The Philippines... a country about which we know very little and often our imagination does not match the reality. Having visited the Far East quite frequently, my expectations were based on my experiences in Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia. Additionally, our shared religious roots strengthened my belief that we were going to a place that I would even like better than my beloved Bali. Unfortunately, I was wrong. I want to emphasize that my opinion is based solely on my experiences in Cebu, Bohol, Mactan, Panglao, and is unequivocally subjective. Before I share my impressions with you, I will only mention that Pia's level of satisfaction was, as usual, correlated with the number of attractions, and my husband was absorbed in work and looking for scientific and business opportunities until he fell seriously ill with gastrointestinal problems (most likely caused by cholera). And as you probably already guessed, my feelings were very mixed. Here is a small summary of my impressions: ...