BLOWING OFF THE CRUZ-BETO DEBATE FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF FINNSNOW

FinnSnow, Vlogger Extraordinaire

Tony Martinez's 1848 Barbecue on Palm Boulevard is likely filling up about now for Brownsville's version of Ali-Frazier, a verbal tussle 'tween lying Ted and the Anglo named Beto. 

My plan was to take a pic of the crowd, then one of the livestream screen, then scoot, but I became mesmerized by the latest YouTube episode of FinnSnow, the tall, athletic Icelander who captures the essence of the Philippines with extraordinary drone photography and humorous interaction with locals, always accompanied by a beautiful filipina.

Today's episode initiated two hours outside Cebu City, down the beautifully blue Bojo River on its twisted run through tropical jungle down to the sea.

They are riding down river on kayak-shaped boats with balancing poles mounted on front and back.

The Philippines is actually the 20th country Finn has videotaped in the last five years and I have no idea whether he's studied movie making or simply learned on the fly, but his stuff seems superbly edited.

My first exposure to the FinnSnow vlog, the coral reef video shot with Miss Scuba International, Sherlyn Doloriel, was incredible.  Sherlyn also won the swimsuit competition in Miss Philippines 2016.  

I was hoping to see more of Sherlyn, but Finn moved on after a few vlogs together.

Last month, Finn went back to Iceland for the funeral of his mother.  Evidently, Finn's dad told him not to vlog about that, but, as he said on the video, a tearful eulogy to his mom:  "I going against you on this one, Dad!"

TRIP UPDATE:  DEPARTING NOVEMBER 6, RETURNING DECEMBER 1

As they say;  "There's no fool like an old fool," and I've made some tactical errors in interacting with people from the Philippines online, raising expectations.

I've agreed to meet only two, Lyn, the last week of my vacation and Bienna, the day after I arrive in Cebu.  Obviously, no commitments have been made either way.  It's just a matter of seeing if we're compatible.

Having similar viewpoints or interests is not important to me.  I couldn't care less about being involved with someone who thinks or looks like me.  How is that even remotely interesting? 

Lyn brought up the matter of lost wages as she's using an unpaid Leave of Absence to meet me that last week.  She claims to work 9 or 10 hour days, but I know she's in her office longer than that, reconciling the payroll for the Shangri-La Hotel in Makati, a suburb of Manila.  Besides, she commutes daily from Guiguinto, 44.5 kilometers north, a 1.1 hour bus trip. 

Her pay is 512 Philippine pesos per day or $9.48.  That's per day, not per hour.  I'm fine with reimbursing her for that.  It's nothing,  It doesn't make her a paid escort, just makes certain her mom and son, whom she supports, have something to eat while she's gone.(After I agreed to make up for the lost wages, Lyn said she would not accept it, was not a "gold digger,"etc.  Anyway)

Bienna, who prefers to be called Bien, describes herself as a "simple girl," doing the laundry for neighbors and housekeeping in the city of Tacloban.

Daily, Bienna sends me a note, telling me to drive safely, get my rest and not forget to eat.  

When I tell her I'm a fat pig and could go a long time without eating, she says:  "Why do you always talk like that?"

I've sent Bien a plane ticket, actually an itinerary to travel to Cebu.  I will have to pick her up at the airport on Mactan Island the day after I arrive in Cebu City.  The airport is only 10 kilometers from the Castle Peak Hotel, normally a 27 minute cab ride, but, at 6:00 PM, when Bien's plane arrives, the trip reportedly takes 3 hours because of heavy traffic on the two bridges between the island and Cebu City.

Both ladies speak three languages fluently:  Bienna speaks Tagalog, Cebuano and English, while Lyn speaks Tagalog, Bicolano and English.

I told them I speak English and pig Latin.  Neither found that funny.