I've been putting together a slideshow for my Lola's 100th birthday coming up in October.  It's been a lot of work scanning photo after photo, but well worth it especially when you come across photos like the one above. 

I'm not sure what year this photo was taken, but it was well before my time.  Pictured are my cousins, aunts, Lola and Lolo enjoying cold bottles of Coke during a hot day in the Philippines.  This photo is screaming retro Coke advertisement.

If I ever have to go to jail I hope it's in the Philippines...

Here is a video of inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center performcing "Thriller".  They are surprisingly good.  [via Boing Boing]

Previously:
Thriller Indian Cover

Two filipino men broke into a home in Manila and stole two mobile phones.  A police officer heard screams from the home and began chasing down one of the thieves.  After a 500 meter sprint, the thief signaled a "time out" with his hands.  Once he regained his composure, he was arrested and the phones were returned. 

Only in the Philippines can you ask for a "time out" and the police will give it to you. 

25 Gunmen suspected to be part of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) stormed a prison in Kidapawan city on the island of Mindanao by blasting a hold in the prison's wall and freeing 47 of its inmates.

Many of those who were freed face serious charges, such as murder and kidnapping.

Several had been found guilty of carrying out bombing campaigns for the Islamic separatist group the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Military spokesman Colonel Julieto Ando told reporters that he thought the MILF "most likely had a hand" in the jailbreak.

But rebel spokesman Eid Kabalu denied that his group had anything to do with the incident.

The MILF - which is campaigning for self-rule in the southern region around Mindanao - is currently supposed to be observing a ceasefire with the government.

Governor Emmanuel Pinot ordered police to shoot the inmates if they resists arrest.

A filipino woman attempted to smuggle more than 100 poisonous snakes onto a plane bound for Bangkok.

Inside, they discovered live snakes coiled up inside soft drink bottles and lizards with nappies to collect urine.

Some 50 lizards, 39 cobras, 21 vipers and other smaller lizards were found hidden in two pieces of luggage.

The animals, many considered threatened species, were handed over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

An official from the department said the cache of animals could have been worth tens of thousands of dollars.

Reptile species are believed to have aphrodisiac properties and are often traded as good-luck charms, delicacies or ornaments in some parts of Asia.

Having been through the airport in Manila, I don't know how the woman even dreamed of getting those snakes through.  The police with their semi-automatic weapons at the entrance of the airport alone would make a person confess he used to steal cookies from the cookie jar when he was 5 years old.  I always feel guilty passing through their millions of security stops and I have nothing to be guilty about!

We planned on going to Manila to do some souvenier shopping and Jason was staying behind to enjoy San Pablo for the day.  Before we left, Jason had one request, "...just be sure you buy one barrelman."  Not a problem.

We venture into the first store where I KNOW they are going to have aisles of barrelman, but to my surprise there was NONE!  So we tried another store and another...  still NONE!  Finally, my mom asked a sales representative where she could find barrelmen and the sales rep said that stores no longer carry products such as the barrelman.  WHAT?  I had to return to San Pablo that evening and tell Jason the bad news.  He was of course disappointed, as was I. 

In speaking with a relative, my mom was told that, supposedly, the Philippines Government - Department of Tourism is banning crafts that misrepresent the Filipino culture.  I don't know if this is true, but I find it very coincidental that all phallic crafts have disappeared from all fine Filipino stores.

Word got around that we had been searching for a barrelman and I'm happy to say that my family pulled through.  Barrelmen can still be found in the small markets and my aunt and cousins were generous and purchased two barrelmen for us.  We had originally planned on giving the barrelmen away as gifts, but now that they are slowly disappearing we might just keep them to ourselves.  They should now be considered collector's items!

Nothing says "Philippines" more than the barrelman...  Well, except for the fork and the spoon.

We are jet-lagged and silly...  Zachary and I returned from a 3-week long vacation to the Philippines just yesterday.  Our stay was longer than expected because Zach became sick (nothing serious) near the tail-end of our original departure; Zach and I stayed behind for an additional week while J had to return home to get back to work.

Not only was it Zach's first time on an airplane, but also his first trip to the Philippines.  I'm doubting he will remember this trip since he is only 15 months old, but we do have plenty of photos to tell him, "You did this!", when he is a little older.

The majority of our vacation was spent in my mom's hometown of San Pablo City (approximately a 2 hours drive from Manila).  It was our first time to see my parents' new home away from home--very nice.  Although we spent most of our time in San Pablo, we did take some day trips to Tagaytay, Ugu's (known for his amazing pottery) home, Manila, and the family farm.  We opted out of family beach trips because of sickness and not knowing how Zach would handle the long travels.

"Children play in floodwaters in a suburb of Manila in the Philippines, following heavy rains dumped by Typhoon Bilis."  [via BBC News]

"Women in Manila compete to represent the Philippines at the Miss Earth contest in Chile later this year."  [via]

Dang!  I can't believe I missed it!  Well, maybe next year.  hah hah. 

Coffee lovers, if you are on the constant search for the best cup of coffee in the world you might just find it across the globe in the Philippines. Track the trail of the palm civet, a 'cat-like animal', scoop up its droppings and you've hit coffee gold.

The civets, or known locally as alamid, eat red coffee cherries that contain beans. The whole beans will pass through the civet and will gain unique flavors while fermenting in the civet's stomach.

Supposedly, civet coffee is some of the best coffee.  Give it a try once you get over the fact that it came from an animal's rear.

Previous Philippines posts:
Competente home in the Philippines, Filipino Home Videos, The Filipino Fork and Spoon