#58 23rd. May 2009

Moalboal May 2009

Hi, friends of Moalboal!!

I'm getting a bit slack with my mailing list but here's some "chis mis " and
news.
Chicago and I are now in Palma, Mallorca working again. This time on a sailboat;
http://www.parsifal3.com/
Less tourists this year but not as few as we feared. Hopefully the economy will
pick up and the next season return to normal. Philippines as a country though is
hurting from all the Pinoy workers getting layed off abroad. No more money to
send home.
I've tried to make movies for youtube but I still need a bit more practice:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncNoEuOa3zM , Queen X into drydock
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atiod6QEmSg&feature=related , Cactus removal.

I've had some comments for my last mail that some people got too much exposure.
I have now made a new layout and all diveshops, travel agents and resorts can
now have their own little section at the bottom.
As of today, we are 414 readers of the Moalboal mailing List.

ACTIVITIES:

Jochen, Planet Action, is still making sure that there's soccer every
Monday and Friday up in Moalboal. If you want to play, just show up
16:30. Last Friday they were 20 players.

BIRTHS, SOCIAL AND GOSSIP:
Jesper, owner Neptune Dive Shop, is now in the states working on a boat. Not
sure how long he will be there.
Chili Bar's basketboll team won the Panagasama, fiesta basketball tournament.
They were hot.
Thorstens: http://www.moalboal-backpackerlodge.com is now up and running. 199 pesos /
night, is not bad. - In the Backpacker Lodge you'll find single, family room
with fan and a mixed dormitory. I hope there will be more budget accommodation
that attracts backpackers in the future.

PRACTICAL:

There is now a list at the notice board in Chili Bar where you can
tell your friends to sign up for the newsletter. Or just have them
send me an e-mail.

At the moment the
exchange rate is:
1 $ = 47.0
1 Euro = 65.7
1 Pound = 74.7

If you want to apply for the retirement visa thing you have to apply for police
clearance in your own country before you arrive in the Philippines. If you have
any questions about retirement visa: contact Florence at commerce bank, she is
good. FYPeBenito@...
For my fellow Swedes, this web address is not only for Moalboal but for the
Philippines in general: http://destphil.se/forum
In the last mailing list I wrote about new rules and fees for diving in the
Philippines. I've read the document and I'm sure all dive shops have a copy. In
general: diving in Moalboal should be 150 Pesos day / diver. The mayor has to
make sure that the fee is collected and used for reef conservation and similar
activities. I can send you the full PDF if you want.
February 14, Governor Gwen Garcia came to Moalboal and opened the new water
well. This season was the first one in a long time that I did not have to buy
water from the truck. Pressure is a bit low daytime but at least there's water.

WHALE SHARK SIGHTINGS:
Lots of sightings the last month. Sunken island seems to be the best place for
spotting this season. Takka saw one on his birthday.

To get the absolute latest whale shark sightings go to Chili Bar and
look at the notice board there. Anyone putting up a sighting receives
a free Ning-Ning drink.

Once you have taken a picture of your whale shark you should go to
http://www.whaleshark.org, they will register the shark.

LETTERS FROM ABROAD:

This one is from Wolfgang, I did not add it in time but might be good to know
for next year:
Hi Lars,

can you include the following in the next newsletter?
------------
Whaleshark or Money Back

Freediving Philippines offers a Money Back - Whaleshark Watching Package
to Donsol

Dates: 19. April - 23. April 2009 and 3. May - 7. May 2009
Should you not see any Whaleshark during the 3 day trip you get ALL the
your money back.

More info under w.dafert@... or on
http://freediving-philippines.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=arti...\
7&Itemid=89
--------------

Bye,

Wolfgang
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi Lars

Thanks for keeping the Moalboal newsletter alive. It's always interesting to
read what's going on in Moalboal. Even if I settled down here in Switzerland now
(my first Son, called Nils, was born last July 21st) a big part of my heart is
still in Moalboal.

In your newsletter you were asking for the oldest Moalboal diver. I had a
82-year old guy taking a discover scuba diving course a few years ago.

Hope you are all fine. Tell regards to everybody that still remember me.

Bye
Patricia Cueni

YA GOTTO LOVE THIS COUNTRY!
Try this one on one of your Pinoy friends:
Send a text with two questions and check if you get answers to both your
questions.

FOR SALE:

If you have something for sale, just E-mail me and I will add it onto
the mail.

GENERAL:

If anyone has any information that they think would be interesting
for people on this list, please do let me know and I will add it in.
If you know anyone that would like to receive this letter, please
tell him or her to send me an E-mail at the address below and I will
add him or her. I've found it to hard to do it through
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/moalboalmail

Regards, Lars Starner
starner@...

Moalboal home page:
http://www.moalboal.org.uk

Other Moalboal Web sites
Kalles blog: http://living-and-diving-in-moalboal.blogspot.com
http://www.moalboal-online.de
http://moalboal.gov.ph
Moalboal town now have their own web site: http://moalboal.gov.ph