Friday, October 30, 2009

Daily Report: Jeepney Time

Another parade this morning. This time the local Catholic schools were having a sports day. (No majorettes in skimpy skirts, sad to say.)

Tyson enjoys the parades.

Tonight, being Friday, we decided to go to Spooks for the evening. Unfortunately, with no motorcycle, that meant going by Jeepney: A 40 minute trip becomes an hour and 20 minutes, it's cramped, it's noisy, and it sucks. But it is cheap, as it cost Epril and I a dollar to go the 20 miles from Jasaan into CDO.

We did a little bit of shopping at Gaisano Mall before going off to Spooks.

At Spooks, there was the usual outstanding buffet put out by owner Mike. (All you can eat for 180 pisos — $3.25.) There were roasted potatoes, garlic rice, and a nice vegetable dish to start things off. Then there was a chicken curry with nan bread, the old Filipino favorite of kinelaw, plus roast beef, deep fried shrimp, spaghetti with meat sauce, and beef patties stuffed with mushrooms. There was also salad fixings for those of you on a diet.

I hung around with the guys and chatted about law and order here in The Philippines in general, and Cagayan De Oro specifically. The girls, I'm sure, chatted about equally weighty matters.

Anyway, being the day before Halloween, all Spook's staff were dressed up for the occasion. After all, can you think of a better place to spend a spooky evening than at Spooks?
Unfortunately for Epril and I, it was back in the Jeepney for the ride back to Jasaan at 8:00. Fortunately though, the ride going back is a much better thing: On the way there, the jeepney would stop and pick somebody up every quarter mile or so, and when it got to CDO, it would drop somebody off every quarter mile or so. On the way home, the Jeepney started from the depot and didn't pause once until we were more than halfway there, and only a couple of times after that. We actually made it home in almost the same amount of time as it would have taken on the motorcycle.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jil,

You guys really should buy a car or van as it more comfortable than a jeepney and safer than a motorcycle. If cant afford new one just look at a korean surplus or a used local unit of some kind for like 150,000 to 200,000. Also could get a japanese surplus or a multicab but Id advise not because they are converted drives and in the multicab they have no comfort features really though they do have the plus of many spare parts at the junk parts shops.

Jil Wrinkle said...

Yes, Anon. Our thoughts exactly... although it is a multicab we are thinking of... room for the entire family, plus Tyson.

Mike said...

Jil how much is a taxi ride from there

Jil Wrinkle said...

We usually pay either 600 or 700 pisos to get home. Obviously no taxis going TO the city for us though.

Anonymous said...

Jil,

Does the Taxi make you pay rt. I ask because sometimes if you live a far place they will make you pay rt since they will be made to go back without passenger most likely.

Jil Wrinkle said...

They don't specifically ask for round trip... but the 600/700 pisos is pretty much double what the meter would read.