Hmmm - whilst thinking of Candy after my last post, I was walking through the SM Mall of Asia (an enormous Mall in Manila, bigger than any I've been in worldwide, period) and just happened to pass a shop called "Nuts About Candy" - right next door to "Cockhouse" - I kid you not.
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I was slightly shocked to discover that Cockhouse was a small emporium celebrating the sport of Cockfighting - complete with videos, and T-Shirts depicting some of the famous cocks... It seems that here in the Philippines Cockfighting is treated much like darts back in Blighty - televised competitions, with flashy graphics, replete with somewhat bloodthirsty names for the combatants. Thus far it's the one thing I've disliked about being here, but then it is their culture, and their country, not mine - I'm a guest.
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On the plus side of being in the Philippines, there's an awful lot to like over here. R & R takes on a whole new meaning with an incredibly welcoming people, tropical weather, a beautiful country (especially if you know where to go), world-class diving facilities (yes, there is a "Muff Divers" bar, although its scarcely out of place, with other bars such as "Up the Alley" and "Kinkys"!) and incredible affordability.
Foodwise, there's everything here - fresh sea food galore, and pretty much all possible cuisines compete for your tastebuds - you can eat a delicious meal in a bar / cafe, and have a couple of beers for around three pounds!
I did try my hand at the world's biggest burger - which weighed in at a monstrous 3 lb of beef, one inch thick, in a suitably enormous bun. Felt a little ashamed about doing so in such a poor country, especially as I only managed about 65% of it despite starving myself for the previous 12 hours, but it was worth it for the photographic evidence alone - never ever seen a burger anything like it.
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Thus far, I've managed to resist trying Balut - a hugely popular dish here, hawked with all the popularity of hot dogs in the States - and which is (I'm assured) an eight or nine days old chicken foetus, still in the egg. You basically crack the egg open and eat the foetus (which is obviously full of protein), spitting out the beak afterwards. Not for me, but again this isn't my culture, so I can't see a legitimate viewpoint for any criticism.
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There really are places straight out of picturebooks here - bars (with beer at 40 pence a go - sometimes less) sitting directly on white sandy beaches against which an azure sea laps, glorious weather, and beautiful (and yes, available, and friendly!) women to top everything off (and if you feel like you're not being topped off enough already, I recommend this place unreservedly!). A whole night's entertainment here can be 20 pounds, all-in (he says, trying to put it politely, and avoid upsetting any WAM feminists, should there be any lurking!).
It wasn't that long ago that I'd punch someone in the face when they pissed me off; now I just delete them from Facebook - that'll show the mother-fuckers...
