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

The tsunami:
I was not receiving any more satellite TV for over two years. It had begun with the removal of the francophone channel TV5  and then two movie channels Cinemax and HBO and then finally I would have been obliged to buy a new receiver therefore I did not renew my subscription and I contented myself with watching my DVD and drinking a beer to fill my evenings .
On March 11, while at home at about 8 pm, I first received a SMS from my wife who was surprised that I did not answer the phone and seemed happy to know I was unharmed. Other SMS followed from France and Manila. Some asked me to leave my seaside to go take refuge in the mountains with my house keeper, his family and my dogs.
Thus I learned the disaster that had struck Japan and the tsunami alert which was on the Philippines and which was lifted only at midnight. I didn’t sleep well and went regularly to observe my dogs sleeping peacefully on the terrace knowing they could detect a potential danger before any human being.
The next day I went into town to subscribe again to the satellite so as to be informed of major world events through CNN or BBC World, the latest being my favorite because at least the British know that France exists unlike the Americans of CNN. Of course I am deprived of French political news but I can gladly do without it because more important things are happening now in the world that the last statement of Ms... or Mr. ... who favor first their ambition before being at the service of France.

The car breakdown:
On Monday, March 14, I was about to drive into town to resupply the house but when I tried to start my Pajero, nothing happened because there was no more power. I concluded that one or both the vehicle batteries were dead. What to do? Because there is no Auto Roadside Assistance here and I had to manage on my own.
I still had my friends but I knew Charly was in Siquijor for a few days so I called up Michel who unfortunately did not answer.
Thus, despite the pain in my leg I walked the 800 meters up to the highway, and then I took a jeepney to Bacong 18 kilometers away and finally a tricycle to the repairs shop.
Obviously my mechanic did not have enough money to advance the purchase of 2 batteries and so I took a tricycle and a multicab (small jeepney) again to go to Dumaguete. I visited two stores before finding the models I wanted and it cost me 8800 pesos (150 €). Then I sent an SMS to my guy to pick up the batteries and deliver and install them in my home. What he did in the late afternoon accompanied by his children who wanted to enjoy the ride. I paid 600 pesos for this service (10 €) plus a few glasses of Coca Cola.
Here I always purchase the best brand of battery for my car and yet they never last more than two to three years and I do not know why as some friends told me they only change theirs every five years.

(My Pajero when in the mood in the mountain a few days ago during a photo and pee break)

The dentist:
In December when I was in France, I broke half a tooth already devitalized. I called my dentist who could receive me only a month later.
Upon inquiry, placing a dental crown in France totaled between 800 and 1200 €, a substantial sum to pay out despite the partial reimbursement of the Health insurances.
So I waited to be in Dumaguete to make an appointment with our dentist or rather our dentists because the husband and wife work in the same office, and both treat my wife and me. My crown was installed in two sessions for 100 €.
We had met them two years earlier. I had broken a tooth and needed already a dental crown and my wife who was reluctant to trust them still requested a quotation for the replacement of her two bridges. The amount was estimated at 1800 € while the lowest price in France was around 10 000 €. After much hesitation she agreed and the work done and materials used were blameless.
Back in France it became very funny when she attempted to be reimbursed by the Caisse d'Assurance Maladie (French Health Insurance System). It ended with a letter addressed to Mrs. Roseline Bachelot, Health Minister whose secretarial staff never even acknowledged the receipt of it.

In summary, they said that the dental treatment was not unexpected and in case of trouble she should have asked for a temporary prosthesis which would have been reimbursed and later in France to replace the bridges for 10 000 € in part at the expense of our health care system Instead of spending 1800 € in the Philippines. QED!

The Doctor:
After a few days at home, I could hardly walk as my left leg ached and I was already thinking to anticipate my return in France.
I finally decided to visit my doctor who occasionally treated me for over ten years at Holy Child Hospital in Dumaguete.
Here, there are no appointments and you have to arrive early at the office for the secretary to write down your name on the list of patients so as not to be taken too late.
Yet at 8 am in the morning I was already the sixth and I had to wait until 10:30 to be received, after the Doctora Cabaces has completed his visits to his patients hospitalized and received in consultation the 5 persons who preceded me.
I suffered an attack of arthritis combined with tendinitis behind my knee. She prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs that relieved me quickly.
I sometimes wonder how this 60 years old doctor can make a decent living as she charges only 100 pesos fee per patient (1.60 €). Her diagnosis is often right and she is enough humble to refer you to a specialist when she is unsure of herself.
Sadly a week later my pain came back and since I do not want to live with taking strong drugs constantly, I take my misfortune patiently waiting to be back in France.

Marguerite (Margaret or Daisy) the cow:
January 17 to celebrate our thirty years of marriage, I gave a check to my beloved wife to buy whatever she wanted. Later when I was leaving to the Philippines, she handed me the envelope with the amount in Euros to buy her once there…. a cow. It will be our thirty years of amour vache, she said (literally cow love that can be translated into rough love). It's more original than a jewel isn’t it?
In fact it was also and above all a gift for our house keepers Nora and Dodong who would take care of the bovid and who would have right later to be given a calf that would offset the losses they had had with their goats and of which I speak further.
Wednesday, March 16, accompanied by Dodong, I went to the Malatapay market where the foreigner I am, stepped aside to let him negotiate the purchase of the cow. It is only when I had to pay and for the drafting of the contract of sale that I appeared.
For the modest sum of 13,800 pesos (230 €), we were now the proud owners of a ginger heifer of 13 months old which naturally was named by a French Marguerite, (See Henri Verneuil’s film of 1959, the cow and the POW, with in the major roles, Fernandel and the cow Marguerite).

Then Dodong walked her along the beach for 30 minutes before arriving at the house.

(Dodong and Marguerite at the Malatapay market)

(Our cow Marguerite 3 weeks later)

Nora and Dodong ‘s goats:
In my poor rural area, the wealth of my Filipinos neighbors is rarely measured as in Western countries or as in the cities of the Philippines in consumer goods such as cars, flat screen TV or other Ipad and Iphone. Here owning one or two pigs, some goats and above all a cow is enough to make them happy.
Thus, over the years and the generosity of our visitors, Nora Dodong found themselves owners of a goat, a gift from my sister in Australia, which later gave birth to kids, a sow offered by our friend Bonita, which also littered piglets and now part of our cow Marguerite.

(The sow and the piglets)

Yet during my absence and while he slept inside our house, Dodong heard furious barking and soon our two dogs joined to increase this noise. For security reasons he was careful not to go outside to see what was happening and then all was quiet with only the sound of wind and waves to be heard.
What was his surprise and dismay the next morning seeing that two of his goats which were attached to a pole outside our house and one of which was pregnant had been killed and half eaten by stray dogs. It is a very rare event that I had never heard before.

(One otf the two goats killed and devoured by the stray dogs)

Dodong informed the Municipality hall of the incident in vain until a few days later it was the turn of the goat of a Councilor to be attacked and eaten by the same dogs. So the police organized a beat and 9 dogs were shot dead.
It must be said that here the Filipinos do not eliminate newborn puppies and prefer to let them live without care and without food until these stray animals gnawed by hunger come to these extremes.