The sunsets over Negros Oriental province and Dumaguete are usually pretty dramatic. I got this shot from the Larena pier when I arrived on the boat.

Across the road from Kyle and Melissa's traditional nipa palm house, there is a mangrove flat. In the background you can see Mt. Talinis and the lights of Dumaguete on the island of Negros.

The sunsets over the mountains and Mindanao Sea are usually pretty dramatic.

At sunset local people often comb the flats for shellfish, crabs and other critters for the stew pot.

This photo has a bit of a Huck Finn look to me.

After catching the exceptional sunset from Kyle and Melissa's house, you can go in town for the disco that is sometimes set up on the community basketball court. In the Philippines it usually takes the crowd a little while to get out on the dance floor.

But once everyone is dancing, the place really starts to rock.

After a night of disco and videoke, most Filipinos will pay a visit to the local Catholic church on Sunday morning.

These prayer candles were set up on the floor at the back of church.

The Larena market is always full of fresh produce like these tomatoes.

...and garlic

...and peppers (click here to download this photo to your desktop wallpaper)

...and monggo beans.

Much more personal than the Wal Mart grocery store, doncha think?

This shopkeeper had her produce arranged very nicely for the customers bustling through the market.

Outside the market, these tricycles were parked at Flor's Store. I'm not positive, but I bet Flor has a videoke machine inside.

The old bell tower stands near the Larena Municipal Hall.

This is the campus of the college in Larena where Kyle is assigned to work on his Peace Corps project.

The Larena Fire Department has this old fashioned Land Cruiser for their fire engine. Talk about fire engine red!

These kids chose the roof of the Philippine Information Agency truck to watch a tennis match.

Here's the serve. It was a hot day, so I didn't envy this guy sweating away on Larena's clay tennis court.

This sari-sari store owner had the better idea to stay out of the heat and in the shade.

One of the common tactics used by politicians of all stripes in the Philippines from the President (pictured here) all the way down to local officials is to claim any visible sign of progress as one of their own pet projects. Seems like a pretty effective way to get votes to me.

These friendly kids were hanging out near the Larena pier.

After a morning of visiting Larena proper, it's time to get out to one of the beaches. These guys were paddling by in their bangka when I got this photo of them against the dramatic cumulus background.

Coconuts, get your coconuts!

Yup, this was a really towering cloud formation.

As the sun begins to set, groups of these little crabs can be seen scuttling across the tidal flats to glean for vittles. They always travel in groups like this and don't seem to have any visible leader.

But if you get too close, they pull a vanishing act and drop into the sand.

The afternoon sun really brought out the bright orange colors of this crab.

A fiddler crab looks out of proportion to me.

All the better to pinch you with! I thought it was funny the way the crab retracted one eye like a periscope.