.

Home is where the heart is...

It's hard to try to describe my Philippine trip with my family December of last year without risking exaggeration. "Amazing" would probably seem somewhat hard to believe because nothing really amazing happened while we were over there but i am pretty sure my family would say (as i), just being there was kind of amazing. "Surreal" comes to mind as well because, quite simply, it was! You see I was uncertain as to when i would actually be able to vacation in the Philippines and after a few years of planning without fruition, i had almost conceded to the fact that i may never go back. It was such a long wait that when we finally finalized the plans for the long overdue vacation, i was already on vacation-mode long before we headed out to the Airport (and long before i had packed even). It's like that last day before going on a long vacation where you'd do just enough to get through the day without causing suspicion, then bail like there's no tomorrow. I basically did that for a couple of months lol. The term "the best" would probably describe the vacation best... Nothing, and i do mean nothing, will ever outdo it in terms of significance and memories amassed. And if i became a millionaire tomorrow and decide to double-back, it couldn't possibly get better than the first time. No way! It could be more extravagant and decadent maybe, but i doubt it would fill my heart with as much joy and happiness as the first one did.

Speaking of which, a friend of mine is vacationing in the Philippines in the coming weeks and has been asking lots of questions about my recent trip. Its been many years too since her last vacation back home (mine was an interminable twelve years). Her inquiries have stirred up my feelings more than i would have expected it to. Which is to say I am completely and utterly jealous of her trip haha. One of the more curious questions she had asked was about "dining out". "How much would it cost to take, say, six people to a good dinner?" she inquisitively asked. First i thought she was kidding because one wouldn't usually ask such questions about the Philippines. It's kind of common knowledge among Filipinos that anything and everything under the sun over there is considerably inexpensive. Especially if ones parents or relatives are frequent vacationers, as in her case. It makes me wonder just how cheap she really is! (haha just joking). It's such a steal dining out in the Philippines that it felt that i was almost cheating (or unscrupulous) the first time we went out to Dinner (but trust me, you get used to it...). We are so used to paying $15.00 to $20 to dine out around here that it doesn't really mean much anymore. Anyway, i told her not to worry about a thing because the cost to feed 6 people at a fairly decent restaurant over there is about what she pays for her lunch at the Corner Bakery or California Pizza Kitchen. And that includes a few drinks, deserts, and the tip by the way (which you're not required to do...).

I sort of offered some fashion tips too which she only quickly admonished. "I'd rather get kidnapped than look ugly" she quipped. Now that's classic! Being nondescript apparently is not what she intends to do there. How did i not know that? lol And why should she be nondescript anyway? She is on vacation! Doesn't vacationing and adulation go hand in hand? (And what the hell was i thinking offering fashion tips to a girl? Stupid! lol). She is a good looking American girl, after all. Somehow that slipped my mind! lol. Me on the other hand, i think i wore shoes like once the entire time i was there (i flew in flip flops and a shirt bought from target haha). And if you didn't know any better, you'd never suspect i wasn't from around there anymore. Well at least until my sister showed up... Ostentatiously dressed as she is (we're talking Gucci sunglasses all hours of the day and $200 jeans) and always shamelessly drunk, she would slur loudly in English like she owned the damn place lol. And i was always like "what the fuck are you saying?"...

What to do and where to go was another one of her curiosities. Well that really depends, i said blithely... For someone like me whose lived more than half his life back home in the Philippines, i don't really have to go very far to find something to do. You might say the places come find me figuratively speaking. Fortunately for me i have made enough friends in the 19 years of my life there to last me a lifetime (and about four God children to boot). I may spend the rest of my life across the pond here in the US but i know i will always have friends and family i can see and spend time with when i go home. Who knows, i may retire there yet! Gees did i just say the word "retire"? Anyway, i don't know anything about Cebu (southern Philippine islands where she was born) but i imagine it's like any metropolitan with lots to offer. She'll find her way around. Besides she'll be there with her family...

I suppose she can go site seeing or something. Me, i didn't bother. I told her i didn't go home to see places. I went home to see people and family.

Have a great trip Kit...

That's bobby, he's had a little too much to drink. Slightly! And that's how we do it in the Philippines...

Posted by: Marc Gabay
Monday, July 30, 2007