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James Reports June16th,2008

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

    Things are a little slow here not much happening at all -- I went to Davao for pizza and a movie on Sat.-- as I left the mall that evening I saw several ambulances -- it seems that the NPA attacked a group of Phil soldiers returning to base on the edge of town -- 4 soldiers killed -- Pres GMA has ordered the army to destroy the NPA by the time she leaves office in 2010 -- this was one of their responses -- there were 3 or 4 attacks over the weekend on army units.

    At the market yesterday where I buy groceries I watched some men and a few boys carrying bags of rice around the market -- 2 x 100 pound bags each -- carried on the head -- by 96 pound men -- they are a hard working people.

    About a week ago I went back into the mountains to a school function -- the ride in was fun -- I had to go by motorbike as the road was washed out in a few places -- at one spot I crossed a wash out where the road was about 6 or 8 inches wide and a drop off of about 2000 feet to the bottom -- while the meeting was going on I decided to wander around the grounds and see the area (I took this picture of the mountains from behind the school) -- after a few minutes some people came looking for me -- seems the school is in NPA territory and it is not safe to wander alone there -- but it is beautiful country--back at the first school I saw a man ride by on a carabao (water buffalo). He had a machete on his belt and was carrying a rifle with a barrel about 4.5 feet long--the whole gun was about 7 + feet and the man stood no more than 4 feet tall -- unfortunately, I did not have my camera with me -- I thought of trying to go where he turned off the road and see if I could get a pic of him with his gun and carabao -- but everyone says NO!

    Two weeks ago, I went to a grammar school back in the mountains in a neighboring providence -- the faculty was getting the school ready for the new year classes -- a few days prior, one of the teachers had found a cobra in the office under a table -- but it was just a small one -- perhaps 2 or 3 feet long -- they find them 7 to 9 long feet I am told in the area -- am not sure I want to see one -- they are very common in that part of the mountains.

    Sat morning I went to the beach to see the sun rise over the Pacific (actually Digos is on Davao Gulf about a 2 hour drive to the Pacific) it is only about a mile from the house to the beach -- there is a small lot for sale there -- hummmmm it would be a nice place to build a small nipa hut for weekends and vacations or visitors from America -- I will check on the price this week -- think it is about 65 or 70 thousand peso--($1,500 dollars).

    Beautiful orchids grow in our yard.

    Broke a toe at Wal-Mart before I left Florida May 13th -- so I have not walked around a lot but it is now much better -- did meet a guide and want/plan to climb Mt. Apo soon -- it is the tallest mountain in the Phills and is an active volcano -- about a 5 day trek to the top and back -- I am looking forward to it.

Guess I have bored you enough for one day -- until then --- hasta leugo