you want it, you got it : the wrap up post!

by popular demand (and i do mean DEMAND... anna), here is one last "vanilla in manila" post with some photos from my amazing, lovely, relaxing, delightful, delicious three-week holiday in paradise, filled to the brim with fun, sun, sand, mangoes, snorkeling, friends, and laughing.

first category : wildlife!
some sort of pretty lizard. apparently they are a delicacy, but we didn't test that theory.

imagine finding this little guy (approximately as wide as your hand!!) in your shower.... like i did. thank goodness there was a tiny filipino girl with an equally tiny piece of tissue to squash it for us.

monkey!
monitor lizard!
next category : transportation.
we traveled by boat.... a lot!



but sometimes we traveled by motorcycle...
or jeepney...

or bus, which was especially fun when it rained and the roads were like this:

and now onto.... beaches!
quite honestly, if you have a chance to go to sabang - do. it's a teeny slice of heaven on earth.

port barton, where we spent possibly the most fabulous christmas ever. (hello, snorkelling on christmas day?? fabulous.)

in the bacuit archipelago in el nido.

more el nido.
cute little starfish island in honda bay.

so, yes. it is with no small amount of regret that i am closing the books on my adventure in the philippines. it was absolutely the experience of a lifetime and i'm so very very happy that i had the opportunity to do this. and now, as my good friend dana would say, on to the next adventure!

salamat po for the memories, manila!

i finished my contract yesterday, and this is how excited i was to submit the final report and get going on my vacation.

i hope you are all similarly excited to start your holidays!

today i bid a fond farewall to manila as i head off for three weeks of travels before eventually returning to toronto. to wrap up here are a few lists, of things i will miss about manila, and the philippines in general:

• wearing tank tops and sandals
  
• palm trees everywhere
• cheap food, movies, clothes, manicures, massages, taxis, everything!
• getting a dozen compliments a day
• pearly white laundry service
• having my apartment cleaned every day, and my dishes done
• the bay
• the incredible friendly people
• sizzling gambas, chocolate crinkles, buko pie, san miguel
  
• hobbits
• being called ma'am all the time (it grows on you, trust me)
  

things i will not miss about manila:

• crushing poverty everywhere
• getting robbed
• the air pollution as thick (or thicker some days) as pea soup
• cockroaches
• working all the time with almost zero days off in two and a half months
• all texting, all the time
• earthquakes
• typhoons
• total lack of blonde hair dye!

overall, i'm very very happy i came here. i learned a lot, and absolutely none of it was what i thought i would learn (which is a lesson in itself). now... my re-integration into toronto life. i guess i will have to start wearing makeup - and long pants - again. i hear it's cold there. brrr.

i look forward to seeing you all when i get back in january. thanks SO MUCH for following along on the blog, but don't tune out just yet. i'll be posting some stories and photos from my travels when i get back.

finally, A BEACH!

here are a few pics of my beach weekend in mindoro. this is the last week of my contract, so am busy busy this week. looking forward to finishing up work and continuing to work on my tan!!

my view at breakfast.
a few sunset views.

the view down the beach.
mountains and clouds.on the rocky path to white beach. i look pretty tan, huh?
well, maybe in a few more weeks....

the roof, the roof, the roof is on fire

since the other videos seemed to be a hit, how about one from my roof where you can get a panoramic view of my neighbourhood, including the huge mall across the street?

no?

well, how about if there is a big fire in the video?? would you watch it then?



i just hope my favourite noodle place is intact tomorrow....

monday morning music, revisited

this morning seemed to have a decidedly german / polka feel...