Monday, December 8, 2008

Daily Report: Bright Lights, Small City

On Saturday on my way out to Cagayan De Oro, I stopped in at Motor Mate, the big motorcycle shop in the Cogon Market area. I wanted to buy H.I.D. headlights for my motorcycle. I want the motorcycle to be safer, so I'm investing in brighter headlights and better brakes.

Anyway, while at Motor Mate, I met a fellow I know: Rob, the owner of Big Rocks Diner. He told me about a guy who owns a motorcycle shop who does a lot of customizing of Motorstar motorcycles. Since this shop was on the road to Jasaan, I stopped in and then decided to have them do the upgrade of my lights.

So, this morning I drove back out to the place where the owner (a nice fellow named Jun... short for Junior, I'm told) immediately got his electric guy working on my H.I.D. lights ($120 for two lights). That should be enough to see where I'm going at night on the highway home from the In-Laws.


The lovely ladies of Cagayan De Oro
Immigration working hard to keep our
visas current!
After that, it was off to immigration to renew my visa for another 2 months. Heh: I remember the trials and tribulations of visa running in Thailand. Now, it is just a 30-minute visit with the nice girls at the Imigration Office, and 2800 pisos ($52) every two months. Really though: People are genuinely nice there. After the dour Thai immigration officials and the dyspeptic atmosphere surrounding the entire Thai visa process, it's so nice. (My wedding certificate will allow me a "green card" style visa, where I can come and go as often as I want without time limits.)

Epril had stayed home doing laundry while I dropped off my motorcycle at the shop. Then she caught up with me at Immigration. We saw Bennie's wife Janne there renewing Bennie's visa as well: Apparently your wife can go and renew your visa for you if you are too busy. Nice.

After Immigration, Epril and I went to Ramen Tei for lunch. Then it was back out to check on the motorcycle, which was all torn apart but making progress. Then, Epril hopped on a Jeepney out to Jasaan, where she is going to be attending the last of the Katubigan Festival celebrations (taking Jesus and Mary for boat rides), while I went back home by taxi.

I worked the rest of the afternoon, and settled into a night at home alone. Meanwhile, Epril was out in the village watching the Miss Kimaya Pagaent. No bikinis for these fine ladies... ballroom gowns only, thank you very much.

2 comments:

Issarat said...

Wow, that immigration lady on the right is HUGE.

Jil Wrinkle said...

Oh be nice dude. These are lovely ladies because they allow me to stay in the country. (And the one on the left is actually really cute... and there is a third girl who is sort of cute too.)

The girl on the right is always bringing her little daughter to work, and she always puts her in these little frilly party dresses, and the little daughter runs around giggling and playing and is really adorable.