For the last couple of days I've had a chest infection, so that means sitting in the house and a bit more time to catch up on emails and internet forums. I just though that I'd start a thread along the lines of what you see or smell in everyday living here in UK that reminds you of the Philippines ? For instance, I'm sitting at the computer yesterday,..feeling like crap,..my wife comes through with a nice bowl of 'crab and corn' soup that we brought back with us from last holiday. It's not so tasty to brag about,..but boy does it remind me of quick snack time over there. Then there's the 'chicken adobo' she is forever cooking up,..the house smells so Filipino,..the smell of garlic on her fingers before she washes it off. Garlic and ginger seem to be involved with a whole load of dishes she presents to me. Take a look in our bathroom cabinet,...'Off lotion' ..still remember sitting for ages every morning trying to cover every part of my lower legs and arms,...the smell brings back the memories. Have you ever been walking down the aisles of the big supermarkets in UK, thinking how damned cold it is , seeing the glum looking faces of the other customers,..and start visualising walking in the food stores over there ? They started selling 'Maggie' sauces over here now. I know that where they sell fish on the counters over there it can be quite smelly in that area,..but I actually like the smell ! The variety of foods available is quite incredible, and I just love to wander around looking at the differant items on sale (and so cheap ) Another thing which makes me laugh is the young lad up the road from us who has an old 2-stroke moped. Damn, his fuel/oil ratio is miles out and the blue smoke just pours out the tail-pipe. My wife always states 'filipino bike' when she sees him coming. What things remind you of your trips over there ??
My wife and daughter and my wife's Facebook which has a heap of photos in it from our time in the Philippines. Other than that this forum. However, occasionally in busy traffic on the UK mainland on a bad day, I will say to my wife " same as Manila eh". Side car racing on the IOM and some 3 wheeler bikes over here seem to bring back memories of the tricycle over there.
Used to work in IOM many years ago,..even stayed there for a while,..seen those bike and sidecars racing through the streets too,...amazing !
Then you know how awkward it is to get here. We can see Scotland from here but timewise it is many hours away except by air. Were you landscape gardening over here back then?
It was a long , long time ago when I worked there. I was flown over by my farmer boss,.. taken to Cronkbourne house ?? (can't remember the name ), it was where the bikers pitched their tents in the bottom paddock during TT week. It must have been a famous house in history as I remember a large plaque hung over the open fireplace. I wasn't a Landscaper in those days,..just a young 17 year old farm hand. My boss of the time owned 2 farms in Scotland and % farms in IOM as well as a ranch in America ! (should have kept friends with him now !) I remember working on the racecoarse down the bottom end of the island, I was helping to take the sharp kinks out of the rails on the 180* bend at the bottom. Remember every morning having to say 'morning fairies' when we went over a bridge on our way to work ??...was it just a piss-take on me ,..or was it for everyone ?? I stayed there for about 12 weeks to help bring in the hay and harvest on the 5 farms. Was a great part of my life,.. TT races every year after that on the bike from Liverpool to Douglas on the ferry. Nice place,.....
I have only been here 2 years. Not sure about "Cronkbourne House. You must have been working on the "Southern 100" in the south of the Island. You are referring of course to Fairy Bridge - know where you mean. Well its TT week again in a few weeks. The Island comes alive then but goes back to sleep outwith that.
Was just outside of Douglas,..turn right at the bottom of Bray hill,...could have been Cronkneyberry ?? Cronkeyberry ?.. Was a farm with a big stately house, the land incorporated a huge area inside the TT track including the rugby playing fields at the bottom of Quarter bridge road all the way along to Braddon bridge. Handy , as I could choose several viewing spots along that road as the boss had a few scrambling motorbikes to whizz along the fields. Coarse, I'm sure it will have developed quite a bit over the years !! Nice place though.
Okay. Know where you mean. Cronk Y Berry. I lived in Douglas for a year on the promenade. Since moved to Peel. Where I work at St Johns, we are just 100 yards from the TT circuit
