Its been some time.....

since my last blog. So I feel I should post some updates.

We arrived here in Philippines on September 1st for a 4 week stay. The main object of which was to sort out my visa.

I am happy to report that the visa was approved, my passport stamped and my Alien Registration Card issued in just over two and a half weeks. Many thanks goto the people in the Bureau of Immigration in Manila who helped enormously.

So now I have a probationary 1 year residence visa, I have to report annually in January to prove I am still alive(??) and next August I can apply for the final Permanent Residence visa.

We had several trips into Manila to submit documents, submit passport, collect documents collect card etc. but it was well worth it.

Also we have had remarkable success with our internet connection. A temporary pole has been attached to our tower so the receiver module is now 85 feet in the air and we are getting a good signal, even in torrential rain conditions.

Actually the first full day we had this installed, the rain came and the internet vanished, but this was because the installers had placed a suppressor box upside down on the tower so it filled with water and hey presto - no internet. Since then, fingers crossed, no problems.

Last Monday (15th Sept) was our parish priest's birthday (49) and there was a big celebration and party. We were invited and got seated at the (equivalent of) the top table. The food was very good, but they don't have the wine drinking tradition here, locals either drink beer or Spanish (or local) brandy. So it was an alcohol free party!! But none the worse for that.

Once I get my camera here (currently it is still in Malaysia), I shall take and post some photos of the church. It has a really nice running water set piece with a pitcher at the top feeding water into two bowls below and which ends with a "bath" about the size of the ones we had in St M's and B's, but I don't know if it is used for Baptisms as I haven't seen any yet. But I think Fr. Ray would like it!

The most exciting news for me (so sad), is that we have discovered an English Grocery. It is in the Festival Mall in Alabang, which is about 2 hours drive away. It is attached to an English style pub, serving steak and kidney pies, fish and chips, apple crumble and other English delicacies. But it means I can buy Marmite, cider, Guinness, sausages, Jaffa cakes, gravy browning, horseradish sauce, and of course mint and apple sauce. Lots of other things too, but it makes for a nice grocery trip.

That is about it for the present.