~~ YEE GRAND OL TANDUAY ~~
TOUR

Howdee,
Sadly I don't have my tour report on me today, so I am going to skip ahead to the photos I had planned to show when we got to the Tanduay part of the trip.
We stopped in at the Tanduay factory while enroute to Lucena and had a great time checking out where our holy water comes from.

Thanks to the management and staff of Tanduay for allowing me a look through the plant of my favourite drop, it was the logical step after so many years collecting Tanduay souveniers.

Its enough to arouse a Tanduay collector.
In the main reception of the factory is tis display of all products made by Tanduay, including some superceeded labels which were all duly photographed (since I wasn't allowed to buy them) :-)

One had to excercise amazing personal restraint on entering the factory.

Final packing before sending off to a grateful nation!

Good little soldiers all in formation!
Today they were making the lovely Tanduay Dark.

It was about now I enquired how much it would cost to buy this machine :-)
I WANT ONE MUMMY - I WANT ONE MUMMY

Filling up the magic bottles!

This was he second, and more modern, production line. It uses a fraction of the employees to operate, so is vastly more eficient than the one above.
From memory today they were making ESQ.
Down the bottom the red crates mark the start of it all with thousands of empty bottles. It goes from here to the end of the factory and back to where the guys are standing, this being where it is finally packed.

Part of the big history display there.

No amount of bribing was going to secure me one of these babies.
The former Tanduay White labels.
I WANT - I WANT
Surprisingly, while I havecollected the newer White bottles,
I have not yet tried it :-)

Yep, they have their own fire truck (awesome little thing huh) and again, I wasn't allowed to bring it home with me.
NOT FAIR - NOT FAIR

Edward my tour guide and one of the nicest, most friendly guys you will ever meet.
This guy is an absolute credit to the company and make a tour I have long wanted to do, even more fantastic.

The Messiah - Lucio C. Tan.
Owner of Tanduay, and Philippine Airlines (another favourite) for that matter.
Thank you Mr Tan for supplying the planet with the worlds best tasting rum.

Of course another 60+ photos were taken during the visit but I only have so much space to put them on here.
Needless to say they will join my ever growing collection of Tanduay posters, bottles, banners, signs and other promotional items.

Again, the managers, staff and especially Edward, THANK YOU so much.
Makes me, and many other Aussie Tanduay fans, VERY proud to support your product.

Philippine Humour!

Sign found on toilet in a Manila food outlet!

JINTOTOLO ISLAND!

G'day,
Inspired by my friend at 'The Dong' blogsite I thought I would place up some shots taken around the Philippines. His site is regularly filled with new shots and thoughts from the Philippines and showcasing the Philippine way of life.

This selection of piccies if from Jintotolo Island, a very small and next to insignificant (if you go by maps) island a few hours by boat from Roxas City (Panay).
The island itself could be walked around a few times within a day and has a strange submarine type appearance with its flat nature and small hill, with lighthouse, in the middle.
It is this lighthouse, which was badly damaged in the 2006 typhoon, that provides the most awesome shots of the island and those terrific Philippine sunsets.

Lone fisherman goes about his business at the end of another very warm day. This shot was taken from the top of the lighthouse.

AWESOME! This sort of sunset shot is what I had always dreamed of getting. It was a fast run downhill from the lighthouse that scored me this last minute shot. Within one minute it was gone for another day and I would be on Masbate before the same time tomorrow.


Our boat from Roxas City to Jintotolo soon after arrival. Yep, those bright blue waters on postcards are not just a photoshop trick, they are real. Despite there seeming to be just a glorified piece of ancient driftwood, these boats are certainly up to the challenge and make for an experience you shall never forget.


How tropical. A ferry from Cebu is certainly not interested in any traffic Jintatolo may have on offer. It cruises by with many more hours ahead until it arrives in Manila. It was a very warm afternoon and a nights worth of karaoke and food was in the offering. At least three hours sleep was had before we were headed to Lantangan (Masbate).

Oh what a beautiful country.

BIRTHDAY GIRL HERSELF!

The maganda Sheila during her recent birthday over in Quezon City.