My Travel Diaries of the

Philippines




Summary

Currency: Philippine Peso (PHP)
Capital: Manila

Drink like a local: Beer, Rum

Special facts:

  • While most parts of this area were colonized by the Dutch or English, the country’s colonial origins lie in Spain. Spanish rule from 1565 to 1898 is still evident today in the country’s name, in honor of the Spanish King Philip II, and the currency, the peso.
  • The Philippines is the only predominantly Christian country in Southeast Asia. The surrounding countries are mostly Buddhist, Muslim or Hindu.
  • The Philippines has a total of 7,641 islands, significantly fewer than neighboring Indonesia (17,508).
  • At Easter, extremely devout Christians allow themselves to be nailed to crosses in an original and very bloody manner.

Language

Tagalog is one of the main languages ​​of the Philippines and serves as the basis for the official national language, Filipino. It belongs to the Austronesian language family and is spoken as a native language by about 28 million people. Tagalog has many loanwords from Spanish, Chinese and English, which is a result of the Philippines’ colonial history. The language uses the Latin alphabet and has a rich literary tradition that includes both oral and written works.

  • HelloKumusta
  • Thanks Salamat
  • Cheers – Mabuhay (is often used as a toast)
  • How are you?Kumusta ka?
  • Pardon mePaumanhin
  • WelcomeMaligayang pagdating
  • Bye byePaalam

Special words, without direct translation:

  • Bayanihan: This word describes the community spirit and cooperation typical of Filipino culture. It is often used to describe the image of villagers carrying a house together.
  • Kilig: A unique word that describes the feeling of butterflies in your stomach that you get when you are in love or experiencing something romantic.
  • Mabuhay: A greeting word meaning “life” and often used to welcome someone or wish them a long life.
  • Harana: A traditional form of courtship in which a man sings outside a woman’s house to win her affection.
  • Tampo: A feeling of quiet resentment or disappointment that one feels when one has been hurt by someone one loves.

My Lesson:

People with chalky white skin are worshipped as gods here


Travel Diaries

The Philippines is a great diversity of tropical islands in the middle of the exotic South Seas. This country also offers all the adventures of the South Seas, from azure waters, a magnificent marine world, tiny coconut islands and shipwrecks, to active volcanoes, shiny colonial cities, traditional bamboo villages and mystical rainforests where new species of animals are still regularly found.

The situation in the country is not always rosy and the standard of living is quite low. Despite this, the Filipinos are extremely hospitable and warm. With a few words in Tagalog you can even get an invitation home. The country is safe enough to sleep soundly, but due to the limited infrastructure it is still a decent adventure for backpackers.


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