788 replies to this topic

[Crackerjax]

Oh well Mac. When in Rome....



Btw, lovely pics from the Christening - sweating suits you.

[Macman]

Thanks, CJ. For those of you saying, "Pictures? What pictures? What did I miss?", you didn't miss anything, and there's nothing wrong with your browser. Those are a few photos that I shared with CJ and a couple of other BMs privately. As I've mentioned before, even though it would be okay with Angel to post pics here, I want to preserve a bit of our privacy.

[dixon cox]

... I want to preserve a bit of our privacy.

Nothing wrong in doing that at all Mac and I don't blame you, I do exactly the same thing myself.

We all know it makes sense

[Macman]

Well, tomorrow will be 6 months for me here. Nothing has really changed; it's still a little tough adjusting to the weather, the culture, the lack of amenities that I was used to in the U.S., etc. I have nothing to report other than a quick story that demonstrates why I feel the way I do about Angel, and what kind of a person she is.

Yesterday we decided to drive to Isabel, not to be confused with Isabela, which is located on Luzon. Isabel is a quiet little seaside town, located at the tip of a peninsula on Leyte. It's a port for cargo ships, and boasts 2 factories; one that produces fertilizer, and the other that processes copper ore. It's a pleasant drive, with winding roads and hills, which was great for Angel's driving practice. We arrived rather late in the afternoon, and were both pretty hungry. Since neither of us knew the area, Angel suggested that we take a putt-putt, which is a bicycle with a side cart. I balked at that, because I felt like a spoiled rich guy having a kid peddle him around. Angel pointed out that we were actually doing him a favor by employing him. I gave in, and Angel flagged one down. The thing was operated by a skinny kid, about 12 or 13 years of age. We didn't know it at the time, but Isabel doesn't really have a proper restaurant. We asked the kid to take us to some place where we could have lunch. He took us to a hole in the wall, that didn't look like it had anything we'd want. We asked if he knew another place, and he took us to an outdoor eatery that looked okay. Angel asked him how much we owed him, and he replied, "Up to you." The going rate for 2 people in a putt-putt was probably 10 pesos,but she gave him 20. We went over to the table that served as a counter, and ordered. The place had simple fare, but it was tasty. I noticed that the kid had not pedaled off, and pointed it out to Angel. I figured that he was waiting for us to eat, since it was a sure fare back to our car (although we could easily have walked). She said, "Do you want to ask him to eat with us?" I said "yes", and she went over to the kid and asked if he'd eaten. He hadn't, but was reluctant to take her up on the offer. She convinced him, and he ordered a nice plate of fish and rice and a coke. He sat shyly apart from us, even though Angel motioned for him to join us. We finished our lunch, and went back to our car in the putt-putt. Of course Angel gave him another 20 pesos.

Two things struck me about this little episode. Naturally the first thing was Angel's kindness and thoughtfulness. It wasn't a big deal, but I wonder how many people would have thought to invite the kid to eat. The other thing was the fact that she asked me first if I wanted to have the kid join us. Earlier in this thread, I mentioned that I'm letting Angel take care of our money. She could have acted like a big shot, and asked the kid on her own, but she checked with me. She is constantly doing little things like this. She has a great big heart and a very generous nature.How the heck can you beat that?

[petesie]

Angel seems a lovely natured lady...yer a lucky fella Mac...

I'm glad that you're happy and content together mate...there's a fair few of us envious of your no drama relationship as opposed to the Stiletto clenched hair tossing pouting melodramatic queens we're used to...or is that just me...

[Macman]

Thanks for that, Petesie. You're right. There isn't much drama involved with us. Except for the age difference, it feels like just a normal, loving relationship. I was thinking that if we ever break up, it would be an age or cultural difference matter. The fact that she's a ladyboy really is a non-issue, as strange as that sounds. We seem to fit together very well, and her loving, affectionate nature is just a heart-warming thing for me. The fact that I get along so well with her family and friends helps a lot too.

Thanks again, Petesie. You've been very encouraging right from the start of this love story. (I always double check to make sure I don't write "Petsie".)

[dixon cox]

A very pleasant update Mac, I enjoyed it

These anecdotes are enjoyable to read, so please keep them coming. Maybe take a pocket camera out and about with you too, so you can drop a couple of images amongst your stories.

[Macman]

Thanks, DC. Angel usually takes our camera along whenever we travel out of town, but this was a spur of the moment decision. She commented on it when we were there, saying she's sorry she didn't bring it. You're right; I should get in the habit of carrying my small point-and-shoot, or even the little video cam I have which easily fits into a shirt pocket. After looking at all the great memories you have recorded in your terrific "The Last Millennium" thread, I wish I had done the same throughout my life. The only times I did anything similar was on a 4-week vacation in Japan back in 1986, and a trip to Iceland, Scotland and Ireland in 1994. Fortunately for me, I transferred those memories from video tape to DVDs a while ago.

Re this last little trip to Isabel, there was a little girl working at the eatery. She was about 11 years old, and she took our order and totaled up our bill. There was no school that day for some reason, and I guess she was helping out at her family's store. When she paid the bill, Angel tipped her a small amount, something I doubt is done at this little place. It elicited a great big beautiful smile from the girl. The kids here in The Philippines, both boys and girls, are for the most part strikingly handsome. The combination of Spanish, Polynesian and Chinese seems to be a great one.

[Macman]

Here's another example of "The Philippine Way." Last Friday, Angel felt that she was ready to take the driving test, so we headed down to the Land Transportation Office. She was told to get her drug testing and a medical clearance. The drug testing was simply done with a urine sample. The doctor she was sent to for the medical was the same guy to whom I went. This guy gets every LTO referral, and he does nothing. He asked her how much she weighs (there was a scale right there), and how tall she is. With me, at least he asked if I had any trouble seeing. He didn't even bother with Angel, despite the fact that there was an eye chart right behind him. With those clean bills of health, we headed back to the LTO. We were told to come back Monday at 8:00 AM.

We came back Monday morning only to be told that there was no testing done on Monday, and to come back on Tuesday at 8:00. We got there, and were told that the office was "off-line", and so no testing could be done yet. After about an hour, they told us to come back at 1:00 PM. We did that, but they were still off line. We waited an hour and left. We went back today at 1:00 PM. After about an hour and 15 minutes, Angel went for the lecture, and was then given the written test, which she passed. In the meantime, I had gone home, telling her to text me when she needed me to go there. She sent me a text, saying that she was next in line for the road test. It's important that you use your own vehicle, because the one they supply is a beat-up old jeep, so I rushed down there. We waited a while, and the instructor called Angel into a room. She came out with a big grin on her face, and said that she had passed everything. Because they were so busy, the instructor merely asked her if she had been driving our car alone. She said "no" because her boyfriend is an American and is very strict about those kind of things. He asked her if she was in a hurry for the license. She said that I was going back to New York for a visit next month (not true), and that I would take the keys with me if she didn't have her license. He then asked her how she felt about her driving. She said that she is very confident in her skills (she is). Done. Pay the fee, and here's your license. Angel was beaming. She was so proud of herself.

[jayarr]

I thought my test was easy. I took a brief written test on the computer about signs and then they asked me to park in a parking space and then back out

[Legend]

that must be how they test the drivers in india, judging by the way they drive around my town.

[Macman]

I don't know if this is true, but I've been told that you can actually get your license legally without taking any tests at all for a higher fee. It's the same with a carry permit for a pistol. For 12,000 PHP (less than $280 US) per year, you get your permit with no restrictions or other requirements. It's all about money here.