That year went to the Philippines with my mother to visit family. June, rainy season. Arriving in Manila airport where we would take another inland flight to Bacolod, we were greeted with smiles by many relatives.
People in the Philippines are in general always smiling and ready to help you. Many of them are also in low income, so they always expect a small tip in everything they do. Its not mandatory but its a good gesture. Two policemen helped us a bit in Manila airport=tip. Guy helped us with the luggage=tip (well you would tip this guy either way). But you need to be careful about that as well, for example you have your bags inside a local long distance bus and you arrive somewhere, you see many people running towards the bags, some of them just to take them out of the bus and ask for a tip, maybe some of them to take advantage of the commotion and snatch something. It happened to me and my uncle while transporting some material to build a house.
In Bacolod we were joined by some more relatives and my auntie Elina, they took us out at night for a bit of sightseeing. Arriving in Bacolod airport the security measures were a bit more tight, removing shoes to check the soles, full body search etc. And then, as soon as we pass through the check I spot a weird character ready to go through. Westerner, white long hair, age around mid 50s, big beer belly wearing an open shirt, cowboy hat. As soon as he goes through the security scanner it goes "beep beep beep"! Police guy comes to search him, he opens a bit his shirt and I think I catch a glimpse of a gun with a waist holster, he opens up his wallet which is full of bills and pass a p1000 to the cop, then walks away. Three more cops come but when they go to the weird westerner they laugh and the "suspect" waves them with his hand that everything is alright. Walks away nice and easy... me very shocked!
A schoolgirl with her uniform riding the jeepney. These jeepneys are the most popular means of transportation in the Philippines. They collect and drop people anywhere on the street on a specific route.
What I found very interesting, my uncle was a printing shop as well. And the printing machine was operated manual by hand! Placing and removing the paper one by one while the machine was working!
Bamboo is the way to go high up working with tall buildings, here painting. No safety precautions, no nothing...
At one occasion I was happy that we managed to be in Bacolod city with my grand mother Othelia. Together with my uncle, my mom and some more relatives we took her to eat in Pizza hut for her first time. I was so happy to see my grand mother eating pizza!
My mother holding CJ, Tiny, auntie Olive, Cathline and Charizza.
People in the Philippines are in general always smiling and ready to help you. Many of them are also in low income, so they always expect a small tip in everything they do. Its not mandatory but its a good gesture. Two policemen helped us a bit in Manila airport=tip. Guy helped us with the luggage=tip (well you would tip this guy either way). But you need to be careful about that as well, for example you have your bags inside a local long distance bus and you arrive somewhere, you see many people running towards the bags, some of them just to take them out of the bus and ask for a tip, maybe some of them to take advantage of the commotion and snatch something. It happened to me and my uncle while transporting some material to build a house.
In another occasion visiting Bacolod, visiting some more relatives.
My uncle there was running a junk shop which was a good business.
All kinds of stuff waiting to be sorted out in my uncles shop.
A bit dangerous you should be fast enough and be careful with your hands.
Additional information
GPS coordinates for places in this post, click on them to be redirected to the exact point in google maps. Click on the names to be redirected to their official websites (if applicable).
Bacolod Silay Airport: 10°46'36.0"N 123°00'54.1"E
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