OK, I went back today.

At the mall today they were sprinkling artificial snow down from the ceiling and the kids all crowded together underneath. By the time I got my camera out the snow had stopped.
Christmas music, skating, snow.......Am I in Canada?

This tree is made from cardboard, regular size kitchen globes and dryer ducting but it looks amazing.

I got a broad band connection again for the Philippines so I am not always looking for places and drinking coffee to get a seat.

I found some sugar-free bread today, it tastes normal to me. They put so much sugar in bread over here that it tastes sweet. Things that are supposed to be sweet though are sometimes very salty. Eating is usually an adventure anyway.

There were two roosters in these cages sitting by the side of the road outside my place when I went out this morning. I first thought it was a poor place to keep chickens when I realized that they were for cock fights.



I booked one more local flight for the 23rd and now have to figure out how to book buses. The people here at the hostel are no help on that and I am used to just having them do it.

The problem is there are about 20 highway bus companies in Manilla and they all go to different routs. Then there are also four classes of buses. First class air conditioned, plain air conditioned, no air conditioning, and rattle-trap. You would think that you might want first class but they are the ones who get held up the most because they contain tourists so you take your chances with ordinary air-con or go with the locals in the non-air-con. There is no online booking for buses so I have to phone I guess because I know I have to book soon for the overnight bus at least.

I am flying down to Tagbilaran on Bohol Island in the morning and will be back to Manilla on the 16th. I expect to be able to get online down there though.