Tourists of the Philipinnes

Discuss about travelling to or living in another country.
shiny plastic
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Tourists of the Philipinnes

Post by shiny plastic » Sep 3rd, '06, 06:07

I just wanted to ask anyone who has visited the Philipinnes (especially the tourists) how their experience was? I've always visit at least 2-4 times a year and feel like a local there (fluent in tagalog). I've asked some of the foreigners how their experience was and it's always been a mixed reaction; it's either they love it or hate it.

Anyways, share your experiences please, as I'm always fascinated to hear from a foreigner's point of view.

Néa Vanille
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Post by Néa Vanille » Sep 3rd, '06, 06:25

My brother swears it's the last paradise on earth.

bugsie
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Post by bugsie » Sep 3rd, '06, 06:48

EDITED:
Last edited by bugsie on Sep 3rd, '06, 08:49, edited 1 time in total.

Néa Vanille
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Post by Néa Vanille » Sep 3rd, '06, 07:08

WTF?

bugsie
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Post by bugsie » Sep 3rd, '06, 08:52

haha, wtf! My mistake! Sorry about that Néa. :faint: Something is wrong with me today.

staybymyside
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Post by staybymyside » Sep 15th, '06, 22:44

I don't know. I didn't look like a tourist. But I certainly felt like a foreigner. Not understanding Tagalog. Or any Filipino dialect. I could get by in stores if I kept my mouth shut and listened carefully for words that I could guess by roots (or Spanish similarity) or if they used Taglish. Heh. (*is Filipina-American*)

Where I was, the comfort level was very different from home. And I did miss those comforts of home. But I really did enjoy it there and meeting new people. =] Beautiful scenery. (The drives were semi-bearable; I slept. It's too bumpy. And I always feel scared out on the road. Craaazy, especially in Manila. O.o) I guess it depends on where you go. And who you're with. :3

jegiwong
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Post by jegiwong » Sep 15th, '06, 23:35

I am coming from Hong Kong, but work and stay in Philippines. Marry with a Filipina.
The people here are mostly friendly. There is not much tourist spots here in Manila unlike the other Asian countries. It doesn't bother me much as I enjoy shopping. There are many big shopping malls in Makati. If you enjoy swimming or diving, you can still go to the islands, like Cebu and Boracay. One thing I really hate about Philippines is the transportation. There can be traffic jam anywhere and anytime. You're better has a car, or rent a car/taxi. You need to change several trasnportation vehicles (like Jeepney, bus, tricyle, etc.) before you can reach as destination. The Train/MRT route is still limited.
I still cannot speak Tagalog yet, as my wife and my officemates can talk to me in English. I only understand some Tagalog words.

`nicole`
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Post by `nicole` » Oct 31st, '06, 05:28

hehe. yeah traffic jams.. :P
there are not trafic jams everywhere. it sometimes depend on what time is it and is there any occasion or something.
we have few tourist spots in manila but in other places in the philippines, there are alot. :)

chocoLatte12
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Post by chocoLatte12 » Dec 26th, '06, 10:31

My advise to foreigners who want to try out the Philippines is to avoid going to cities, like Manila, if you want to save yourself from the worst. I've been to a lot of countries and I can't really compare the beaches here to other beaches I went to in other countries. If you want to enjoy the most of out of this country, try going to the beaches far from Manila.. I assure people that they will not be disappointed. :lol

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Post by blue_smurf » Dec 28th, '06, 18:48

Philippines consists of 7,107 beautiful islands. Yes, it is a beautiful country, you just have to explore it. Don't ya know this country boasts some of the best beaches and scuba diving waters in the world? heard about El Nido and Tubahatta? Just google them and you will understand what I mean. Manila is only part of the PHilippines. It doesn't represent the whole country and I think there are good and bad places to go as there are in any state in the US. If ur into island hopping, well, Philippines has a lot to offer. Man, the prisitne, white sands of their beaches is just so beautiful! If u want to try Philippines, go to Bohol, Camiguin, palawan, Cebu, Baguio, Tagaytay, Boracay beach to name a few...These places I meantioned are just tip of the iceberg XD I can't possibly name all the beautiful 7,107 islands, can I? XD
Last edited by blue_smurf on Dec 28th, '06, 19:01, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by Néa Vanille » Dec 28th, '06, 19:00

I have a question: what is the temperature like in the summer months (is the heat really that bad?) and are there any tourists there at all in summer? My brother only went in winter and and said the temperatures were super-pleasant and that he met many, many Korean tourists to go drinking with, but sadly I have no time to travel in winter.

blue_smurf
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Post by blue_smurf » Dec 28th, '06, 19:10

Néa Vanille wrote:I have a question: what is the temperature like in the summer months (is the heat really that bad?) and are there any tourists there at all in summer? My brother only went in winter and and said the temperatures were super-pleasant and that he met many, many Korean tourists to go drinking with, but sadly I have no time to travel in winter.
Philippines has only two seasons--rainy and summer XD
Hmm, our country never runs out of tourists, regardless of the season but there are more tourists here during summer season in our country.
Usually, tourists coming from Korea, for example, do come here during winter season in Korea. I guess, the heat here is pretty tolerable during winter months in your country.
generally, summer heat here is not too pleasant but not too bad, either. There are days when the heat is tolerable and days when it isn't. So, I guess it also depends on where you go and the season.
Oh, there are many Korean tourists here and they are just everywhere XD They love Philippines, they say XD

blue_smurf
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Post by blue_smurf » Dec 28th, '06, 19:18

Last edited by blue_smurf on Dec 28th, '06, 19:21, edited 1 time in total.

Néa Vanille
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Post by Néa Vanille » Dec 28th, '06, 19:18

Ah, thank you very much for helping out. :) So I guess maybe I can visit the Philippines after all, even though I have no time at all in winter. I'd like to meet some Korean tourists there because I always want to practice my Korean.. of course I also want to meet some of the locals! I don't know very many Filippinos now but my brother swears they are really nice, hospitable and good-looking.

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...

Post by schizoar » Dec 28th, '06, 19:22

Yeah, I agree with what blue_smurf said. :thumright: It's sad that the Philippines gets so criticized so much. :cry: I don't know why other people do that but our country's really beautiful, you just have to know where to go. :mrgreen:

If you're going for a vacation, then might as well plan ahead of time so you know where you'll be going. :-) It gets so hot nowadays because of El Niño so foreigners who's not used to such heat can't take it but the weather's really unpredictable, today it's really hot but it's raining the next day, lol.

If you're planning to see all the beaches, you might as well go during summer so you can have a natural tan after one day under the sun, hahaha.. You can even go there anytime of the year, there are a lot of beautiful places you can go to. It's just that some of them are hidden, lol..

I also agree about what blue_smurf said about Koreans everywhere, haha.. It's not just Koreans, there are also CHinese studying there. I even had a dorm mate who's CHinese, he's very kind, asked me to teach him Tagalog once, lol..

blue_smurf
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Post by blue_smurf » Dec 28th, '06, 19:26

Néa Vanille wrote:Ah, thank you very much for helping out. :) So I guess maybe I can visit the Philippines after all, even though I have no time at all in winter. I'd like to meet some Korean tourists there because I always want to practice my Korean.. of course I also want to meet some of the locals! I don't know very many Filippinos now but my brother swears they are really nice, hospitable and good-looking.
Please do and u will know that ur brother wasn't lying about Philippines being the last paradise on earth XD There are many Koreans in Cebu and Bohol...just ask the help of some locals in Cebu so they can take you to the nice places. I'm sure there many XD
Oh, pls do say thank you to ur brother for saying we Flips are nice, hospitable, and good looking XD I guess, we have some of the most beautiful women in the world :D Filipino hospitability is known all over the world. I suggest, too, that you tour Palawan :-) :-) :-)

blue_smurf
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Re: ...

Post by blue_smurf » Dec 28th, '06, 19:41

schizoar wrote:Yeah, I agree with what blue_smurf said. :thumright: It's sad that the Philippines gets so criticized so much. :cry: I don't know why other people do that but our country's really beautiful, you just have to know where to go. :mrgreen:

If you're going for a vacation, then might as well plan ahead of time so you know where you'll be going. :-) It gets so hot nowadays because of El Niño so foreigners who's not used to such heat can't take it but the weather's really unpredictable, today it's really hot but it's raining the next day, lol.

If you're planning to see all the beaches, you might as well go during summer so you can have a natural tan after one day under the sun, hahaha.. You can even go there anytime of the year, there are a lot of beautiful places you can go to. It's just that some of them are hidden, lol..

I also agree about what blue_smurf said about Koreans everywhere, haha.. It's not just Koreans, there are also CHinese studying there. I even had a dorm mate who's CHinese, he's very kind, asked me to teach him Tagalog once, lol..
yeah, I agree with everything u said.
It's really so sad that our country is so criticized when it is a beautiful country. Maybe because of Manila? Some tourists who've only been to Manila think it's Philippines but they don't know that Manila is only a city in the Philippines. I guess, too because of foreign media who give a bad picture of Philippines bec of Manila..and you know what really pisses me off? These darn foreign media peeps think that they know eveything about Philippines!!! :cussing:
The beauty of a place doesn't only rely on what people have ON it but what people have ON them. So, I believe that what makes a country beautiful are the people. If tourists only restrict themselves in Manila, then they dunno what they're really missing. They are missing the 7,107 islands...just take ur pick! In the Phils., you don't get mobbed like in NY..there is just too much agression in the USA, I reckon. There are many dirty places in NY than there are in Manila. Manila doesn't have mny tourist attractions like Singapore or Phuket, but the night life there is just SO and SO! KNowing where to go will make your stay in Manila a lot more fun. I recommend going to Eastwood, baywalk, INtramuros, Subic Bay, Makati. and Quezon City.

Koreans are the top tourists here in the country. Second are the Japanese.

Duxie
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Post by Duxie » Jan 7th, '07, 04:12

Im actuallyin the philippines right this second XD

im staying in Kawit, Cavite, and its soooo hot! im from canada so its a big change. my boyfriend and his family brought me here for the month so its amazingto live like the locals...but just an FYI to all those white people planning on visiting...your gonna get stared at...a lot...all the time lol so if your sensitive, avoid SM and other really croweded areas lol

I went to the open market yesterday, picked up a copy of 'Full House'and 'Goong:Princess hours''for a buck each XD

For all those living here...does anyone know what open market has more taiwanese dramas? all ive been finding is korean..i really want MARS and the devil beside you and a bunch more so let me know! thanks!

PS Philippines IS a last heaven on earth just be carefull and have fun...and ride the jeepneys! XD

CYNARA
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Post by CYNARA » Jan 16th, '07, 13:51

blue_smurf wrote:
Néa Vanille wrote:Ah, thank you very much for helping out. :) So I guess maybe I can visit the Philippines after all, even though I have no time at all in winter. I'd like to meet some Korean tourists there because I always want to practice my Korean.. of course I also want to meet some of the locals! I don't know very many Filippinos now but my brother swears they are really nice, hospitable and good-looking.
Please do and u will know that ur brother wasn't lying about Philippines being the last paradise on earth XD There are many Koreans in Cebu and Bohol...just ask the help of some locals in Cebu so they can take you to the nice places. I'm sure there many XD
Oh, pls do say thank you to ur brother for saying we Flips are nice, hospitable, and good looking XD I guess, we have some of the most beautiful women in the world :D Filipino hospitability is known all over the world. I suggest, too, that you tour Palawan :-) :-) :-)
please include BAGUIO, you see korean everywhere. my grandpa said koreans here in BAGUIO is almost 20,000 and to think BAGUIO is only a small city. weather here is ok. it's just like winter exclude the snow.

blue_smurf
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Post by blue_smurf » Jan 18th, '07, 00:45

Duxie wrote:Im actuallyin the philippines right this second XD

im staying in Kawit, Cavite, and its soooo hot! im from canada so its a big change. my boyfriend and his family brought me here for the month so its amazingto live like the locals...but just an FYI to all those white people planning on visiting...your gonna get stared at...a lot...all the time lol so if your sensitive, avoid SM and other really croweded areas lol

I went to the open market yesterday, picked up a copy of 'Full House'and 'Goong:Princess hours''for a buck each XD

For all those living here...does anyone know what open market has more taiwanese dramas? all ive been finding is korean..i really want MARS and the devil beside you and a bunch more so let me know! thanks!

PS Philippines IS a last heaven on earth just be carefull and have fun...and ride the jeepneys! XD
eh, ur in Cavite? Man, that place is one of the thousand beautiful places in the Philippines XD have u been to Tagaytay? U should see Taal Volcano---very breathtaking!!! DVD's in Philippines are very cheap XD Enjoy the scenery and the jeepneys XD

shiny plastic
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Post by shiny plastic » Jan 24th, '07, 23:12

Lol nice to see positive comments seen about the Philipinnes. Yea, it receives alove of negative press because of the kidnappings by the abu saya(sp?). The press tends to overexagurate.

Tourists (especially whites) shouldn't have anything to fear about. Most filipinos are quite kiss ups, especially to those who have money (the stereo-type of whites=rich). Just don't ride the jeepneys, as the chances of you getting hold up'd are pretty high.

bochoy
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Post by bochoy » Feb 3rd, '07, 15:16

The Philippines is indeed a beautiful country. The true beauty, for me, comes from the culture. The people are definitely nice, but are sometimes intimidated by proficient english speakers. I agree with people here when I say:

THE PHILIPPINES IS FAR MORE THAN MANILA!!!!

I've been to Bohol and I must say that it stands out. Visually it's a developing town. There's air pollution, but it's better than Manila I can assure you. If advanced architecture and modern technoligies are what you hope to see in a vacation, it may not be the stop for you. However, what attracts me is the culture. Each island almost has it's own subculture! If you have time to stay, you can tell the differences between one from Bohol, Cebu, Luzon, etc. I guess it's similar to someone from the West Coast in the States and one from the South, except there's a lot of islands! :lol

The land was very beautiful, but what touched me most is that people are generally happy there. When I talked to them, their stress level was definitely lower than most Americans. They were very much content with what they have and weren't caught in a "materialistic" value of life as most Americans are.

Most people in the states will say that they want to be happy in life and money isn't the most important thing. I say BULLCRAP to that. When I was there, I met many MANY people who TRULY believed it and lived that way. It's hard for me to put it into words.

There are many things to watch out for of course; that's just how it is wherever you go. A vacation, I say, is only as good as the people that you meet and share your experiences with. So go with a friend.

blue_smurf
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Post by blue_smurf » Feb 12th, '07, 15:05

@ bochoy, you know what, regardless of what other people outside the Philippines say about Phils, I don't give a damn because it really doesn't affect the Flips. The people are happy. They don't need much to be so. People don't commit suicide because they get depressed. Frankly, there are more serial killers in the States than terrorists in the Phils. It's the media that hypes the news. One of the most amazing things about Philippines is the almost indefatigable optimism of its people. The people count their blessings. Compared to people in extremely wealthy countries, Flips are friendly and happy. They have a ready smile for any one, be a friend or a stranger. If only happiness could be bottled and sell it to countries where people are not happy despite extreme wealth, Phils will be richer. Philippines is the 7th Happy Planet! I guess, money cannot buy happiness!

The sad thing is; PHILS IS VERY RICH IN NATURAL RESOURCES BUT THE FOREIGN LEECHES SUCK THAT COUNTRY DRY!!!! Who gets to take advantage of the mining resources? Damn, the Tubbataha is being poached by its neighbors!!!

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Post by ohcrapimonfire » Feb 12th, '07, 15:32

I'm Filipino-American (born in the US and can only understand Tagalog-English and a bit of Chavacano, a spanish-like dialect from Mindinao) and I'm really anxious to go back. The last time I went was in the 8th grade, when I was really judgemental and immature, and I recall having not the greatest time because there was no airconditioning, there were kids my age in the street selling sponges for a living (obv depressing), and it was dirty (I was in Manila). I also wasn't allowed to go to Zamboanga, in the south, where my Mom is from because she was afraid I'd get kidnapped because I stick out like a sore thumb since I'm tall, don't speak Chavacano or Tagalog, and I had nice clothes.

However, I really want to go back... I think I would enjoy it and appreciate it a million times more than I did in the past. I'm in the process of learning Tagalog, and I'm going to apply for a Fulbright there next year in an attempt to study there for a year. My cousin had her wedding in Cebu, and from the pictures I saw it was gorgeous and now am supremely jealous I had finals and wasn't able to go. I personally love Zamboanga, on the southern island of Mindinao. I had some great childhood memories there. In my Mom's old house's backyard, my cousins and I would throw stones at the trees and Mangoes and Guavas and Papayas would fall down into our arms!! Greatest thing ever!! Unfortunately, Al Qaida terrorist cells are based there so it's a bit dangerous if you go. Filipino people are friendly and respectful, and virtually everyone speaks English because it is taught in public schools (woo. Colonization.) Manila is kind of dirty, but if you're into the hustle bustle of metropolitan areas, it's a fun town. The beaches, especially the pink sand beaches, and mountain areas are the moneyshots, though; if you go make sure to take pictures and post them here :):)

wujou_mao
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Post by wujou_mao » Feb 19th, '07, 06:15

the phils is my 2nd favourite place after Korea. since traveling around s.e asia for 2 years, iv just left the philippines after spending for months there. [before that i visited it for 3 months, but 1 year apart, one with my gf who i met on friendster, and the other with my travel companion]
for me, the philippines is magical and the people are so happy even if they are earning less than 100 pesos a day. i hate concrete jungles like anyone and love the countryside, so iv been to Manila. various parts of north luzon like bagiou [lots of maganda uni girls there], sagada, tinglayan, kalinga, laoag, then saw mt. Mayon and the cagsawa church [which is no longer there now since the typhoon last year washed mud down the slopes of Mt Mayon]. cebu is ok, once you get out of the city. malapascua island was small, quiet and not really a tourist beach like boracy. nothing much to see in Negros, dumugeute is very small, and lots of expats there are after one thing only, apart from beer. i found mindano such a differant place altogether from he rest of the phils, but due to the trouble there, i only stayed on the right portion of mindano down towards davao.

some things i really felt angry at the system, that the guards dont trust anyone, and that includes the 'americanos' [more on that later] walking into a shop with a bag. you have to put it in storage, but dont leave your treasured items in the bag [hell, thats why they are in the bag in the first place, so i have have to carry it]. i guess many people have tried to steal and jus think even white guys will steal.
another thing is being called americano, or american. i hate america, some of the people are jus plain rude, loud and arrgant, not the mention the accent. dont get me wrong, i dont mind american films, jus dont like being called american as i find it an insult. anyway, a funny thing happen to me when i visited Romblon islands which is just above Panay. the island has a small community of German people due the guys marrying the local woman there. so as soon as i arrived, i was no longer american, i was german. so this woman spoke to me, she said:-

excuse me sir, your english isnt very good, are you german?
me] no, i'm from england.
woman] oh really, what language do you speak in england?
me] english, jabbing my chest with my fingers, i'm speaking english.

all rather funny i think. anyway, i miss the phillippines and iv been away for 20 days from today. wondering if i should visit again before my return to uk
shiny plastic wrote:Just don't ride the jeepneys, as the chances of you getting hold up'd are pretty high.
iv had no problem with anything of the sort while 4 months there. i travelled by jeepneys all the time, most of the time getting stopped by army guys in kalainga cos of the cannibis that is grown the the mountains, but apart from that its all been find. jus think before you get in. dont get inside an empty jeepney or you may find you have 'bought' a special tourist ride. if do do happen to get into a jeepney and its empty, and some men try and sit near you, you may be targeted for pickpocket, just get out and find another. all this and many other ways to avoid scams are in Lonely Planet's guidebooks
Last edited by wujou_mao on Feb 19th, '07, 06:23, edited 1 time in total.

junizastud
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Post by junizastud » Feb 19th, '07, 06:23

I traveled to the Philippines twice last year. One reason was to see my family who haven't seen me in 15yrs and the second reason was to just let loose and relax.

I really enjoyed the night life and the girls of course.

nayti05
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Post by nayti05 » Apr 28th, '07, 15:06

one thing i like about filipino is,,eventhough they dont have money the're still happy.. i realized that when move here in u.s...i have everything i want, but i still want to go back there..but i cant,,,cause im studying.........huuhhuhuhuhuhuhu!!

Sakuranantogay
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Post by Sakuranantogay » Apr 28th, '07, 15:37

I loved the Philippines, even though I spent most of my time in Manila. I hang out with mostly filipinos even though I'm caucasian, so I understand a great deal of tagalog. I know enough to watch tv and I understand like 40 percent of a normal conversation in tagalog, so I didn't feel out of place. I hung out in the streets of manila all the time, playing basketball, which I love, and I also went to alot of malls and stuff like that. The food is great, the weather is great, basketball is great XD and the honeys are great! But I think a regular person with no interest in the Philippines or filipino culture whatsoever will have a hard time finding Manila supergreat, since there are alot of ghettos and such. I have nothing against the ghettos since the soda is cheap and the people are cool XD. I believe an average person would rather go to places like tagaytay, batangas, mindoro, boracay etc., and those places are great for tourists who want all of the regular boring stuff ahahah.. Manila all day, baby!

Atomic
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Post by Atomic » May 3rd, '07, 06:04

my ass will be there next week.. Can't freaking wait. For those who are considering going there but afraid of getting mugged/robbed... just be wise on how you travel and you'll have the time of your life.

rosell
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Post by rosell » May 16th, '07, 18:11

if you want to go to philippines check boracay, cebu, bohol, etc. check my site http://ganjapastarasta.multiply.com i have lots od pictures

karin-chan
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Post by karin-chan » May 26th, '07, 14:51

Duxie wrote:Im actuallyin the philippines right this second XD

im staying in Kawit, Cavite, and its soooo hot! im from canada so its a big change. my boyfriend and his family brought me here for the month so its amazingto live like the locals...but just an FYI to all those white people planning on visiting...your gonna get stared at...a lot...all the time lol so if your sensitive, avoid SM and other really croweded areas lol

I went to the open market yesterday, picked up a copy of 'Full House'and 'Goong:Princess hours''for a buck each XD

For all those living here...does anyone know what open market has more taiwanese dramas? all ive been finding is korean..i really want MARS and the devil beside you and a bunch more so let me know! thanks!

PS Philippines IS a last heaven on earth just be carefull and have fun...and ride the jeepneys! XD
if you Love ktw dramas maniLa markets are Loaded wit tons of those... pirated styLe!!! haha!!! yep, thnaks for the compLiments with our country i thought that foreingers Look down on us most of the time :cry:

for foreigners.. i dare you to try these:

1. baLot -- this is avaiLabLe in every corner of the street at night. Recommended to add saLt to taste!!
2. Isaw and Banana Cue and Fish Balls
3. eat with bare hands!!!
4. Check out our LocaL bands
5. go beyond maniLa
6. SM MaLL of Asia!!! just try...
7. BaywaLk in ManiLa, but go there at night
8. Divisoria and Quiapo!! for shophoLics, i swear you go go back with what to saved.. you can buy there those dvd's im teLLing you...

shyme
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Post by shyme » Jun 24th, '07, 12:30

Hi there!

New member from Cagayan de Oro, Philippines.
We have lots of Koreans here in CDO. Most of them are here to learn English.
Americans too but mostly to visit their chatmates. :roll

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alakina
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Post by alakina » Jun 30th, '07, 10:36

go to BOHOL! :wub: :wub: :wub:

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Asianlicious
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Post by Asianlicious » Sep 13th, '07, 19:49

Well, I'm a Flip but wasn't born nor grew up there.
BUT I've visited the Philippines already sooooo many times, that I honestly can't count anymore how many times.

Anyways, well for people ho visit Philippines for the first time, be aware of the weather.
In summer, it's really awful hot and during raining season, floods can overcome you.
An then, if you're skin is sensitive, mosquitos will love you.
That has been ALWAYS my experience up until now, but you could buy OFF-SPRAY, it does work, well at least with me, just try it out ^_^.

But now to the good things, FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD! OMG food in Phils is delicious and is written BIG!
I mean for fast-food lovers for example, try JOLLIBEE!
And try also Calamansi-juice cold and Buko-juice. Then try Buko-pie, Buko-Pandan shake etc. Gosh I think I can't stop *haha*.
What else, I miss Halo-halo and Lechon-Baboy (= baboy means pig, it's a special way to cook the pork and soooo delicious).

Yeah the beaches, Phils is knon for it, not really like Bali, Phuket etc. but believe me, even if I haven't been there yet, Boracay's the best I heard from all my friends from here in in Germany who'd been there already.
I've been already to beaches in southern Philippines, somwhere in Zamboanga and Mindanao and they were really beautiful too. The good things about our beaches I'd say, they are not all known yet and so not as many tourists like in Thailand, Indonesia etc. go there.

If it's too hot for you, go visit Baguio or Tagaytay!

That's all I can say for now ^_°

blue_smurf
Posts: 228
Joined: Mar 2nd, '06, 03:00

Post by blue_smurf » Sep 19th, '07, 04:13

mosquitoes? hahaha! u make it sound like Phils. is infested with them :lol which is not true in most places :glare:
Boracay is voted and tagged as the most beautiful beach in Asia :mrgreen:
there are many breathtaking sights in this country...take ur pick from 7,107 islands :lol
my faves are Camiguin, Bohol, Tagaytay, Cavite, Batangas, Palawan (go to Amanpulo and EL NIDO, but it's very expensive there), Batanes, Baguio ...if u love scuba diving, then Tubbataha is for u...actually, this country boasts of diverse marine life, being the 2nd or 3rd most-diverse marine life in the world...of course, the world-famous El Nido is a paradise, it's a world-heritage place :thumleft: google El Nido, and u will know what I'm talkin about :D

wujou_mao
Posts: 236
Joined: Feb 28th, '04, 14:39
Location: Peterborough UK

Post by wujou_mao » Sep 21st, '07, 18:35

ive been to the philippines 3 times in 2 years worth of backpacking. love to travel off the beatern track so ive seen Manila, Pasig, Taal volcano, Bagiou, Sagada, Tinglayan, Kalinga, Vigan, Biqol, Casawa Church, Leyte, Romblom Islands, Cebu, Malapasua Island, Bohol, Camigun Island, Siquihor, Negros Occ, Mindanno,

food is awful. no spice. the chinese 'food' in Chow King was rough. but the people....SO DAM FRIENDLY. never sad. thats what i miss, as well as the colourful festivals like the Sinulog in January, not the mention the beatiful weather. lovely and hot in April. oh, and San Miquel Beer at 22 Pesos a bottle. can't beat it

blue_smurf
Posts: 228
Joined: Mar 2nd, '06, 03:00

Post by blue_smurf » Sep 24th, '07, 13:55

yeah, the ppl are so damn friendly and happy, like they don't need much in life to be happy :mrgreen: Nothing beats Sinulog, it's the mardi gras of Asia :thumleft: There are many festivals in this country every year :lol Wow, u've been to many places in the Phils. I envy u :D

Abt the food, I think it depends on ur taste buds. They say, ur "taste" in food is subjective :-) What may be tasty to u, may not be true to others. It also depends on what places u go to to eat :-) Personally, I find Filipino food delicious. Simply prepared but yummy like adobo, caldereta, inihaw, etc :D

More than the breathtaking tourist spots, which are thousands, it's the people who are the real treasures. I love Philippines :thumleft:

BTW, Jet Li is the new endorser of San Miguel Beer :salut: aside from Manny Pacquaio and Erik Morales :D

adyhottie
Posts: 59
Joined: Jun 26th, '06, 17:31

Post by adyhottie » Sep 24th, '07, 14:36

It is true that there are a lot of Koreans here in the Philippines,
it has become like a second home for Koreans.. everywhere you go, you can see a lot of Koreans. Even in our school, there are a lot.
Almost everyone came to study english here..whether in school or private tutor. I even made a lot of Korean friends here..
it is nice to talk to them, especially in english..they even know some of the tagalog words which
is really cool. I think it feels great to see a lot of tourists here.. =)

In case you guys wana travel here, i'll post some photos.. =)
The beaches are great!

ariesssa
Posts: 2
Joined: Sep 24th, '07, 14:24

Post by ariesssa » Sep 24th, '07, 14:41

wujou_mao wrote:the phils is my 2nd favourite place after Korea.

then saw mt. Mayon and the cagsawa church [which is no longer there now since the typhoon last year washed mud down the slopes of Mt Mayon].
thanks for saying that you like my country. i do to.. a lot. with regards to MT Mayon.. its still there as well as the Cagsawa Ruins, its just that the church is buried deeper nowadays and you can still see the bell tower.

as for the JEEPNEY scare thing. dont be afraid riding one. just tips.. never ride composed primarily of women passengers. its the easier targets and keep your money nearer to your body. and dont bring bags as much as possible, some pickpockets would just love to slash it for you. so whereever you are, dont allow people to bump or push you. you'll never know.

also.. gypsies can be better pickpockets and during a trip of my friend in Italy a white man got duped by several locals.. so its not an isolated case

as for those looking for Chinese series.... just ask the vendors...

as for communication problems, just speak slower. street vendors understand American English and accent. they'll have trouble understanding British English and Australian English. because of pronunciation differences. and yeah you guys can have different terms for several items.

as for transportation in manila... its cheaper to ride the public transportation. just stay away from the busy areas during 6-8am 11am-1pm and 6-7pm..just stay where you are during these times... you'll be stuck in traffic if you dont especially near offices and schools.

if you dont want to get stared at... there's no help there. just stay cool.

julicar23
Posts: 78
Joined: Aug 26th, '06, 09:09
Location: Metro Manila, Philippines

Post by julicar23 » Sep 24th, '07, 14:57

It's true that there are a lot of Koreans here in the Philippines. Lately, numbers of Koreans & Chinese are out growing. It's because some of them are here just to have a vacation but most of them are here to study English language. they said it is a lot cheaper to study english here than in their own country. A korean and Chinese friend of mine told me that it's like a privilege in their country to study the english language plus it's expensive there that's why they go here to study. At my school (if you have heard already) EAC (Emilio Aguinaldo College), there are many Koreans and Chinese who study English there. EAC has also dormitories exclusively for the foreigners only.. EAC (A school here in the Philippines) is near 7-11& McDo which I know is very familiar to Asians, that's why they say it's very convenient for them to study there :D

julicar23
Posts: 78
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Location: Metro Manila, Philippines

Post by julicar23 » Sep 24th, '07, 15:04

there are also koreans, taiwanese and chinese who study nursing here in the Philippines. I once had a Chinese classmate in my 2nd year of nursing. He's from Beijing and he is really friendly but doesn't want to learn tagalog. anyway, sometimes it's hard for him to understand us because of the language barrier. he doesn't understand our language (tagalog) but he's fluent in english so that helps him a lot in communicating with us. by the way, English is our 2nd language here in the Philippines, so if you're planning to visit here it will not be hard for you to communicate with us if you know how to speak english.. :D

adyhottie
Posts: 59
Joined: Jun 26th, '06, 17:31

Post by adyhottie » Sep 24th, '07, 15:08

Here are pics of the beaches here in Davao City, Philippines.
Pearl Farm Beach Resort
Enjoy!!
Attachments
Pearl Farm, Davao City
Pearl Farm, Davao City
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Picture 036.jpg (146.02 KiB) Viewed 7453 times
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adfaf.JPG (101.49 KiB) Viewed 7453 times

biniBningPunkista
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Post by biniBningPunkista » Sep 24th, '07, 16:15

adyhottie wrote:It is true that there are a lot of Koreans here in the Philippines,
it has become like a second home for Koreans.. everywhere you go, you can see a lot of Koreans. Even in our school, there are a lot.
Almost everyone came to study english here..whether in school or private tutor. I even made a lot of Korean friends here..
it is nice to talk to them, especially in english..they even know some of the tagalog words which
is really cool. I think it feels great to see a lot of tourists here.. =)

In case you guys wana travel here, i'll post some photos.. =)
The beaches are great!

i was a korean tutor for 3 months.
everywhere there are koreans...
just like filipinos are everywhere :D

i love my country and it has its good and bad sides as well.
some of my korean students said that our country is slow paced..
(i am located in laguna and cavite. Suburb area if its in the states..)
not in a bad way... they said everyone is relaxed, unlike in their country..
everything is just too fast.

here's a pic for you too see ;)
Attachments
this was taken in bohol. the boats are called katig's and you can request to be brought in the middle of the sea where there are lots of corals to be seen.
this was taken in bohol. the boats are called katig's and you can request to be brought in the middle of the sea where there are lots of corals to be seen.
DSC04075.JPG (137.64 KiB) Viewed 7438 times

chsaf
Posts: 57
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Location: Malaysia

Post by chsaf » Sep 24th, '07, 16:38

gosh the beaches are absolutely beautiful... i wanna go to the philippines but no one seems interested to follow me... sigh

adyhottie
Posts: 59
Joined: Jun 26th, '06, 17:31

Post by adyhottie » Sep 24th, '07, 16:39

but what i love here are the people!

wujou_mao
Posts: 236
Joined: Feb 28th, '04, 14:39
Location: Peterborough UK

Post by wujou_mao » Sep 24th, '07, 16:40

julicar23 wrote:there are also koreans, taiwanese and chinese who study nursing here in the Philippines. I once had a Chinese classmate in my 2nd year of nursing. He's from Beijing and he is really friendly but doesn't want to learn tagalog. anyway, sometimes it's hard for him to understand us because of the language barrier. he doesn't understand our language (tagalog) but he's fluent in english so that helps him a lot in communicating with us. by the way, English is our 2nd language here in the Philippines, so if you're planning to visit here it will not be hard for you to communicate with us if you know how to speak english.. :D
know how to speak English, lol, yea right. when i was on Romblom Island, i spoke to a woman in a sari - sari stall and she told my Englsih wasn't good and whether i was German. when i :roll my eyes and say no i'm from England, she asked me what language i speak in England :D

another time i asked a hotel clerk for a Bank of the Philippines Islands. she kept saying Allied? and i kept saying Islands. after 5 mins of me losing my temper, she asked me do i need to know how many Islands there are in the Philippines

JESUS H CHRIST GRRRRrr. :cussing:

so i just said BPI and she pointed outside.

wangbu
Posts: 97
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Contact:

Post by wangbu » Sep 24th, '07, 17:35

wujou_mao wrote: another time i asked a hotel clerk for a Bank of the Philippines Islands. she kept saying Allied? and i kept saying Islands. after 5 mins of me losing my temper, she asked me do i need to know how many Islands there are in the Philippines

JESUS H CHRIST GRRRRrr. :cussing:

so i just said BPI and she pointed outside.
Hahaha.... many people knows that bank only by the acronym because it's too long. And there's an Allied Bank here so that's maybe the clerk's confused (she probably heard "Island" as "Allied"?)

Are you familiar with how Filipinos send SMS messages on their phones? You'd go crazy with all the shortened words and acronyms. :lol

Most Filipinos would even prefer sending SMS rather than calling. Many would prefer texting 10 messages (at P1.00 each) rather than calling and talking for 1 minute (at P7.00/minute). But you'll be amazed at how Filipinos can fit so much text in a single SMS message by shortening the words. "F u cn undrstnd dis den ur gud @ txt msgng." :-)

biniBningPunkista
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Post by biniBningPunkista » Sep 24th, '07, 17:59

adyhottie wrote:Here are pics of the beaches here in Davao City, Philippines.
Pearl Farm Beach Resort
Enjoy!!

pearl farm is a really nice place!
my parents have been there, i just got on the tour.
but wasn't able to stay.
i like the pools there!

wujou_mao
Posts: 236
Joined: Feb 28th, '04, 14:39
Location: Peterborough UK

Post by wujou_mao » Sep 24th, '07, 21:01

ariesssa wrote:thanks for saying that you like my country. i do to.. a lot. with regards to MT Mayon.. its still there as well as the Cagsawa Ruins, its just that the church is buried deeper nowadays and you can still see the bell tower.
for the benifit of others, here's the Cagsawa Church bell tower and Mt. Mayon volcano
Image
wangbu wrote:
wujou_mao wrote: another time i asked a hotel clerk for a Bank of the Philippines Islands. she kept saying Allied? and i kept saying Islands. after 5 mins of me losing my temper, she asked me do i need to know how many Islands there are in the Philippines

JESUS H CHRIST GRRRRrr. :cussing:

so i just said BPI and she pointed outside.
Hahaha.... many people knows that bank only by the acronym because it's too long. And there's an Allied Bank here so that's maybe the clerk's confused (she probably heard "Island" as "Allied"?)
i knew what word she mis understood, and Allied doesnt even remotly sound like Island. not even close. maybe 'service' and 'surface' does.

blue_smurf
Posts: 228
Joined: Mar 2nd, '06, 03:00

Post by blue_smurf » Sep 25th, '07, 17:29

wujou_mao wrote:
ariesssa wrote:thanks for saying that you like my country. i do to.. a lot. with regards to MT Mayon.. its still there as well as the Cagsawa Ruins, its just that the church is buried deeper nowadays and you can still see the bell tower.
for the benifit of others, here's the Cagsawa Church bell tower and Mt. Mayon volcano
Image
I'm a Flip but I've never been to Albay :lol I wish, one day, I could go there.
wow, Mt. Mayon is still the volcano with the perfect cone! I love Phils!

wujou_mao
Posts: 236
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Location: Peterborough UK

Post by wujou_mao » Sep 25th, '07, 18:56

actully, it lost of top a few years ago. but you can barely notice it anyway. as reguards to the ruins, i heard that 3 months after that photo was taken, the typhhon that was there washed the mud from the slopes of the volcano down to the fields below, and covered up the ruins. i never had the chance to go back there to check as i ran out of time

blue_smurf
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Post by blue_smurf » Sep 27th, '07, 11:20

@ wujou_mao
can u post pics of ur travels in Phils?

wujou_mao
Posts: 236
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Location: Peterborough UK

Post by wujou_mao » Sep 27th, '07, 15:52

blue_smurf wrote:@ wujou_mao
can u post pics of ur travels in Phils?
oo, i'll just upload the rest of my thailand photos, then i'll do philippines okey?

blue_smurf
Posts: 228
Joined: Mar 2nd, '06, 03:00

Post by blue_smurf » Sep 27th, '07, 16:58

wujou_mao wrote:
blue_smurf wrote:@ wujou_mao
can u post pics of ur travels in Phils?
oo, i'll just upload the rest of my thailand photos, then i'll do philippines okey?
Okay. Ayos! :thumleft: Maraming salamat po :D

wujou_mao
Posts: 236
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Location: Peterborough UK

Post by wujou_mao » Sep 27th, '07, 17:19

blue_smurf wrote:
wujou_mao wrote:
blue_smurf wrote:@ wujou_mao
can u post pics of ur travels in Phils?
oo, i'll just upload the rest of my thailand photos, then i'll do philippines okey?
Okay. Ayos! :thumleft: Maraming salamat po :D
i dont understand apart from Thank you sir

julicar23
Posts: 78
Joined: Aug 26th, '06, 09:09
Location: Metro Manila, Philippines

Post by julicar23 » Sep 27th, '07, 17:40

wujou_mao wrote:
julicar23 wrote:there are also koreans, taiwanese and chinese who study nursing here in the Philippines. I once had a Chinese classmate in my 2nd year of nursing. He's from Beijing and he is really friendly but doesn't want to learn tagalog. anyway, sometimes it's hard for him to understand us because of the language barrier. he doesn't understand our language (tagalog) but he's fluent in english so that helps him a lot in communicating with us. by the way, English is our 2nd language here in the Philippines, so if you're planning to visit here it will not be hard for you to communicate with us if you know how to speak english.. :D
know how to speak English, lol, yea right. when i was on Romblom Island, i spoke to a woman in a sari - sari stall and she told my Englsih wasn't good and whether i was German. when i :roll my eyes and say no i'm from England, she asked me what language i speak in England :D

another time i asked a hotel clerk for a Bank of the Philippines Islands. she kept saying Allied? and i kept saying Islands. after 5 mins of me losing my temper, she asked me do i need to know how many Islands there are in the Philippines

JESUS H CHRIST GRRRRrr. :cussing:

so i just said BPI and she pointed outside.

hahaha...island, allied... maybe it's the accent, or maybe she just heard it wrong or she has hearing problems :))

julicar23
Posts: 78
Joined: Aug 26th, '06, 09:09
Location: Metro Manila, Philippines

Post by julicar23 » Sep 27th, '07, 17:56

wujou_mao wrote:
ariesssa wrote:thanks for saying that you like my country. i do to.. a lot. with regards to MT Mayon.. its still there as well as the Cagsawa Ruins, its just that the church is buried deeper nowadays and you can still see the bell tower.
for the benifit of others, here's the Cagsawa Church bell tower and Mt. Mayon volcano
Image
wangbu wrote:
wujou_mao wrote: another time i asked a hotel clerk for a Bank of the Philippines Islands. she kept saying Allied? and i kept saying Islands. after 5 mins of me losing my temper, she asked me do i need to know how many Islands there are in the Philippines

JESUS H CHRIST GRRRRrr. :cussing:

so i just said BPI and she pointed outside.
Hahaha.... many people knows that bank only by the acronym because it's too long. And there's an Allied Bank here so that's maybe the clerk's confused (she probably heard "Island" as "Allied"?)
i knew what word she mis understood, and Allied doesnt even remotly sound like Island. not even close. maybe 'service' and 'surface' does.

maybe it'syour accent... I haven't heard you speak, so I wouldn't know whether the lady in the sari-sari store is right when she said that your english is not good or your way of speaking is hard to understand...
anyway, I wish I could also travel in your country one day... :)

wujou_mao
Posts: 236
Joined: Feb 28th, '04, 14:39
Location: Peterborough UK

Post by wujou_mao » Sep 27th, '07, 18:29

we invented the bloody language. my accent is slighty on the posh side, but easy to understand. i'm not from anywhere near Birmingham or Scotland, liverpool or Ireland. those accents are tough to understand, even for a brit like me. my accent isnt like that, more of a harry potter accent, or if you have seen that crap new james bond film with Daniel craig, my accent sounds like 'Q's' voice. [i saw the film in Philippines, and it didnt have Englsih subtitles for an English film. just Tagalog, so i guess even the film filipino board could understand them]

as for Romblom Island, many Germans have setteled there with there Filipino's wife's. so for the filipinos, i was no longer americano as everyone thought i was elsewhere in the phils, they thought i was german, and even more so when i started speaking, as they would asume all white men speak american [which started to annoy me after a while as i dislike the yanks]

take a peak at youtube and watch a clip of the british drama 'Skins' for a bristol accent. or search for coronation street which is set in yorkshire. or Shameless.

you want to go to United Kingdom? its frezzing. bitterly cold winds, rain and summer only lasts for 4 months. you will be depressed. you should pop over to Spain instead

julicar23
Posts: 78
Joined: Aug 26th, '06, 09:09
Location: Metro Manila, Philippines

Post by julicar23 » Sep 27th, '07, 18:45

wujou_mao wrote:we invented the bloody language. my accent is slighty on the posh side, but easy to understand. i'm not from anywhere near Birmingham or Scotland, liverpool or Ireland. those accents are tough to understand, even for a brit like me. my accent isnt like that, more of a harry potter accent, or if you have seen that crap new james bond film with Daniel craig, my accent sounds like 'Q's' voice. [i saw the film in Philippines, and it didnt have Englsih subtitles for an English film. just Tagalog, so i guess even the film filipino board could understand them]

as for Romblom Island, many Germans have setteled there with there Filipino's wife's. so for the filipinos, i was no longer americano as everyone thought i was elsewhere in the phils, they thought i was german, and even more so when i started speaking, as they would asume all white men speak american [which started to annoy me after a while as i dislike the yanks]

take a peak at youtube and watch a clip of the british drama 'Skins' for a bristol accent. or search for coronation street which is set in yorkshire. or Shameless.

you want to go to United Kingdom? its frezzing. bitterly cold winds, rain and summer only lasts for 4 months. you will be depressed. you should pop over to Spain instead
really? I love James Bond (watched all 21 films + 1 last Connery movie as Bond), also all the past (Connery, Moore, Dalton, Brosnan, etc) & new James Bond, bloody hell, :) also Harry Potter, honestly I Iove your accent, so maybe when I hear you speak I would definitely understand you..
yeah, english movies shown here in the Philippines doesn't need tagalog subtitles, as you already know english is our 2nd language :)

Month of march, april, may and october are the only months we can travel outside the country, as for me, I'm still studying so only semestral breaks and summer vacation (march, april, may, october, also december- christmas holiday) are the only time I can travel outside the Phils. :)

wujou_mao
Posts: 236
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Location: Peterborough UK

Post by wujou_mao » Sep 27th, '07, 19:14

julicar23 wrote: honestly I Iove your accent, so maybe when I hear you speak I would definitely understand you..
well give us your mobile number and i'll ring you up so you can listen to my voice :D

why are you limited to march, april, may and october to go on holiday outside the philippines? you're not allowed to go when you want? :glare:

julicar23
Posts: 78
Joined: Aug 26th, '06, 09:09
Location: Metro Manila, Philippines

Post by julicar23 » Sep 27th, '07, 20:12

wujou_mao wrote:
julicar23 wrote: honestly I Iove your accent, so maybe when I hear you speak I would definitely understand you..
well give us your mobile number and i'll ring you up so you can listen to my voice :D

why are you limited to march, april, may and october to go on holiday outside the philippines? you're not allowed to go when you want? :glare:
hahaha, maybe some other time :) I don't like you to spend money just to call me, maybe, if you decided you want to go and visit Philippines again, tell me and try to call me, well just to hear you're voice. but for now I'll just watch James Bond again and listen to "Q's" voice, hahaha :)

It's not that I'm not allowed, it's just that I'm still studying so schedules a bit tight :)

blue_smurf
Posts: 228
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Post by blue_smurf » Sep 28th, '07, 11:41

wujou_mao wrote:
blue_smurf wrote:
wujou_mao wrote:
oo, i'll just upload the rest of my thailand photos, then i'll do philippines okey?
Okay. Ayos! :thumleft: Maraming salamat po :D
i dont understand apart from Thank you sir
sorry :-) "ayos" is an interjection which means "fine" or "okay"
"maraming salamat" means "thank you very much"
"po" is a polite speech we Flips use to show courtesy or respect :D

wujou_mao
Posts: 236
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Location: Peterborough UK

Post by wujou_mao » Sep 28th, '07, 15:41

blue_smurf wrote:
wujou_mao wrote:
blue_smurf wrote:
Okay. Ayos! :thumleft: Maraming salamat po :D
i dont understand apart from Thank you sir
sorry :-) "ayos" is an interjection which means "fine" or "okay"
"maraming salamat" means "thank you very much"
"po" is a polite speech we Flips use to show courtesy or respect :D
oo, i know what salamat and po means, thats why i said i don't understand everything apart from Salamat Po.

shuurei
Posts: 49
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Location: Philippines

Post by shuurei » Sep 28th, '07, 16:01

wujou_mao wrote:we invented the bloody language. my accent is slighty on the posh side, but easy to understand. i'm not from anywhere near Birmingham or Scotland, liverpool or Ireland. those accents are tough to understand, even for a brit like me. my accent isnt like that, more of a harry potter accent, or if you have seen that crap new james bond film with Daniel craig, my accent sounds like 'Q's' voice. [i saw the film in Philippines, and it didnt have Englsih subtitles for an English film. just Tagalog, so i guess even the film filipino board could understand them]

as for Romblom Island, many Germans have setteled there with there Filipino's wife's. so for the filipinos, i was no longer americano as everyone thought i was elsewhere in the phils, they thought i was german, and even more so when i started speaking, as they would asume all white men speak american [which started to annoy me after a while as i dislike the yanks]

take a peak at youtube and watch a clip of the british drama 'Skins' for a bristol accent. or search for coronation street which is set in yorkshire. or Shameless.

you want to go to United Kingdom? its frezzing. bitterly cold winds, rain and summer only lasts for 4 months. you will be depressed. you should pop over to Spain instead
Lol! Filipinos have this weird sense of associating caucasians as germans when they cannot understand what they're saying. It's a joke, actually. So, when Filipinos say you speak German or that you're probably German, most often than not, they're telling you that they can't understand you and your words.

I guess the reason why most Filipinos think that most caucasians speak american is probably because we treat american english as a universal language, since it is the language taught in our schools. So, they probably assume that you can speak the same english that we know of. I mean, if you don't understand the local language, perhaps you could communicate using american english.

wujou_mao
Posts: 236
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Post by wujou_mao » Sep 28th, '07, 18:03

shuurei wrote:Lol! Filipinos have this weird sense of associating caucasians as germans when they cannot understand what they're saying. It's a joke, actually. So, when Filipinos say you speak German or that you're probably German, most often than not, they're telling you that they can't understand you and your words.

I guess the reason why most Filipinos think that most caucasians speak american is probably because we treat american english as a universal language, since it is the language taught in our schools. So, they probably assume that you can speak the same english that we know of. I mean, if you don't understand the local language, perhaps you could communicate using american english.
oh there is no way on hell's earth am i speaking american english. no way on earth. and i refuse to say the american words for pavement, and rubbish bins / sacks, let along talk in american accent. i'm proud to be british. so either understand me, or rack off :D

and i have just asked a filipino where they think England is. they said Russia or Middle east!!
Last edited by wujou_mao on Sep 28th, '07, 19:18, edited 1 time in total.

biniBningPunkista
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Post by biniBningPunkista » Sep 28th, '07, 18:12

wujou_mao wrote: oh there is no way on hell's earth am i speaking american english. no way on earth. and i refuse to say the american words for pavement, and rubbish bins / sacks, let along talk in american accent. i'm proud to be british. so either understand me, or rack off :D

and i have just asked someone where they think England is. they said Russia or Middle east!!


what the?? they don't know where england is??? (its understandable if they don't know where philippines is located...:glare: :glare: ) but england??? lolz... this post just made my insomiac moment more sensible. lolz....!

and i also hope you don't use an american accent to exchange for your brit one. there are already too many poeple using it...
btw i like the scottish accent... but sometimes it just too much. brittish accent is way better for me.

wangbu
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Post by wangbu » Sep 29th, '07, 00:13

wujou_mao wrote:and i have just asked a filipino where they think England is. they said Russia or Middle east!!
Hahaha... I wonder why they thought so....

On second thought... and this is just my opinion, maybe they didn't know about Europe too much? I myself had to think for a second where England is before I realized it's in Europe. :mrgreen:

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Post by shuurei » Sep 29th, '07, 00:28

wujou_mao wrote:
shuurei wrote:Lol! Filipinos have this weird sense of associating caucasians as germans when they cannot understand what they're saying. It's a joke, actually. So, when Filipinos say you speak German or that you're probably German, most often than not, they're telling you that they can't understand you and your words.

I guess the reason why most Filipinos think that most caucasians speak american is probably because we treat american english as a universal language, since it is the language taught in our schools. So, they probably assume that you can speak the same english that we know of. I mean, if you don't understand the local language, perhaps you could communicate using american english.
oh there is no way on hell's earth am i speaking american english. no way on earth. and i refuse to say the american words for pavement, and rubbish bins / sacks, let along talk in american accent. i'm proud to be british. so either understand me, or rack off :D

Haha! Lack of knowledge in geography aside, I think despite the language barriers, most Filipinos would treat you nice.


and i have just asked a filipino where they think England is. they said Russia or Middle east!!

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Post by wujou_mao » Sep 29th, '07, 04:41

wangbu wrote:
wujou_mao wrote:and i have just asked a filipino where they think England is. they said Russia or Middle east!!
Hahaha... I wonder why they thought so....

On second thought... and this is just my opinion, maybe they didn't know about Europe too much? I myself had to think for a second where England is before I realized it's in Europe. :mrgreen:
England has 3 names. it used to be called great britian, but nowdays most people say its United Kingdom, as it comprises 4 countires. Ireland, Scotland,Wales and England. and as i dont live in any of the 1st 3, i say i live in England.

but you have heard of Princess of wales - lady Diana right? or James Bond, Harry Potter. David Beckham - new footie star thats playing for LA Galaxy instead of England. i wouldnt think you know any football stars as its one sport i have never seen played in philippines. its always Basketball on TV

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Post by wangbu » Sep 29th, '07, 05:09

wujou_mao wrote:
wangbu wrote:
wujou_mao wrote:and i have just asked a filipino where they think England is. they said Russia or Middle east!!
Hahaha... I wonder why they thought so....

On second thought... and this is just my opinion, maybe they didn't know about Europe too much? I myself had to think for a second where England is before I realized it's in Europe. :mrgreen:
England has 3 names. it used to be called great britian, but nowdays most people say its United Kingdom, as it comprises 4 countires. Ireland, Scotland,Wales and England. and as i dont live in any of the 1st 3, i say i live in England.

but you have heard of Princess of wales - lady Diana right? or James Bond, Harry Potter. David Beckham - new footie star thats playing for LA Galaxy instead of England. i wouldnt think you know any football stars as its one sport i have never seen played in philippines. its always Basketball on TV
Oh. I thought UK was a single country. I thought England was a separate country by itself. I guess it really didn't matter to me since I never had anyone talk about it during this time. Thanks for the info.

And yes, I know Princess Diana, James Bond and Harry Potter, distingusihing them especially by their British accent. Football, yeah I don't know them, but I don't play basketball either so I don't know much about Philippine basketball (other than the basketball players who became showbiz stars.) :mrgreen:

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Post by wujou_mao » Sep 29th, '07, 11:25

someone should re-educate the teacher. look at where the kids have placed our capital city, London. its near Birmingham bless :crazy: :D

i was in Negros Occ, and i saw this in a Museum there.
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hope you filipino's dont think i'm ungratful and rude. i love your country, and its people. a few niggly things do wind me up and so i hate to do shopping with a rucksack etc. give it 2 more years to save some more dosh, and i'll go again.
wangbu wrote:And yes, I know Princess Diana, James Bond and Harry Potter, distingusihing them especially by their British accent. Football, yeah I don't know them, but I don't play basketball either so I don't know much about Philippine basketball (other than the basketball players who became showbiz stars.) :mrgreen:
do you have a butchers at youtube for our comedy drama, SKINS & SHAMELESS? they are classic, witty and unlike the american version whenever they will be made, cos we have swearing, F - words, the odd C - word, nudity, drug refences. i urge you to have a look. just listen carefully when you watch Shamelss, as i found it hard for me to understand and i'm a Brit :lol

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bveautiful islands of the Philippines

Post by blue_smurf » Sep 30th, '07, 05:59

@ wujou_mao
I've always known since I was a child that England's in Europe ^^
On a different note, I assume you've been to Mactan Island, Batanes Islands, Corregidor Island, Pangasinan, Palawan, etc.
I'll post some pics of some of the beautiful islands of this country for the benefit of those who plan to go there:

Batanes Islands/
go to: http://www.philsite.net/batanes.htm for more travel guide info about these islands.
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batanes lighthouse
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Ivatan (natives) house
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Palawan Island--"island of the gods" http://www.philsite.net./palawan.htm
These islands are a must-see for tourists who love nature.
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If u love diving, palawan has the best diving sites like Tubbataha, whiich is designated as a World Heritage Site because of its unique and most diverse marine life. It is indeed a diver's haven ^^

Palawan has many unbelievably breathtaking beach resorts like the popular El Nido Resorts.
for more pictures and travel guide info, go to http://www.elnidoresorts.com

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Corregidor Islands--If u love to see remnants or ruins of the WWII, go to these islands ^^
http://www.philsite.net/corregidor.htm
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pangasinan Islands--famous for the "Hundred Islands" and stunning beaches, too.
the Hundred Islands
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Pangasinan caves
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Pangasinan caves

Mactan islands--trivia: this is where the cast of Jumong took their vacation after filming Jumong XD It boasts of some of the best diving sites of this country and of the world, and beautiful beaches, too ^^
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Puerto galera--http://www.philsite.net/puerto.htm
it has a string of beaches, located in Mindoro island ^^
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As for festivals, there are soooooo many, but the most popular ones are:
Sinulog--celebrated every 3rd week of January in Cebu City. This Philippine fiesta in Visayas region celebrates Cebu's patron saint, the Santo Niño (Child Christ). This week long event is marked by processions, street dancing and parades. This fiesta is a local version of the Mardi gras.

Ati-atihan--fiesta starts from the16th to the 22nd of January in Kalibo, Aklan. Revelers masquerading as Negritos in colorful costumes, dance to the beat of drums while chanting "Hala Bira!" in preparation to the Sunday procession in honor of the Santo Niño.

Kadayawan--held every 3rd week of August in Davao City.This festival give thanks to to the bounty of fruits and flowerers as the waling-waling orchid blooms. Colorful floats are bedecked with beautiful orchids and other flowers in the grand parade.

Masskara festival--held every 3rd week of October in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. Mask-making puts a quaint accent on the festivities to mark Bacolod City's charter day. Brass bands, beauty contests and parades are held before the evening's highlight of street dance where folks wear their beautiful masks.

Higantes festival--from November 22 to 23 in Angono, Rizal, male devotees carry the image of San Clemente in a procession that features pahadores, clad in colorful garb and wooden shoes and carrying boat paddles and higantes (giants) 10 feet tall papier mache puppets.

Pintados---every 29th of June in Tacloban, Leyte, town folks parade through town with colorful body paint to recall their ancient warrior tradition where tattoos represented bravery and prestige.

Moriones--reenacted during the Holy Week in Boac, Marinduque. This Philippine fiesta is based on a play about the story of Longinus, the centurion whose blind eye is cured by a drop of Jesus Christ's blood. Actors wear colorful wooden mask and dressed as Roman soldiers.

Those are some of the beautiful islands. There are many but I feel lazy now to enumerate them XD I'm very proud of my country, and we have the world-class beaches in the world ^^

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Post by blue_smurf » Sep 30th, '07, 06:54

Now, this is my ultimate dream Honeymoon destination ^.^
AMANPULO of Pamalican Island, Palawan-- amanpulo means "Peaceful Island"
http://www.travelsmart.net/ph/resorts/Palawan/Amanpulo/
It's a very private, classy, idyllic paradise ^^ The beaches are soooooooooooo stunning! However, it's so expensive there. Accommodations for doubles are US $854; voted #1 by readers of the Gold List 2006 and 2007.

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here's a very wonderful site that provides wonderful info for those planning to travel to Philippines:
http://letsgotophilippines.blogspot.com

blue_smurf
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Post by blue_smurf » Sep 30th, '07, 07:18

those who love the beach, aside from Palawan, Mactan, and Boracay, I strongly recommend Bohol. This place is boastful of prisitne, white sand, beautiful beaches. Here are wonderful sites about Bohol beach resorts: http://bohol-beach-resorts.com and http://letsgotothephilippines.blogspot.com

wujou_mao
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Post by wujou_mao » Sep 30th, '07, 07:47

awsome pictures of El Nino. i love to do diving, unfortunaly, i swim like a brick. my photo's of the philippines looks pretty bland i guess as it has no beaches pictures. i love malapascua island cos its quiet. but boracy, although i have never been, just reading about it in Lonely Planet guide book was enough to put me off traveling there.

what am i gonna do? get pissed all day and sunbathe - boring. spose the ampule korean's on the island will give you choices of korean food to eat. but you can't judge a book by its cover, so i can't say if i will enjoy the island or not, but i have steered clear of boracy, like i have with Phuket in Thailand.

and £450 for a stay on Palawan. jesus. hope they have flushing C.R's for that price

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