Bob From Mindanao
Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting Mindanao Bob
. One of the first things I heard from him was his dismay over the bus driver speed and driving methods. I think I told him welcome to the Cebu Roller Coaster. 
maybe I forgot, but that’s what I call it.
During the time he was here Bob, Jessie and myself walked 3.5 miles. Two miles of which was one walk but with a break at the park and at the wharf.
We walked down to the Pizza pub and then home to get our monkey and take her with us on the two mile walk.
All the kids were so thrilled to find a white guy that could speak Cebuano! I use to feel like the pied piper of Bogo because every where I went the children would follow me. But this time they were all circled around Bob and he was talking with them. When he’d walk away, they’d start to follow him. They’ve become use to me so they don’t do that any more even when I have a monkey on my back.
One older woman’s mouth dropped open when Bob said to her Maayong Hapon. Even I can say that but I’m afraid too, or maybe “I shy” would be a better way to put it. When he said that, her mouth literally dropped open and she turned around to look in amazement. I gotta do better in speaking the language.
Poor Bob though, he kept getting mistake for another kano that use to live in Bogo. A guy that made a less than stellar reputation making a butt of himself. One child was really fearful until she found out it was not the guy she thought it was.
Bob’s new Girlfriend
Bob was able to make friends with Juliet much faster than what anyone else has been able to do. She’s a bit
Mindanao Bob with Philippine Monkey
tamer now than she was when I got her but she took to Bob fast. It wasn’t long before Juliet was climbing on his head and scent marking him. Wonder if Feyma is going to smell this other “woman” on him when he returns to Davao
The only thing bad about his visit was I was low on cash and he had to leave. He didn’t’ make it to some of the places I wanted him to see. We ate lunch late and a big one so neither of us was into dinner really and we were both pretty tired. I was spent but I would have dragged him to the BBQ by the bay if I had the means to do so.
I also had hopped he’d get to meet the “bonsai master” that lives up on top of the hill. It was really to hot to go up there and that put our long walk to much later in the day than what I hoped. He didn’t really get to see the beauty of Bogo as I didn’t get him to the bay with the sun still up. There’s another bay that’s even more picturesque and didn’t get him there at all but I didn’t
think we’d have time to do all that and I’d probably be in the hospital today. I felt pretty rough but wasn’t really sleepy.
Politics and Pizza
Bob is a great guy, we got along fine, we argued over politics and even agreed some. He discovered that I’m not really a democrat or even liberal. He said “your a libertarian” to which I said yes. It is others that label me liberal because they don’t understand. I don’t’ want any government except that we actually need.
Most of all, I don’t want any government telling me what is moral and what is not. Organizations with better intentions than most governments can’t do it right, I certainly don’t think it is the business of any government. As he said, Republicans claim they are for less government but they really are not. They may be for less taxes, I agree but that’s just a small part of the issue, a very small part.. I’ve been saying for years, that I’d rather be a free poor man than a rich slave.
I look forward to when I can go see Davao. This month I must go to Bangkok, well before June 5th I must go. I’d rather be going to Davao but that’s just going to have to wait. I’m low on money afraid I’ll get stranded during my trip to Bangkok, I should be okay but I worry too much. Life on a budget is just not right, I wish I had Donald Trump’s money but I’d rather be me than he, so i’ll just have to settle for the budget. One that is usually inadequate. Such are the issues many expats face and I’m a very luck man to live where I do, to have friends like Bob and a woman like Jessie.
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Tagged with: Cebu • Expats • Philippine Monkey • Philippines
Filed under: Living in Bogo
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Thanks for the nice write-up, Rusty. Ever since I found your blog last year, I felt like we had a lot in common and would be friends. I really enjoyed my time in Bogo, and look forward to next time when I can finish your Bogo tour! I enjoyed our discussion at the Pizza Pub, and our nice walks too. Great to meet Jessie too! Actually, I wasn’t going to tell you, but I really came to meet Jessie and Juliet. You turned out Ok, though!
Thanks again, Rusty, and you are welcome in Davao anytime!
I knew you why you came, that bus driver that tried to kill you was my hired assassin. I had to fire him.
I hope your next trip is not in seven to eight years!
I also hope its not tomorrow, I’m still half dead. LOL Actually tomorrow would be fine. I plan to go on a walk today.
Right now, I’ve had to turn the aricon to a higher temp and that’s making my face feel like it burns. I hate that and don’t understand it. Electric bill came in P1000 over my budget of P6000. Guess I shouldn’t cool it to 25% during the hot months. At least not during the day.
I enjoyed your visit and we are not as far apart in politics as I thought. I was so use to hearing that BS about republicans are for smaller government, i couldn’t even hear you when you said they say they are but really are not. In a way that’s funny. I’m not a good listener, I’ve known that for years. One of the many things I’m working on.
Right now, I’m working on staying awake…..
Sounds like a good visit. I enjoyed the bus ride up and back the time I went there. Costs less than an amusement park and no waiting in long lines.
I’ll try to make it up in September Rusty or maybe you can come down to Cebu. Hope you are feeling better soon.
Tom, perhaps you can come up and I can go down. No reason not to do both!
Dude, you gotta go to Bantayan Island and don’t let anyone cause you to miss it!
I’ll be fine, always up and down for me. Have a little fun, spend a little time to recover. Now that when I look back on it, I see how badly I needed to retire. I slept most of today but feel better, yesterday I was too tired to sleep I think.
I really almost over did it. I didn’t feel like it at the time though. Gotta get more of this weight off that will help a lot.
it was a great visit. Bob and I click quite well. We talked about both being alpha males and how I realized conflict could arise from that from way back.. So far though we’ve been able to handle every thing. People so often misunderstand me.
They think I’m laying an insult but I’m observing and not insulting, I don’t even see the insult.
Most expats are a little different, a little eccentric and perhaps a little odd it is the same kind of traits that make being an expat a good choice in most cases.
hey Bob, why did you allow Rus to post that pic above? You look decidedly effiminate in that pic, look at how your hand is bent downwards. Mora gyud kag bayot!
I like the pic with Juliet though. i can see there is a bond already. Hmmm, I wonder why this monkey prefer guys? And what would happen if the guy is Aussie or Briton. Be interesting to see if she prefers Kano only, or maybe she won’t be able to tell the difference?
Hi Christine – For certain, I look Gay in that picture, and I think Rusty may have done it on purpose! If I had seen that before he posted it, I would have deleted it from his camera!
Yeah, bayut gyud ka tan-awon, even your smile. Some friend you’ve got there Bob. You traveled miles to see him, and this is what he does to you
But I like it. I think you should put it in your LIP forum.
Don’t let them get to you Bob. You know the truth it doesn’t matter what millions of others might think.
Millions? you planning on buying me some traffic? Maybe in celebration of Bob’s coming out party.
Just trying to think positive for you Rusty.
If you can get millions then maybe a few will leak over into my site. 
Dang Bob, didn’t realize that I got you that drunk. You already forgot that you decided to come out of the closet whiile you were here?
Christine – One other thing… Juliet is a Filipina Monkey. Do you think she is the type who is only out for a green card to go abroad? Hmm… I hope not, because I really like her!
No, Juliet wouldn’t be tempted. It’s too damn cold abroad! Even Brisbane where I live!
She told me she’s holding out for a guy in Hawaii.
No, she won’t accept that guy in hawai – they don’t make white babies
She’s holding out for a kano of course. She can get plenty of brown skin men up in the mountain.
She would rather stay here in the Philippines than abroad..
yes Bob, Christine is right with your pic…LOL
I am glad that Rusty told me about his new website…I would have miss the fun…thanks Russ.
How is Davao? I am a Filipina but I have not been to Mindanao except Zamboanga. It is a beautiful place but scary for you guys. I will not even bring my daughter there even though she looks more filipina than white. Actually she is always mistaken as Latina. They also think I am hispanic. I do not have the oriental eyes. My grandfather was half spanish-from spain not south america.
Anyway, Rusty, I still have a lot of catching up reading your new website and you are already planning to open another one. hey slow it down, I want to chat with all your readers…esp the friends i chat in the old website.
I did start a new one last month but it wont be as active as the rest. At least I don’t think so, I can’t go to Bantayan as often as I want. I can’t go this month and next month is very doubtful. I HOPE to go to Leyte soon too. Jessie may have to go without me.
Hi Terry – Zamboanga scary? Ha ha… you don’t know me well. I’ve not only been to Zamboanga, I’ve been to Marawi, Basilan, Tawi Tawi, and everywhere in between. Zambo is a peaceful city compared to many of the places I’ve been to!
Bob, Are you serious? Wow, I can’t believe your guts…How many pearls did you get in Tawi-tawi, the real ones not the cultured ones.
I love Zambo and I have been to the Muslim village. The Paonanca park is awesome. sus, kadaghan na ba diay nimo ug naadto-an uy!
My friend is from Kidapawan and the family has an orchard with lots of durians there. She lives 20 miles from me here.
Hi Terry – Absolutely serious! I’ve been to all of those places!
You know Terry, Bob has got a trick how not to get kidnapped when in those places. He wears really old and torn clothes, pretending to be a beggar. You know, I’ve heard even Abu Sayyaf felt sorry for him, they gave him some food money
If they try to kidnap him he just goes limp. He’s too heavy to carry away.
I’ve used that trick a few times myself.
I should do that to my husband when he goes to visit the Phils…thanks Christine for the idea…
your trip is coming up, are you excited? Yeah Islanders is a brand name for slippers…these used to be very expensive..probably not for the expats…but I think these are cheaper now…remember I earn dollars now too, to me it would be cheaper…ha..ha..ha..
there are still a lot of Flipinos not wearing slippers becasue they could not afford these esp in the remote areas albeit you can see people from those areas too using cell phones.
Filipino, most of them, still consider them way to expensive. Jessie has a flip flop fettish and she doesn’t have any. LOL I’ve been meaning to get her some.
There are more Filipino with money these days. While most are still very poor, many in the malls are not so poor. To Jessie, the idea of spending P1000 for flip flops is outrageous. But she kind of like the idea of me getting her some.
P1000 what kind of slippers are you looking at. I get mine for around P200. I like them because of the strong toe straps and thick soles. You must be looking in the designer section.
They are called Islanders Tom. We spoke of those in the message. I bought Jessie some designer flip flops from Playboy. The Islanders are something most Filipina would love to have. You can geet slips for less than a hundred at the public markets.
I’ve been wearing Islanders for years. I even buy them there to bring back to Phoenix but I never paid over P250 for them anywhere.
They are not the thin flip flops most wear. )I have a pair of those for the house). These have thick rubber soles and cloth straps. It says Islanders right on the strap.
You must have gone into the designer section for those. The good slippers are available much cheaper that P1000.
Tom, you must have gone to the public market and bought some reconstructs to get yours.
Seriously, they are usually more than P250.
Last time I looked at them it was from a magazine. I don’t remember any for below P500. What is expensive to you and what is expensive to a Filipino, as you know, would be vastly different.
I am looking at the last new pair I bought. I got them at SM the tag says P219. I buy spares to bring home because good slippers are expensive here.
The tops are blue then there is a gray and white layer in the sole. The sole is a little over an inch thick at the back a little thinner in the front.
Says Islanders right on them. No retreads these are new.
It says highlanders right on them? They must be the real thing then, huh?
I had some Italian made designer sun glasses, yes I did, it said so right there on the glasses. I bought them on a mountain. The paint started peeling off them. LOL
I jest, if you bought them from SM they are the real thing. Reconstruct is the word Jessie uses to identify counterfit goods, like my Italian sunglasses and her $25.00 Ipod. Or maybe she paid $50 for it, but that was back when they were still $400.
Jessie confirmed you can, in fact, get P250 Islanders. I wonder if they tend to go a bit more for women. What I know is they are a status symbol for Filipina. Jessie considers them extravagant. She’d never buy them for herself but she wants some.
I’m trying to spoil her enough so that she feels comfortable buying them for herself.
There are more expensive ones they are the fancy looking slippers. These are just plain with a cloth strap and thick soles. I’ve been buying this kind for years. Always in a shoe store or department store.
Womens might be more because they tend to be fancier.
I’ll look for some at that price.
Christine happy Mother’s Day to you!!!
:)
And to you Terry. Did you get served breakfast in bed?
Jessie laughed at me when i said Happy Mothers day, still don’t know why. She said you should see my face? I know I’m funny looking but…
No brekfast in bed, but we took my mother in-law for mother’s day breakfast in albny, NY…Had a good time and the restaurant gave us a little pot of flowers…Ask Jessie why did she laugh…I am curious or in other words,,,NOSY…LOL
Hi guys, been reading your banterings although they are a bit old. Very interesting to say the least! I’m still in the States, but planning to move to Lapu-Lapu City soon, at least for a vacation at first.Have a lady friend and her daughter there, so need to meet them.
Anything I should be aware of? besides being run over by a Jeepney or whatever? Any input would be helpful although my Asawa as she calls herself doesn’t think there would be any problems.
Hello Heinz, glad you spoke up. There’s lots of things you need to be aware of but your doing what you need to do. Read and experience for yourself. It takes time. If you’re interested in a little one on help help, check this out: ttp://cebuexperience.com/one-on-one-help/