PINOYSPOTTING

I've been travelling for almost four weeks now and I haven't met a single Filipino.

I mean there's so many young people doing the backpack thing, I've met Israelians, Irish, Koreans, Japanese, Malasians, Australians, Americans, Canadians, but I still have to meet a Pinoy. And who would have ever though that I'd be drinking with a couple in Laos...

Yup, I did. Last night I got to the Capital at around 6pm. I was able to get a good rate in my hotel, got it for $6 which includes aircon and our own toilet. I met this cool bloke from England and we decided to share the room so that makes it $3 each. That's just 160pesos for a very grand accomodation in the Capital of this lovely country.

We then headed to the local bar - the hippest bar on town but superdooper cheap called KOP CHOI or "Thank You" and it was crowded. The famous beer Lao sells for $1. And that's not bad - you go to Embassy or Government and San Mig Light costs around 120pesos. I mean - in Lao you'll definitely feel like a king because everything is so dirt cheap.

Duncan, my room mate saw some of his friends who he travelled with in Bangkok and they were such a great group, and there was this cool buffed Asian Canadian guy who's been travelling for two months already - and syempre I knew that he's Pinoy. I just had the gut feel. So I kinda asked "Arnold" his name, where he was from and he said that he was from Vancouver, and his parents were formerly both from Manila but he was born and he grew up in Canada.

We ended up talking much of the pinoy stuff back in Canada, how he enjoys going to Goldilocks for a $5 pancit and stuff, and how he's so excited to go to the Philippines because he hasn't even been to the country ever. He kept on asking about how the war is back home, whether he'll be kidnapped by the NPA in Manila or whether the Abu Sayaf's near the city center. I just hate how the media have painted the country in a very bad light.

Everything is really out of proportion. I hate it when I see a lot of foreigners who're spending a lot of dollars travelling to the South East Asia and ommitting the Philippines in their itinerary just because of the "WAR" which is apparently happening back home. I just hate it.

Well, I told Arnold that I myself have been travelling extensively back in the Philippines and I know by heart that the country is one of the safest countries to travel. I'm not being nationalistic but yeah, I still feel that the Philippines have the best things to offer in terms of tourist sights.

On that note I promised Arnold that I'll actually show him around when he goes to Manila on the last week of April.Talking to him made me homesick a bit and I was already very drunk after drinking about 6 big bottles of the Lao beer when I heard a band (it was an open night mic, that night) singing a very familiar song. I was trying to hum the song and when it got to the chorus I joined in "Pagsisisi at nalaman mong... ika'y nagkamali..."

I said "Fuck"... the Lao guy is singing Fredie Aguilar's Anak... so I went up to them and asked how they know the song... and this guy who's sporting a Bob Marley dreadlocks said that he knows the song because it's a local song from his coutry. I was so drunk... I stupidly asked him "So they speak Tagalog in Vientianne too?". Then it hit me... and said "Putcha, pinoy ka?" and he said "From Olonggapo".

He asked me what I was doing here and I said I was backpacking the region and I've been in Laos for a week already. He on the other hand has been staying with some of his mates in the Capital now for a year, working on different bars as a vocalist for some bands.

I was just so happy to have been able to talk to and to meet talented pinoys. Galing!