01.22.10

More Things Filipino

Posted in Playing the Tourist at 5:40 pm by Administrator

Last night we visited a bookstore at the Fort Bonafacio shopping strip called, Fully Booked.  We picked up a book for Aaron, called I’d Like to Speak Filipino 1 by Victoria P. Carlos.   Brian, I think you’ll like this book, too!

Aaron has an affinity toward languages, and he’s been bombarding me with questions about how you say certain words and phrases in Tagalog.  That’s okay with me, but then he starts asking grammatical questions about it, and well, frankly, and sadly, I’m illiterate when it comes to proper Tagalog. . .  I can understand it, and speak it to a small degree, but I can’t properly teach it.  So off to the bookstore we went, and picked up this little gem.  It has a section on proper grammar, not to mention proper spelling!  Two things I am sorely in need of learning myself.  It also has an audio CD, Brian, which I know you’ll like with your handy dandy mp3.

Since I’m on the all-things-Filipino subject, I thought I’d add a pic of Filipino currency.

The exchange rate has gone down a little since last year.  At the bank yesterday I was given P45.47 to $1.  But, when I paid the travel agent the other day in U.S. currency they gave me P46.10 to $1.  So that kinda helped with our fee to pay for our trip to Palawan.  Speaking of Palawan, we’re scheduled to leave on Monday and return on Thursday. We’re told that the flight should be about 45 minutes from Manila, and then a hour drive towards the southern end of Puerto Princesa where we are booked at the Katala Lodge.  At that time my mobile broadband will not work.  So I won’t be able to upload any pictures and maybe won’t have internet access if I can’t find an internet cafe while there.  I’ll just update the pictures when I get back to Manila.  Today we’re meeting with Auntie Lita and Uncle Al, and Boyet and Vey for lunch.  Tomorrow we head off to Cavite as Len invited us to her house there.

Hope everyone is doing well!  I keep hearing about the crazy weather in California!  And boy, Andrew and Matthew!, you’ve given us quite the picture of what’s going on there!  Hail?????  Yikes!  Well I’m glad that you’re all safe!  But keep warm and dry, if possible!  Oh, and Grandma and Grandpa loved your email!  Tee hee!  And yes, we are aware of Mommy and her jewelry weakness and are trying to head Marinel’s warning!  We haven’t even gone to Bangkok, yet, and grandma has already threatened us that she’ll know that we don’t love her anymore “if” we don’t buy her some jewelry!  LOL  And it didn’t stop there, she was already scheming on how we could “split” with Daddy. . . LOLOL

Anyway, better log off for now as I still need to shower to get ready for our visitors.  I’ll try to add another post before we head out to Palawan on Monday.  Until then, stay well, everyone!

Marlakins

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