Makati City, Philippines

glatt · 02-01-2008, 05:04 PM

jeez slang, that sounds horrible. (The sores.) Glad you are on the mend.

Griff · 02-01-2008, 08:12 PM

Sounds icky. Mmmm... pyramid scheme.

slang · 02-02-2008, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glatt

jeez slang, that sounds horrible. (The sores.) Glad you are on the mend.

Thank you Glatt. My feet are smiling now.

Life is good. Now for the next challenge.

slang · 02-03-2008, 09:01 PM

Much more of my time is spent inside the comfort of our small abode lately. The temperatures are rising and it is increasingly hot and uncomfortable out and about during the day.

Now that I'm mobile again I've been going out on bike rides in the mornings.

Most of the time the ride ends at a friends newly acquired butcher shop where we talk about business ideas for the Philippines.

His shop sells pork and chicken only. As we talk the butcher cuts up the whole pigs into smaller and smaller portions. Some hang from a hook on a crossbar in the shop and some are just left on the ceramic tile counter.

The butcher cuts the meats and my pal skins the pigs heads as I drink a cup of instant coffee. I have my camera hanging from the strap around my neck but I've got a thousand photos of pigs heads and the blood, guts and flies of the process are just not interesting any more.

It's 5:30 am and the kids have just been dropped off or have walked to school. I stand in front of the shop and drink the coffee as I watch the sun come up.

Sometimes I seriously wonder what the fuck I'm doing here because from the outside it looks like such a desparate place.

It's still interesting to me though. People still stare and I still smile and wave to them. This is even more true with the olderly women. Their faces are so weatherd and worn. Their teeth are often missing and their hair is very grey.

I still love to see them smile and they usually do when I smile and wave to them.

For all the realities here, I still have a great deal of hope for common people in the coming years.

slang · 02-05-2008, 10:49 AM

Here's something a bit different.

Someone in the family here is having kidney troubles that have become increasingly more serious. The good news is that there is a kidney hospital here and that there is money for treatment.

The bad news is that a transplant is needed and this is not the only serious ailment that this person has.

In typical pinoy fashion, we all went to the hospital to accompany that one of ours. That means about 8 people ended up going plus the patient.

What is the quality of care at this special hospital? I can't make that judgement myself. It's one of the best if not the best place for such care here in the Philippines.

The hospital itself was newer but not new, very clean and looked very much like an American hospital.

Payment here is cash and to be paid immediately following services renderd.

This is the place for middle class and above pinoys.

The most obvious difference in the facilities that comes to mind is that in the US there is a large waiting area and that you register there and wait until the doctor is ready to see you.

At this hospital, the waiting area is directly outside of the doctor's door. There are chairs lined up in the halls next to each of the offices. You walk through the hallways past people sitting waiting.

There are no live chickens, pigs or voodoo doctors with painted faces at this hospital.

Here are a few walk and snap pics from inside.

slang · 02-05-2008, 10:54 AM

Here is the outside of the building.

Be sure to deposit your firearm with the guard on duty (so that they may evaluate it's worth and lose/sell it by the time that you return.)

slang · 02-05-2008, 11:04 AM

There is plenty of seating for the large numbers of people that come with people in need of treatment. The seats aren't all that comfortable or clean but there is a Rice in a Box concession there.

Fried rice with pork at just about a buck. Not exactly LeBec-Fin but something to tide you over for the long wait that you will surely have ahead of you.

slang · 02-05-2008, 11:14 AM

There are signs here that just grab your attention. Some have double meanings that you aren't sure are understood here, some are spin offs of words or phrases from the US and some are just plain strange.

This is from Pateros, the world's balut capital. It's early morning and I pass by this mysterious American facility, area 51.

Where are the little green men? Where are the bright lights in the sky?

Where is the security keeping me away?

It's hiding right out in plain sight. Very sneaky.

02-01-2008, 08:12 PM	#2
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Sounds icky. Mmmm... pyramid scheme. Attached Images __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

02-05-2008, 10:49 AM	#5
slang St Petersburg, Florida Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,423	Here's something a bit different. Someone in the family here is having kidney troubles that have become increasingly more serious. The good news is that there is a kidney hospital here and that there is money for treatment. The bad news is that a transplant is needed and this is not the only serious ailment that this person has. In typical pinoy fashion, we all went to the hospital to accompany that one of ours. That means about 8 people ended up going plus the patient. What is the quality of care at this special hospital? I can't make that judgement myself. It's one of the best if not the best place for such care here in the Philippines. The hospital itself was newer but not new, very clean and looked very much like an American hospital. Payment here is cash and to be paid immediately following services renderd. This is the place for middle class and above pinoys. The most obvious difference in the facilities that comes to mind is that in the US there is a large waiting area and that you register there and wait until the doctor is ready to see you. At this hospital, the waiting area is directly outside of the doctor's door. There are chairs lined up in the halls next to each of the offices. You walk through the hallways past people sitting waiting. There are no live chickens, pigs or voodoo doctors with painted faces at this hospital. Here are a few walk and snap pics from inside. Attached Images

02-05-2008, 10:54 AM	#6
slang St Petersburg, Florida Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,423	Here is the outside of the building. Be sure to deposit your firearm with the guard on duty (so that they may evaluate it's worth and lose/sell it by the time that you return.) Attached Images

02-05-2008, 11:04 AM	#7
slang St Petersburg, Florida Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,423	There is plenty of seating for the large numbers of people that come with people in need of treatment. The seats aren't all that comfortable or clean but there is a Rice in a Box concession there. Fried rice with pork at just about a buck. Not exactly LeBec-Fin but something to tide you over for the long wait that you will surely have ahead of you. Attached Images

02-05-2008, 11:14 AM	#8
slang St Petersburg, Florida Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,423	There are signs here that just grab your attention. Some have double meanings that you aren't sure are understood here, some are spin offs of words or phrases from the US and some are just plain strange. This is from Pateros, the world's balut capital. It's early morning and I pass by this mysterious American facility, area 51. Where are the little green men? Where are the bright lights in the sky? Where is the security keeping me away? It's hiding right out in plain sight. Very sneaky. Attached Images

02-01-2008, 05:04 PM	#1
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	jeez slang, that sounds horrible. (The sores.) Glad you are on the mend.

02-03-2008, 09:01 PM	#4
slang St Petersburg, Florida Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,423	Much more of my time is spent inside the comfort of our small abode lately. The temperatures are rising and it is increasingly hot and uncomfortable out and about during the day. Now that I'm mobile again I've been going out on bike rides in the mornings. Most of the time the ride ends at a friends newly acquired butcher shop where we talk about business ideas for the Philippines. His shop sells pork and chicken only. As we talk the butcher cuts up the whole pigs into smaller and smaller portions. Some hang from a hook on a crossbar in the shop and some are just left on the ceramic tile counter. The butcher cuts the meats and my pal skins the pigs heads as I drink a cup of instant coffee. I have my camera hanging from the strap around my neck but I've got a thousand photos of pigs heads and the blood, guts and flies of the process are just not interesting any more. It's 5:30 am and the kids have just been dropped off or have walked to school. I stand in front of the shop and drink the coffee as I watch the sun come up. Sometimes I seriously wonder what the fuck I'm doing here because from the outside it looks like such a desparate place. It's still interesting to me though. People still stare and I still smile and wave to them. This is even more true with the olderly women. Their faces are so weatherd and worn. Their teeth are often missing and their hair is very grey. I still love to see them smile and they usually do when I smile and wave to them. For all the realities here, I still have a great deal of hope for common people in the coming years.

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