Been a while since I've written, so let's start in Manila. If it's not for the hundreds of random people and kids sleeping in the street, it's them asking for our money. They even teach their infant kids to hold out their hands to us. The sad part is that we just walk on by. We didn't do much in Manila except for one day, we were walking down by the ocean, and some random Filipino guy starts talking to us and taking our picture.
Next thing we know, we're in a cab with this guy, and off to a cock fight. We walk into this arena, built specifically for cock fights, and are instantly approached from all sides. Everyone wants to talk to the only two white people in the building, and honestly Filipinos are the friendliest people ever too. Instead of watching the fight from up in the stands with everyone else, we were escorted ring side to sit in the VIP area with the time keepers. All free, because we're white. Nice.
This fight was intense too. They strap 4 inch blades to the roosters legs, and they go at it. The fights not done until one of the roosters is dead. Five minutes later, it's over and done. One of the guys running the fights yells out "DINNER TIME!" and everyone cheers. Note to self, don't eat street food outside of cock fight arena.
So that was a normal Tuesday, what did you guys get up to? hahah
From Manila we took a $28 flight and bus to a place called Borocay, and it's spectacular. The place is truly beautiful, and beers are 50 cents. Cool. Anyway, the thing about Borocay, is that it's low season. Not many tourists. So what happens is, we meet locals and hang out with them. The thing about Filipinos are that they are insanely friendly and giving. I don't know how many times in the past seven days that I've been offered food and drinks for free, just because I'm white and bad ass.
Another thing Filipinos like to do, is get whitey to eat weird shit and laugh about it. So that's what we did. Our Filipino buddy, Dab, shows up to our room with a bottle of rum and three of these eggs. They look like hard boiled eggs, but of course it can't be that easy can it? Immediately, my head is thinking, what the hell is the catch with these eggs? Why does he have three of them, and does he actually expect me to eat it?
First, I'll explain a little bit about, Dab. He's a wicked Filipino guy, that speaks flawless English. The thing he likes to tell white people, is that he's from San Diego and spends his days surfing. Actually, that's what he told us when we first met him, since he speaks such good English, we believed him. We're still not sure why it's so fun for him to say he's from San Diego, but rock on brother.
Zoom forward three days. Back in our room, Dab, presents us these eggs and starts explaining exactly what we're about to eat. Duck embreyo, that had been incubating for 21 days and then boiled like a hard boiled egg. Awesome, not gross at all...
"Just try and ignore the beak, and the feathers. They're soft and you can eat them"
I said pardon? Did he just say, ignore the beak? Okay, I'll ignore the animals beak. I think to myself, power through this one, buddy, can't let this little asian think I'm a pussy. My buddy, Ben and I, open these eggs and when we see what is waiting for us, I thought one of us would be calling out dinosaurs. Canadians, do not waiver.
Actually the eggs didn't taste that bad. It was like a hard boiled egg, but you had to ignore the chunks. Can't say I'll be up for ordering more of these things, but I did it, Dab was happy and so were we. It's something that almost all Filipinos eat, and so we had to try it.
Ben leaves tomorrow, and I'll be back on my own. (which is probably a good thing, because I won't party nearly at all and just relax for a while) Probably won't be for long though, since I'm one of the few white people here right now, I'll make new Filipino friends in no time. The thing about them is that they are always the friendliest people, and just want to talk.
I'll probably be here another week, maybe a little less, and then it's back to Thailand to meet up with some friends from home. One I worked with, the others are from Vancouver and I met them last time I travelled. Big what ups to everyone back home. I think of everyone, and I'm sorry that I haven't written in such a long time.
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