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

In the Philippines especially, November begins with two important days, the All Saints’ Day followed by the All Souls’ Day. This week there, is almost as dead as the Easter week if I may use this pun. Everyone returns to his home town to honor the deceased and downright partying at the cemetery after lighting the candles and leaving a small bouquet of flowers.

(Plenty vendors of candels and flowers near the cemeteries)

On November 2, I did the same thing for two French friends probably victims of alcohol although the first one drowned in the sea having fainted while swimming, therefore he was killed by seawater and not alcohol. What an irony!

(The cemetery is crowded with people paying tribute to their deads)

While this country was already preparing Christmas I had already found a garments manufacturer for the T-shirts of my son and the second week of November I took delivery of the first two samples which, I sent immediately to France.
There followed numerous exchanges of emails and files to make some changes in the cutting and colors, asking for two new samples, taking pictures with a few volunteers and send the photos for approval and finally placing the order.

(At the Internet cafe a waitress is posing for me wearing the hooded T-shirt)

(A Korean customer is posing as well)

All this took me quite some time with many coming and going in the city but also to have a decent Internet connection to read and upload files I needed for instructions and informations.
I neglected my photographic hobby with the exception of a few road trips to places I had already visited many times.

The heights of Zamboanguita,

Tambobo Bay,

Balanan Lake and Kookoo's nest cove.

I could still attend two street parades in Dumaguete. First it was the Sandurot Festival which celebrates the innate sense of Dumaguete inhabitants to live in peace and harmony with people from other countries, cultures and religions.

(Sandurot Festival)

Then November 24 and 25, it was the culmination of the city festivities with the Dumaguete Fiesta that is celebrated on the Saint-Catherine’s day, patron saint of the city and its Cathedral.

During the parade all the forces of the municipality and province march through the streets and give free rein to their showmanship.

(Dumaguete Fiesta)

Until the end of the month I expected delivery of my T-shirts, visiting the shop from time to time to see the progress and check the quality.
Then in early December was the arrival of the Typhoon Pablo which I have already written about previously and it largely stopped all activities of the city for lack of electricity for a period of 3 to 8 days depending on location and damage.