Dive-Monster Rhoody

Mikes Beach Resort in Dumaguete or better in Dauin is soon to open its gates. The Beach and Dive Resort had a tough head to head fight with Robinsons Dumaguete but finally made it and opens earlier.

Everybody who knows Mike from the Adventure Dive Shop in Dumaguete knows that his Beach and Dive Resort in Dauin was a big dream which finally comes true. As I am working as a freelancing dive instructor for the Adventure Dive Shop, I saw the growth and progress of the Dive Resort construction site in Dauin and know some of the troubles Mike went through.

Sometimes I still wonder how he can keep his great attitude with all that crap. Well I guess seeing the dream grow helps a lot.

Mikes Dauin Beach Resort will be a great place for guys who want to relax and having a great  time in a family atmosphere. With only 8 rooms and the huge pool it is designed very spacious and won’t get crowded.

The rooms of Mikes Beach and Dive Resort in Dauin have 2 categories and are priced with 2000 and 2500 peso. With that prices he will cover a market for guests and travelers which don’t or can’t stay in other Beach and Dive resorts in Dauin which charge over 100$ and more than 100 peso for a local beer.

But relaxing and Diving is not all Mike offers in his new Beach Resort 15 kilometer south of Dumaguete. He will tailor you a customized program for your non diving days whether you want some adventures or just a city trip to buy some souvenirs.

The kitchen of Mikes Beach Resort will have extended menu of his Waterfront Café in Dumaguete which is well known for its Mexican delights and burger. Well my favorite is still the breakfast until closing time.

So from my side all the best to Mike, Joan and his team of the Dumaguete Beach Resort in Dauin.

Cheers

Rhoody

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Mike Feeney is not only a good friend of mine. He is also the owner of the Adventure Dive Shop at the Boulevard in Dumaguete City. The Adventure Diveshop is also known as Mike’s Diveshop. There is always a great family – feeling as soon as you step in the shop. Things are running smoothly. Sure in a big dive-resort it might be more convenient.

Mike is since 7 or so years in Dumaguete, and still not tired or burned out. If he is not busy with diving he takes care of his family, guests, street-kids, drowned boats or SMB. I have no idea where this little man with the big heart takes all the energy from. At the moment he has his cozy little resort in Dauin under construction, which hopefully opens it’s gate in 4-6 month. I can’t wait until I dive with my friends in Apo Island, having some cold ones and fall asleep in a hammock between 2 palm-trees.

You will be welcome in his little Waterfront Cafe at the Rizal Boulevard if you are diving or just wanna have breakfast, some beer or try his Mexican food. His dishes are probably the closed you can get to Mexican food in Dumaguete.

He is happy to arrange you a nice package from the airport pick-up to accommodation, diving and land-based adventure trips.

One of his packages includes a room for a night, two meals, 2 dives at Apo Island and all transportation for about 80 US-Dollar. It won’t get much better than that. For about 100 US$ you can stay in a neat resort like the Swiss owned Well-Beach Resort.

Mikes Adventure Diveshop is not only for budget traveler. It is definitely one of the places to consider for a great dive-vacation in Dumaguete.

Cheers

Rhoody

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Big Parties, Fiestas, Fireworks and Parades are an important part of the lifestyle in the Philippines. It always seems that the whole City meets on the streets and everybody invites on top all friends and relatives from the other 7106 remaining Islands.

Dumaguete is famous for the big parades during Kabulakan Festival or Buglasan. Less famous but in my opinion with more spirit and feeling are the small Fiestas in each Barangay. I was invited in a rather basic (not to say poor) Barangay to celebrate Santa Cruzan with them. I was the only “long-nose” there and some looked at me like I have 2 heads and 3 arms. I am usually a quite tough guy, but seeing the love and pride in the preparation and celebration of the Fiesta and the Parade was touching. I could not decide to be happy or to start crying. Actually I had to sweep some tears out of my eyes before I smiled and enjoyed it even more than the big festivals. All the people were in their “Sunday-church” outfit and the girls and women participating in the parade, rented beautiful gowns. It was a kind of strange picture to see them walking proud and smiling through some dirty back-roads of the Barangay.

When I came back home I looked at the pictures I took and went into a very sentimental mood. Many thoughts are running through my mind as I write this article. An experience like that brings me back with my feet on the ground and make me thinking of the way we “exist” next to each other here in that small town. I know many Expats and foreigners here in the Philippines who lost the view for reality. Nothing bad in general, but go out of my way and don’t bother me with your complaints. …Bad internet…. Lazy Philippinos… No coke Light… brownout… and many many more things everybody can listen to.

Serious if you guys only complain …

 …go back where you come from!!!

… Or maybe they can’t as they are looser in their own country and in life. Where else can you be a 55+ year old ugly unhealthy alcoholic, but still have a loving and caring 25 year old beautiful woman with you. (I am also alcoholic, fat, ugly and unhealthy, but at least only 37… hehe). Watching and listening to those guys make me vomit.

But there are exceptions too… Mike Feeney from the Adventure Diveshop in Dumaguete buys for the Peanut-Kids at the Boulevard their school-supply like notebooks, pencils and helps the school on Apo Island. Some Bar-owners in Angeles City organizing charity events to support local hospitals, orphanages and much more. Some don’t forget where they are and try to give something back to this lovely country and the people here, who provide the surrounding for us to be here.

I love the Philippines, the country, the diving, the people. I want to live with the people of this country, participate in their lifestyle, laugh with them and try to give something back, even it is just a fraction of the love and joy I received here in the Philippines….

Amen for today, promise my next article will be funny, insulting and/or about diving again…

Rhoody

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I just decided to make another category here on dive-monster.

Many things going through my head where I wanna talk about but they don’t fit in any of the existing ones. There are quite personal thoughts and I guess a blog is the diary of the 21st century. Like in some of my other reports before I will insult, laugh and cry and put my salty fingers into fresh wounds
…  so if you are sensible, just stop reading exactly here !!!

My life changed a lot the last few years but the biggest change was about one year ago when one of my course-directors and bosses at the dive-shop I was working  was not man enough to tell me that I am fired. Kim a one of the rare real friends took little Rhoody by his hand and told him: Man, why don’t you do the same I do….

Hey, great Idea – I thought by myself- and started beer drinking and mongering around in many regions of the Philippines. After a while Kim told me…. Rhoody not that, why you don’t start a webpage, I help you to get on your feet and show you how to earn your cost of living with that. 

OK-ok, sounds like work but give it a try… as I am not under financial pressure; I started a bit slow but after a 2 days or so I had my first Dollar earned. Yeah only a dollar, but it showed me that it is possible. Kim told me some secrets and helped me with ALL stupid questions I had and still have.

Now my first year of a new existence is done and there were many up’s and downs. One great thing of my life is that I am still diving a lot but I am not a slave at a Dive-Mc Donalds in Dauin. I am now diving up and down the beach, have bookings on Siquijor and help Mike at his Adventure-Diveshop. Next to all of that I am not sitting in a wanna-be-the-best dive-center and waste my life.

I can go out meet great people and know that exactly at this point I earn the money I spend on a good meal somewhere in Dumaguete.

I pissed more people off than I did in my 6 years before in the Philippines but I also met more great guys and friends. At this point I need to thank a couple of people without them I would never be at that stage I am now.

First of all Kim and Tom who showed me that things are possible (in many ways),

 my little little one and her mother (couldn’t do anything without the love, energy and the support you 2 give to me).

Mike and Bruce (who are responsible that I still dive for free AND have some cold beer)

My good friend, The “Fat Austrian” (who ensures with his monster-portions that I don’t get too skinny)

All the lovely people here in the country who make me feel welcome, who make me smile, who make me happy… I am proud to be in your wonderful place as a guest…

Enough tears…. My reputation is to be a bad guy… do I wanna be one ????  yeah, 100% …. good guys are boring and go to heaven… bad guys  go everywhere…

Just saw on some boards that guys asking for some advice…. and insults…. stay tuned, I am on the way

Rhoody

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