Philippines Day 2: Cebu City

Today we decided to explore the city.  Here’s the view outside our hotel room:

Karl led us around and showed us how the locals here lived so similarly to those on his mission in El Salvador. 

This rooftop is something that was particularly familiar to him.

Local Stores

The Philippine houses were usually more tightly packed together than this, but these shots reflected those housing situations that were more like the mission.
After getting out of the small neighborhood, we entered the shopping center via the overhead walkway.  Amongst the beggars was an especially sad sight.  Somebody had their very young children sitting at the top of these steps, and the little boy (only 1 year old I’d guess) was naked and crying.  The mother was nowhere to be seen, but I’m sure someone was nearby to keep me from picking up the child to bring him home with me and take proper care of him.  I gave out breadsticks and meat sticks.

Here is where we ate our lunch.  It was Chinese food.  Maybe we’ll be more adventurous tomorrow.

My glorified ramen.

Egg rolls, sweet and sour chicken, fried rice, and something like a pot-pie.



Jared’s toting a bag from the Robinson’s department store where we picked up that pink rain jacket Ella’s wearing, and some other items.  After eating, we checked out the local grocery store, picking up some essentials for our trips.
After the walk home, we watched some of our favorite shows, ordered room-service dinner, and plan to get to sleep early for a full day of Mactan’s White Sands Beach Resort tomorrow!

Philippines Day 1: Talima

We have a week off for the National Holiday, and so in honor of China, we left the country.  We’re in the Philippines now, and for our first day, we’ve already learned so much.

Since the dollar is about equal to 41 Philippine Pesos, you can try to figure out the following.
Our ‘shuttle’ from the airport to the Cebu R Hotel was actually a taxi, and we were charged 600 Pesos (PHP) for a 30 minute ride.  That’s quite a bit more than the 60 RMB 50-minute ride we usually take to church in Shenzhen (60 RMB=400 PHP), so that was confusing.  I was under the impression that it would be cheaper around here.

A vehicle that would’ve been cheaper

That night, I checked out the bathtub, which looks nice, but it’s a bit small.  The back is sloped, though, so still comfortable.  It was a trick getting the water to not drip from the shower while filling the tub, but it works.

We decided to check out the Shangri-la Resort Hotel in Lapu-Lapu, since it was on the list of things to see.  Our hailed cab told us it would cost 700 Pesos (ouch!) and when we got there, the concierge said they were too full to let us pay to use the facilities for the day.  We asked where else we might go, and they helped us get another taxi, and mentioned that the drivers should turn on their meter.  I’m so glad they use meters!  It only should have been about 400 Pesos for the trip.
Our new driver from the Hotel was very helpful, and explained that the other place we were headed was a swimming pool, with no beach access.  That’s not what we wanted, so he turned around and drove us to the Island Hopping tour guides.  He said he knew some people that could help us go out for only 5000 Pesos, which sounded similar to what we had read about on the internet earlier that day.  Some of the cheapo ones with no frills were advertised at 295 Pesos per person, but the price went up with all the extras, and we’re not familiar enough with anything to bargain, yet.  We agreed, hesitantly, and headed out.  When we got on the boat, the driver arranged the price of 3500 Pesos, and I was so grateful.  I wish I had said a little prayer, though, because half-way through the trip, he said we had already arranged for 5000, so we would pay that.  He tried to explain that the 3500 was going to be per person, so we were actually getting a deal.

We really had a great time, though.  We took their little boat to an area called Talima on Olango Island, and then a restaurant on stilts in Cao-uy.

One of the places had so many beautiful tiger-striped fish that we fed with bread. 

We got in the water with them, too, and snorkeled around for quite a while.

Sometimes we came up to dump out our mask-water.

Ella found a good resting spot.

Then we all joined.

After that we went to Cao-uy for lunch on the water, and I said I needed to know the price before we stopped there, but they kept saying they would tell me when I stopped, and then they would tell me when I chose the fish, and then when they told me, it was over 3000!  That just wasn’t possible, and they helped us arrange a deal for 1000, which was still insane , but I guess it’s on the water, and some conveniences are really appreciated.

Choosing pretty seashells for a shell-fish lunch

A couple of sweet girls swam over and wanted to sell some necklaces to our children.

We bought two for 50 each, and the kids all played in the water and talked with each other.  I asked the girls if they were hungry, and did they want to join us for our lunch?  They were so polite and explained that they were hungry, but shy, so we said we’d bring down our leftovers.  They were happy about that, but asked us to just give it to them, and nobody else.  I was a little confused, but later, a group of kids gathered by probably looking for handouts or selling similar bobbles.  Our new young friends must’ve shooed them away, though, because they didn’t stick around for the rest of our meal.  When we were done, I was a bit surprised that the girls did indeed eat what was left (I brought it down to them in the water).
After the girls finished eating, they brought me a live starfish they had found, and we held it for a while and studied a bit with our kids about the little feelers, and the mouth, and such. 

A live starfish!

We all got in the water to swim around; it was shallow enough that Jared and I didn’t feel like wearing our life-jackets.
At first it looked like the area was just yucky seaweed, but after donning the face mask and snorkel, I was surprised by all the coral and beautiful rocks nearby the little beach restaurant. 

Karl found some fish.

On the way back to Lapu-Lapu, one of the boat riders said he could help us have a trip around Bohol for only 3000, so maybe we’ll have some fun with that later.

"Cello's aren't real, Mom!"

Karl was playing "The Cello's Song," today.

I said it sounded like swimming.  Then I said maybe the cello's were swimming.

Ella said "Cello's aren't real, Mom!"

...

After realizing that they were, she talked about them not being able to swim, but maybe a person could swim and hold them in the water with them.  What a fun little conversation!

Summer Vacation (Camera 1)

We started off in Beijing. A really nice lady at the Jade market gave our kids some souvenir necklaces.  Yes, the frogs went with us everywhere ^_^

This part of the Great Wall was the treasure I found when exploring past the tourist end-point.

Our kids spent a lot of time playing at the airports

We arrived in the US, eventually. Cousins enjoyed craft-time.

Jeweled pirate-eye & ironing beads.

Swimming with the Washington cousins.

Backyard playtime!

Trampolines were a big hit, especially when older cousins could show ya how its done!

Ella fell and scraped her knee, walking around at Yellowstone. She needed to be carried, of course :)

Jared and friends created a fort while waiting for Old Faithful to erupt.

Ella got some sticks ready to start a campfire for her stuffed animals.  I didn’t mention that stuffed animals probably don’t want a campfire.
Cute pajamas from the Grand Tetons!! I couldn’t resist.

My mom got a matching pair and the kids loved riding Grandma Moose.

We visited the home of another teacher that had worked with us in China. Sister Anita Wilson and her daughter, Sonya, were great friends. Here they are taking turns playing X-box Kinect and then later visiting their goats.

The ski lift at Aspen Grove is a fun tradition.

Great memories from getting ice cream at the BYU Creamery!


We stayed with Grandma & Grandpa Baughman in an apartment near BYU Campus for a few nights (sorry for the red-eye).

BYU housing graced us with a fun game room, too!

Our Utah friends met us at Jump On It, and the kids got worn out.  See Dropbox for video.

 My friend’s husband got the high score on that punching ball game, too!

Ella got new glasses.

Our kids went to Art Camp at Color Me Mine.

Jared had a tutor help him learn perspective and motion for a few days.

Meanwhile, the grown-ups got to attend Education Week.  My mom, dad, sister, her daughter, and I all had a great time!

I loved my class about DNA and uses for family history and how to reconcile scientific discoveries with the gospel.

We HAD to stop and have some fun at Deseret Industries!  That’s Ella and her cousin, Lauren, in the over-size pant-leg.

Then they sort of posed with Aubrey, another cousin.

Having fun at Aidan’s baptism (hide and seek). The girls look so reverent while they count in the doorway to the men’s bathroom!

Look who Ella found! Monkey Aidan’s Uncle!

We got in some snuggle time before we said goodbye to our Michigan cousins (who came to Utah, so that was super-convenient).

More flying.

We met up with Arizona cousins. 

Carter was interested in the foreign currency.

While the older ones were distracted…

…I got in some quality time with my newest niece, Leia.

We all did… She’s so cute! 

Go Caren!

Here’s my grown-up little brother. He’s multitasking… meeting his sister at the airport, and trying to find that girl he wants to date that conveniently works at the airport.

Those silly kids are trying to have fun at another airport…