Hi,
This will be a mixture of a blog I had worked on prior to the move but didn't get around to finishing as well as providing some new info. It might be hodge podge of grammar and tenses, but hey, at least you're getting an update!!
To start with the most interesting news: the baby is to be born on June 9th, 2006 via C-section. For more details on him, check out his Web site. I have also included a couple of the photos from the 4D ultrasound. To quote Camilla, in one he still looks a bit like an alien, but the profile one looks like a chubby baby.
If you want to see our apartment, I've added a link to the building (Salcedo Park) in the links section. The apartment shown in the pictures is not the apartment we are in, but the layout and everything is similar. It is a large 3 bedroom, 3+ bath, with a huge kitchen and a great view. There is also a maids room with her own separate bath. The building is beautiful and has amazing facilities with a beautiful pool that I love! It is located in Salcedo Village in Makati on H.V. Dela Costa Street - the same street where Glen and Laine and James and Diane live.
The cat loves the place, especially all the large floor-to-ceiling windows. It reminds us a lot of where we used to live in Toronto. The security staff aren't as nice as they were at the other apartment but I think that is just because I get freaked out that the name of the company they are from is called 'Shooter Security.'
We moved the day after I was discharged from hospital and have Laine's sister in law as our household helper. Her name is Blaire and she is amazing. She does all the washing, ironing, cleaning, and has had to do all the shopping as I was not allowed to leave the house. The first couple of times she went shopping for us turned out to be interesting though. I asked for tin/aluminum foil as I didn't know if she would know of it as tin foil or as aluminum foil. Well, she came back with the silver metal you put on roofs. I think we've worked through most of the kinks though. She's also been good company for me when Dave is at work. If you call us and hear a strange voice on the phone, it is most likely Blaire.
Speaking of the phone, we now have our phone unlocked so we can make international calls. We were planning on getting a VOIP hooked up but to do that we need high speed Internet. The only place that provides high speed Internet requires a 1 year contract, so this will probably have to wait until we are more permanently settled. The beauty of a VOIP is that we can call the US and Canada for a cheap flat rate and you guys will only need to call a 416 or 905 number so the long distance bill for you will be really small.
We were registered for Prenatal classes but unfortunately had to cancel due to bedrest. I guess it won't really matter though as I won't have to do any pushing or anything since it will be a C-Section. I was also scheduled to take an Indian cooking class that sadly I had to cancel too. Oh well, hopefully I will still be able to gain access to the recipes.
We had our first jeepney ride by accident. We were coming back from the medical lab where it is really, really hard to get a cab. Finally a cab stopped. Most of the cabs in the city are Toyota Tercel equivalents, but this one was like an SUV. Anyways, it had the 'metered taxi' sign on it so we just hopped in. We said our address and the driver just started to drive. Then I had the fright of my life when all of a sudden the door gets opened and other people just start hopping in. We then realized that we were in an expensive jeepney. Anyways, he dropped us off near our apartment, but due to the pedestrian barricades, it turned out to be quite a walk for us.
On our way back from one of our doctor appointments we had an incident with the street panhandlers. Now to give you some impression of what it is like here, it is not like panhandlers in Canada. Where they just sit there on the street corner with a sign and a hand out or where they wash your windows. Here, they walk in the street - even against traffic - and stop and knock on your window. I find it really hard to just ignore the person, so I generally look at them and say 'sorry.' Big mistake. Then they give you sad eyes and tell you that they are hungry. There are even kids as young as 5 working the streets at night selling all sorts of wierd things like flower necklaces. Luckily just when I have been about to give in the light changes and we are on the move again. Well this time when we were coming home from the doctors, I was stroking my belly and thinking of my little son all safe and sound in my tummy. Then at a stop light, there was a woman with a naked baby boy in her arms asking for money. I couldn't say no, especially after knowing how hard some women and babies have it here and knowing that our son will never go hungry or unclothed. So I gave her some money. Well let me tell you, that was the longest light ever. Right after people saw we gave money, we were surrounded by other women with their babies. Me being a bunch of hormones and already feeling maternal, we had to give to them too. Well then the first mother got mad that the other moms were taking money that should have been hers, and there was a bit of an argument. Luckily the light changed and we were on our way.
Prior to the move and bedrest, Dave and I went to Tagaytay and to Bottoms.
Tagaytay is considered to be THE place to go for Easter as it is considered to be a religious place. Why? I have no idea. Just like I don't know why the Filipinos believe in vampires and witchcraft. I've learned not to ask questions anymore.
Anyways, we went to Tagaytay because it has cooler temperatures, clean air, beautiful views (the landscape is steep rolling hills) and a hotel with a pool I could actually get in and out of. See the last month or so at our old apartment I couldn't use the pool. It only had a step ladder to get in and out, and I was so large that I couldn't do it anymore. The hotel in Tagaytay had steps so I was finally able to get the weight of the baby off of me and cool off.
Me in the pool. I'm still not allowed to swim. So basically I just sit there and read.
The other thing about Tagaytay is that it is where there is a volcano that recently erupted. The volcano is in the middle of the lake. I used to know the name of it, but due to time and just pregnancy brain I can't remember. I think it is the Taal Volcano. We were planning on doing a tour of the volcano but it involved a rocky boat ride and horseback riding and there was no way I was able to do any of that. So we basically just got to enjoy beautiful scenery and I got to sit by a pool again. It is a pretty place, but definitely one of the more overrated tourist places in the philippines, at least in my opinion. Plus the food (my main reason for existence now) sucked. Even Dave wouldn't eat it. The exception though is fresh fruit and veggies. Tagaytay is known for their agriculture.
A pineapple field. I had no idea pineapples grew out of the ground. Please say I'm not the only one who thought they grew on trees.
It was also our first exposure to a tourist place in the Philippines and it is definitely different than in North America. For one thing, they have no location maps, tourist guides, brochures about sites in the area. You are basically on your own. Plus if you don't speak Tagalog, it is really difficult to be understood. Then, when you go to your room - which was definitely clean and ok - there is still nothing to introduce you to the area. There wasn't even a menu for room service. It was quite interesting - it must be that in the Philippines the whole reason for travelling is to stay in a hotel - either that or it was just the hotel we were at.
Bottoms is one of the girly bars located on Burgos street. This is basically one of the red light districts in Manila. I have been begging Dave to take me to one of these bars as I see them all the time on my way shopping and wanted to know what it was like. In the Philippines, a regular bar is very rare to find. I think there are maybe two or three in Makati. The rest are what are considered girly bars. The only people there are men - except for the time when Laine and I tagged along - and basically there are a bunch of scantily clad women dancing. Let me tell you, the dancing and amount of clothing is no different than what you would see at a bar in downtown Toronto. I was pretty unimpressed, I was expecting it to be more like a peeler bar.
Anyways, there are two drink prices: one for the patrons and one for the girls. If you want to talk to a girl (or do more), you have to buy them a drink. The cost for a patron drink is something like $1 but for a girl drink it is like $4. Anyways, in our case we just bought some of the girls drinks (otherwise it is considered rude) and when they were with us we just talked to them. The mamma san of the place even started buying us rounds. I miss wine and beer. Sadly Calamansi soda is just not the same as a nice bottle of red wine. Apparently though it was a tame night and some times you can even see people having sex in the bar. Maybe next time!!
After another frustrating time trying to get service over the phone in the Philippines and spelling my name out, I still became Gabrielle Clemente. I've tried using Deb, Debbie, Deborah and it still shows up on the contract or sales slip as Gabrielle. It is so frustrating! I've had Wendy's hang up on me twice when I call for delivery because they just can't figure out what my name is and in order to get food delivered they need to know your name, address, bra size, date of birth, etc. I've decided I have to have a nickname that will allow me to fit in. I'm thinking of Princess or Bunny. What do you think? The other option is to just say 'Yes' to whatever name they throw out at me.
That's it for now. Hope all of you are well.
Love Deb and Dave
