飛行機で約4時間、朝9時の便で午後1時ごろには到着。近いようで結構遠い。
私にとってフィリピンといえば、政治テロとか誘拐、麻薬にジャパゆきさんとあまりいいイメージではなかった。実際、空港のまわりは今にも壊れそうなバラックや、ごちゃごちゃした店だらけだった。路肩は地面むき出しで歩道もない。そんな下町を通り過ぎ、外国人や金持ちの住む住宅街に入るとそこは別世界。大邸宅が並び、とても閑静なところだ。それだけ貧富の差が激しいということらしい。
でも、全体的に不潔な感じは全くないし、人も人懐っこくていつもニコニコしている。食事も日本人の口に会う。辛味は少なく、醤油と砂糖の甘辛いご飯の友といった感。野菜果物も魚介類も種類が豊富で新鮮、肉だっておいしい。
それから、物価がものすごく安いので、我々外国人は贅沢を満喫できる。高級リゾートに泊まり、高級ホテルのエステに行き、レストランでもおいしいものをたらふく食べた。結構、欧州からも観光客があるらしい。彼らにとってアジアはまるっきり別世界なのだろう。
すっかりフィリピンのイメージがよくなった。日本人の男性がハマるのもちょっとわかる気がした。
For several days since last week, I visited my friend living in the Philippines.
It takes about four hours by air, the 9:00am flight arrives around 1:00pm. It's so close, yet so far away.
The Philippines has reminded me of political terrors and kidnappings, drugs, and women working at bar in Japan, which were not positive image. In fact, there are lots of ramshackle huts and messy shops around the airport. The shoulder of the roads is bare dirt and no sidewalk. Passing through such streets, once you enter the village where foreigners and wealthy people live in you are in another world. It's quiet and calm place with rows of mansions. The gap between rich and poor is such wide.
Generally, however, I didn't feel uncleanliness and people are congenial and always have a smile on their faces. The foods suit Japanese taste. Not so spicy, salty-sweet with soy sauce and sugar, it goes just right with steamed rice. Varieties of fresh veggies, fruits and sea foods are available there. Meats are also taste good.
And prices are awesomely low that allows us foreigners to enjoy luxury. We stayed at a fine resort, had an aesthetic treatment at an upscale hotel, and had a good deal of good foods. I heard that quite a lot of European tourists come. I guess South East Asia is totally a different world for them.
The image of the Philippines in me has thoroughly become better. I can somewhat understand that some Japanese men love the country.
あの一番上のかき氷、食べたい～！！！
返信削除あら、こちらにもいらしたのですね。Bizagoさんてば。
返信削除おいしーですよー、これ。バナナ芋タピオカカスタード豆とかいろいろ入ってます。