We were looking forward to trying the famous Cebuano lechon, as well as seeing some of the most crystal clear waters and untouched marine life in the Philippines (as we were told). Indeed, the lechon was great (as was the seafood), and the fish were plenty.
One thing we were not prepared for was downtown Cebu itself. Amidst the old Spanish colonial buildings bearing ironic slogans and the huge brand new malls in the distance was some of the most abject poverty I've ever seen in my life. There were small children no older than 2 or 3 yrs old wearing no clothing, bellies distended and bones showing just staying on the main street sidewalks, in the alleyways, and in hiding in the hallways. I had travelled to some pretty depressing places but this took the cake. Obviously no photos.
It was such a contrast to the beauty of what we saw afterwards on the water. Sigh..
There's hope, however, The Philippines is one of the fastest growing economies in Asia, and in fact the world, which will mean more and more will be lifted out of poverty. I only wish their continued growth and progress.
And a quick and dirty compilation of my phone working underwater - sorry for the shaky motion :)
No comments:
Post a Comment