Not a day on the beach then..... (Sunday 28 February 2010)

Following the big earthquake in Chile, the Philippines, along with most other Pacific nations was put on tsunami alert. After the last really big one in Chile in 1960, it reached here and had devastating effects. Buy it wasn’t quite as dramatic as it sounds as the alert was mainly for those eastern islands with coasts that were directly on the Pacific. Cebu is tucked nicely away in the middle. So no real problem, everything went on as usual and even this morning it only got a mention on the inside of the Sunday papers. The main news on the frontpages here is interviews with the presidential candidates for the election in May, all about their health, fashion, personal habits and living style – no mention of their politics.... But being a health and safety sort of a girl I did have my evacuation plan. Basically fill the backpack with the duty free gin, every antiseptic handwash I posess and the contents of the hotel mini bar, Snickers and Pringles included. I reckoned that would see me through 24 hours on the nearest hill if needed! But as you know, thankfully it wasn’t. And at the dreaded hour it would have hit (but I knew it should have been ok) I decided to take the high ground in the hotel just in case. Just happened to be the Oyster Bar built up over the beach on a solid rock foundation about three metres above sea level. I drank a cube and watched the tiny waves lapping the sand as usual – the only likely tsumami today would have been me diving in the pool after the huge included breakfast I had eaten...
But joking apart, I was relieved and happy that the warnings came to naugt.

Tonight I wandered out through the huge gates of the hotel – it was just dark and it really is a bit rough. You get hassled all the time – not in a bad way, but just for trikes, massage, necklaces, business must be really slow. There are very few streetlights, mad traffic and dust everywhere. Crossing the road to go to the Korean Mini market was a job in itself...... Coming back into the hotel I realised just how nice it is. A flash spa, pools everywhere, lovely little bungalow thatched rooms and smart smiley staff.