A balikbayan's observation of Cebu

A balikbayan vacationing in Cebu after her last visit 10 years ago made these observations after making the rounds of the city ...

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l Most, if not all, restrooms (CRs we call them) do not have toilet paper holders. (What for? They’re not providing the shoppers toilet paper, do they?)

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l The shopping malls here are “very noisy.” You hear loud laughter here, shouting there, unlike the malls in her place in the US. (Well, a worldwide survey says us Pinoys are the happiest people on this planet, our empty pockets notwithstanding.)

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l Cebu’s shopping malls are more “classy” and “luxurious” than the malls she had seen in other Asian cities. (Hehe. And they call us poor.)

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l Many taxi drivers here are not passenger-friendly. Some are “cranky.” They scold the passenger who is slow in loading her purchases in the baggage compartment.

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After reading this column last Friday were I took liberties at coffee, Dr. Tito Larumbe emailed: “I’m also a great coffee drinker but I’m not what you calls coffee connoiseur ... I drink any coffee brand, mostly instant ... What brand of coffee do you drink?”

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Hehehe! I’m a great coffee drinker, yes, but not a connoiseur too. I drink any brand of coffee that comes my way free. Meaning, coffee sent to me gratis et amore by my daughters, sister and niece in the US.

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I have just consumed my ground Starbucks (wow, ha!). Before this I enjoyed cups and cups of instant Taster’s Choice. Now my brand is Maxwell House. I brew it using the cheap method. You know, using paper filter. When in the office, Nescafe 3-in-1 complete coffee mix comes in handy.

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It’s now December. My good friend Ben Ypil of Transco was the first one to greet me Merry Christmas. Another good friend Lea Ybañez, formerly of The Freeman and now of Sun-Star, second ... But people are more excited about the Manny Pacquiao-Oscar de la Hoya “dream fight” on Dec. 6. Dream fight they call it. Who’ll end up fighting a nightmare?

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Taxi drivers are betting on the Pacquiao-de la Hoya fight. One cabbie told me they do this everytime Pacman fights. Their betting station is the roadside near a school in Lahug.

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