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Fourth of July in Bilar
2004
As
with most trips between provinces in the Philippines, the trip
to Pete's Fourth of July cookout involved a boat ride...
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While
waiting for the bus to pull out from the terminal, a gaggling
swarm of food vendors push low cost snacks for the long bus
ride.
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The
bus ride through the less populated parts of Bohol provided
lots of great views. In this photo, local farmers tend to their
rice paddies under the midday tropical sun.
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We
made the trip during the rainy season for the Philippines, and
while it may not rain constantly during rainy season, scattered
thunderstorms are common and can dump torrential soakings upon
the unwary. This storm is pummeling Bohol's famous Chocolate
Hills (click here to read
more about the Chocolate Hills).
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Just
as we pulled into Pete's village of Bilar, I was the one who
got an unexpected soaking. I think the dry observers in this
little cantina got their money's worth out of seeing the foreigner
get doused.
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Word
of Pete's authentic backyard barbeque spread far and wide and
attracted both Peace Corps Volunteers as well as Pete's neighbors
who were curious to try "authentic" American food.
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After
the cookout and the afternoon downpour, the skies cleared up
for a nice sunset. This was our cue to do a little sightseeing
around Bilar; this road leads into the main square of town.
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This
pedi cab is the equivalent of a low cost taxi here in the Philippines.
Welders attach a sort of coach frame to a regular motorcycle
and voila!: mass transit. This pedi cab was returning
to town to pick up some new customers.
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Instead
of take the pedi cab into the village, we caught a ride with
one of Pete's neighbors.
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Since
I was full from eating all the hamburgers, baked beans and watermelon
I could eat, I turned down this plate full of bright orange
chicken heads on sticks.
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When
we left Bilar early the next morning there was a downpour again,
but this time I didn't have my raincoat buried in the bottom
of my backpack.
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Fiestas are a huge annual event
for every community in the Philippines. The timing of
the fiesta varies according to the patron saint of each
city, town, and village, but they all have a few qualities
in common. First, you'll find that the ads about pork
being the "other white meat" didn't run over
here; the centerpiece of every household fiesta is a
cooked pig (called a lechon) the color of a candy apple
with a crackling brown skin. Because the pig is the
guest of honor during fiesta time, the early morning
hours of fiesta day are pierced by the screeching cries
of pigs being slaughtered for the occasion. I had the
opportunity to visit the Ramos family house during the
Tagbilaran fiesta this May, here's the story of that
trip. (Click
here to see the photo essay--24 photos) |
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