mind felt the same! We woke up early and headed out, weary of the bad weather and our minimal layover in Seoul. With only one hour to spare, if our plane was delayed even a little, we might not make our connection.
We caught a cab outside our hostel to run our errands before going to check in. We felt kind of bad for the taxi driver because he had no idea what he was signing up for when he picked us up. First, we headed to Cebu Pac (a Filipino airline) to pick up our cargo. Because we had so much luggage we had shipped three of our large bags via air cargo to be stored in the warehouse until we left the country. For only 1250 PHP (about 30 U.S. dollars) we were able to store our bags for the entire two weeks we were travelling. We had gotten our cash down to nearly nothing, assuming we could pay the cargo pick-up via credit card. Silly me, we couldn’t so after we had packed the tiny taxi with our bags (trunk cracked open and all) we had to make the poor taxi driver find us an ATM so we could pay him when he dropped us off at the airport. Luckily we found one quickly without getting too far off track and hurried to the airport.
When we got there we got in line at Korean air, crossing our fingers that they wouldn’t charge us the baggage fees. Two of our three bags were over the weight limit but we had noticed that even though they state a limit, they seemed to do a combined total of weight no matter how many bags you tried to check. Thankfully we were right and only had to pay the $200 change fee for our tickets. I handed over my credit card and we finished checking in. I assumed by the time we got our tickets my credit card would be returned, but I also should have learned by now never to assume anything in the Philippines. We were asked to step away from the counter to wait for my card to return. We waited…2 minutes, 5 minutes…I was beginning to think my card was never coming back when the lady finally appeared (from where, I don’t know because she came from far away) and we headed to our gate.
In the Philippines, you have to go thru immigration BEFORE leaving the country in addition to when you enter. You also have to pay a cash only fee each time you travel, 750 PHP (about 17.50 U.S. Dollars) per person to even get into the security check point. One is given no warning of this fee and there is no way to get cash so you have to exit again and find an ATM if you weren’t already aware of this strange practice and they of course only accept PHP. After you pay, you go thru immigration then security which is split up into a male and female line. Once thru we grabbed a sandwich and our last SMB before getting on the plane.
The weather looked promising and we boarded right on time. I knew it was too good to be true because nothing we tried to do in the Philippines had EVER been on time, but I was hopeful! It wasn’t until we sat on the runway for almost half an hour that I really began to worry. Apparently there was a back up to take off and when we finally did we were almost 40 minutes late. We crossed our fingers, sat back and enjoyed the free beverages (yes, even wine!) and 2 surprisingly tasty (for an airplane) meals served on our 5 hour flight.
We landed in Seoul with 10 minutes until our flight left for Seattle. We ran thru the terminal and of course when going thru security again the turtle-esque security guard had to re-check my bag in the machine twice and take the entire thing apart by hand. By this time our plane was leaving any minute so Trevor went ahead to get us a spot in line. When turtle man was done with my bag I ran up the escalator and down the terminal to find Trevor close to the front of the line. We boarded the plane and settled in for the long ride. Again we got free wine, coffee and tea, 2 meals and had individual t.v.’s with movies, video games, movies etc. I highly recommend traveling Korean Air if you are going to Asia. In addition to the amenities you are given great service by a fleet of flight attendants dressed in adorable matching cream colored straight skirts (there are no male attendants) with short sleeve baby blue blouses, a baby blue neck scarf tied with the ends at a perfect angle and a nice tight bun! After another 11 hours…we were home.
We were greeted by happy moms and gorgeous weather when we got back. It was nice to be home after so long and almost felt like we had never left! We spent the next few days adjusting our sleeping habits and catching up with family and friends. The weather stayed nice all week and into the weekend, perfect for Seafair!
After the usual Seafair boat party Saturday, we spent Sunday barbequing and recovering from the day before. Monday was Trevor’s birthday so we visited some more friends in Seattle before heading up to Everett to stay at his mom’s apartment while she was away on vacation. We spent the rest of the week washing the Mangenguey funk off every piece of clothing we brought to the island, catching up with old friends and re-packing to head up to Jen Hall’s wedding.
The timing of our return couldn’t have been better and just reaffirmed my belief that all things happen for a reason. Jennifer is one of my oldest and best friends in the world and since we were little kids we have been there for each other thru so many life changing events, good and bad. When I left for Mangenguey, one of my biggest regrets was that I was going to miss her wedding. Even though I decided to come back too late to be a part of the bridal party, I am just happy I could be there for the big day! She was one of the most beautiful brides I have ever seen and one could see that every little detail from the rehearsal dinner to the post-ceremony celebration was put together with love. Roche Harbor provided the perfect picturesque setting and tied together the whole weekend. Words can’t express how pleased I am that I got to be there after all.
Ferry Ride to Friday Harbor
Beautiful Roche Harbor:
Great weather and gorgeous views, we stayed in the Hotel de Haro
The Taxi Driver polishing his Awesome Old School Cab
The View from the Deck of our Hotel
Harbor Views from the Park
The Rehearsal Dinner:
Maureen and Trevor at our BBQ Dinner on the Dock
The Happy Couple at Speech Time
After the dinner, we all hit the bar to wrap up the night. Here we are just before bed!
Getting Ready:
Me, Em & Maureen hanging out with Ella
All the girls watching the beautiful soon to be bride get her hair and make up done.
She's almost all set...
Except we forgot the garter, oops! Maureen and Emily are on it :)
Paws!!
The Ceremony:
Exchanging Vows
Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Pugel!!
There was no other walking path for people to go thru and this poor lady's dog decided to relieve itself right in the middle of the path where Jen and Chris were supposed to walk! She tried to pick it up and dropped it all over her shoe and smeared it into the walkway. Her husband just left her behind. It smelled terrible so we moved the line down and luckily Jen and Chris were taking pictures and missed the whole thing!!
Maureen was there to make sure the train on Jen's dress didn't get in the dog spot :)
The Girls
The Wedding Celebration:
Just Married!!
Party This Way!
Dancing Pugels!
Beautiful Bridesmaids at the Cocktail Reception
Me and Jen Outside the Cocktail Reception
Me and Trevor enjoying Dinner
Just Two Happy Cats
After some intense dancing, Jen needed a little re-bustling!
The Wedding Cake and Roche Harbor's Famous Donuts
After the wedding I began planning our upcoming cleanse and we started attempting to get back into shape. We made a couple of trips up to exit 38 to do some outdoor climbing and also did a quick day at Magnuson Park so I could learn to lead climb.
Our First Trip to 38:
Trev Leading the Way
We have been so lucky, the weather has been beautiful since we got back almost every day!
The rock got too hot in the sun so we went down to the first wall. Unfortunately it is hard to take pictures of actual climbing when there are only two of you!
The 2nd adventure at 38:
For our 2nd trip, Trevor took us to The Far Side at 38. He neglected to mention the 30 minute hike, STRAIGHT up the mountain.
But when we got to the spot, not only was there nobody there...
But the view was gorgeous!
Trevor lead the first climb of the day.
Look at him go!
Matt went up second on top rope to try the route next to the one Trevor ascended.
It was a bit trickier but he muscled thru it!
Trevor, Looking Focused
I went 3rd but the boys forgot to take pictures so here is Trevor, starting his 2nd climb of the day.
It was starting to get hot as you got towards the top, but Trev wasn't phased.
Looking out over I-90
My 2nd Climb of the Day
Almost there...
Victory!!
Starting our Descent
Still great views!!
At some point, the trail we were on disappeared...
We got to a dead end at the bottom and started back up...and had to crawl under this tree.
We did so much hiking thru mulch, Trevor's shoe broke.
Finally, he gave up and carried his other shoe as well.
The boys superior navigational skills got us back to the path and the river. Had we had more time, we would have jumped off the bridge into that river!
Instead we settled for wading on the short cut back to the car.
We also made certain we had time to fit in a few nights out and some happy hours to get it out of our system before starting the detox diet the upcoming Monday!
With only three weeks before we left town again for our next big adventure, it was time to buckle down and balance our fun to work ratio. After almost 4 months abroad we were finally starting to reacquaint ourselves with normal living and our near one month vacation needed to produce something productive. We were feeling rejuvenated from our climbing: ready to cleanse and start a new project!
To help get back in shape we have been kayaking on the lake also. This time we went out we saw a mommy duck with her ducklings.
Naturally, we tried to chase them...but they got away.
Trevor enjoying the peace and quiet.
We also saw a Blue Heron hanging out on a dock.
We got pretty close before it flew away!
Oops, I got Trevor off guard!
Much better :)
Up Next:
Mangenguey: A Modern Day Dystopia
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