Catching up from Bacolod

Last week was my first taste of Korean food.  I've avoided it since the 60's when I had a Korean roommate at the University of Hawaii.  Whenever Sam would open his jar of kimchee, 4/5ths of us would leave the room.  Fan, who was Chinese, was too polite to leave....or was he secretly gorging on the questionable stuff.  Anyway we hosted all the clan that could be gathered on short notice at HoGalbi, a very nice restaurant that sits in place of the one where we had our reception two years ago.  The food was delicious.  Joining us were Anthony and Lope Consing, (seated are) Chico Locsin, Maurice Locsin and Tito Hector Hofilena.

Our last night in Manila we tried a (hand-pulled) noodle shop we'd walked past almost daily.  We'd shied away due to Is' wheat allergy, but decided that she could look for rice noodles or just plain rice.  The food was amazing!  Can't remember the name or the style of cooking, but it was picante, though not as intense as Szechuan.  More details to follow, if I can get back there on our return to Manila.

Here's the security specialist doing the pre-flight manifest check.  He's just finished shaking down the woman on the left; looking for guns hidden in her hairdo.  Pilot in background, inhaling some sort of powder.  Maybe he had a cold.

Then there was the flight down to the provinces.  We decided to hedge our bets and leave for the airport early, so as to beat the rush hour.  We over-estimated and were able to check in with one and a half hours to kill before our noon flight.  THEN, they announced a two and a half hour delay.  We sat in the departure lounge for four hours dozing and people-watching.  I was amazed.  Lunch was two steamed red hot-dogs on buns that tasted like the real things.  Only thing missing from my favorite road-trip meal was the relish, the half-pint of milk and the salt and vinegar chips.  I made up for that with a San Miguel; all for the equivalent of $4.57.  Hell, in an American or European (forget France) airport you couldn't even look at a beer for less than $8.00.

In Bacolod, now, to catch up with classmates and Millie K. and check out the visual art scene.  Taking advantage of |Is' hair appointment to do internet stuff.  'Later