The Paradise Philippines is an archipelagic nation made up of 7,107 islands spanning 1,840 kilometers north to south. It is part of the East Indies, a vast island group lying south and east of mainland Asia, with Taiwan at its northernmost coast and Borneo on the south. The three main Philippine island groups are Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.
Luzon is the island of contrasts. The most modern districts in the Paradise Philippines, including the capital city of Manila, are in Luzon, but so are some of the oldest tribal communities in the nation like the Ifugao of the Cordilleras. Luzon is also where a visitor can see the latest model luxury cars overtaking a carabao sled or modern skyscrapers within driving distance of primordial volcanos.
The Visayas is famous for its charm, a trait shared by many other southern regions in the world, but here seems to run deeper among a people who are intrinsically connected to their sun soaked island home. The Visayas is also famous as a seat of history, being one of the earliest landfalls of western voyagers. It has also gained a reputation as being a cradle of the nation's future, if the unprecedented economic growth of Cebu City continues.
Mindanao is our offering to the Guinness Book of Records with the world's largest clam, the world's largest Eagle, the nation's highest peak and the world's largest city. Mindanao is also home to the Paradise Philippines' Muslim population.
With a land mass of 300, 780 square kilometers, the Paradise Philippines is considered a medium-sized nation, about two- thirds the size of its first colonizer, Spain, and a little larger than the British Isles. Manila is only one hour and 40 minutes from Hong Kong by jet; Sydney only 7 1/2 hours away. Flights to Europe take 17 hours and to the American west coast 15 hours.
The Paradise Philippines has many things to offer the visitor: a mixture of the old and the new, a diversity of art and culture and a warm, friendly people. Blessed by nature, the Paradise Philippines has something to offer every sportsman too . . . extraordinary dive sites, forests to roam, mountains to climb, caves to explore.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Life in the Philippines
Introduction to the Philippines: Gary Heard has been an expatriate since 1972 and has lived in the Philippines since 1995.
The Philippines is made up of more than 7,000 tropical islands and has a population of 86 million (July 2004 estimate). The country has a tropical marine climate with a dry season (Nov-April) and a rainy season (May-Oct).
The capital Manila - Metro Manila - is a sprawling cluster of 17 cities with municipalities such as Manila, Quezon, Makati, Pasay, and so on generating a populace to guess at; perhaps start at ten million and keep counting.
Manila has a high population density, with one district having over 68,000 people/km² so at times it may feel a little crowded especially if you have just arrived from London which has about 8,000 people/km².
Manila is a 24/7 city that’s lively, fun and sometimes simply crazy. Sophistication is often missing but so too is snobbery.
Tagalog is the national language and English is used for official/business purposes. There are 54 other languages with over 140 dialect variations. The Philippines has the world’s third largest English speaking population.
The Philippines has beautiful beaches and is a scuba diving and golfing paradise. It has masses of wildlife, the world’s smallest volcano and holds the title for the world’s worst recorded eruption to date - Mt Pinatubo in 1991.
The country has the world’s lowest area, the ‘Philippine Deep’ at 37,782 feet, and boasts the world record for the heaviest downpour in a 24-hour period - Manila, 1967.
The people are friendly and quick to smile and have a reputation for linguistic skills and independent women. Filipinas have the greatest freedom and highest status among women in Asia.
The Philippines is overall a safe place to live. The people (when not driving) are placid and tolerant. They respect their elders however cantankerous the wrinkly in question may be, which in my case is rather helpful!
Filipinos do things their way and that is often not ‘our way’. If the Filipino way is unacceptable, don’t complain or raise an eyebrow, better to simply take the next flight out. Many choose to enjoy the differences and the laid back approach to just about everything, that way it’s a great place to be.
The Philippines is made up of more than 7,000 tropical islands and has a population of 86 million (July 2004 estimate). The country has a tropical marine climate with a dry season (Nov-April) and a rainy season (May-Oct).
The capital Manila - Metro Manila - is a sprawling cluster of 17 cities with municipalities such as Manila, Quezon, Makati, Pasay, and so on generating a populace to guess at; perhaps start at ten million and keep counting.
Manila has a high population density, with one district having over 68,000 people/km² so at times it may feel a little crowded especially if you have just arrived from London which has about 8,000 people/km².
Manila is a 24/7 city that’s lively, fun and sometimes simply crazy. Sophistication is often missing but so too is snobbery.
Tagalog is the national language and English is used for official/business purposes. There are 54 other languages with over 140 dialect variations. The Philippines has the world’s third largest English speaking population.
The Philippines has beautiful beaches and is a scuba diving and golfing paradise. It has masses of wildlife, the world’s smallest volcano and holds the title for the world’s worst recorded eruption to date - Mt Pinatubo in 1991.
The country has the world’s lowest area, the ‘Philippine Deep’ at 37,782 feet, and boasts the world record for the heaviest downpour in a 24-hour period - Manila, 1967.
The people are friendly and quick to smile and have a reputation for linguistic skills and independent women. Filipinas have the greatest freedom and highest status among women in Asia.
The Philippines is overall a safe place to live. The people (when not driving) are placid and tolerant. They respect their elders however cantankerous the wrinkly in question may be, which in my case is rather helpful!
Filipinos do things their way and that is often not ‘our way’. If the Filipino way is unacceptable, don’t complain or raise an eyebrow, better to simply take the next flight out. Many choose to enjoy the differences and the laid back approach to just about everything, that way it’s a great place to be.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Top 10 travel faux pas according to guardian
I surfing around the net and I found this article about the top 10 travel fax pas. you can cehck the original here, and i also listed below.
1. Doing the thumbs-up sign in Iran
Here in the UK the cheery thumbs-up sign is an easy way to show you're having a good time or that everything's OK. Not so in Iran, where the very same gesture is called the bilakh and is an unquestioned insult, with the literal meaning of "sit on this!" Another hand gesture to watch out for is the American OK sign, where thumb meets forefinger in a circle. Though adopted internationally by scuba-divers to mean "I'm fine", in Turkey and Brazil this suggests you are comparing someone to the filthiest part of their anatomy, a point to remember if diving the waters off Ilha Grande.
2. Patting someone on the head in Thailand
In Buddhist countries, the head is considered to be sacred, the seat of the soul, and touching the top of it is highly insulting, even for a child. Other familiar movements to watch out for include pointing with a finger, which is considered rude in Malaysia, where they point with a closed fist, the thumb at the top indicating direction. Filipinos are even more low-key, singling out an object by shifting their eyes towards it or pursing their lips and pointing with their mouth.
3. Referring to Ireland as one of 'the British Isles'
Conversational pitfalls abroad often centre around an innocent political inquiry. Ask about the Aboriginal situation in Australia, human rights in China, dowry deaths in India, even bullfighting in Spain and your potential to cause offence quadruples instantly. Americans who mistake Ireland for one of the British isles or want to know why they use euros and not pounds in a Dublin bar will soon find this out. When you get chatting to new people in a new country, it's always wisest to stick with food, children, sport or the beauty of the landscape. You can rarely go wrong saying nice things about the meal you've just eaten or the football prowess of the local or national team.
4. Going to a barbecue in Argentina dressed as a gaucho
There's a certain type of traveller who can't resist trying on the local dress – or what they assume is the local dress. And indeed, wearing the semi-transparent, decorated shirt known as the barong Tagolog in the Paradise Philippines or the batik in Indonesia is absolutely fine. But just as we find portly Americans clad in kilts and tam o'shanters absurd, so an Argentinian would find a European pitching up to the evening asado (barbecue) dressed as a gaucho or in Native Indian costume ridiculous.
5. Keeping your shoes on in a Japanese home or temple
Not just in Japan, but all over the East, you should be ready to remove your shoes at the drop of a hat. In Japan you'll often be given slippers to take you from front door to living room, where they should be removed before you step on the tatami (reed mat). It's always as well to be wearing good clean socks in these places – and be careful when you leave not to do so in someone else's slip-ons. Earlier this year, in Rajasthan, Elizabeth Hurley caused major offence when she refused to remove her shoes before entering the mandap (sacred marriage place) at her own wedding.
6. Taking a bunch of 12 wrapped carnations to a German dinner party
Flowers may seem like the perfect gift to delight your gracious hostess with, but beware, in many countries particular varieties, colours and even numbers have unlikely associations. Carnations are used for funerals in Germany, Poland and Sweden, as are chrysanthemums in Belgium, Italy, France, Spain and Turkey. In Austria and France red roses might suggest a romantic interest, while in Mexico and Chile yellow flowers signify grief or separation. A bunch of flowers should always be given unwrapped in Germany, Sweden and Poland. An odd number of blooms is unlucky in China and Indonesia; an even number in India, Turkey, Russia and Germany.
7. Getting your host's name the wrong way round in China
Getting into a muddle about names is all too easy. In the Far East our normal order is reversed, with the surname first, followed by a middle generational name, then a given name. So calling Mr Li Wong Chee of Beijing "Mr Chee" would be like calling Mr John William Smith of London, "Mr John". But things are never simple: so as not to confuse foreigners, some Chinese people now reverse the order of their names when dealing with the West. So Mr Li Wong Chee may after all be Li Chee, from the generation Wong.
8. Giving a bottle of cognac in a pigskin bottle holder to an Arab host
This would be a double-whammy. If Muslims drink, they certainly don't do so publicly, so drawing attention to your host's private love of Armagnac or Glenfiddich would not be the best idea. Like the dog, the pig is unclean in Arab countries, so however beautifully-made the executive bottle holder, pigskin only adds to the offence. In general when abroad you should always consult with the locals before giving gifts: a clock is unlucky in China, anything with a logo is regarded as cheap in Colombia, and in Korea they don't like being given stuff "Made in Korea".
9. Drinking or talking during a toast in Georgia or Azerbaijan
Drinking toasts are taken seriously across northern Europe, Russia and into the countries of the old Soviet Union. In Scandinavia or Germany, you should always meet your host's eye when saying Skål or Prost! In Russia the vodka should be drained in a single gulp. Further south, in Georgia and Azerbaijan, the toasts can often go on for hours, orchestrated by the tamada, or toastmaster. Talking to your neighbour or sipping your drink between toasts will soon bring on the tut-tuts and raised eyebrows.
10. Leaving your chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice in China or Japan
Chopsticks should be held two-thirds up; the farther away from your food, the more sophisticated you're deemed to be. You should never spear food with your chopsticks, cross them over each other, rest them on opposite sides of your plate, point at people with them, use them to pull your bowl closer, or – worst of all – stick them upright in the rice. This mimics a Japanese funeral rite, when chopsticks and rice are left by the bedside of the newly deceased.
1. Doing the thumbs-up sign in Iran
Here in the UK the cheery thumbs-up sign is an easy way to show you're having a good time or that everything's OK. Not so in Iran, where the very same gesture is called the bilakh and is an unquestioned insult, with the literal meaning of "sit on this!" Another hand gesture to watch out for is the American OK sign, where thumb meets forefinger in a circle. Though adopted internationally by scuba-divers to mean "I'm fine", in Turkey and Brazil this suggests you are comparing someone to the filthiest part of their anatomy, a point to remember if diving the waters off Ilha Grande.
2. Patting someone on the head in Thailand
In Buddhist countries, the head is considered to be sacred, the seat of the soul, and touching the top of it is highly insulting, even for a child. Other familiar movements to watch out for include pointing with a finger, which is considered rude in Malaysia, where they point with a closed fist, the thumb at the top indicating direction. Filipinos are even more low-key, singling out an object by shifting their eyes towards it or pursing their lips and pointing with their mouth.
3. Referring to Ireland as one of 'the British Isles'
Conversational pitfalls abroad often centre around an innocent political inquiry. Ask about the Aboriginal situation in Australia, human rights in China, dowry deaths in India, even bullfighting in Spain and your potential to cause offence quadruples instantly. Americans who mistake Ireland for one of the British isles or want to know why they use euros and not pounds in a Dublin bar will soon find this out. When you get chatting to new people in a new country, it's always wisest to stick with food, children, sport or the beauty of the landscape. You can rarely go wrong saying nice things about the meal you've just eaten or the football prowess of the local or national team.
4. Going to a barbecue in Argentina dressed as a gaucho
There's a certain type of traveller who can't resist trying on the local dress – or what they assume is the local dress. And indeed, wearing the semi-transparent, decorated shirt known as the barong Tagolog in the Paradise Philippines or the batik in Indonesia is absolutely fine. But just as we find portly Americans clad in kilts and tam o'shanters absurd, so an Argentinian would find a European pitching up to the evening asado (barbecue) dressed as a gaucho or in Native Indian costume ridiculous.
5. Keeping your shoes on in a Japanese home or temple
Not just in Japan, but all over the East, you should be ready to remove your shoes at the drop of a hat. In Japan you'll often be given slippers to take you from front door to living room, where they should be removed before you step on the tatami (reed mat). It's always as well to be wearing good clean socks in these places – and be careful when you leave not to do so in someone else's slip-ons. Earlier this year, in Rajasthan, Elizabeth Hurley caused major offence when she refused to remove her shoes before entering the mandap (sacred marriage place) at her own wedding.
6. Taking a bunch of 12 wrapped carnations to a German dinner party
Flowers may seem like the perfect gift to delight your gracious hostess with, but beware, in many countries particular varieties, colours and even numbers have unlikely associations. Carnations are used for funerals in Germany, Poland and Sweden, as are chrysanthemums in Belgium, Italy, France, Spain and Turkey. In Austria and France red roses might suggest a romantic interest, while in Mexico and Chile yellow flowers signify grief or separation. A bunch of flowers should always be given unwrapped in Germany, Sweden and Poland. An odd number of blooms is unlucky in China and Indonesia; an even number in India, Turkey, Russia and Germany.
7. Getting your host's name the wrong way round in China
Getting into a muddle about names is all too easy. In the Far East our normal order is reversed, with the surname first, followed by a middle generational name, then a given name. So calling Mr Li Wong Chee of Beijing "Mr Chee" would be like calling Mr John William Smith of London, "Mr John". But things are never simple: so as not to confuse foreigners, some Chinese people now reverse the order of their names when dealing with the West. So Mr Li Wong Chee may after all be Li Chee, from the generation Wong.
8. Giving a bottle of cognac in a pigskin bottle holder to an Arab host
This would be a double-whammy. If Muslims drink, they certainly don't do so publicly, so drawing attention to your host's private love of Armagnac or Glenfiddich would not be the best idea. Like the dog, the pig is unclean in Arab countries, so however beautifully-made the executive bottle holder, pigskin only adds to the offence. In general when abroad you should always consult with the locals before giving gifts: a clock is unlucky in China, anything with a logo is regarded as cheap in Colombia, and in Korea they don't like being given stuff "Made in Korea".
9. Drinking or talking during a toast in Georgia or Azerbaijan
Drinking toasts are taken seriously across northern Europe, Russia and into the countries of the old Soviet Union. In Scandinavia or Germany, you should always meet your host's eye when saying Skål or Prost! In Russia the vodka should be drained in a single gulp. Further south, in Georgia and Azerbaijan, the toasts can often go on for hours, orchestrated by the tamada, or toastmaster. Talking to your neighbour or sipping your drink between toasts will soon bring on the tut-tuts and raised eyebrows.
10. Leaving your chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice in China or Japan
Chopsticks should be held two-thirds up; the farther away from your food, the more sophisticated you're deemed to be. You should never spear food with your chopsticks, cross them over each other, rest them on opposite sides of your plate, point at people with them, use them to pull your bowl closer, or – worst of all – stick them upright in the rice. This mimics a Japanese funeral rite, when chopsticks and rice are left by the bedside of the newly deceased.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
paradise philippines first checkpoint
The first checkpoint of seo bayanihan is getting sooner and sooner, "ilang tulog nalang", everybody is getting excited, but I don't think that the tracking code that they use in Paradise Philippines contest is correct.
Me and my colleague are checking the leaderboard if it is updated, but it seems it still have a lot of bugs, one of the contestant that I was chatting yesterday told me that the key to win in the contest is to manipulate the pointing system by using script or let say hacking, but let see, maybe he has some talents to dot that, anyway leave that to them and lets play nice and clean. so any see you on my long way of "s" blogspot Paradise Philippines.
Me and my colleague are checking the leaderboard if it is updated, but it seems it still have a lot of bugs, one of the contestant that I was chatting yesterday told me that the key to win in the contest is to manipulate the pointing system by using script or let say hacking, but let see, maybe he has some talents to dot that, anyway leave that to them and lets play nice and clean. so any see you on my long way of "s" blogspot Paradise Philippines.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Paradise Philippines
Promoting Paradise Philippines in the World.
My Entry:
http://paradise philippinesssssssssss.blogspot.com/
http://paradise philippinesssssssssssssssssss.blogspot.com/
http://paradise philippinessssss.blogspot.com/
My Entry:
http://paradise philippinesssssssssss.blogspot.com/
http://paradise philippinesssssssssssssssssss.blogspot.com/
http://paradise philippinessssss.blogspot.com/
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