Beer - Beer - Beer

Beer - Beer - Beer

Until 2 years ago  only the beers of the Philippine brewery SAN MIGUEL could be found here in Davao. And  in some selected places you can see other beers from Korea and Japan - because of the large groups of  these foreigners. Many Indians - mostly students - are also there, but beer from India I have not yet seen.

Now it is very different. Due to the new malls, such as "S & R", the imported beers and wines from the United States and Europe are well established. German beers as OETTINGER or PAULANER in different alcohol strengths you can buy   to prices from  ca. 100 pesos = about 2 euros in the malls. And there are places that offer in the "blue hour", so as 2:00 p.m. to 5 p.m. unlimited beer at a flat rate - of course, only the local San Miguel. Only to know, a 1-liter bottle of SAN MIGUEL beer costs about 70 pesos = about 1.40 Euro.

So, for beer drinkers it’s a little paradise.

With best regards,

Ludwig from Davao

The first Philippine satellite in space

The first Philippine satellite in space

On March 22, 2016, the first Philippine research satellite was - his name is Diwata-1 - sent upwards in the orbit. It is equipped with four cameras and is constantly making measurements and pictures of the Philippines and the weather conditions, disasters and environmental issues.

It is especially to the early detection of hurricanes and tidal waves of tsunamis.. Also measuring the water temperature, which are responsible for the emergence of EL NINO-weather, are of great importance.
The life of DAWITA-1, which is about 50 kg and has the size of a "Balikbayan box", is estimated at about 2 years. Then it will get burnt up and fall into the sea. But until then it should  imaging the country twice daily and send the information.

By the way,  in pre-Christian times called the god-like heros were called Dawitas with their  beauty, knowledge and the courage to fight. So, the Philippines  go straight forward.
With best regards
Ludwig from Davao

Your baggage did not arrive

Your baggage did not arrive

It's annoying when you can not find your luggage on the belt. It's just gone. And it does not help if you - after several paper wars and waitings - will be put up with a sum of money .

Sometimes  the luggage will be found still, because it was simply plugged into the wrong airplane at the rush at the airport during transhipment.

To avoid such a thing in the future, people have come up with an idea – just right  in today's electronic age. So  expensive cars are equipped with a GPS transmitter, and they will be located  over the phone, so you have a GPS transmitter built into the suitcase. The location of the case can then immediately be shown to the people at the airport. Or even to the police, if the GPS does not clearly indicative of an airport.

Yes, that's all possible , if you have enough fun.

With best regards,

Ludwig from Davao

a vertical Garden

Garden on the wall

A friend here in Davao had a problem with his plants, such as with arugula or Kale  or tomatoes - all things that he had brought as seeds from home. These plants  did not want to "get on their feet", did not grow. They were quite different from his other vegetables taken from the local, Philippine countryside.

He brooded. Then he found out that  the higher UV radiation here in Davao, directly on the equator, could be the reason. So he looked for a spot on his garden wall, which was not directly in the sun - there he made his VERTICAL garden with plastic bottles. A garden on the wall.

And he added  a "water-saving idea", because he wanted that the  water will flood each plastic bottle after the other. So the water drips through all plastic bottles.

The first result is  impressive: A tomato plant has developed the first small tomato. Soon there will hopefully be more….

With best regards,

Ludwig from Davao

Driving without a helmet is fun ?

Driving without a helmet is fun ?

As every year in January there is a FIESTA in Makilala - and we were there. But how were we surprised. There was not only a FIESTA, but we were also invited to a visit at the hospital.

The nephew, 19 years old, is a happy-go-lucky motorcyclist and thinks that nothing could disturb him and that he can deal with all difficulties. And  sometimes he is  driving extremely risky. On this afternoon last week he did not observe that a  jeepney - looking for passengers –bends suddenly to his side just ahead of him.So it crashed.

Our nephew crushed with his motorcycle into the Jeepney: facial injury under his left eye, because he drove without a helmet. The motorcycle then tipped to the left, breaking his left thigh-bone. Result: motorbike is slightly injured, the driver is seriously injured!

It is not a big help that the driver  of jeepney  assures to take over all the  costs of the hospital and that his girlfriend is constantly taking care of him. For at least 3 months he is in treatment, in this time no motorcycle, and a  cut-off  of his job training. And now the poor boy has  enough time to think  that  he had a similar accident a year ago - for he was driving his motorbike  without a helmet  too !!!

With best regards,

Ludwig from Davao

Used Fryer Oil in Davao.

What to do with used fryer oil in Davao?

The love of the Filipinos is eating! Eating is a great occupation the whole day. Unfortunately, a lot of cooking oil will be used for this purpose. It is estimated that about 1200 liters a day of cooking oil are going to waste in Davao. For instance, a vendor of "Kwek Kwek" needs a minimum of about 2 liters a day. And what will happen to the big amounts of used oil?

The usual method is: to throw this oil into the next water channel or just in the next corner. Or they sell it:  The restaurants sell the used oil for about 300 pesos per 17-liter jug to farmers. These farmers take it to mix it with corn and copra, to feed their animals.

The City Council of Davao wants to change this, because this oil - especially if it is Coconut Oil - will pollute and contaminate the water channels , the water becomes clogged and, thus, increases the rat infestation.

In order to do something for hygiene and environment, the used oil will be filtered and recycled so that it can be used as "biodiesel oil" again. From 1000 liters used oil such a filter can produce "biodiesel oil" with about 900 liters. However, there is unfortunately  a flaw: Those producers of used oil are supposed to bring the waste good - free of charge -  to the collection points in the barangays.  I wonder, who will do that - for free?

With best regards

Ludwig from Davao

PAL flies Cebu - Los Angeles

PAL flies Cebu - Los Angeles

Again Philippine Airlines (PAL) is going more international. Starting this year, PAL will offer a flight to Los Angeles (L.A). from Cebu and wants to purchase two Boeing 777. During the last years Cebu has become the second largest airport in the Philippines. Already, Japan and China are served by PAL  - always starting from Cebu.

The largest number of passengers will probably come from Davao, where now the two daily flights from Davao to Cebu are utilized by 80%.

And so was the question of   giving preference to Davao for the flight to LA. But because of the runway in Davao, which is not sufficient  for an international carrier, Cebu was chosen. And so is to understand the offer of more flights to Cebu, in order to bypass  the difficult situation  in Manila.

It’s getting  better with PAL.

With best regards

Ludwig from Davao