Download PDF - Oyster News 66 - Oyster Yachts

“We found Malapascua one
of the nicest unspoiled
islands we visited. There are
no cars and locals and
tourists live in harmony
with nature.
”
26 www.oystermarine.com
Philippines - Our gate to South Asia continued
Cebu
Cebu Yacht Club is a small and dirty marina with mainly local boats and few cruising yachts.
However, it is a secure and a convenient location, just a short walk to the town. The staff
were helpful and even managed to get power for Moana. They cut cables, took off the power
plug and hooked the cables directly into the power socket lying just above the waterline.
It looked dangerous but worked fine. Checking in was trouble-free. On our arrival we got a
permit to stay two months and an outward clearance for the port in Palawan we wanted to
visit. The authorities didn’t need to visit the boat and the paperwork was professionally
completed. Of course there was baksheesh involved – but an acceptable amount. Berth
prices are cheap for the first 15 days. From then on the cost gets unbelievably expensive, a
tacit sign for foreign yachts to move on.
Everywhere in Cebu are huge billboards, clean and cheap restaurants, big shopping malls,
congested traffic abound with cars, scooters and thousands of people. As this was our first
stop in South East Asia, we felt absolutely overwhelmed. There are few traffic signs or zebra
crossings and the road traffic rules are simple. Whatever is bigger has right of way!
We crossed the road with only this rule in mind.
The selection of fruit, vegetables and herbs in the markets and supermarkets are a luxury.
Almost never-ending shelves are loaded with fresh products packed in different sizes. Shopping
and eating out is diverse and extremely cheap... and very delicious. A three course Asian dinner
inclusive with beverages for two is less than ten US dollars in an air-conditioned restaurant.
Even cheaper food is available from the locals with their mobile kitchens. But be warned –
there are some Filipino eating habits which are very unusual. It sounds harmless enough
when you first hear a cyclist with a cool box wandering around and calling "Balut, balut".
All the local people rush over to buy one or two each which makes you wonder what all the
fuss is about; after all, a balut is only a boiled egg, isn’t it? No, it is not. This egg contains
legs and wings, feathers, beak, bones, claws and a few more bits of the un-hatched chicken.
Filipinos eat these fertilized eggs between the 16th and 21st day. They prepare balut by
boiling, cooling, peeling off the shell at one end, adding a little salt and swallowing down
whole. Chew it if you feel the need but definitely don’t look at it, think about it, or smell it…
just eat it and enjoy! Filipinos believe that eating these eggs improve sexual stamina.
Happy with our sex-lives, we left the eggs to them!
Jeepneys are the typical Philippine means of public transportation. When the American armed
forces left the Philippines after the end of the World War II, they gave their military jeeps to
the local population. The locals altered these jeeps so that more passengers could be
transported. They added a metal roof to provide shade and painted the converted vehicles
skilfully with decorative and colourful pictures. Most owners chose religious motifs and made
shining engine cooler grills from chrome. They look nothing like army vehicles anymore.
Jeepneys are taken with pleasure and are popular!