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Tag: negros

How to Create an Amazon Author Page

Amazon Author Page An Amazon Author Page believe it or not is for authors of books that are listed on Amazon 🙂 I’m celebrating because my first book How To Drive Like An idiot In Bacolod is now available on Amazon Kindle for $4.99. Yay! Yay! 🙂 I am sure you will all buy it. Click below and it will take you to my book on Amazon where you can purchase it. Here is a closer look at the book cover – And here is a link to my Page. I would ask that you please leave a review of the book in the event you do buy it. Reviews are vitally important in the world of publishing and I would truly appreciate you leaving a…

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Cool Breezes

Some days I am really ready for a change of scenery. The last few days, nay weeks, have been long days writing. Writing my paid assignments, writing for my blog here (unfortunately I don’t pay myself) and writing and planning two books that are at various stages of development. Fortunately I don’t seem to suffer from writers’ block! That’s probably because I spend more time thinking and listening than talking so my real ‘talking’ is through the written word. Zabrina recognized I was tired after a few weeks non-stop at the keyboard. She was right – I did need a break but I didn’t want to venture too far.  My favorite beach in Negros Island is Sugar Beach, Sipalay but that was a good 3 –…

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Masskara in Booming Bacolod

If you can’t make it this year why not visit Masskara in Booming Bacolod in 2016 for sheer fun and enjoyment? It’s not just dance and music it’s a whole week of events in different venues throughout the city including pageants, parades, street dance competitions, fireworks and a whole ton of good vibes surrounded by what are possibly the smiliest and friendliest people in the whole of the Philippines! Bacolod – the City of Smiles 🙂 Stay a week or more and take in the other visitor attractions and beaches of Negros Island.   https://vimeo.com/139666596 https://vimeo.com/142582126 https://vimeo.com/user8742477/masskaralovedancetrailer   About Masskara Festival in Booming Bacolod Masskara is a word coined by the late artist Ely Santiago and it combines the word ‘mass’ and the Spanish word…

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Zabrina’s Pinoy Banapple Chocolate Ice Cream Cake

Zabrina’s Pinoy Banapple Chocolate Ice Cream Cake Or Pineapple and Banana Churla !!! hahahahah… Banapple? Banana and pineapple of course ! 🙂 The subtitle of this wonderful ice cream cake probably needs an explanation especially if you have no gay friends ! Churla is a wonderful word often heard used by gay people in the Philippines. It means “whatever” or is a generic word used to describe (or not) a particular thing that the speaker is struggling to find the correct word for ! Zabrina has many gay friends and the word has remained in her vocabulary to be trotted out at every opportune moment.  She even has me saying it now – much to the amusement of her Filipino friends both gay and straight…

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Zabrina’s Pinoy Crema De Fruta Dessert

Zabrina’s Pinoy Crema De Fruta Dessert Yet another simple to make but delicious Filipino dessert from Zabrina. All these recipes are inspired by her childhood days in Canetown, Victorias, Negros Island when Papa would make these desserts to thrill the kids. As a British expat here in the Philippines Zabrina’s desserts certainly thrill me and our kids and family. Papa must look down from Heaven and smile! Ingredients For at least 15 servings 1 large can (550 g) fruit cocktail 2 packs (200 g) Graham Crackers (British Digestive Biscuits) 2 packs whipping cream or all purpose cream 1 can (300 ml) condensed milk 1 pouch unflavored gelatin powder (optional) Method Drain the can of fruit cocktail and reserve the juice Pour the heavy whipping cream…

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Sugar Beach, Sipalay, Negros Island

Sugar Beach is near to the town of Sipalay on Negros Island, Western Visayas, Philippines. According to Google there are just six resorts on the beach. Sugar Beach is not on the list of most famous beaches in the Philippines but it should be! Zabrina and myself drove there back in early June 2015. It is about 3 ½ hours actual driving time from Bacolod City. It took us about 5 hours in total as we stopped at Hinigaran on the way to stretch the legs and pop in to Mila’s resto. It is famous for its buko pie, a coconut filling in a light pastry. We had to have one each, plus one of their delicious chicken pies. All washed down with a native…

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I Love Bacolod

I have now written three articles about traffic/driving problems here in Bacolod and posted in Facebook a number of times about those problems. Hey I ♥ it here ! OK the traffic culture is different from the UK, the rest of Europe and the USA but it is Filipino! But there are so many things to like and indeed love Bacolod for such as the friendly people the food the restaurants the weather the beaches the fun smiling faces the importance of family the importance of faith easy going lifestyle Not forgetting the woman I love is a Filipina (I thought I had better add that to the list). So I would not like anyone to gain the impression that I am some kind of “whining…

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Ceres Bus Liner Drivers On Best Behaviour…..

I recently wrote about driving generally  in Bacolod  here: and  here: I frequently make the drive between Bacolod, where I live, to Canetown, Victorias to visit Zabrina’s family. We passed the spot today where the terrible tragedy happened. There are flowers at the roadside to mark  the spot. And more poignantly two sets of burnt rubber on the highway marking the places where the two bus drivers braked violently. One set of tyre marks clearly showed that one driver was emergency braking whilst also swerving. But the point I really wanted to make is that we, Zabrina. her sister and myself, all remarked on how much improvement there was in the general road behaviour  of the Ceres Bus Liner company. The road today seemed to…

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Welcome to Bacolod!

Welcome to Bacolod. Hi, as you gather my name is Stephen Bentley or Steve for short. I am from the UK and I am a former barrister, police officer, sales manager, truck driver, motorcycle courier etc etc. I firmly believe I have many stories to tell owing to my varied work and life experiences. I hope you will be entertained. I love Bacolod and the Philippines. This is my new home and my new life. I am lucky to share it with Zabrina. She is a native of Canetown, Victorias which is about a 45 minute drive from Bacolod. Although we live in a suburb in the city of Bacolod, we are close to the ocean and the mountains of Negros Island. We both love…

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