On the Streets of Angeles City

In the states everyone drives so fast, but over here the driving speed is quite the opposite—due to so much traffic. We have actually come to appreciate this slower pace of driving for several reasons. One main reason is that we have an opportunity to soak up multiple aspects of the culture as we drive through town, because so much goes on in the streets of Angeles City.

Vendors dot nearly every street of Angeles City. Different stalls and markets offer various items such as fresh produce, warm baked goods, refreshing ice cream (even corn ice cream!), unique Filipino foods, inexpensive clothes, essential auto parts, varieties of services, and so much more!

Other types of vendors pedal around town searching for customers as their portable business is hooked to the sides of their bikes. :-) These vendors sell varieties of snacks and foods for meriendas, which are mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack times. Some of these vendors—especially the ones selling ice cream— play musical tunes as they pedal around the streets in hopes of attracting customers. :-) We have some of the tunes (like the Nestle ice cream tune) memorized because we have heard played so much. :-)

Instead of riding a bicycle around town or residing in a shop, many people simply sell their goods on foot. Several of these vendors target drivers, who are too busy to go to the store, with their quick and easy purchases. They sell foods, household items, newspapers, and sometimes even clothing accessories. At slow intersections, they stroll alongside the lines of cars, hold up their items, and sometimes even knock on our windows to get our attention! :-)

Also, many of those walking on foot sell local foods like Taho, which is a soup-like snack made of fresh tofu, brown sugar syrup, and tapioca pearls. These vendors lug pails over their shoulders as they walk the streets sporadically shouting, “Tahooo! Tahooo!” in hopes of attracting some customers. It reminds us of people who shout, “Hot dogs! Popcorn!” at fairs and sports games back in the States.:-)

Have you ever had the urge to try a whole roasted chicken or a whole roasted pig? We have seen plenty of these around Angeles City. Filipinos love manok (whole roasted chicken) and lechon (whole roasted pig)! These are both very popular Filipno foods—especially the lechon, which is usually the most popular dish at all kinds of Filipino fiestas and get-togethers.

As the lechon slowly roasts over smoking charcoals, the Filipinos wipe the skin with a brush drenched in water and pigs fat. This supposedly makes the skin crunchy and palatable for them. Because heavy traffic constantly drives by these open stalls that cook manok and lechon, we have come to the conclusion that they also have absorbed another ingredient, exhaust fumes. ;-)

Although there are many beautiful places around Angeles City and near Clark Base, we see so many poverty-stricken areas. Even though we have lived here in Angeles for several months now, we are still shocked when we observe the drastically different living conditions of so many in this town (and in the Philippines). Many of these people can only dream of having the luxuries of refrigerators, cars, washing machines, air conditioning, and some….even electricity.

As we daily drive through these poverty-stricken areas, we begin to see our living conditions from a different perspective. We learn to appreciate the many blessings that God has given us. We definitely have no room to complain. God is reminding us to be more grateful for what we have…and to be willing to share His blessings with those who are less fortunate then us.

“Thank God for what you do have instead of murmuring for what you don’t have.” –Unknown

“It’s not how much we have, but how much we enjoy that makes happiness.” – C.H. Spurgeon