2 - My October trips: Siquijor, Manila, Malatapay market and Thalatta Resort.

Siquijor, October 9 and 10
That was more than, one year since I had last been in Siquijor charming island thirty kilometers off Dumaguete and I wanted to spend a day or two there. This lovely place attracts more and more tourists but also frightens the superstitious visitors. It is indeed known for its healers, but also witches doctors and sorcerers supposed to put curses on people and mainly located in the mountains town of San Antonio.

(A "good" herbal doctor since deceased. The pic was taken in 2003)

At 10.30am, I took the fast craft connecting in 45 minutes Dumaguete and the main town of the island that is also called Siquijor. Often we have to say that we are going to Siquijor-Siquijor to be precise.
I was accustomed for years to rather stay at resorts near San Juan south of Siquijor, the best of them being undoubtedly Coco Grove, except for the quality of the restaurant, in my opinion.

(Beach near San Juan and Coco Grove)

(The Coco grove's staff entertaining the guests during the dinner)

http://www.cocogrove.com.ph/

It owned by an Australian who not only manages another resort on Apo Island, 7 km in front of my house but also the Coco Grand Hotel and the restaurant Coco Amigos in Dumaguete.
For a change I hired a tricycle to go to the second city of the island, Larena in the north. There I took another tricycle to go 8 km further to Casa de la Playa resort.

(Casa de la Playa beach)

Times change and with the arrival of tourists no longer afraid of the Philippines, we have to negotiate prices with tricycles drivers and the rates of rooms and bungalows have doubled since 2005 -2006.
So at Casa de la Playa it costs 750 pesos a day for a simple cottage, 1250 for a seaside one with electric fan and 1750 for the same with air conditioning, roughly 12, 20 and 30 €. They are all located in a large tropical garden and the restaurant is near the entrance. Everything is cooked fresh and the menus have to be chosen one hour in advance.
Unfortunately for this first day, the weather was rainy and I spent my afternoons reading on my terrace.

(Terrace and room of my cottage overlooking the sea)

To be precise, I was lacking a motorbike a means of transport so useful on this island but I must say that twice I had rented one in Siquijor and the 2 times I had landed on the tarmac, lucky to have only to suffer some abrasions on my legs and arms. That's how my career as a biker came to an end and therefore getting easily around here.
Later I took a very good dinner at the restaurant for about 250 peso sand after a good night's sleep and a hearty American breakfast, I walked 10-15 minutes to go on the rmain road where I again hired the services of a tricycle to reach the heights of Larena in a place 'called' Triad with a magnificent view and a restaurant offering a very acceptable food.

(View from Triade on the heights of Larena)

I spend there part of the day relaxing, reading and taking pictures before going back for my second night at Casa de la Playa.

(Sunset at Casa de la Playa)

http://www.siquijorcasa.com/

In the following morning I took the tricycle I had already reserved the previous day and went to the Siquijor's pier to catch the noon boat bound for Dumaguete and at 1 pm I was seated at the Why Not restaurant on the boulevard where you can enjoy excellent western cuisine though rather Germanic.

Manila, October 23 and 24.
I had several small problems to solve. A camera to check normally in Cebu, but the technicians were in training in Manila for an indefinite period, a water pump to buy for my Pajero ,50% cheaper than Dumaguete, and especially to have my hearing aids repaired and which consumption of batteries were abnormal with intermittent failures of the right device. Again this could have be done in Cebu if the store had not been closed because of renovation
I am not deaf but like many men of my age exposed to noise in their youth, I had trouble in the high range and this disturbed me, especially for the intelligibility of female voices. Although not understanding a woman is not really a handicap? Just kidding, of course, but I love music and I want to hear all the nuances of the violin, harpsichord and flute.
I boarded the 9 am Philippines Airlines flight to Manila and I arrived 1:15 later at the new domestic airport terminal. I could notice that many things had changed and particularly the highly regulated taxis. Now we take a ticket at a counter with the plate number of the vehicle and therein all the rates are displayed... It is true that it was a time when Manila taxis drivers were considered to be among the most thieves in the world.
I booked a cheap room at 1700 pesos in a small hotel in Makati, the business district with its skyscrapers, its international head offices and shopping malls. I thought I could accomplish many things in 24 hours but later I was proved wrong
Manila is a metropolis of more than 10 million people and the distances to get from one place to another can be huge and gigantic traffic jams at peak hours in the pollution do not help.
Therefore I went first to Canon office at the walking distance from the hotel I was told that I had slightly scratched my focusing screen while cleaning it with my glasses cloth and probably a grain of sand or dust in it. You should have used a blower they said. I agreed with them but I had lost mine. My own stupidity was at fault and only embarrassed me, not the quality of the photos. The solution for no longer thinking was about it was to change the focusing screen unfortunately out of stock and three weeks time to get it. So I would get used to scratch or I'll see it later in Cebu or France.
The next leg was Quezon City, twin city and part of Metro Manila and where a place, Banawe Street, was dedicated to auto parts stores which I would not guaranteed as genuine. I found my water pump but made the seller contacting by phone my mechanic to be sure to get the good spare part.
Since I was in Quezon, I wanted also to go into a store specializing in the lights for photography because someday I'd like to get into taking indoors portraits. I wasn't yet ready to buy it but I could see huge price differences with France, with brands and comparable model. Our VAT at 19.6 % and theirs at 10 % do not explain a differential of 1 to 2 or even 3 times. Instead I just wanted to buy one reflector at 15 € but there were out of stock and was advised to go to their Makati store near my hotel.
My third leg was on my way back but I had already a hard time to find a taxi to go to the main branch of 'Manila hearing aid' in the SM mega mall of Mandaluyong to have my hearing aids checked. I wasn't lucky as their technician worked alternatively all their stores in Manila and that day he was in… Quezon City. So at 4 pm I returned to Quezon hoping to be there be before the 6 pm closing time. I arrived around 5 pm and waited for my turn. The diagnosis of the technician was final. The electric contacts were oxidized and had to be changed. Luckily there were in stock in Manila but after negotiations, I had to come back the next day at 10 am and then I would travel to the airport for my return trip. My abundant sweating was responsible for this second failure in 18 months in oxidizing the contacts.

How such a "state of the art" Swiss gear can be sold 4200 € and be damaged by human perspiration? Incredible! The Philippine store manager told me they were distributing the same model and the solution was to buy small acoustic tissue protections to absorb the sweat instead of penetrating inside the hearing aids. Unfortunately again they were out of stock and I had to go in their store in…Makati which closed at 7 pm.
With the help of the guard I tried to find a taxi for the return but in vain. Either they were full or refused to take me because it was too far in a dense traffic. The guard advised me to take 2 taxis, one to make me closer and the second to arrive at their destination.
At 6:45 I was finally at the mall 'Ayala Center while the lights of the store were already off but I could buy my pieces of tissue for 12 € each. What a day!
Then I tried to return to the hotel after dinner just walking but got lost. After a few kilometers walk because it was impossible to find another cab I finally arrived at destination and I slept like a baby.

(Skyscraper and street of Makati early in the morning)

The next day I took the time to take some photos near the hotel before boarding again a taxi to Quezon City to get my hearing stuff. I arrived at 10 am and paid the sum of 3,500 pesos (57 €) for the repair.
Then it was just like the day before. Unable to find a direct cab and this time I made most of the return trip with their LRT train called which I should have done the previous day back and forth as it is fast, comfortable and cheap.
It was 11:30 and I tried to find the store to buy my photo reflector. I was in the right street near the right number 2227 that I was unable to find. All told I that I was close but the numbers are 'broken' like going from 2152 to 2300 then to be again at 2210. I called the store 2 times but at 11.45, I thought it more prudent to return to the hotel, to shower, change my clothes and then proceed to the airport.
I thought I was done with Manila but not yet, again it took me 30 minutes to find a taxi...
Now you must have realized without any doubt that Manila is not my favorite place in the Philippines.

(Manila domestic airport terminal)

The Malatapay Market.
There is no need for me to go far to find exotic places because every Wednesday the largest market of Negros Oriental is held in Malatapay ,2 km south of my home or 25 minutes walk by the beach at low tide.
The market attracts obviously the local people for its fruit, vegetables, fishes and cattle but also many tourists especially as it is also the place of embarkation for Apo Island, the island in front which is a marine reserve known by divers worldwide.

(Boats going from Malatapay to Apo Island)

(Malatapay market)

I often go there for shopping but also to eat grilled fish or roast pig. It is even more enjoyable when I can meet friends there for lunch and then take coffee at home.

(My suppliers)

Thalatta Resort.
I met the owner of this resort in 2005 during the construction of my house. Jay, my contractor, has the habit of inviting his customers and prospective customers for a buffet dinner usually every November 24 to celebrate the fiesta of Dumaguete which takes place on November 25, on Saint Catherine's day.
On this occasion, Jay introduced me to the only other French guest, Patrick who intended to choose Jay for the construction of his beach resort less than 2 kilometers from my house.
It must be said that Jay has some experience in this area because he had already to his credit the achievement of Pura Vida in Dauin owned by Christian, a German-speaking Swiss.

http://www.pura-vida.ph/

and 800 meters north of my house also Well Beach Resort owned by Guido, another German-speaking Swiss.

http://www.wellbeach.com/

I got on well with Patrick immediately and we saw each other when he came to Dumaguete. At the time he was living at 100 kilometers north of Manila in Angeles City on the island of Luzon. Married and father of 2 kids, he was only present in the Philippines one month out of two. The other month he was working off the coast of Africa to find this black gold called oil.
Breton from Camaret and approaching his fifties, he aspired to a quieter life with his wife and his children and had planned to quit his job to manage a resort.
I was there during the construction of the place that opened in February 2007. Immediately he met a great success with an international and local clientele as well, especially for his restaurant and the French cuisine of the Chef Daniel, a French-speaking Swiss.
Today Patrick is devotes his time entirely to his new job; he built another building for the scuba diving activities run by Raphi, another Swiss and has just completed 2 additional bungalows. So far all is booked for the end of the year.
I am very pleased to see another Frenchman succeed in an area usually reserved for our Swiss friends.