I admit it. This picture was taken a few years ago, but I think I still look vaguely like that. Depends on the day (and the time of day). And today, just before I uploaded this picture, an Indonesian English student told me how much she liked my nose. I heard that a lot in Indonesia. Apparently, a large nose like mine is a good …
Read the full story »Checking Out Oslob and Tanawan
Saturday August 6, 2014
6:30 a.m. Oslob, Cebu
Still in Oslob this morning. I might leave once I have my morning coffee, but we’ll see. My body could use another day to recover. And it’s rare to get a comfortable room for 200 pesos a night, especially one right on the ocean, so it would be nice to stick around another day and night.
After breakfast yesterday morning, …
Cycling Down the Coast from Cebu
Friday September 5, 2014
7:00 a.m. Oslob, Cebu
I finally found the energy to pack up my pannier bags and do a bit of cycling. As soon as I started riding, I realized why I had gotten stuck in Cebu for so long. This cycling business is damn hard. Damn hard. I suppose, if I can be a cliché for a minute, it could be because I’m …
Riding to a Viewpoint Over Cebu
Street scene outside the window of this 7-11: four street boys sleeping on the sidewalk. Very dirty and dishevelled. Two little boys and one much larger boy. One little boy has no clothes except for an over-sized T-shirt. The T-shirt has hiked up over his body, so he is pretty much naked lying there on the street. His little butt cheeks are exposed to the …
A Visit to a Museum at the San Carlos University
Saturday August 23, 2014
6:11 p.m.
Yesterday, I chose to go to the museum at the San Carlos University. The ride there was pretty brutal. Traffic here is not good. The main problem is the abundance of jeepneys. As far as I know, each jeepney is a type of private company. I’m sure the city regulates how many can be on the streets and driving a particular …
A Rant on Personal Space and Walking in Public Areas
Thursday August 21, 2014
6:10 a.m.
Not much on my mind this morning. I already wrote about my trip out to the zoo. One thing I didn’t mention is that there was a distinct difference in atmosphere out there as opposed to here in the downtown area. I wasn’t far away. It was really hard cycling because of the steep hills, but I rode only about nine …
A Bike Ride to the Cebu Zoo and a Temple or Two
Wednesday August 20, 2014
6:30 a.m.
Little to say this morning in Cebu. Same cast of characters out on the streets: the crazy homeless men; the scary, nutty prostitutes; people waiting for jeepneys to get to work with knapsacks on their chests to thwart the pickpockets; students with their ID cards around their necks. A small pleasure while in Asia is reading the funny English signs. One …
Encounters in a 7-11 and an Internet Cafe
Tuesday August 19, 2014
7:00 a.m.
Not much on my mind this morning. How about some more UFC? I watched UFC Fight Night 47 yesterday morning – the prelim card and the main card. The fights themselves were fairly disappointing. As I mentioned the other day, MMA fighters in the US are moving away from technical fighting and just trying to punch each other. However, the Brazilians …
Rambling About the MMA and the UFC
Monday August 18, 2014
6:30 a.m.
Back at the 7-11 and having a coffee and squinting at the keyboard. I had a sense that I experienced a setback in terms of my vision. It’s a weird thing, but when I wake up in the morning, my eyes – even after a long night of restful sleep – are very sore. Both of them. And they water like …