BETWEEN CHINA AND THE PHILIPPINES

I REALLY ENJOYED THE PHILIPPINES AND THE PEOPLE THERE. THE ONE PLACE THAT I LIKE MORE IS CHINA. I WAS THERE AROUND A TOTAL OF 12 TIMES. I HAVE BEEN TO QUITE A FEW CITIES ALL OVER CHINA. I INTEND TO GO BACK THERE SOON TO TEACH ENGLISH FOR 2 YEARS OR SO. MY FINANCE IS THERE AND SO I WILL GO TO TEACH WHERE SHE CURRENTLY IS NEAR XIAMEN.

I HAVE NOTICED SOMETHING DISTURBING THE LAST FEW YEARS. THERE IS A VERY STRAINED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHINA AND THE PHILIPPINES. A NUMBER OF TIMES, CHINA HAS RESTRICTED THE NUMBER OF FILIPINOS COMING TO  CHINA FOR WORK OR PLEASURE. THERE HAVE BEEN INCIDENTS OVER THE PAST YEAR WHICH HAVE CAUSED A REALLY SERIOUS PROBLEM BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES.

VERY RECENTLY THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT EXECUTED 3 FILIPINOS FOR ALLEGEDLY SELLING DRUGS IN CHINA. WHETHER THE EVIDENCE WAS INDISPUTABLE OR NOT- I DO NOT KNOW. THERE WAS OUTRAGE NATURALLY IN THE PHILIPPINES.
PERSONALLY I FELT THE SENTENCE WAS WAY TOO HARSH- THE THREE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEPORTED BACK TO THE PHILIPPINES NEVER TO RETURN TO CHINA AGAIN.
YOU SEE, CHINA FOR ALL ITS PROGRESS- IS STILL A POLICE STATE, A COMMUNIST NATION- IT'S LAWS ARE SOMETIMES VERY STRICT AND THE PENALTIES ARE SEVERE.

IN SPITE OF THAT- NEXT TO AMERICA- CHINA IS MY FAVORITE COUNTRY.

RETROSPECT ON THE PHILIPPINES

A FEW THOUGHTS BEFORE I LEAVE THE SUBJECT OF THE PHILIPPINES. I WILL RETURN THERE SHORTLY TO SEE MY FRIENDS. HOWEVER I DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT THE PHILIPPINES IS A UTOPIA- WITH NO PROBLEMS.  FROM WHAT I HEARD AND MORE IMPORTANTLY FROM WHAT I SAW THERE- POVERTY IS WIDESPREAD. EVEN IN MANILA, THE CAPITAL, I SAW CHILDREN AND ADULTS BEGGING FOR FOOD OR MONEY IN THE STREETS. THERE IS CRIME THERE, LIKE MOST EVERYPLACE ELSE IN THE WORLD AND THERE IS CORRUPTION. THAT IS THE PRICE TO PAY FOR LIVING IN A DEMOCRACY I SUPPOSE.

BUT THERE IS ALSO A WONDERFUL SENSE OF PEACE THAT I FELT WHEN I WAS THERE- THAT SOMEHOW EVERYONE WILL SURVIVE AND HAVE A CHANCE AT TRUE HAPPINESS AND A BETTER LIFE THERE. EXPATS CAME THERE VOLUNTARILY AND MOST ARE LIVING HAPPY AND PRODUCTIVE LIVES. THAT SAYS A LOT.

TO SEE MORE INFORMATION ON EXPATS - CLICK

LEAVING ANGELES

MY TIME IN ANGELES WITH MY FRIENDS WAS WONDERFUL AND MEMORABLE. WE HAD A GREAT TIME SINGING KARAOKE AND ENJOYING SWIMMING IN THE POOL WHERE I WAS STAYING. IF YOU ARE IN ANGELES, YOU MAY WANT TO CHECK OUT THE LEWIS GRAND HOTEL,PICTURED ON THE TOP OF THE PAGE. IT IS A VERY NICE- OLD STYLE HOTEL AT A REASONABLE PRICE. THE SWIMMING POOL IS OPEN ALL NIGHT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO LIKE NIGHT SWIMMING. MEALS AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES ARE LOCATED IN THE HOTEL ALSO.

I MET MANY WESTERN MEN THERE WHO RELOCATED TO ANGELES TO ESCAPE THE HECTIC PACE OF LIFE ELSEWHERE. I CAN UNDERSTAND THE REASONS WHY- THE PHILIPPINES IS A PLACE WHERE ONE CAN SLOW DOWN A BIT- AS THEY SAY- STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES.

PHILIPPINES FACTS AND INFORMATION






FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ALWAYS ARE HUNGRY FOR MORE INFORMATION- A BRIEF INTRO -  THE PHILIPPINES IS AN A COLLECTION OF OVER 7,100 ISLANDS. THE PHILIPPINES IS THE 12TH MOST POPULOUS COUNTRY IN THE WORLD WITH A POPULATION OF 92 MILLION PEOPLE.

THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGES OF THE COUNTRY ARE FILIPINO AND ENGLISH. THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PHILIPPINES IS A DEMOCRACY AND OVER 90% OF THE RELIGION OF THE COUNTRY IS CHRISTIAN.

SPEAKING ONLY FOR AMERICANS- YOU DO NOT NEED A VISA TO GO TO THE PHILIPPINES. YOU CAN STAY UP TO 2 WEEKS OR MORE WITH JUST A VALID PASSPORT.

OVER THAT TIME YOU WILL NEED A VISA OR AN EXTENSION FOR A PROLONGED STAY IN THE COUNTRY.

FOR TRANSPORTATION TO THE PHILIPPINES, I ONLY KNOW THAT FROM NEW YORK, THERE ARE NO NON- STOP FLIGHTS TO THE PHILIPPINES. YOU HAVE TO CHANGE PLANES USUALLY IN TOKYO OR HONG KONG TO FLY TO MANILA.

WHEN YOU ARE IN THE PHILIPPINES, THE MONETARY UNIT IS THE PHILIPPINE PESO. THE VALUE CHANGES FROM DAY TO DAY, BUT APPROXIMATELY ONE PESO IS EQUAL TO 45 US DOLLARS. AMERICAN MONEY GOES FAR IN THE PHILIPPINES.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines

FOR MUCH MORE

CLICK THE LINK ABOVE.

ANGELES

MY STAY IN ANGELES WAS WAY TOO SHORT. AS YOU CAN SEE, MY FRIEND ARNIE IS VERY BEAUTIFUL AND SHE SHOWED ME AROUND THE CITY OF ANGELES. THE SHOPPING MALL THERE IS LARGE AND VERY NICE. WE SHOPPED THERE SEVERAL TIMES DURING MY STAY. THE FOOD IS MUCH CHEAPER THERE THAN IN THE USA , AND IT  IS OF VERY GOOD QUALITY. FRUITS AND VEGETABLES ARE ALWAYS FRESH.

WE PICKED UP A LOT OF CHICKEN THERE AND TOOK IT BACK TO ARNIE'S HOUSE. SHE AND HER ROOMMATE MADE TERIYAKI CHICKEN FOR ME ONE NIGHT- IT WAS DELICIOUS- I LOVED IT SO MUCH!

ONE NIGHT WE TOOK A MOTORBIKE TO THE CHINATOWN SECTION OF ANGELES AND HAD CHINESE FOOD. IT WAS GREAT, THE SAME AS I HAD IN CHINA. ON THE WAY BACK WE TOOK A LONG WALK THOUGH TOWN, THERE WAS A LOT OF ACTIVITY EVERYWHERE, ANGELES REMINDED ME OF A MUCH SMALLER VERSION OF TIMES SQUARE ON A SATURDAY NIGHT. ANGELES HAS A UNIQUE CHARM ALL IT'S OWN.