7100 islands and rocks of which about 4600 are named, the remaining 2500 unnamed since there existence. That's still 2500 rocks and islands that still need to be explored! Yey!!
With so many islands one would wonder why we haven't found the postcard perfect beach yet, we found one which came close, but it only came close. Certain experts told us that the perfect beach is to be found in Boracay (gasp), we swore not to go there, but their arguments were convincing enough that we would have broken our oath, but luckily, or not, it was time which saved us. With so many islands in the Visayas we had to do some slashing in our itinerary. In the end we set foot on (only) 20 islands which equates to 0.43% of the 4600 with a name!
But hey, of course Philippines is not only about beaches. It's the quirks that linger, like the roosters making noise at any given time of the day, the way people would say yes (a reverse wink), pointing not with fingers or thumb, but with their lips, as if giving a peck in the air, it's the way employees stick to you when doing shopping or the way they almost run to the stockroom when you ask if they have your shoe in size 39, even the dance with touts or overpricing taxi drivers get amusing after while. It's just like dancing on the same song every time and again, but then with different partners, some partners you can dance with very well and have a chat with afterwards (give the driver a tip) and sometimes you just want the song to finish as soon as possible (terrible driving, hardly tipping).
The Philippines also, and actually for the biggest part, is about the people. They are just wonderful, what ever happens they just keep on smiling. I can see that they didn't understand my bestest Filipino or English or Taglish, and they keep on looking at me, maybe waiting for something to happen, but they stand there.... smiling, even while saying 'we don't have a coke light' or 'all rooms are fully booked' they manage to sneak a smile in there, I bet they even smile while sitting on the loo. The smiles is what I'll miss most.
Tonight we leave for Taipei, yet another island. Philippines is done. But only for now :)
