#45 26th. November 2006

Moalboal 2006

Hi, friends of Moalboal!!

A new busy high season is just about to start. New faces on the beach
and we can see that it's picking up already. I just quit my job after
2 years as yacht engineer and am now back on the beach. I don't know
how long yet.

It's amazing to see how much Moalboal has grown in just a year. The
beach however does not really have space to grow. Maybe that is
fortunate and Panagsama still feels like a nice small place. There
are more resorts and houses built north of the Reef Club. D'Cosy,
Japanese Big Hondas and Kasai Village, Swedish `'Kasai Mickes''
resorts just to mention a couple.

Up in Moalboal there's new shops and restaurants popping up
constantly. 5 internet cafés at least. More karaoke bars, 5 places to
buy a new motorcycle and so on and so on.

The Peso is getting stronger and is now around 49-50 peso to the
Dollar. Good news for most Europeans is that the Dollar is getting
weaker.

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.

Chili bar and Kasai Village are talking about starting some kind of
Beach/Volleyball Sundays at Kasai. They have a nice beach, cold beer
and volleyball net. The near future will tell.

BIRTHS, SOCIAL AND GOSSIP:

In September got married to my long time Japanese girlfriend,
Chicago, in Hawaii. I just got back to Moalboal so I have not really
managed to catch up with the latest gossip and, VERY, sad to say but
Dolores died last week. We had a drink together at Chili just 10 days
ago and then she was her wonderful self. Apparently she died of a
heart attack when sleeping.

Dolores was my number one source for all the gossip on the beach. I
first met Dolores 1990 when she was the owner of `'Dolores Beer
Corner'' Always full of fun, ready to help and a true friend. Many of
you might remember her as the massage lady once the beer corner was
sold to Alfredo. Dolores we will miss you.

Jesper at `'Neptune dive shop'' just had a dive instructors course
with 6 students. New record on the beach?

Moalboal dream acquires have just sold their first lot to a German
couple. Ling-ling at QuoVadis is in charge of selling lots with
titles. Titles on lots used to be very hard to find / get but it now
looks like it getting easier. That is good news for a lot of
foreigners that have bought lots with just tax-clearance.

ARRIVING / ARRIVED:

Now is the time for people arriving big time. Lots of people for
sure. Just to mention some would be: Mark `'the shark''& AiAi,
Nelsons daughter with husband. The will be here late December.

PRACTICAL:

There will be a big ASEAN meeting in Cebu. I think it will be from
12th until 15th of December. If you're clever, avoid Cebu city that
time. No hotels available and probably police everywhere.

In the next mail I hope to write about how to get a retirement Visa.
They made it easier and cheaper but the government will come up with
new guide-lines December first this year.

You should off course buy all your souvenirs in Panagsama but if you
want a bigger selection SM city, in their department store, has
expanded their native souvenir department.

Nelsons Dive Shop has a new website now:
http://www.ibara.ne.jp/~bitoon , that might not be that best name for
a website, but it works.
Eve's Kiosk has a new website now: http://www.eveskiosk.com

It's not 100% yet but there will most probably be a fee to dive in
Moalboal for all divers. That is my opinion a good thing. Fishermen
giving up their favorite fishing spots to sanctuaries will be
rewarded. The fish will have a place grow and the divers fish to look
at. 50 pesos / day or 500 pesos for a whole year for visitors staying
more than 3 days. 40% will go to the Fishermen's association, 30% to
7 coastal barangays and 30% to LGU

WHALE SHARK SIGHTINGS:

Not sure but I will write more about that in the next letter.

LARS TROPICAL TIP:

Everybody should and even more so if you are traveling: in your cell
phone add a phone number to someone that you think should be
contacted in case of emergency. Add the number under the name ICE (In
Case of Emergency). ICE is catching on around the whole world and
more and more police, doctors, ambulance drivers and so on knows
about it. It's really good if you have diabetes and things like that.

ACCORDING TO NELSON (our diving politician)

Water has been a problem on the beach for a while. Whenever I meet
Wolf, short happy German with big mustache, in Cebu all he talks
about is the water problem. Anyhow; Albert, married to Eve at Eve's
kiosk, is now on the board for the water district. That is good so
that we have someone fighting for the beach. There is now money
reserved for drilling two deep water wells in Moalboal. That water
will be pumped to the beach only. Hopefully work will start sometime
next year.

YA GOTTO LOVE THIS COUNTRY!

True joke: Last week a Finnish tourist liked Moalboal so much that he
wanted to have his insurance company pay for him extending his visit.
He went to Badian hospital and made up a story about not feeling well
and wanted the doctor to write something about not good to fly at the
time. His English is not the best. SO WHAT HAPPENED? The put him on
IV said that he probably had an amoeba infection and that he should
go back home immediately. He's still on the beach and missed his
flight.

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

Copyright (c) Lars Starner 2006. All rights reserved