Thanks guys. From Davao took a short side trip to Cebu to see an old girlfriend. That didn't work out so good since she was big with child by her new boy friend.
Took the fast ferry from there to Ormoc City. it's normally a two and half hour trip but this evening it took three hours since we ran into heavy seas. They handed out plastic bags to everyone and a lot of people needed them. I didn't eat anything so I was okay, just a little battered from the pounding we took crossing the channel. From Ormoc it was two hours in a crowded van (with my companion of course) to Palumpon (spellcheck), a quiet little town along the water. Once there her cousin met us and we went another thirty minutes down a rutted dirt road to where her family lived.
What a little slice of heaven! A small fishing village of maybe a few hundred people all living along this remote lagoon. Her family lived in a series of homes right at the water's edge, all her aunts, uncles and cousins. It seemed like half the town was related to her and maybe they were. Lots of kids, healthy looking young man and so many attractive women. There were some good genes here that's for sure. I was one of the only 'white' men to visit this village in a long time and everyone just stared and smiled at me, all very friendly and none who could speak any English except my partner and her uncle who had worked abroad. We spent a quiet New Years eve eating fresh fish (caught that day I was told) and other local dishes, listening to music, singing and dancing. I got a little drunk on Novelina and showed them a few of my patented missteps as well. The uncle was curious since I told him I had been an announcer for Billiards if I knew Bata Reyes. I told him he was a friend of mine and said that I would see him next month in the USA.
He told me there was a one pool table in the village and I should teach the boys how to play and several of them were eager to learn. I explained to him that it takes time to learn this game but I would be glad to show them what I could. So the next day (Jan. 1) we trekked up the pathway to a house with a pool table on a dirt patio outside, covered by a tent. Nothing I was wasn't used to. This table must have been fifty years old and really beat up but the boys were anxious to show me how they played, so I watched for a while as they played some Rotation. After a while I asked if I could show them a few shots and they handed me a cue. I took out my little tools (a piece of scotch brite to smooth the shaft and a small tip tool) and cleaned it up best I could. I went through a series of easy trick shots (and some not so easy) and they were all smiles. After my little exhibition I worked with a couple of the kids on their game, showing them how to draw the ball and follow it and the effect of left and right English. The first time one of them drew the cue ball back (not so easy with this rock of a ball they were using), his face lit up with glee. I don't think any of these kids had any concept of draw English before. An hour or so was enough because we were off to spend the day on Uncle's boat, a little outrigger affair that he used for fishing and to travel to nearby islands.
We waded out in knee deep water to the boat, parked a few hundred meters off shore. There must have been a dozen of us crowded on board, the men taking nets out further into the water and coming back with buckets of small fish which they cleaned right there on the deck. A couple of older guys had gone crab fishing earlier and had a large bucket full of small crabs. About mid day the women put together a scrumptious seafood meal and everyone stuffed themselves, including me. Now the tide was coming in and the water was getting deep enough to run the boat, but before we headed back to shore a bunch of the kids started diving in and swimming around. I had only my shorts on but I emptied my pockets and dove in. The water was warm and refreshing and I think they were surprised to see me dive right in, shorts and all.
After our swim we headed in and I borrowed clean shorts from Lyndon (the Uncle) and laid my shorts out to dry. One more night in this little tropical paradise and I was searching for a way to get back to Manila. From the town of Palumpon there is a freighter that goes to Cebu every morning (and comes back in the evening) that also carried passengers. I booked a ticket and took the slow ride back (five hours). Once in Cebu I headed for the airport and got a flight back home (Manila) yesterday. My daughter was missing her dad and I promised to return by Jan. 2. I spent yesterday evening with her and today it's a WPT (World Poker Tour) tourney at Solaire Resort and Casino. Maybe I will get lucky and find a way to pay for my trip. If not, it was money well spent. Life's an adventure or it's nothing! I've still got that wanderlust that made me leave Dayton fifty years ago looking for a pool game.
