Photos et lettres des Philippines, de France et d'ailleurs

I was getting bored in particular because of my left leg’s pain which reduced my mobility a lot.

June 4, the day of my departure finally arrived and as I usually do before leaving when the weather permits, I had a dip in the warm sea first thing in the morning. All of a sudden I realized how lucky I was to live in this place half the year and how I should be ashamed of me when I am complaining as I have the choice between two comfortable residences, one in France and one in the Philippines.
Certainly in the evening loneliness is my only companion, but I never really get bored with my all my hobbies and with my two faithful dogs.
I would have preferred to have a more active social life as it was the case some years ago but I got used to this lack of French relations and I have now to be more open to other nationalities. And why not start other activities such as joining a photo club or starting golf?
So on June 4 afternoon, I took the Cebu Pacific flight to Manila where I arrived one hour later. My sister-in-law and a couple of Filipino doctors who had visited us this winter in France were waiting for me at the Manila domestic airport.
We all went for dinner in a restaurant located in the third largest mall in Asia, MOA or Mall of Asia. The land on which it is built has been fully reclaimed from the sea and now obscuring the view of Manila Bay residents of existing apartments paid the price of gold by their owners for this impregnable view. How ironic!
The Mall includes, among other things, an Olympic ice rink which in this tropical climate consumes a lot of energy in a country that fails to produce enough electricity to its inhabitants of the province.
The meal we took in a luxury restaurant was both delicious and plentiful and then I had some trouble falling asleep in the condo my friends lent me at the 38th floor of a building overlooking Manila Bay.

(Manila bay through the window of the 38th floor condo)

The Western media always on the lookout for sensational stories to go up in the ratings only mention the Philippines and Manila in particular, about natural disasters, kidnapping, bombing, and prostitution.
The Philippines is in the plural and is a land where the differences are much greater than in our western countries. In this archipelago, Manila is a world apart, salaries (for those who have a job) are much higher than in the rest of the country and therefore the cost of living as well. Abject poverty is next to an outrageous luxury.
I know that but I live in the province where I travel often the countryside and the mountains with my old 4x4 and these contrast shock me every time.

I find myself wondering if the difference is not greater between the Philippine countryside and Manila than between Manila and major cities in Europe and U.S.
Yet there is one common denominator between the city and countryside and between rich and poor, it is the smile, the joy of life and fun to be with family or friends. Yet careful not to be a naive optimist, there are also unfortunately many exceptions.
June 5, my Filipinos friends fetched me at 1 pm to drive me to NAIO (Ninoy Aquino International airport) so named in memory of the politician assassinated by Marcos’ henchmen, the ex dictator, on August 21, 1983 while disembarking the aircraft bringing him home after his exile in the USA. This murder triggered the Revolt of the Filipino people, the flight of Marcos and the accession to democracy.
At 5 pm I boarded the Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 bound to Singapore where I had a little over three hours of waiting before taking the A380 to Paris.
The Singapore Changi Airport, in my opinion, is one of the finest in the world and spending three hours there is never boring. There are also computers and Internet in self-service and the height of refinement, a dispenser of alcohol to disinfect our hands after using the keyboard.

(Singapore Changi airport)

But when the boarding passengers for Paris learned that the flight was delayed of about one hour and a half, 10-15 minutes later, a note was distributed telling us why the aircraft was delayed, the new schedule, their apologies for the delay and for those who wanted a free phone call to their families or friend,.we were also invited to have a snack at the restaurants listed on the back of the note. What a respect for the passengers, hats off to them!

(Our delayed Airbus A380)

Finally our flight was only half a hour late when it arrived at CDG Paris airport but once there it took another hour to claim my luggage. When I think that in many countries, the bags are already on the carousel afterwe have passed the immigration controls. In my own experience I know only one airport longer than CDG for getting the baggage; it is JFK in New York.
I had great pleasure in finding my family and my country again, but as it had been the case last December, the weather began to deteriorate though in my case a I appreciated a bit of freshness after all my tropical perspirations.
Just back for the Pentecostal weekend, my wife and I went to Juigné sur Loire in Anjou at 320 km from our home, for the sacred annual meeting of the alumni of our batch of the Graphic arts Estienne school. It's fun because once together, we the retirees regain our youth and our student jokes without whining about the elapsed time and sometimes our failures. Anyway the clock of time can’t run counterclockwise.

(My Estienne classmates and their wives)

Always thirsty for culture and discovery, we went to explore this beautiful region of Anjou and quenched our thirst in the cellar of a nearby vineyard.

(A Anjou area church and village)

Maybe I tasted too many vintages, but I made my zoom fall down from a high stool. Result: 310 € to repair it. I will think of that every time I drink a little wine purchased from this vineyard.

(Tasting the wines of the Domaine des Rochelles vineyard)

www.domaine-des-rochelles.com

Unfortunately this weekend was also marred by bad news from the Philippines, my dog ​​Zoey was very ill and my house keeper was doing his best to soothe him while waiting to go to the vet Monday, June 13
He said there was an epidemic among the dog population. This was confirmed by the veterinarian who preferred to prescribe Zoey some tonics before giving antibiotics.

On Tuesday 14, we received an SMS informing us of the death of Zoey now buried next to my good and big Doberman, Brousse, poisoned in October 2009 during an attempted burglary.

(Zoey now dead with the blus collar and zrah with red collar)

(Our big and sweet Brousse poisoned in October 2009)

Now his sister Zarah with whom he had always lived finds herself alone and my house keeper administers her honey to avoid contagion. I keep my fingers crossed because I am very attached to my dogs and they are often my only companions who keep a close watch over their house and my safety.

On Sunday, June 19, we went for the day near Chauny in the North East of France to celebrate with his family the 31st birth day of Alexis the boyfriend of our daughter Christelle.

(Alexis'birthday)

In fact until my next trip in late August to the Philippines, almost all our weekends are taken but I am far to complain about it.