My intro....(who can salsa?)

[wanderingsalsero]

My name is Art Williams. Right now I'm teaching English but I might be coming to the Philippines in a few months and, if I do, I'm interested in someplace nice to live where the living cost is reasonable, the area is nice, and there's an opportunity to salsa dance.

Salsa (and also bachata and cha-cha) is pretty much my primary hobby. I also like the Cuban style of group salsa known as 'casino rueda'.

My hobbies are blogging, reading (as much as I can), internet marketing, backgammon, frisbee, travel and 'people watching'. I've got a blog you might enjoy at: WanderingSalsero.

If I do become more interested in the Damaguete area, there's two things I'm especially concerned with:

(1) What is the quality of the internet service in that area? If my business plans develop the way I want them too, I'll be making my living over the internet. So naturally I've got to have a good, reliable connection.

(2) What kind of dance clubs are there in the area? Do any of them specialize in, or play, Latin American music like salsa, bachata, cha-cha, etc.?

(3) For just sight seeing in the city......are there lots of places to go walking around? I don't want to spend all my time looking at 'old stuff' but I'm especially interested in nice beaches, mountains to climb, rivers, waterfalls and things like that.

(4) How much would a good, American style breakfast cost in a restaurant around there. I don't usually do much cooking at home but prefer to 'eat out'.

(5) Is it possible to buy tropical birds such as macaws, parrots or Cockatoos there? I thought I read somewhere that Cockatoos are native to the Philippines. Is that right? I like pets but haven't had one for a long time for the simple reason that I've never been anyway place where I felt I might stay for a while (and I didn't want to have to 'leave' a pet).

By the way, if you'd like to see some pictures of my environment over here in Korea, you can check out:

DropShots.com
www.flickr.com/artwilliams/photos

Also, I'd be more than happy to chat with people from Damaguete via Skype and I would also be interested in info about other places to settle in the Philippines.

Best regards,
Art

[jellyfish]

Welcome Art on the forum.
Quite a lot of questions for a first time.
I will react on one question, maybe others do to other questions.
I have been some times to the ballroom dancing evenings at Honeycom at the boulevard.
They practise all kinds of dancings, including cha cha cha and other Latin American danse styles.

[kinhason]

Jellyfish is correct, Honeycomb Night Club offers you a place to dance
your butt of, there are many talented DI's there(Dance instructors) that
will keep you on your feet till you become part Brazilian, I say that
because my travels to Brasil and involvement in Brasilian music has shown me that the Brasilians are the folks in the world who will literally wear you and the bands out, that's why Carnaval in Rio is the best party in the World in my opinion. So don't intelectilze too much, get to Duma and get rid of any stress
that still remains even if your passion is Latin Dancing.
Oh yes, do you also have any music talent? Play an instrument? If so we are always
looking for talented musicians to jam with.
I personally have a respectable amount of Salsa cd's however you may already
be streaming in via your computer skyfm.com....where you can have 24/7 salsa or any other music free on the internet.
Don't worry, man be happy like the majority of the cats who have found life
to be good in Negros.
K