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A Trip to Bawbawon Resort

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Recently we rented two vans and, loaded with friends and neighbors, drove up to Plaridel to take a day trip to the Bawbawon Island Resort. As we had to go through province checkpoints due to the "lockdown", (stupid Covid!), there were some hassles getting there and back, but once in Plaridel everything went smoothly. The Hotel Bijoux The fun started at the Le Bistro cafe inside the Hotel Bijoux, where we had coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and yummy snacks.  Then after a brief wait, it was off to the "docks", where we were loaded onto small boats and ferried to Bawbawon Island. Placing Orders at Le Bistro Loading Up the Small Boats at the Dock Captain T and his loyal First Mate ensured we arrived to Bawbawon Island safe and sound! Captain T First Mate Scenic Views From the Boat After the short boat ride we arrived at the Island.  As you can see from the pics, it is quite a beautiful place.   The boys had fun playing on the beach, Sweetie had fun relaxing, and even Old G...
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Posting on Noise.Cash

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So for the last month or so I have been ignoring this blog, and posting my "fascinating" accounts of life in rural Philippines on Noise.Cash.  Why?  Because I get paid, (a penny or two), for my activity there. Woo hoo!  I'm a PAID writer!! Unfortunately, Noise.Cash doesn't have a good way to list your posts, so I'm going to give links to some, (15 or so), of my more relevant posts here, in order of oldest to newest. Another Day in Dry Season  -   https://noise.cash/post/l25q7v3q Outside the LTO Office  -   https://noise.cash/post/1qg4gwr6 Our House in Mindanao  -   https://noise.cash/post/1zj24qw3 Kuya Just Got Braces!  -   https://noise.cash/post/1r062p4v Driving in the Philippines  -   https://noise.cash/post/1vv8z3r0 Watermelon!  -   https://noise.cash/post/1krn878k Our Puppies  -   https://noise.cash/post/103r8qxw Swimming at a "Resort"  -   https://...
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Swimming Again

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Swimming at the Mabanag Spring Resort Today, in celebration of Kuya's birthday, we went swimming at the Mabanag Spring Resort . This is the fourth time we've gone swimming in the cold mountain waters of Zamboanga del Sur, and the second time we've gone to Mabanag.  Maybe it's because I'm acclimating to things here, (does that mean I'm going wacko too?), but the waters, although still uncomfortably cold, seem to be a bit warner each time I try to swim.   Mabanag is in Mahayag, being one of three swimming resorts located there.  We had previously gone to Eriberta Spring Resort back in early March, which I wrote about in a prior post .  I think the water is a bit warmer at Mabanag, but that may be due to the season. The Large Pool at Mabanag On the whole, I think Mabanag is more "rustic" than Eriberta, at least the parts of Eriberta that we went to.  (Eriberta has a whole separate section which we didn't visit.)  One thing that is interesting about M...
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Braces!

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Kuya with his New Braces Recently we travelled to Pagadian City,  and Kuya got braces! Before the consultation with the dentist/orthodontist, (in the Philippines one person does both functions), we were concerned about the complexity and cost of this procedure, as a dentist back in the USA had scared us with the announcement that Kuya may need oral surgery.  (At the time an x-ray showed one of his teeth coming in sideways, and affecting the roots of other teeth.)  Fortunately in the time between then and now his tooth got its act together, reoriented itself, and is now poking out properly in his mouth, although at a slant.  Thus the need for braces. Entrance to the Dentist's Office This dentist was recommended to us by one of Sweetie's high school classmates, who just so happens to still live in Sweetie's hometown.  There is no way I would have been able to find this dentist; there was no sign on the building advertising her presence, and the entrance to her off...
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Culture Shock

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  Another Sunny Day in "Dry" Season Culture shock!   I've already written about how wet it is during "dry" season here, so I won't bore you by complaining about that again.  (Welcome to the jungle, Old Grump!) Cash flow has been an unexpected problem.  I'm amazed, (and disgusted), with how difficult it is to transfer money to myself from MY OWN BANK ACCOUNTS, but I believe most of the troubles originate back in the USA.  Besides, this has been such a time consuming hassle that I should write a post dealing solely with this irritating topic.  (Hint: the long term solution may be to use cryptocurrency, bypassing the over-regulated U.S. banking system.) The real culture shock for me has been drastic, (to me!), differences in what is considered proper hygiene.  For example: Dodong and Kuya at the Swimming Pool We recently went to another "spa", where anyone who wanted to could swim in the very cold water.  The kids liked it, and there were sever...
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Driveway Improvements!

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Working on the Road Yesterday folks here got tired of my bitching-and-moaning about the horrid condition of the access road and driveway here, so Sweetie paid for some gravel to be delivered, and the neighborhood guys pitched in to help spread it over the muddy ruts. If you remember the prior post, ( A Very Wet Dry Season ), when it rains our driveway turns into a gross mess.  Well, I am very pleased to report that the driveway has been improved, at least temporarily: Our New and Improved Driveway I don't know what will happen to this gravel once the torrential rains of true Wet Season start, but at least this is a much needed temporary improvement.  (I even helped spread some of the gravel across the driveway!) Long term I'd like to put a cement path/patio outside the kitchen door, and cement paths to both the front door and the dreaded outdoor CR, (or at least stepping stones), but I understand that progress here must be incremental.
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A Very Wet Dry Season

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"Dry" Season at Our House Currently where we live it is supposedly Dry Season.  I add the word "supposedly" because ever since we arrived here there have been rainy days, and the past few days have had torrential thunderstorms. Of course the unpaved driveway becomes a series of mud puddles when it rains.  The access road that we take to get to our driveway is even worse.  At the best of times it is a bone-jarring series of humps and dips.  With the addition of a liberal quantity of water it becomes a quagmire capable of being navigated only by vehicles with four wheel drive.  (Or four legs!) Our Muddy Driveway But not all has been doom-and-gloom.  A week ago, during a day it did not rain, we traveled to a "swimming resort".  The water was beautiful, but very, VERY COLD.  Despite the heat of the day, I could only stay in the pool for a few minutes. Beautiful, but Frigid Water Now that I am here in the "tropics", I wish I had brought more long sl...
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