YUMMIES FOR THE TUMMIES!!

YUMMIES FOR THE TUMMIES!!

Farmers' Market with Little Jo the Mission Home cook

Pandesal bread for Transfer Day

     Before leaving home we heard the usual comments about eating fish heads and rice.  So we thought we would fill you in a little on our eating and shopping experiences.
  Although, we have eaten lots of rice, which is a staple here (potatoes being more difficult to find), we have not had to resort to eating fish heads.  Actually, American food is quite plentiful here.  We live in a complex of about 14 high rise professional and apartment buildings where both restaurants and grocery stores cater somewhat to Americans.  We have been able to find pretty much any prepared food or groceries that we want, if we are willing to pay more.
  The exchange rate here is pretty consistent at 43 pesos per dollar.  Overall, the cost of living here for us is pretty similar to home.  For example, gasoline is quite high:  about $5.00 a gallon, milk is quite high:  $1.50 per quart, bread on the other hand is very reasonable.  A Filipino baker’s dozen (14 pieces) donuts is only 40P or .93 cents US.  We bought a beautiful spray of flowers at the outdoor market today for President and Sister DeLaMare’s anniversary for around $20 US ( Probably  would cost $50 - $75 at home).  Most anything that involves manual labor is quite reasonably priced.  Huge malls are plentiful here.  There are no U S franchise malls in the Philippines,  but  what we have are very large, possibly twice or three times the size of  the University Mall or the Town Center Mall in Provo and a Super Wall Mart would be on the small side.  The selection of eateries is limitless, everything from  street-food that we don’tusually dare eat, up to very nice Italian and French restaurants.  Although, we have to be a little careful how we spend our money; we eat well and the overall costs seem to be about the same.