The Food:

I love the food in the Philippines, especially the ones prepared at home by the resident cook, Susan. Love her “tortang talong” (eggplant omelette with pork mince), her “lumpiang shanghai” (spring rolls), “pansit canton” (sautéed noodles with meat and vegetables), her adobo (pork stew), and her afritada (chicken in tomato sauce with potatoes, carrots and peas). She cooks pasta with fresh local tomatoes. I put heaps of it on my plate and actually finish it.

Then there were the fast-food joints, of which I love Jollibee the most. Their “Champ” hamburger is tops. A bonus is the prices. A value meal (of a cheeseburger, chips and a drink) at a McDonald’s in the Philippines costs about P50.00 (fifty pesos). This is about A$1.25 (at a currency conversion rate of A$1 : P40.00).