No, I'm OK ... as if anyone was worried .... :) (A vanity post if ever there was one ...)

[grouper52]

Some folks may be worried that I'm deathly ill again with some Third World tropical crud, or kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf or something, but my lack of recent posts has to do with the fact that my Mac crashed two weeks ago, and couldn't be repaired or even diagnosed anywhere in the Philippines except Manila at a store 6+ hours drive from here, and it turns out it needs a new LCD display - which, of course, is not available in the P.I. - so they're sending for a replacement part from Singapore which should only take 2-3 weeks to get here ... !

So, I'm using my wife's computer to post this, but hers is not set up to process photos, so I've nothing to post for now except this questionable-use-of-bandwidth input ... but I'll be posting with a vengence when I'm up and running again!

 

[Cadillactaste]

Sorry to hear your computer crashed...but glad you weren't taken out by some third world crud. Do you have to be careful with your food like we are? We put a capful of bleach to water and clean all fruits and vegetables...and clean dishes as well soak in the mixture.

 

[Cypress187]

I've nothing to post for now except this questionable-use-of-bandwidth input ...

You are alive! That's reason enough man! Good luck in the technical department.

 

[M. Frary]

or something,

I figured you were out in the jungle on some sort of Philipino initiation rite.

 

[grouper52]

Sorry to hear your computer crashed...but glad you weren't taken out by some third world crud. Do you have to be careful with your food like we are? We put a capful of bleach to water and clean all fruits and vegetables...and clean dishes as well soak in the mixture.

No, Darlene, here they've got a "whole 'nother set" of other, even more inefficient and ludicrous rituals to cover for the fact that there is entirely NO concept of infrastructure in any real-life arena, especially utilities. It's like some really vital gene just wasn't in the mix when these people were evolving. A whole culture built around the fact that they just can't get their act together. Call me what you will, but that's how it is.

 

[grouper52]

I figured you were out in the jungle on some sort of Philipino initiation rite.

Just being here is an initiation rite - but nor one that eiher I or my sanity may survive ...

 

[Cadillactaste]

No, Darlene, here they've got a "whole 'nother set" of other, even more inefficient and ludicrous rituals to cover for the fact that there is entirely NO concept of infrastructure in any real-life arena, especially utilities. It's like some really vital gene just wasn't in the mix when these people were evolving. A whole culture built around the fact that they just can't get their act together. Call me what you will, but that's how it is.

Honestly, they don't intentionally bleach things where we go. We have taught two helpers the ropes. WGM...Or the team leader ensures it's done. I came home with a parasite. I think I can pin point what gave it to me. Church had prepared our dinner. I had one thing different than the rest of the team. I think someone didn't use clean water...because we can't even boil it...to make it pure. Was just curious then...you either have a good healthy system...or the water isn't as bad. We wash our hands...then use hand sanitizer. Before working around food so we don't cross contaminate.

 

[M. Frary]

Just being here is an initiation rite - but nor one that eiher I or my sanity may survive ...

That's too bad. You need your sanity. Even though it's only hanging on by a thread.
Maybe a vacation on a tropical island is just what you need.
Wait a minute! Arent the Phillipines tropical? Oops! Sorry about that.
Perhaps a nice temperate forest. With pine trees. Deer. Birds. Bees. A little fog in the mornings. 60 degrees at night.
Michigan!

 

[Anthony]

You know this was the same nonsense, I saw in the 70;s.
No adaptability, constant gripes and loss of convenience.

Living in the Tropics --- food abundant, no winter, no
expenses for cold, a little house, books, hobbies and
if really needed a tv.
Great hikes, beach ,mountains, plains.
Kick off shoes and chill out.
Today loss of power ------- solar energy.

In the 60;s we boiled the water for drinking, because the
local water and sewage authority was only just learning
to take over from the English.
Independence in 1962.

I am 55 come September, never had a water borne disease.
Don't have breathing problems.
Don't own a gun, have home-made [ boy hood ] guava slingshot,
tyre rubber, A bow with arrows [ boyhood ] home-made [ followed
the Amerindians]

Politics are the same as in the UK.
We pay !25 $ US yearly house tax to keep our neighbourhoods,
clean and tidy.
Have pensions of around 600 $ US, when you reach 65 years.
It is more than enough to pay to live
Hospital free, Education to under University free.
And so on.

Foreigners can stay for 6 months, but not allowed to work and can purchase
up to 1/2 acre of land.

So please stop the griping about the Philippines and the 1850 established
"Village" in the Honduras.
You don't like, just don't visit.

We have large quantities of Philippine folk working here, they are
friendly, quiet people. Many mixes.
We have many,many Venezuelans working here illegally, times
hard in Venezuela----------- they are decent people, just hungry and
shipping food back to Caracas to feed their families.
Same for Columbia.

This is why I suggest before a permanent move visit for at least a month,
see if you can adapt.

Do you know how poorly these conversation s read ?
Good Day
Anthony

* Did you Know Trinidad lost it's 3rd world status in 1970"s.
But we have not the conveniences of the US, not enough
demand nor enough $$$

So you get your skybox in Miami, and have your Amazon stuff
shipped down by plane.

 

[just.wing.it]

Perhaps a nice temperate forest.

Aspen

 

[Anthony]

Tierra Templada -http://geo-mexico.com/?p=3843

We are at 200 feet - 64 deg F lowest so far.
93 max F for Two Months - 30 to 15 minutes for the day, back to 80's
for rest of year.

Alters the life cycle of trees - rest from Christmas to mid February
locally.

At 5000 feet, it would be a wonderland, for all the natives to find and
try.
At least 30 to 50 new efforts.
We are at number 30 for natives thus far and these are coming
from the South of the island.
You could easily base an entire collection of bonsai on just 30 to 50 natives.

Have not checked the Central or Northern Range,
Good Day
Anthony

 

[grouper52]

Perhaps a nice temperate forest. With pine trees. Deer. Birds. Bees. A little fog in the mornings. 60 degrees at night.
Michigan!

Or, perhaps, the Puget Sound area, which is where I may be heading soon due to deterioration of things here ...

 

[grouper52]

Coming up now on the 2 week mark in the supposed "2-3 week wait" for my computer's LED display replacement part being sent from Singapore, which is a one hour plane ride away... we'll see, ... our old OLED TV capability seems intact ... except (minor point, of course) that the "Smart" remote for our LG TV just achieved an IQ approximating 0.0, and cannot be replaced anywhere in the world except where we are not.

Still alive. Still enjoying bonsai here, if nothing else ...

 

[Lazylightningny]

I thought the PI was supposed to be a great place to retire!

 

[my nellie]

... ...my computer's LED display replacement part being sent from Singapore, which is a one hour plane ride away... ...

Now you know that IF there would be a second time you will just take the first plane and visit Singapore to get the spare parts yourself

 

[Vin]

Coming up now on the 2 week mark in the supposed "2-3 week wait" for my computer's LED display replacement part being sent from Singapore, which is a one hour plane ride away... we'll see, ... our old OLED TV capability seems intact ... except (minor point, of course) that the "Smart" remote for our LG TV just achieved an IQ approximating 0.0, and cannot be replaced anywhere in the world except where we are not.

Still alive. Still enjoying bonsai here, if nothing else ...

Do it have a HDMI Port you could plug your TV or a monitor into to?

 

[grouper52]

I thought the PI was supposed to be a great place to retire!

Uhhhh, "Your mileage (and Karma) may vary ... "

Wasn't there some political controversy recently over the use of the generally descriptive term, "Third World Hellhole"?

 

[grouper52]

Do it have a HDMI Port you could plug your TV or a monitor into to?

LOL! TV? Monitor?! All anyone in the whole country's got is a cell phone (or two since there are two entirely incompatible systems at play currently) that can be used for text or posting selfies on Facebook.

 

[Vin]

If I was a betting man I'd put money on you being back on American soil within 5 years. I've been to several countries in my life and there is no place like the good 'ole USA.

 

[grouper52]

I thought the PI was supposed to be a great place to retire!

LOL!

If I was a betting man I'd put money on you being back on American soil within 5 years. I've been to several countries in my life and there is no place like the good 'ole USA.

Amen, brother! This place and it's "culture" really sucks. I'd actually change the word "culture" to "stupidity." Poorest excuse for a culture/society/etc I've ever seen. Even my wife, naturally torn because she's from here, although lived in the USA for 30 years, the past twenty with me ("for better or for worse" - you can take your pick), she can't believe how screwed up things are here. "In America ... " has become the mantra with which she begins every insight about the craziness here.

Anyway, I keep promising to swear off the travelogue, and just post and talk about trees, and if the endemic ineptitude and corruption that led to it's 3+ week absence is ever worked around to allow me to have it again in working condition, I'll do just that ... and furthermore .... and so on ..........