A Peaceful Beginning

I woke this morning to the sound of birds outside my window, and quietly got out of bed so as not to wake Mr. Man.  It is 6:30am—those of you who know me well, know that I never, ever get out of bed this early—Bob, Mari and the kids had already left, but Susan (their housekeeper/cook) made me a wonderful breakfast of garlic fried rice, corned beef (like none I have ever eaten in the States) and mango, and we got acquainted while I ate.

Sitting on the patio with Milo (their Carolina Dog)—who only needed a couple of seconds before jumping on me with a lick of hello—surrounded by lush tropical plants, it is quiet except for the chirping of the birds, quiet laughter off in the distance, and the occasional bark of a dog.  The morning temperature is mild and comfortable, and I’m looking forward to exploring the city and island.

We spent the day recovering from jetlag, but briefly went to Tiendesitas, an outdoor market selling everything from clothes to furniture to dogs—kept in cages much like old American pet shops.  This was distressing for me as many are not well kept, needing baths and grooming.  Bob tells me that many Filippino’s get dogs and then keep them in crates.  This only adds to my distress.

Mari arrived home for lunch with a friend of hers from high school in Galveston who also happens to be visiting the Philippines with his wife.  Susan again cooked us a wonderful meal, and even though we all told her how delicious it was, she privately told Mari that we must not have liked it for we didn't eat very much.  Did I mention that she cooked a lot of food?  We are not used to eating such large meals in the middle of the day.  After lunch we headed off to The International School of Manila (which both Noah and Zoe attend) for a tour and to catch a few minutes of Zoe’s gymnastics practice before heading back to the house.  Mari has scheduled a couple’s massage for Mr. Man and I if we can stay awake that long…bliss!



View from the International School of Manila