MAy as well continue the saga - no sense bailing out in the middle of
the channel!!
 
Subject:
              FROM SIMON AIKEN
      Date:
              Sun, 21 Feb 1999 23:49:07 +800
 
 
Cebu City, Philippines, 23:00 Sunday local time, 15:00 GMT, 10:00 EST
 
This is another 'generic' message - my apologies again, some sections
will be of absolutely no interest to some recipients (especially those
who do not collect shells). [i took out the non-shell stuff - not a lot
this time!]
 
The 'serious' part of the trip is in full swing now; yesterday cost
alone me about $1300.  I arrived back in Cebu City on Friday, met up
with 'Larry', and a couple of other 'guys'.  Bought a really lovely
shell: a 'dwarf' Cypraea valentia, the first one I've seen.  70mm, which
looks really cute next to an adult!  Fully formed, all characteristics
of the species, colour, pattern and shape just the same as adult.  There
is a 92mm valentia available, and an 89mm one.
 
Yesterday I made my own way to Punta Engano, insisting on my first stop
being Victor Pagobo.  Bought my second C. valentia in 2 days (81.5mm,
best pattern I've ever seen - very well 'focused'), and a great Conus
excelsus (minor scar on dorsum, but excellent colour/pattern).  Before
I'd been 10 minutes in Victor's house, the throng was forming outside
the door....  I was escorted to Eddie Pagobo's house, and I stayed there
for another 6 hours while the guys trooped in one-by-one with their
wares.  They gave me 3 drinks in all that time and some 'crackers' - I
felt very weak afterwards, having come down with some mild intestinal
infection (in Palawan actually).  Got sub-adult Conus cervus and C.
vicweei - nice patterns on both (cervus much better than adult),
although the lips are thin of course.  VERY advantageous prices!  Added
a few new species to my colllection, like Conus dayriti and C. vicdani.
There are 3 very nice C. colorvariegatus around, although I'm not ready
to buy one.
 
Someone (Chuck C.?) [me, actually!!] told me to shop on a Saturday
because they need money for the cockfights Sunday morning - well, it
seemed to work!  Maybe my haggling skills have also improved.  Haggled a
less-than-gem Cyp. aurantium down from $60 by the simple process of
repeating "FIVE".  (Got it for, yes, $5.)
 
There are more epoxy repairs around than ever - either I'm getting
better at spotting them or else the standard of craftsmanship is
declining.  Grafted spires also, and "species conversions" (Cyp. mappa
to valentia for instance).  However, several times I've had the guys
point out a repair as soon as a pick up a shell - possibly to avoid
embarrassment, but I never had that happen last year.  Victor Pagobo
pointed out all repairs (or, at least, all the ones I could see....)
Having a loupe sitting in front of me is in itself a help, I think.
 
{Chuck C., Sue, Rich, Ross: Chuck C. you know this already I'm sure:
there's a whole lot of dead-collected Cyp. leucodon around, which have
been re-polished and glazed.  Price for leucodon seems to open at more
than $1000 still.  I'm after Cyp. hirasei, but every one I've seen is
dead-taken and re-polished. There seems to be a new Latirus available, a
very attractive shell.  Conus capitanellus is now available in quantity
and the PI price is low.  Cyp. valentia has hardly changed in price
since last June, maybe down a little.  The PI market is flooded with C.
porteri, and the price has come down.  I'm seeing more Pl. rumphi than
last time, but the prices are high.  The price of Cyp. guttata continues
to fall, and there are some nice ones available.}
 
Today I arranged to have Larry pick me up from the hotel at 11am.  First
phone call came through at 7.20am (the receptionist has to walk up 4
flights of stairs to give me messages).  Then, Larry arrives at 8.30
(just after I'd got back to sleep), and 3 other guys arrive a few
minutes later.  Got Pl. anseeui [spelling?] and another Pl. gotoi
(small).  Ran out of money - now owe Larry.  Went to someone's house in
Cebu City who seemed to be desparately short of money - paid $20 for a
very nice Voluta coniformis, and $20 for a Pl. hirasei (filed slit;
Chuck K.: that's $5 less than I paid YOU!)  Considered a very good price
on Conus lani, not gem, but didn't get it in the end.
 
Then went to Punta Engano again and visited Vic Dungog.  Some shells
were second-rate.  Predictably, 4 of his 'cousins' turned up on the
doorstep.  I now owe money to Vic Dungog as well.  My plan after that
was to try to locate my 'pen-pal' on Mactan, but in the process of
finding a tricycle/jeepney I was accosted by someone who just happened
to have some shells to sell, and he happened to have about 15 cousins
who crowded into the room.  The fact that I didn't have any money did
not get me off any easier - there is some part of 'No' that these people
do not understand....  I have promised to go back tomorrow afternoon,
presuming that I can get cash on my credit card.
 
Locating pen-pal took 2 hours.  That's what I like about the
Philippines, everything is so unpredicable.  Two jeepneys, one tricycle,
2 miles walking and an escort were required.  Anyway, somewhat
surprisingly I found her.  Was given dinner in her aunt's house - rice.
This is the third time on this trip that I've been given dinner in
someone's house (without asking), and the menu does not vary - except
that one time there was a little dish of soy sauce with the rice, one
time there was soy sauce ad libitum, and this time there was no soy
sauce. (It would be okay if they'd at least use a little salt....)
Whilst eating, I watched a mouse running up and down the room - which no
one else even seemed to notice.  A live Cyp. arabica was waiting for me
on the table - even though they didn't know I'd be coming.  Collected
yesterday at the beach.
 
*** [obscure paragraph about "kibitzers"]
 
Anyway, I'm going to have a native speaker on my shoulder tomorrow -
each shoulder actually - when I buy shells.  Should be very interesting
indeed.  She probably doesn't have to do anything at all - her presence
will change things I think.  But getting translations, even after the
event, could be illuminating.
 
And the score so far is: 39 boats, 18 tricycles, 17 taxis, 11
motorbikes, 10 buses/jeepneys, 7 planes, one trishaw, one private car.
 
**[another odd passage - but no further "kibitzers".]**
 
Maybe I'd never get used to having an armed guard open the door for me
at Dunkin Donuts.  Once, when business was a little slack, this guy with
a pistol on his hip started wiping down the tables - even New York isn't
like that.  When you walk into a bank, there are 2 guards holding
assault rifles standing at the door, one of whom unlocks it for you.
They may not bother X-raying you or your baggage at the airports
(Manila, maybe), but they've X-rayed me before getting on to the big
ferries.  The knife strapped to my ankle never registers.
 
The Balicasag trip (Thursday) was a great success.  Really interesting
deep water shells, and the ladies seemed more willing to barter than the
last time. Got beaten on the price of the best Cyp. sakurai I've ever
seen though.  Left the island oweing $200 to the ladies of Balicasag -
which I was able to sort out through the boat operator.
 
[Paula: met someone today who talked about having had ***** ****  in his
house to buy shells.  I suggested that he not leave him alone with the
valuable stuff.  This guy was apparently unaware of  ***** ****'s
'problems'.]
 
Cheers!