archive of March, 2008
After church on Sunday, Ely, Ricardo, Flint (APTS student), Eliz and I went uphill from Gumatdang all the way into the city to have lunch in 50′s Diner. We wanted to treat Flint who is finishing a semester the local seminary and will fly back to his family in Fiji next Sunday. »→
This morning I rode a jeepney to Baguio City to check my mailbox in the central post office, buy a telephone card and ask of the requirements of opening a Metrobank checking account. As usual, when I’m in the city, I’m thirsty -at least I have a dry mouth. I walk a lot and breathe a lot of vehicle exhaust … »→
Dominic and I don’t cook, so we’ve been dining out a lot. This is the fourth evening that we’ve dined in 50′s Diner [sic], a few kilometers away from home, in Baguio City.
The first night we tried the diner, I ate “mixed grille,” a meat sampler plate with rice. The second night I had an overly large “50′s Club Sandwich [sic].” There’s no way that I or any Filipino could put this into a mouth to bite. Unreal.
We have beautiful, cloudy, sunny, breezy weather as usual in Baguio City.
I’m happy to be out walking in bright, cheery weather on sidewalks and across streets with thousands of smiling youths in school uniforms, college students in the most fashionable casual clothes that they can afford, including every style of blue jeans, flip-flops, sneakers and ballet-type slippers. »→
We thank those who have prayed for us and those who have given donations.
Dominic and I have been laboring on the Internet, doing various things. Dominic has been trying to find website design work for us and working on The Red Lion Pub/Inn website. I have been doing miscellaneous, rather unimportant ‘errands’ on the internet. My eyes have felt the strain.
We took a break to try to get a jeepney ride to Baguio City to eat dinner. I thought that rather than walk from General Luna Road to Session Road then along that to Pizza Volante or Bruno’s Café, we may as well disembark at the junction of General Luna and Leonard Wood Road, eat sooner then have a shorter journey back home.
At that road junction, jammed into one location, are a personal laundry service, a tiny Korean convenience store, an Australian’s small convenience store, The Red Lion Pub & Inn, Corfu Village (inn), Brod Pit (restaurant) and 50′s Diner. So I wanted to dine in Brod Pit, where we’d been one of our first days in Baguio, or 50′s Diner.
We had a delicious, inexpensive dinner in 50′s Diner. The place was full by the time we left. Sure, it’s not large. But this was Tuesday night. That place must be a cash cow. I would like to do a website for the place, just because of the decor/theme, the wait staff, the food … it has good subject matter; I could get good photos. †
We’re back to work Monday morning until the present, 9:20 p.m. Dominic has been working on The Red Lion Pub & Inn website. This morning I made more photos of the pub (open 24 hours), returned home, downloaded them to my Mac, edited them then gave them to Dominic.
Then I resumed editing yesterday’s photos of Gumatdang. Three of us made so many with one of my cameras. So today I’ve been editing them and saving them for hours, plus editing earlier photos of The Red Lion pics and previous Baguio City pics… »→
Easter morning , Dominic, Pie and I rode a jeepney down a very winding road into a valley, to the village of Gumatdang. The principal industry is mining for gold. And the natives farm vegetables, pigs and chickens.
We crossed a swaying suspension bridge over a murky creek where villagers pan for gold and saw the modest Agape Church (Assembly of God), the parsonage, where worship services were conducted before the church was completed two years ago, and we met Pastor Espino, his wife Raciel and Esra.
We met Lydia and Lawrence, two Vietnamese missionaries, we saw Bob and Alma and their daughters and son, Pie’s nephew Josef, and most of the gang from Turning Point Home ready to worship with the villagers. »→
I pray that the Lord grants to you a blessed, joyful Easter Sunday of peace.
Saturday morning I went shopping for groceries for our household and for our new friends. When I returned home Dominic and I sorted the groceries and discussed some things then returned to work on our computers for awhile before going downhill to Turning Point with groceries at 2:00. Ely had asked us on Friday to return Saturday after her seminar/workshop in the former gambling hall had concluded.
(Dominic) Smokey, my good friend in Panama City Florida, assured us that if we just follow God’s intentions, things will work out. I’m becoming more aware of this everyday, but the next step is always the one that scares you. At least the disciple Peter went a couple of step before he plunged into the water.
Holy Thursday: Today I walked down the main road through Itogon to go farther than I had previously to look for the local Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church. I intend to worship there on Easter and every week rather than go into the city to worship in the cathedral. »→
We have added some photographs and more stories of our experiences while trying to settle in and find a facility for the school. Getting a suitable facility, we feel, is our first step. We have been hoping for a meeting with the Mayor of the City of Baguio, Honorable Reinaldo Bautista, Junior, to ask if the city can help to get our mission school rolling. »→
For several days here I have felt sick, and I suspect that it’s due to the vehicle exhaust I breathe downtown and here in Itogon while I stand beside the road to await jeepneys. That’s my guess. For hours I feel miserable – like motion sickness -that’s the closest approximation. I feel dizzy and a sickening feeling in my head. Every day I want to lie down for a while. But every day I don’t; I keep chugging along, doing things because I know that I likely can’t nap with all the sounds of dogs and roosters and trucks in the afternoon. I’m not sleepy… »→
Saturday morning, March 8, we moved our luggage into the first floor flat of this house, reviewed the lease with Mrs. B. then paid her for this month, the last month, a telephone security deposit and Sky Cable security deposit.
Then we began to unpack our bags and wait hours for a plumber and electrician to install a water heater for our shower and for a Sky Cable installer. In the evening Dominic and I rode a jeepney to Red Lion Pub for dinner, as we hadn’t yet shopped for groceries. I ate garlic-seasoned tilapia and rice after a very soggy potato skins appetizer. Dom ate fish and chips. »→
March 6 & 7: Thursday afternoon Dom and I went go to The Red Lion Pub. We saw guys gathered round the table of knowledge, we met Tony’s son Lenin, one of the pub’s managers, and we sat with him to drink Cokes and get some insider info on acclimating to Baguio City. We’re interested in learning about getting long-term visas or alien certificates of registration, an apartment, driver licenses, cheap motorbikes or a car or a van, flights from Baguio to elsewhere, etcetera. Lenin was friendly, and more than forthcoming with useful information about Baguio and The Red Lion. We were glad to have met him. »→
Thursday morning: We awoke in Hotel Villa Rosal to the sounds of the city beneath our hotel room window. The concrete canyon was abuzz with activity: college students walking to the many photocopy booths to copy their homework then going to classes, delivery trucks roaring, taxis and jeepneys honking… We ate complimentary breakfast in the hotel’s dining room, then went out to prowl the streets, General Luna Road and Session Road… »→
(Dominic) The fun dealing with the locals continued. When we got off the bus there were two eager beavers ready to take our bags and take us to one of several hotels they recommended. These two relatively young guys had brochures and rates for several hotels, including a brochure for a hostel. »→
