Sunday 30 September 2007

Sunday 1pm

I couldn't post yesterday as I was picked up from home at 7.30am by a friend. We drove to a place called Sante Rosa which is about 34k south of Manila, it took us over 2 hours to drive there as the roads are not great and there was a lot of traffic.

I was invited there by 2 coaches that I met, they have an Academy there and another in Las Pinas so I visited both. The one in Sante Rosa was unbelievable so much better than anywhere in the UK and this is a 3rd world country. It had 14 high quality courts, great changing rooms, cafe, meeting rooms, hairdressers, it's own school with accommodation and to finish it off you can have your car washed there as well. I met the owner, a rich man and he showed me round... really was impressive it is even better that Badminton Englands HQ in Milton Keynes !!

I was there from 10am til noon then we drove to Las Pinas to have lunch and start coaching at 1 pm. The players here were all under 17's, about 50 players and some were incredibly talented, better than I have at home especially the under 11's, one was a girl of 8, a supberb player and a national champion in her age group, if she was in the UK she would be sponsored by England because of her potential, here she just has to get by but she does have good coaches.

I helped to coach this group for 3 hours til 4pm and they were very grateful and lots of pictures were taken by the parents of me with their children, all very nice. We then had a rest and something to eat. At 6pm there was an adult coaching group so I stayed for that but was asked to play with another group that was there, I enjoyed that it was a lot fun. Everything finished at 8pm and again there was lots of pics taken, I felt like a move star as these young ladies grabbed me to have a pic taken with them......... it's a hard life !!!

Got back quite quick about 9.45pm and had a bite to eat in a restaurent before walking home for a well needed rest.

Was very tired this morning at didn't get ready til 11am, just had a bite to eat before writing this post. The rest of the day will be rest and then play again from 4pm-8pm if my body allows it.

Hope life is good wherever you are in the world

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Gerard,

Its me again. I have answered my own questions on population by looking up Manila in google.

Manila is the 2nd most populous city in the Philippines with 1.8m (approx) Metro Manila is about 10m populous. Quezon City (the former capital city) is bigger.

Why is it Makata Avenue but Makita City. You are quite near Ayala Triangle & Centre also Salcedo village and Urdaneta village(dont know if my spelling is right)

So I am happy now that I know where you are.

Take care

Anne xx

gerry said...

Hi Anne, Nice to see you doing your homework !! As far as I understand Manila and Quezon city are part of metro manila. just like Uxbridge and Chelsea is part of London/Greater London.

It is Makati Ave and Makati City not Makata ave. Yes the triangle is legaspi (where I live) Salcedo with Ayala (greenbelt and Glorietta shopping malls).

Eventually when I have broadband installed I will take videos of the area and places I go so it will give you all a picture in your minds eye of where I am.