Tag archives for Philippines
Improve! My Word for 2018
Happy New Year! It's a gorgeous San Diego winter day as I write this New Year's blog post. Sunny and 69 degrees at noon. Outside the window from my desk, I can see the three-year-old girl across the street learning to ride her tiny new bike down the sidewalk. Memories of trying out new bikes and skates and skateboards…
By the Sulu Sea — Chapter Three — The Aunt She Never Knew
Shelby spun into her room, flipped on the air conditioner, and kicked back on the bed. The cool air was pure luxury. She grinned to herself about an intriguing guy named Jesse. Then she thought back over all that happened since she arrived in the Philippines just a few days ago. Shelby’s first two days in the country were a…
By the Sulu Sea — Chapter Two — His Blue Eyes
Puerto Princesa Street Scene Huge acacia trees spread shade over the sidewalks. Everywhere she looked, there was someone. Kids in school uniforms of white shirts and navy-blue shorts or skirts smiling at her. Swarms of tricycles. Lots and lots of people. Ahead, across a busy street, a huge red sign said Edwin’s Chinese Food Palace and Disco. And not…
By the Sulu Sea — Chapter One — The Backpacker Inn
Puerto Princesa from the Air Let the adventure begin, Shelby thought as she lugged her huge backpack through the open glass doors of the Puerto Princesa airport into the blazing sun. She’d arrived on the island of Palawan! Shelby Landour left San Diego, California four days ago, a freshly-minted college degree in hand. She flew into Manila first, the Philippines'…
Sand Art Swirls by Tiny Crabs
Sand Swirl Who are the artists responsible for these masterpieces that magically appear on the beaches of Palawan at low tide? These Vincent Van Goghs are actually tiny, almost invisible crabs, called Sand Bubbler Crabs! They come out of their burrows when the tide is down. They eat the micro-animal particles on sand grains, then scrape the leftovers into balls,…
Because of Palawan is on the Road!
Hey there! I've been quiet on this little blog here for the past couple of years. Because life. And, also, because I've been using some of my spare time to actually work on the novel, now called Because of Palawan, that I started back in 2010 or 2011. And guess what? This past September I finished it. That moment when you…
Flying With Former President Ramos
by Donna Amis Davis President Fidel Ramos on our flight Former President Fidel Ramos of the Philippines On a recent flight from Manila to the , my husband Bill, seated on the aisle, nudged me. "Look! That's President Ramos!" Sure enough, President Fidel Ramos was making his way down the crowded airplane aisle, greeting passengers and good-naturedly posing for countless…
Nagtabon Beach on Palawan
by Donna Amis Davis / @DonnaAmisDavis Outrigger on Nagtabon Beach After some intense weeks of work, Bill and I took off on a Saturday to a beautiful spot. This is Nagtabon Beach, on the west side of the island of Palawan, in the Philippines. It is about a one hour drive north of Puerto Princesa City. We were the only…
Underground River in the LA Times!
by Donna Amis Davis / @DonnaAmisDavis I am stoked to see our beautiful island's Underground River featured in the LA Times. LA Times calls the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park one of the bizarre and unusual destinations of the world. Here in Puerto Princesa, on the island of Palawan, Philippines, we refer to it simply as The Underground River.…
Rice, It’s What the Philippines Eats!
by Donna Amis Davis / @DonnaAmisDavis Mountains of Rice Living and working in the Philippines for the last 30-plus years, I can't help but think about RICE. I propose that the Filipino has a different relationship with rice than does the average non-Asian-heritage American. Seven Clues About Filipinos and Rice: I'll share seven of the clues that led me to…