a reintroduction to the philippines

So, this is not my first time in the Philippines but my second. I came here last year with my family on Christmas break for 10 days, during which I CLIMBED A VOLCANO NBD. But anyway, this time around feels different and I feel like I'm being more observant of the way of life here. A few things in particular stand out to me.

1. The driving. There are your standard stoplights and designated driving lanes, but outside of the more urban areas like Makati (the financial district, a baby New York really, complete with a Starbucks on every block), drivers and motorists don't seem to consider it law or necessary to follow and obey them. The dotted lines and traffic lights are treated as gentle suggestions instead, and drivers and motorists do as they please for the most part. Cars will swerve and dance in two lanes, cabs will run red lights into steady traffic to pick up a passenger, small buses will make left hand turns from the most right lane and almost crash into multiple motorists and babies in the process... And, to makes things more exciting, throw in a couple pedestrians and road vendors weaving through the traffic! Oh Philippine streets- how you delight and terrify me.

2. The malls. Pinoys LOVE their malls. They are everywhere. And they are huge. (And that's what she said.) Last night I went to the Mall of Asia with my aunt and her friend and I was completely overwhelmed. It is the 2nd largest mall in the Philippines and the 4th largest in the world, with 4.2 million square feet of consumer wonderland. Gah. And, a part of that 4.2 million is, of all things, an ice skating rink? I guess Jamaica does have a bobsled team... You'd think with all these malls (especially with three within walking distance of the condo) and the wonderful, wonderful exchange rate that I'd be a shopaholic by now. But I'm not. In fact, I'm all but completely turned off by the idea of shopping. It's just too overwhelming in those madhouses. It is, however, very fun to people watch in those places. Except for when I see gross, old white guys macking on young Filipinas. Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww forever.

3. The music. So much of the music blaring from cars in the streets and playing in stores are popular American songs... but re-sung by, I'm assuming, Asian singers. They sound like karaoke sessions recorded with decent home recording equipment. So I have heard Asian versions of "Party in the USA," "O.M.G." and "In the End," among others. Asian Linkin Park is awesome/silly/hilarious/I'm-so-glad-they-exist.

4. The food. Filipinos eat a lot of food, all the time. Really. They are food machines with black holes for stomachs. But who can blame them really with such great food! My taste buds and I have been having a splendid time trying the various fruits and treats that are special to PI. I've had egg tarts, lanzanes fruit (such a fun word! It's kind of like lychee), sinigang (traditional PI dish), chilled taho (another fun word! Made of soybeans and eaten with syrup)... YUM! It's all so derrricious!! I'm afraid of coming back to the United States looking like a plump, round dumpling. But I shall be a happy dumpling. Until I try to fit into my old clothes. Wah. Oh, and still on the note of food, one thing that I love to do in foreign countries is to explore a local grocery story or outdoor food market. You can learn a lot about a country from the types of fresh and packaged food that they sell. I like noting the differences in varieties, products, packaging, and brands. For instance, they have CHEESE icecream here. I bought a little container of it today out of curiosity and was pleasantly surprised. There were cheese chunks in it, which was a bit weird, but for the most part it was pretty tasty. Also, all their pasta sauces are in in bags, which I found amusing. And their green peppers! They're so tiny!! Three green peppers here is the equivalent of one green pepper in the states. Fo realz. Their food is tiny like their people! And yet they all eat so much... It's quite amazing really. Oh, and one more funny observation: at the McDonald's, you can order a chicken drum stick with rice or spaghetti (where the sauce is banana ketchup). Cool.

But okie. Enough blogging. I have to cut my auntie's hair now! Love, peace and adobo grease!

P.S. This is just funny:
Free Tang when you purchase Pillsbury hot cake mix! Sign me uppppppp.