Friday, September 21, 2007

My Experiences in the Philippines Part 2

Hey all, What's up? Again, is the time to post! Anyways, the last time I was talking about the weather and the security. This time I must tell you of the driving experience there. Sometimes the driving and riding experience there is very scary. There are driving rules that are posted like the ones in the United States; however, those rules as my cousin Roeder said, "Those rules are there as laws, but the drivers here believe them to be merely a suggestion." Also, in the Philippines you can drive on the wrong side of the road and not be pulled over. Another idea that makes the driving experience there kind of scary, is the fact that driving lines are not followed and also the signal lights on the car are not used to change lanes, rather only to turn the corner. Sometimes the driving there was scary even though you were not the one driving.

Moving on, these pictures only depict me sitting there the driving on the other hand was even more scary. There are things that happen in the Philippines that do not normally happen in the United States. Things such as people crossing the busy street at its busiest time, people getting off the jeepney at their stops even though they are still on the street, people jumping on the jeepneys or tricycles to get a ride even though the vechicle is not at a stop, people riding on the roof of cars and hanging off the side or the back of the jeepney, and people merely inches away from the car you are driving. These manners of the people in the Philippines makes the driving there scarier because the people that are travelling will never expect it. However, I have been there many times and it still shocks me.

Another part of my experience in the Philippines is that of those that sell stuff on the street. Here in the United States what you call selling stuff on the street are like people selling whatever it is they sell on the sidewalks. Here the term "selling it on the street" is translated differently, it is taken more literally.

So, if the typical tourist was not scared enough to roam the streets. I think the typical tourists would be scared of these people because they come knocking on your door or window asking you if you want to buy cigarettes, water, coconuts, gum, candy, snacks, condoms, and whatever else they can sell to you that is smally snough to fit on their tray. Oh, and some even sell you towels or wet towels especially on a hot day because you are sitting in traffic for days at a time.


Comments:
Sounds like my father's stories from when he was in Manilla. A clear case of a culture making due with what they have, even if it's crazy traffic.
 
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