Rae hearts Polomolok

We made it to Gen San and were greeted by like 20 people and an ENORMOUS banner on the runway! We all stayed with separate families, which has been wonderful!  My host family was Rotarians Gino and Gina Tresporto.  They are in the Polomolok Rotary Club, which is a separate city from General Santos about 20 km away in the middle of the Dole Pineapple Plantation!  I joked with them that I was "the lucky one"because I got to stay up in the hills in fruit heaven ...... well we all had a good laugh about that because as it turns out....... "The Lucky One" is a bar in Polomolok for men ... with dancers... you know what I mean.  Anyway, I feel very lucky to have stayed up there and will be going back after we leave Marbel.  Here are some photos from my stay.  Ben and Rex were also very good tour guides, showing me and teaching me everything there is to know about Polomolok!

Sorry friends, I won't be back for a while...I have taken a job as the mayor of Polomolok!

Nipe huts, only constructed in Polomoluk!  For Tiffanies family:  The mobile homes of the Philippines.  They are putting 2 on a truck here to be delivered!

Delicious Marang at the market.  Supposedly, this is related to the Durian....but this does not smell and tastes wonderful 

Ben, Polomolok Rotarian, at the market.

This is my favorite Durian in the world!  It does not smell.  Ok, so if you don't know what a durian is... click here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durian and scroll down to flavor and odor.  I'd say its a rather good description.  The Filipinos say it "Smells like hell and tastes like heaven".  I disagree with the latter

Asparagus farm seedlings

A cute dog sitting on the farm.  Although this is not exactly a dog in the street, I learned a word in Tagalog for dog in the street, Askal. Short for asong kalye (dog street).  Pretty funny.  

Fresh coconut water and meat on the farm.

Gino buying some dried fish for breakfast.  If you fancy dried fish...this is the place to go, check out that variety.  We ate the fish for breakfast, it was actually really good!

Fruit and veggie market at the Public Market of Polomolok.  So amazing.  Also, Gino knows everyone in town!

Last stop at the market before we headed home... eating my first balut.  Balut is a 18 day old developing duck egg that is hard boiled.  At this stage of 18 days, the developing embryo already has some feathers and possibly a beak. Actually, it didn't taste that bad, but the more and more I think about it, I get sick to my stomach.  It was definitely an experience that needed to be had in the Philippines!  I will share some amazing photos of Colleens first experience soon.

The Rotary Club of Polomolok!  This is an amazing group of people.  We had a wonderful pot luck style dinner for the meeting so I was able to taste all of the Filipino home cookin'.  I was serenaded by a song written for me (I will try and upload the video)!! and given roses by the men and gifts by the women!  I am so thankful for everything!!! 

I will be going back to stay there for a few more days... I will post some more pics of my new friends in Polomolok!