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Hi Richard Howe @richardhowe5583 This is the type of BS I try to fight on here all the time. So much false and misinformation on here trying to give advice to people thinking about Dumaguete. First you say “Realtors have lost their minds” - not sure what you are talking about? I am not a Realtor and Realtor’s certainly don’t control the prices of this condo project or other place in any location. You say a Studio is worth about 15k pesos - what BS. What is your comparable? You have none for Dumaguete. For those of you who don’t know Dumaguete - you need to understand this is the ONLY modern condo project in Dumaguete. The market decides the price. It is a modern condo, in a decent location, with modern facilities. OBVIOUSLY, you can find places for 15k BUT not a studio in the only modern condo project in Dumaguete. I didn’t buy/rent there because I am not interested in condo living (already did it in BGC Metro Manila for 56k per year in a tiny one bedroom- yes expensive but you can’t even come close to comparing it to this Dumaguete Condo) For less than I paid for my one bedroom condo you can have a 3-bedroom fully furnished condo in Dumaguete IF YOU WANT CONDO LIVING - my point is don’t believe BS statements about costs of living - you get what you pay for and price is market driven everywhere in the world. You can rent a beach front rustic cottage for 15k BUT that gives you nothing modern, no facilities etc - if that is what you want good for you but you need to compare apples with apples when comparing price, size, location, amenities etc. You can rent an older small home for the same price without any modern facilities and you will have to furnish it but you can take your time doing that. There is tons of places of many different styles to rent - but just one modern condo project - so if you think 25k is too expensive (IT IS NOT FOR WHAT YOU GET) then don’t look there and find something else in your budget, but it won’t be a modern condo. As I have said in many videos NEVER rent on line in advance. Come for a visit grab a hotel room for a few days downtown Dumaguete and rent a scooter/motorcycle and explore from Dauin (and even further) to Sibulan (or further up island) in a few days. You will find something that you like in your budget BUT don’t listen to this BS COMMENT about saying you will find something A LOT BETTER AND A LOT CHEAPER .. SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND. Be careful of fake FB real estate agents - there are lots of certified real estate agents to use if you want the advice of an expert. We tried to find a house on our own but quickly found a great opportunity with a very good realtor - go alone or guided by a realtor - just sharing what worked best for us. Using someone who knows the market makes sense to me - I used a realtor in USA, France and in many locations in Canada as well as in a few locations in the Philippines. Just don’t follow BS advice online - come and see for yourself and decide for yourself. Good luck - it is not a difficult process - just check out many options and pick the one that is right for you. Amping take care, Greg

Hi handsomevex coolsman @handsomevexcoolsman3437 Hope you are well. Thanks for asking - that is in the food court of Festival Mall in Muntinlupa, Metro Manila - but that is sold around Manila. I was all ready to eat it - even went back a second time - but then I got cold feet and chickened out! Amping Greg

I feel your pain Anthony Huben @anthonyhuben9248 I only tried it the one time I made a few videos - I was going to try it but chickened out even 2X!! Just wasn't feeling it. Even my Filipino wife and her cousin wouldn't try it. I said after my time trying balut that next time I would have a San Mig lite before and with it - but then there never has been a next time! Not sure I will. Amping Greg

Hey Liam @bwilliam6827 First - great profile pic - I hope you got your bike off the beach before the tide came in - but that would make a great video! Yes, the garbage problem needs a national change in attitude - I think it was the 70s where they started teaching to kids in schools who then took the lessons home and eventually people learned, for the most part, don't throw your garbage and if you do there will be enforcement. I shake my head when I see all ages from children all the way to elderly finish something they are eating and just throw it on the ground. Even after some visitors to our home compound leave, I find packages of treats we gave to their kids - not sure how someone thinks its ok to toss garbage or cigarette buts in someone's house they are visiting - the kids obviously have not been taught - and no excuse for their parents. When I first left Manila in 2019 and rented a beach front cottage in Dumaguete I used to walk to Silliman beach 5km each way almost every day - I would walk through a few waterfront barangays where the locals treated the ocean like a garbage dump - I came back to Negros Oriental in 2021 and not much has changed - in fact Silliman Beach, one of the few beaches in Dumaguete has become worse in the last 12 months. It has so much potential but people don't see it. Amping take care, Greg

Hey Mark Kaestner @mkaestn Thanks for the laugh - I haven't heard that one before. Amping take care, Greg

Hi Peter Pichler @peterpichler8809 Thank you so much for your kind words! I really appreciate your support from Austria! I visited Austria in 1981 on my first European holiday. I lived in France for 1988-89 but didn't visit Austria again - I should have done more touring. Amping take care, Greg

Hi edwinwerdna7061 You are very lucky so many flights. Dumaguete-Sibulan Airport gets on average 8 flights per day, not counting the small plane traffic. I looked up Pearson's stats and from earlier 2024 it said: Toronto Pearson is expecting more than 160,000 passengers per day this summer on peak travel days, an increase of 8 per cent from 2023 volume. There will be more than 1,100 flights on the busiest summer days. Passengers: Toronto Pearson Airport 160,000 per DAY Dumaguete-Sibulan Airport 800,000 per YEAR Amping Greg

Hi Mick @mduckod992 WOW - thank you so much for the Super Thanks - it is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your kind words! I’m thrilled to hear you found the video useful. Dumaguete will definitely be a great addition to your future travels! I have never been to Ireland, a Canadian buddy has been there many times, as recently as last month and loves it. My dad's family is from Scotland and England and my mom's family is from Belgium - they all moved to Canada for the promises of rich farming that were posted around Europe - I think they only found COLD WINTERS but they all stayed and made their life in Canada. Amping Greg and Lindie

@CanadianInPhilipipnes Greg and Lindie just a small token of appreciation, you put the legwork in and provide us with such great updates, I'm very grateful to the UA-cam community as you all provide a "no frills/warts and all" insight, so once again salamat (I've only learnt tagalog), my fiance is taking it easy on me by not introducing me to Waray, her native language 🤣

Hi SN57ONE - Public Transportation Spotter @SN57ONE Next time you come let me know - if I am around, we can film the same flight from different angles and share footage for each to edit video. I have filmed from the highway at the end of the runway, and both sides of the runway and of course the beach. The beach it is really hard to get them taking off as you can only hear them coming the last few seconds then they blast past you - need your phone ready to capture the takeoff. Landings are so much easier as you can see them way out on the water as they come in towards the beach. Amping Greg

I like your optimism Liam @bwilliam6827 I hope you are right will save time and money flying directly into and out of Dumaguete. Amping Greg

That’s awesome @jamessondia-et2pr Welcome to the channel! Maraming salamat thank you so much for watching, subscribing and commenting. Take care, Greg

Cool thanks @johnmichaelgarciayoutube3310. Appreciate the feedback. Amping take care, Greg

NICE ⊹mitshura⊹ @Mitshura._Official Next time tell him to WAVE !! Amping Greg🙈😜🤓😋

@ No I'm saying he's in the video, not in the helicopter lol

Got it mitshura⊹ @Mitshura._Official He has made me laugh so many times with his helicopter comments! Amping Greg

Just got off a flight and saw this POS troll Micheal Olson @michealolson5006 contribution to the UA-cam family! Normally I would just delete it and block him but it was too good to pass up sharing his words of wisdom. I would tell you to check out his amazing UA-cam channel he has had since March 5, 2013, almost 11 years and 8 months BUT in that time, he has added ZERO content to UA-cam - HOWEVER I can guarantee you he has spewed his nasty troll comments to many channels. Your 15 subscribers must be proud of you Micheal Olson - but thanks for your comment - I will feature it in an upcoming TROLL video for more people to see your wisdom - don’t bother deleting it I have already made a copy of your wonderful words to share with others. And by the way I started shaving my head in 2005 and have kept it that way most of the time - I make a choice - seeing your profile picture you are living in the 80's and could use a style update - SO I won't be taking any style tips from you. It is trolls like you who have never visited tropical climates like the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, etc and understand the amazing life Expats can have on their retirement budget at a fraction of the cost of their home country. If one happens to meet a great lady along the way even better. Enjoy your basement dwelling life Micheal Olson

Hi Mick @mduckod992 We really appreciate your support and I'm thrilled to hear you're enjoying the content! Welcome to the channel, and I hope you find plenty more to love! Congrats to you and your fiancé - your profile photo shows you are such a happy couple - CONGRATULATIONS to you both - amazing you two found each other in this big world. Ireland, like Canada are great - but you can still visit once you make the leap to Samar - then enjoy the best of both worlds. I agree 100% I just got a rude comment about the real reason guys come to the Philippines because we can't get women at home - such BS - obviously some come here and other similar countries for that - but most of us come here so we can have a much lower stress retirement and stay within whatever budget we have and still have a really nice life at a fraction of the cost of our home countries. Good luck to you in your visits and eventual move - you will love it! Amping take care Greg

Hi @markinnis5978 That is great to hear. Cambodia sounds wonderful! What is important is to find the best fit for you, which is why I tell people NOT to move here 😊 instead come for a holiday AND visit other countries to find the one you like the best. I picked the Philippines as the best fit for me, but still like exploring. As far as cost of living, like in any country you can have whatever level you want. I have lived in exclusive subdivision fancy house, country side brand new two story house, high end BGC condo (like any North American city), beach front cottage, province apartment and now middle class house in a subdivision - all have + and - AND very different costs. The cheapest one, beach front cottage was very simple life and exactly what I wanted at the time but not for long term. Numbeo.com does cost of living comparisons for any country you pick. For Cambodia v. Philippines shows: - Cost of Living in Philippines is 15.9% lower than in Cambodia (without rent) - Cost of Living Including Rent in Philippines is 18.2% lower than in Cambodia - Rent Prices in Philippines are 28.4% lower than in Cambodia - Restaurant Prices in Philippines are 26.0% lower than in Cambodia - Groceries Prices in Philippines are 17.2% lower than in Cambodia But for me CHEAPEST is not necessarily the best there are many other factors and if you found your fit then PERFECT and CONGRATS. Take care Greg

Valencia Negros oriental is a very beautiful and a cold place where a lot of falls and camping areas.. I just got there once.. hhmm.. migrant birds there also chillin in a high hill areas, maybe migrant birds are comfortable with the temperature 😅😅😅

Hi Mike G @Myk904 Thanks for the comment glad you liked Valencia - I like visiting also and have been there many times over the years. As far as it being a COLD PLACE it is not accurate - have a look at Wikipedia for Valencia and also for Dumaguete and compare the historical temperature data - there is not much difference. Of course, if you go high in the mountains it will be cooler - but that is not Valencia town proper - it is only a few kilometers from Dumaguete and almost the same weather, and only slightly cooler - despite the fact many people tell themselves differently. I will explain more on this in my reply to Dennis's question. Take care, Greg

Hi Dennis @dennisglavin1141 Thanks for your comment! Valencia is a great choice for many! It's known for its cooler climate (more myth than reality in the populated areas - but for sure cooler in the higher elevations which most of the people that claim they go to Valencia for cooler weather don’t live. If you like a quieter area I think you'll enjoy the ambiance and local culture! We live in Sibulan - near the water/airport/Dumaguete. Check out Google Maps - Valencia is attached to Dumaguete - and the Sunday public market in the main part of town is only a few minutes from Dumaguete. The area has an exaggerated myth of being cooler - however if you look at historical temperatures it is only slightly cooler most days - just check out Wikipedia for Dumaguete and also for Valencia and compare the historical temperature results you will note there is almost no difference between them. BUT if you want to get out Valencia town proper and go to a higher elevation up to cooler areas just follow the road up the mountain and see if you find a spot - we did that recently. It is a long climb into some nice mountain areas - I flew my drone up there and published a video on that. Here is the link ua-cam.com/video/okiOyu9CCS0/v-deo.html we had lunch at Mango Ranch and did a drive up to check out the higher spots of Valencia. It is very rural with mostly simple living and a few nice houses along the road. My suggestion for you is to come in to Dumaguete - get a hotel for 3 days at least to get yourself oriented then tour around. If you check out the map you can easily drive Dauin (even further around the bottom of the island if you see something), then back towards Dumaguete - check out Bacong as well, which is right in between Dauin and Dumaguete. So as you can see on a map Valencia is above Dumaguete - both Dauin and Bacong also have elevated areas (as do all I will suggest) similar to Valencia climate and some even higher so cooler. You will have to just drive around and explore until you find something that hits you between the eyes. It is like looking for a condo or home - you look at 20 and then one just knocks you down and you know you have arrived - that could happen to you. So then continuing up island you can tour Dumaguete and Valencia, Sibulan and the mountains above Sibulan, also going up island San Jose, Amlan and Tanjay again all with higher elevation mountain areas. Above Tanjay is Pamplona another higher mountain area, we access our farm area on a road between Tanjay and Bais and drive about 1 hour into the mountains - not the 10 mins to get to Valencia town. We bought a 3-hectare farm in the mountains above Tanjay - much higher and cooler than Valencia - there are spots like this all above the coast line road from Dauin to Tanjay, Bais and further north as the mountains go from the bottom of the island up the middle. All I have described is very close and easily to explore in a few days - narrow down your thoughts and go back for a second look. Also look online for flood zones as there are rivers that come off the mountains and you want to avoid these as there may be a reason it is for sale and available. When we bought in Sibulan I ensured our home was not in a flood zone - better to know before you buy. Your other goal affordability - you will find every area I described fits that category. When I moved from BGC Manila my rent on a one-bedroom condo was P56,000 - to Tanjay and got a brand new 2-bedroom apartment it was P13,000 BUT to be clear the province life IS NOT BGC - I didn’t want BGC after my 14-months there but it was perfect for the time - riding out Covid restrictions. I lived in big cities in Canada, USA and France - and wanted a more tropical setting in my retirement. But as I said - Valencia could be great just relax and explore the area and see with your own eyes what is the best fit for you and your family - just maybe something will jump out at you. I hope you found some of this helpful - if you have other questions please don’t hesitate to ask. Amping take care, Greg

Too bad JPNY @jpny4750 You need to open your ears to many more beautiful sounds in the Philippines - there are many tropical birds here - as I was talking the dove sounded - and as I noted it is exactly the same dove that I heard for years visiting Maui Hawaii, USA. Of course, the Philippines is famous for rooster sounds which is ANOTHER great reason to never rent something online - you need to go look and see not just the place but the neighbors and close by area. On my walks I see many places, one with one-hundred roosts for their birds - the noise is brutal. Our neighbor has a few chickens and they are noisy not just the morning but for some reason even in the middle of the night - but I guess after a few years I guess I tune it out sometimes. I am not saying it is peace and joy here - but you have to take the good with the bad - one thing I find much more annoying is the unnecessary honking - we live on a T-intersection corner and the motorcycles and vehicles honk as they approach and keep going - which I laugh because most of the motorcycles are so loud, they would never hear each other honking - I don’t know why they don’t just slow down and clear the intersection and go when safe. 3 blocks over two cars smashed at a crossing in the subdivision I can almost guarantee you they both honked as they approached the intersection then crashed! Amping enjoy your quite time wherever you are. Greg

Hi Dale @dalelittlefield57 I am glad you are enjoying the videos. Thanks for watching, and I will try to make sure the next video has less glare but no guarantees SORRY on the $1 per day from UA-cam can't afford fancy lighting and camera like other channels. Just trying to do different things with what I have. Amping Greg

Totally agree Liam @bwilliam6827! Life’s all about enjoying the ride, right? A great value just makes it that much better. Amping Greg

Hi Edward S Mcintyre @edwardsmcintyre9014 Absolutely! Cebu’s got the USA consulate, and Bohol has the chocolate hills-talk about a sweet deal! Also seeing the tarsiers is on my bucket list! Canada has an honourary consulate in Cebu City as well, but I have never used them. We have been dealing with the Canadian Embassy in Manila and it is funny - they have an honory consulate in Cebu City but they contract out services to VSF Global - I wonder who owns that company/contract? For example last month we had to send a document to the Canadian Embassy in Manila -i we could not be sent directly there. We had to either drive it to drop off or courier it to Cebu City. We sent it by courier to Cebu City, unbelievably then they sent it by courier to the Canadian Embassy in Manila - where they processed it. The Canadian Embassy then couriered it back to Cebu City - and the fun continued with them couriering it back to us - 4 steps instead of 2. WE THOUGHT we were done NOPE - we then had a page telling us we had another step - to go in person to either Manila, Cebu City or Davao City for 2 appointments. We picked Cebu City as it is the closest, that was our 4th visit to Cebu City 4X in the last 11 months - 1X per year is enough for me - like Manila for me nice to visit (I already lived 9 months in Ayala Alabang, 12 months in Carmona Cavite and 14 months in BGC) - I prefer the province life with a sprinkling of Manila life. In fact, as I type this I am in a very nice hotel and we enjoyed our Sunday afternoon re-exploring the beautiful clean streets around Festival Mall today. I first visited Cebu City in 2018 on a condo hunting tour but decided for me it was basically a mini-Manila and I didn't want that in my retirement life as I was already living in Ayayla Alabang, which is basically like any North American city. Funny because when I was stuck in Luzon during covid I ended up renting a highrise condo in BGC - beautiful place but definitely not my idea of a TROPICAL retirement - so 14 months there was more than enough. My advice is find the best spot for you and use that as your base - from your base in Cebu City you can easily access lots of amazing spots on Cebu Island, IloIlo, Bohol, Negros and beyond - AND another bonus for you is your international airport, we have to travel 7 hours to get there for short excursion flights to Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Hong Kong - so many great places to explore and so cheap still to travel in Asia. Especially when compared to North American travel costs - it’s a bargain in Asia. Amping take care and stay safe and healthy in all your travels. Greg

Hi Harri Vennola @harrivennola8687 Thank you so much for your kind words! I really appreciate your support and am thrilled you found the content useful Amping Greg and Lindie

Hi Liam @bwilliam6827 Wow that would be amazing but I am not sure the runway is long enough - it is 1,845 meters long, compared to Cebu-Mactan which already has international flights but with a 3,300 meter long runway. I have seen that long range jets need 2,500 to 4,000 meters. I think international flights will be for sure once the Dumaguete airport is closed and the new one open in Bacong, but, in 2017 it was noted Construction of the P7 billion proposed new Bacong airport will take place around 2019 and would take about five years to complete, so the estimated completion was 2024. BUT this never happened in 2024 it has been reported "The New Dumaguete Airport Development Project funded by the Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM Bank) is envisioned to have a terminal capacity of 3 million passengers per annum, with start of construction beginning 2030 and completion date slated in 2037." Their stated goal is to increase passenger capacity from the current Dumaguete-Sibulan airport of 800,000 to 2 million passengers annually at the proposed Bacong location. The estimated budget has grown from P7 billion in 2017, and in 2024 it is now at P17 billion. BUT there were delays from the 2017 announcement and it never materialized - and now the construction is not even supposed to start until 2030, so the 2024 P17 estimate is a real shot in the dark - and as noted completion won't even be until 2037! Kind of an odd timeline. Oh well it will provide lots of jobs if they actually build it. Amping Greg

Indeed zoku @zokurblxandmore When I zoomed in on the helicopter - I thought I saw you waving from the window🤓😜🙈 Amping Greg

Lol😂😂😂😂

Right @MrHappyZorro? With 7k in Seattle, you might need to invest in a good pair of walking shoes instead of a car! Who needs wheels when you have a solid caffeine fix from all those coffee shops? That budget here would get you get you an amazing place in BGC or even one of the exclusive neighborhoods of Manila - if you lived out on one of the islands with that budget you would be able to have an amazing life. The guy may have that budget but he is completely wrong about where he thinks he falls in the socio-economic rankings of the country and for him to say under US$4k per month is living in poverty is embarrassing for any expat to say. Enjoy your beautiful part of the world. I lived 11 years in Vancouver, BC and 2 years in Victoria - and got down to your area a number of times. Amping Greg

Its a beautiful dream , but I gotta feed near the food.. count my blessings as seattle has many good qualities.

Hello ThatTransitGuy @Transit_B Thanks for sharing your experience as a Dumaguete Airport Spotter! It’s fascinating to hear about the C-130s and your insights into the aviation industry. Take care and stay warm over the winter in Toronto. Amping Greg

Thank you. Also, I'm sorry for my broken English, I'm not that fluent in English and my school took me to a classroom about English. Anyways god bless you

Hi Mike G @Myk904 Right?! Total wow moment! Thanks for watching! I agree with you - it is one of my favorite spots on my walk - they really created a nice layout for their property, using all their space. They are on a busy road but being set back from the road, unlike the one across the street and another one going up right next door to it. Take care, Greg

Hi Liam @bwilliam6827 I really appreciate your support and suggestion! It means a lot, and I'm always looking for new ideas. That would be a really cool adventure - maybe one day. There are many interesting airports around the Philippines that people would be interested in. I have tried to do a Live video from Silliman Beach a few times, the first near the end of the beach but the signal is very bad there and it didn't connect. The next time I tried earlier on the beach but again the connection dropped as I got closer to the filming area - maybe one day the Globe Connection will work. One thing I noticed the last two days a number of the big jets have taken off towards the mountains, going over Sibulan then making a right hand turn for Manila, instead of out over the beach/ocean and making the left turn towards Manila. There is one Expat that has a nice house right along the runway - they bought the property years ago - they have an elevated patio that would be amazing for a live camera view - but I don't think he is interested in that. Amping - have a great end of the week and I hope you are safe and dry as we all are hoping for less rain as Tropical Storm Kristine (Trami) finally moves on. Amping Greg

Have never seen in 6 years and just asked two lifetime residents of Negros Oriental who have never seen. Maybe you are thinking of another island? One site says King cobras live in Southeast Asia, ranging from northern India, east to southern China, including Hong Kong and Hainan; south throughout the Malay Peninsula and east to western Indonesia and the Philippines. They prefer streams in dense or open forest, bamboo thickets, adjacent agricultural areas and dense mangrove swamps. They often stay near streams, where the temperature and humidity are relatively constant. They spend almost a fourth of their time up in trees or bushes. PhilHealth says King cobras are found on Balabac, Jolo, Lu- zon, Mindanao, Mindoro, Negros, and Palawan Islands. Equatorial spitting cobras are found only on Palawan and some of the Calamian Islands. The Northern Philippine cobra has been recorded from Luzon, Mindoro, Masbate, Marinduque, Calamian Islands, Palawan and Catanduanes. Pythons also found all over Asia. I guess safer to stay away from Philippines if you are worried. But have never seen one - every country has animals to be careful of - I am OK with the Philippines.

Absolutely Mike G @Myk904! There's nothing quite like the joy on a dog's face when they feel the wind in their fur during a ride. It's pure happiness! When we first got him here in the city from the mountains it was his first vehicle ride in Lindie's 4X4 - he was so scared and was hard to get into a car. Now he cries if we don't take him - he just loves it so much. So much to see and smell all over! Amping take care have a great rest of your day. Greg

Hi Harri Vennola @harrivennola8687 That is great. I was in Hawaii 2X - one was great and the other wasn't the A/C ran out and we had rough weather so the pilot landed. My other time was in the Vancouver Canada area and it was very beautiful. There are a few military helicopters that fly by but most are private - only for the rich here. Amping take care. Greg and Lindie

Hi handsomevex coolsman @handsomevexcoolsman3437 Not these days - definitely not. The road ion that side of the island is the worst I have seen since my first time being on it in 2018. The road only gets good about 30 mins out of Cebu City and once inside Cebu City no problems. So taking Grab Taxi is easy, besides no hotel parking, all our trips were so cheap (one from the Ceres Station to hotel, one from hotel to government agency and then back to the hotel on Tuesday, Lindie to government agency Wednesday AM, me to government agency Wednesday noon, government agency to Ceres Station Wednesday when Lindie was done) We took my Honda Civic tp Cebu City in Nov 2023 and will never do it again (unless the road is completed - but that is unlikely). Lindie took Ceres in March 2024 and found it worked great. We took Lindie's 4x4 to Cebu City in June 2024 and it was fine but also rough - so when we came back we cut across the island at CarCar City to avoid road construction and came down the other side and it was so much better than the Oslob/CarCar etc side. The road construction is very slow - we passed many controlled one-lane only sections (so road blocked one direction for vehicles to take turns), lots of dirt very rough sections (luckily it was dry - not like today as I type). There are also some very interesting spots where you can see the newly finished single lane cemented roads but then they stop at a house and restart on the other side - many houses knocked down but some people must be defiant. There are other sections where the new cemented lane is stopped for a giant tree then restarted on the other side, also the same for some power poles - which is actually better than here - they just cement around the power pole in some places and leave it in the middle of the lane - there have been accidents with people hitting the power pole in the middle of the road - the most recent one was a police officer going home after a long shift and was killed hitting the pole on his motorcycle. Even when the road is better for about 1/3 of the road to Cebu City there are these tiny trikes that block the road - they go about 25 to 30 kms per hour and refuse to move a bit to the side EXCEPT when CERES comes through fast and doesn't give them a choice. Even when you give them a courtesy honk they won't' move - maybe someone from that area can explain why this is - it is very annoying and really increases the time of the drive - no where close to what Google Maps estimates. Ceres is closer to the estimate (45 mins over), but still longer because they blast through most areas and don't seem to care. On our return bust trip we sat in the front right seat - I chatted our drive he said he was with Ceres for the last 10 years and 20 years with another company. Lindie didn't like the front seat saw too many close calls, but we had a great driver - it is the other drivers I am worried about on that road. Amping Greg

Hmm - that is strange Nuggetsjourney44 @Nuggetsjourney44! I was sleeping when you wrote two comments - this one and the one that starts with "Manila has ..." I get those home screen pop-ups when I get comments and when I woke up there were only 2 pop-ups for your comments so I guess only two worked. Will reply to your other one now. Just about to head off to Robinsons Place Dumaguete - Monday morning shopping before parking is gone! It wouldn't be on youro top 50 list! Amping Greg

@@CanadianInPhilippines now it’s back

@@CanadianInPhilippines I’m moving south to mindanao this Friday, I shouldn’t be announcing it online I know… but I’m not going to kidnapping areas haha

HI Nuggetsjourney44 @Nuggetsjourney44 Exciting news about your move! Mindanao has so much to offer, and I’m sure you'll have a great time exploring the area. Lots of safe places to explore there - even our island has some "interesting" areas that hit the news once in awhile - just take care, be safe and enjoy! Amping Greg

Hi Nuggetsjourney44 @Nuggetsjourney44, I appreciate you sharing your top picks! It's always great to get insights from viewers like you about the best spots in Manila. I lived in Ayala Alabang and my top pick there is Festival Mall - great indoors and outdoors. I also lived in BGC facing the back of the Shangri-La The Fort - I was in the open park area from the Mind Museum up to Market Market daily. I had a few good walking loops a short one around BGC and for a long one I continued on passed the BGC border near the USA Military Cemetery and went up and around Venice Grand Canal Mall (which many people mistakenly believe is in BGC - it is not, bot BGC and that area, McKinley are in Taguig.) I have never been to Eastwood Mall - looked it up online - it looks good, but a bit far up near Antipolo (was up there a few times). I am not a fan of Quezon City - I once went up there to look at a condo but was so expensive (although cheaper than BGC) and tiny - that was in the Ortigas area. Traffic was very bad and was far from all the areas I liked. My favorite Quezon City memory is getting one of my tattoos done there, my lolo’s WWII POW photo was done in Quezon City by a great artist, Draz Palaming. Take care and happy mall touring - that could be an interesting side line - touring tourists to all the best spots! Amping take care, Greg

@@CanadianInPhilippines that one in Alabang have a roller coaster inside it? It’s crazy when I was down there, very wealthy area in the fill invest area Alabang

@@Nuggetsjourney44 traffic & too longbtravrlntime

Indeed Nuggetsjourney44 @Nuggetsjourney44 that's the one. Alabang Town Center is normal old mall, but Festival Mall is much nicer. It has the amusement park with roller coaster indoors and the river walk outdoors. I lived in a nearby fancy subdivision for 9 months (Ayala Alabang) - renting a pool house - just pretending to be part of the rich and famous. People thought I walked everywhere for my health (partly true) - actually back then I had no car or motorbike so no choice! I thought I was paying cheap rent but then I moved to a beach front cottage in Dumaguete for 50% decrease in rent - nice savings but as you know the other areas I lived in - Apples and Oranges when it comes to amenities and things to do- which is why it is nice to stay a few nights a year in Manila to revisit old spots. Safe travels this weekend. Greg

@@CanadianInPhilippines yeh mate I walked along the waterway there watching all the fish jumping & surfacing, surprised by the amount of life in it, up here in pasig there’s fish everywhere but even the locals say they wouldn’t eat them, I’ve worn my body cam a few times when I’ve walked 2+ hours some days, pretty flat ground to traverse so it’s been easy, I got a sore prostate from getting lifts on moto scooters on move it app, so doctor said walk more, it’s been 7 weeks doing allot of Km’s each week… now I’m gunna go lay on a beach south of gensan for a few weeks, keep fit by beach hikes & spear fishing, can’t wait mate 👍