Karalee and I work for the same company, and it just so happens that a large part of our teams live and work in the Republic of the Philippines. We have been fortunate over the years to visit many times. Each time our friends take us to different locations and to enjoy different experiences.
This year we got to see some old friends and with them we journeyed south to the countryside of Quezon Province and the plantation/resort at Villa Escudero.
When we made our first trip in 2015 the only special experience I wanted was to ride on a Jeepney. Jeepneys are the eclectic public transit vehicles that owners personalize to suit their varied tastes by painting them with murals and decorating them with various bits and bobs so that each one is a unique work of art.
With the passing years we’ve seen fewer and fewer jeepneys on the road. Air quality restrictions and safety concerns, along with consumer demand for comforts like air conditioning and Wi-Fi, are sending the jeepney the way of the dodo. On this trip we took some time to visit the Sarao Jeepney factory, just a short drive from our office, to see how these beauties are built.