Mr Lee Posted April 21, 2011 Posted April 21, 2011 I was the only round eye at the airport waiting for a flight to Cagayan de Oro yesterday, and there were 3 flights leaving. Then upon arrival I was the only one in the whole airport, then while walking the street, shopping in the mall and eating dinner out at a high end hotel yestrerday, we only saw one other the whole day. I have friends who live here, so I know there are more of us here, yet this is the first time in all my years traveling here that I have not seen dozens. Hopefully today will be a more comforting day. I guess the kidnapping of the American from his hotel in CDO must have scared a lot of people off from visiting. :3_8_14[1]: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Hounddriver Posted April 21, 2011 Posted April 21, 2011 You'll be fine. Just don't forget your hat, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jollygoodfellow Posted April 21, 2011 Posted April 21, 2011 I was the only round eye at the airport waiting for a flight to Cagayan de Oro yesterday, and there were 3 flights leaving. Then upon arrival I was the only one in the whole airport, then while walking the street, shopping in the mall and eating dinner out at a high end hotel yestrerday, we only saw one other the whole day. I have friends who live here, so I know there are more of us here, yet this is the first time in all my years traveling here that I have not seen dozens. Hopefully today will be a more comforting day. I guess the kidnapping of the American from his hotel in CDO must have scared a lot of people off from visiting. :3_8_14[1]: Could be because they heard you were coming to town so they all took a vacation to Cebu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Lee Posted April 21, 2011 Author Posted April 21, 2011 Today I got to see 5 more round eyes but since two of them were friends of mine, so actually only 3. Because it is Holy week here, the streets are loaded with military all carrying M16's and PNP and CDO police all carrying M16's and shotguns, so it gives one an eerie feeling like it is sort of a military state, so I am not sure if we are safer or in more danger, but it sure does not bother me and in fact 3 young man started to target the 4 of us who were walking towards the mall and started to try to take positions for a possible purse snatch and my wife seeing exactly what I saw moved close to the wall and I moved between them and her, so they saw that I knew exactly what they were up to and decided to move on. I guess they did not realize that I understood what they were talking about, but when I gave them a big smile as I stepped between them and my wife, I guess they then realized they were dealing with a crazy kano. Friends here have warned us to not walk in the streets because they say crime is really bad because the economy here is still not doing well, so while Cebu booms, this place has not changed hardly at all in the two years since we were here last. Yes there seems to be some building going on, but housing developments that we looked at 10 years ago are still mostly empty and flying over we got to see just how many empty lots there still are. Cebu is the happening place and it seems CDO is stuck in time. JMHO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fast&Furious Posted May 2, 2011 Posted May 2, 2011 M16 ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Lee Posted May 2, 2011 Author Posted May 2, 2011 M16 ?? Machine guns seem to be the norm in Mindanao, I have even seen bank guards with Thomson cut down .45 machine guns and M16's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keg Posted May 3, 2011 Posted May 3, 2011 ive seen mall guards carrying m16's here. back home, the rent-a-cops only had a whistle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fast&Furious Posted May 3, 2011 Posted May 3, 2011 what's next? A tank? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Lee Posted May 3, 2011 Author Posted May 3, 2011 what's next? A tank? Probably not, but only because they cost too much. :SugarwareZ-034: I have seen many of those in uniform carrying grenades right in the cities, and that scared the out of me at times. Years ago there used to be signs in many of the hotels which read "Check your guns and grenades at the desk" and that sure did not make me feel warm and fuzzy knowing that a desk clerk would then have to handle them. Welcome to the Philippine version of almost the wild west, but IMO quite a bit more civilized most of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fast&Furious Posted May 14, 2011 Posted May 14, 2011 why is that all women I ask about Mindanao they avoid to answer? Is there FEAR among the locals to talk about what happened? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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