On Top of the Jeepney, On Top of the World

Yesterday we got to go to the Mainit hot springs again. It was fun and we didn't get sunburned as much as last time. The big pool was full. The highlight of the trip for me, however, was on the way back. I got to ride on top of the jeepney with Daddy! I had always wanted to but last year Dad said no. I didn't actually think I could do it because of my fear of heights but I did it!

It has the best view and is the most uncomfortable place to sit. Daddy told me I was to sit in the "cage". But the bars dug into my bottom. I learned that if you take off one flip-flop and put it under your bottom it makes a more comfortable seat.

There was nothing but sky and trees overhead. I could feel the wind in my hair. It was a little chilly, but who cares? It felt like I was on the top of the world.

We passed a few caribous and cows. We saw a mountain that looked like a perfectly symmetrical volcano. Later in our trip, we saw the swimming pool in Bontoc (from above) that we had heard of. The best part was when I was able to see our house from high up on the mountain. It's so nice to be able to point from somewhere and say "That's my home."

We had two encounters with other people: one good and one bad. The first one was bad. As we were going past, an unseen somebody threw mud at us . The second one was good. As we passed another jeepney, they seemed to be talking about us. When we asked one of our fellow passengers what they said, he said they were calling me a doll. We get so many compliments here.

Love,

Adriana

Ube, Snails, and Puppies

In Baguio, I got to try ube. Ube is basically a big purple sweet potato. I liked it. I peeled the skin off and put peanut butter on some of it. It was very good. There is even ube ice cream.

Ging-Ging, Lyka, and I went on a snail hunt. We caught about 30 snails. Some of them were very small. We made a Special Snail Playground for them. We used moss, rocks, mud, sticks and leaves to line a cardboard box. The snails looked as happy as snails can get.

Ging-Ging has a puppy. It is a brown male. It is a Labrador - Dalmatian mix, it was going to be Lab-Lab but the neighbor’s Dalmatian got out. She asked me “What would you name my puppy?” I said “Mud Puddle or Puddles for short.” She named her puppy like I suggested!!!! I am so happy. We got to play with Puddles and his unnamed siblings. Puddles is a very good puppy. He has blue eyes.

Annalise got her picture in the newspaper! Our landlady gave us a copy. In the picture, Annalise is playing with a young Filipino girl at the Am-Among festival.

Love,
Adriana

Food

Everything in this post has something to do with food. So pay very close attention!

After having church with a pastor friend of ours (Daddy preached about salvation), we went to Jollibee’s for lunch. I began comparing Jollibee’s to McDonalds. Of course, I was slightly biased since my grandma, who I love so much, works at McDonalds. Jollibee’s has better fries, more meal choices, and it delivers. However, its hamburger tastes like meatloaf. (I caught a bit of a carrot in mine.) It uses a different sauce, which tastes like salad dressing, and cheese than I am used to. I predict though, Jollibee’s will give McDonalds a run for our money. I hope, though, that McDonalds will win.

Later we each got a doughnut from Mister Doughnut which is really popular in the Philippines. Yummy! Thank you, Mom and Dad!

Then for dinner I even got to have pizza! We had Hawaiian and four cheese pizza.

I suppose I had better start exercising...

Good bye, pumpkin pie,
Adriana

Jenny

I love Valley Cathedral. The facilities are nice and the people are great. I had fun with everyone but Jenny was my special friend. I loved being with Jenny. Jenny was the 3 year old that I held, last year. She will turn 5 this year. I read to her as I did to some others there. I held her. She and I were almost always together. She called me, “Mama” before I left and she did not want to be put down. I really want to go again. I love the children there.

Alexie

Manila and Naic

Ok, I know you haven’t heard from us for awhile, but no worries! We’ve been too busy having fun to write. Well, ok, having to wait for our documents that we needed for our visas to be shipped back from the United States AGAIN just because FedEx didn’t tell us they would only hold them for three days was not fun. And having to wait one and a half hours because the bus broke down on the way to Baguio was not fun either, but the rest of it was basically fun.
In Baguio, we got to try clams. At first, I had a silly thought that they might have been served just to see those white Americans have to try it. I did try them and liked them. They had a rubbery texture and a salty-shrimp taste. My sisters, well, lets just say they didn’t like them very much.

Then we went to Manila. We also visited Valley Cathedral Children’s Home where we had spent three weeks last year. We were so glad to see the old faces and some new ones too. Some weren’t there anymore. Natalie and Leon you were asked about. Traptows, almost everyone was asking about you guys. Jenny is no longer the baby, three year-old Annie is the new cutie. Annie also has two brothers, nine year old Alex and one year old Alan. Novie has glasses. Emun has returned to his parents. There is a new boy Tom-Tom who suffered child abuse. They have a new playground with two slides and lots of swings. I loved almost every minute of it. The almost is that I didn’t know that the water in the blue purified water tank was only tap water. I drank three glasses of it. I found out that Filipino tap water does not always agree with American stomachs.

We also went to Kakabay because Dad wanted to see Robuan the man he had baptized last year. We had to walk through the garbage dump, but I could tell Dad really enjoyed the time with his friend.

When we returned from Naic to Manila, I had an accident. I didn’t notice Miss Penny’s really hot iron until I touched it and so I got a second degree burn on my wrist. Miss Penny was really sorry but it really was my fault. After Daddy prayed for it, it stopped hurting.

We went to the Mall of Asia, the BIGGEST mall in the WORLD. I was surprised. It was big, but it wasn’t crowded. I spread my arms apart and spun in a circle and I didn’t touch anyone. We got to see the skating rink. It was very expensive there.

See you later, alligator,
Adriana

Matalec's Fruit Store

If you go into the market where the vegetables are then go out the other side, then you will be at Matalec’s Fruit Store. This small store is owned by Mrs Meriam K. Buane.

At Matalec’s Fruit Store there are many different kinds of fruit including oranges, apples, pomelo, coconut, pineapple, and santol. There are also bananas including dippig [cooking bananas], latondan , amorosa, and native lacatan bananas.

Their fruit comes from the Quirino province, Philippines which is an eight hour drive away from Bontoc.

From,
Alayna

The Pest

The Pest

She’s the pest,
We all detest.
Flying in at night,
She finds us to her delight.
She pierces the skin,
And soon digs in.
But she doesn’t just take, for that isn’t her way,
She leaves a little gift; you’ll find it the next day
A reddish bump,
An itchy lump
She dances away when you spy her
That mischievous little vampire
At night she’ll come near
And whine in your ear
Oh, how we hate you!
You, naughty mosquito!

By Adriana