Posts Tagged ‘merchandise’
The Saga Of Ramon’s Trike
The Saga Of Ramon’s Trike
by Samuel E. Warren Jr.
As a child in Houston, Texas, I had a tricycle. It was made out of heavy black metal. It had a large wheel in the front and two smaller wheels on the side. I would zip up and down the concrete driveway of 313 East 26th Street on my tricycle.
Of course, when I got stationed in the Republic of the Philippines in 1988, I quickly learned the word, “tricycle” had a totally different meaning in the Philippines.
I could still zip up and down the road to Clark Air Base in a tricycle. But, it wasn’t my “trike” and it always cost me a few pesos
Saturday afternoon, Ramon explains the neat features of his tricycle to his family.
Canon EOS 40 D Photo by Samuel E. Warren Jr.
Monday, March 5, 2012 – The sun rises in the Republic of the Philippines and the morning breeze of Leyte carries the sound of a new tricycle through the coconut trees.
Ramon bounces along on this older motorcycle to try and use it to move sacks of coconuts. In the Philippines, a motorcycle can sometimes be expected to perform like a farm pickup in the United States.
Canon EOS 40 D Photo by Samuel E. Warren Jr.
Saturday, Ramon Q. Saldana Jr., took delivery of his new tricycle. While Ramon got his new Honda TMX 155 motorcycle, February 24, 2012, he had to wait for the sidecar modification.
February 24, 2012 — Ramon is proud of his new motorcycle. He is happy to pose for a picture. Of course, once you get the motorcycle, then, you have to wait for the sidecar to be built to transform the motorcycle into a tricycle.
Canon EOS 40 Photo by Samuel E. Warren Jr.
Once Ramon got his motorcycle, he would need a sidecar modification to turn the motorcycle into a “trike.” In the Philippines, a tricycle, often called a “trike,” is a motorcycle with a sidecar that is used to transport passengers and products.
Ramon visited a local welding shop, in a nearby barangay, famous for their sidecar modifications. His name was placed on the waiting list behind the other orders. It appeared, at the time, that it might be the second week of march before the shop could begin work on his motorcycle for the conversion. Ramon picked the color and the design and in a matter of days, his new tricycle was ready to ride.
Ramon gives his sister, Christy Warren, and his brother, Rafael a ride in his trike.
Canon EOS 40 D Photo by Samuel E. Warren Jr.
Of course, vehicles have to be licensed and registered. The paperwork procedure proceeded along on schedule. Unfortunately, electricity in Leyte is not always reliable.
Everyday for a week, Ramon, went to the appropriate government office. However, the persistent power outages kept the computers off line. Finally, the last week in June, with all the paperwork completed,
Ramon was finally able to heed, “The Call Of The Open Road.” Now, Ramon get to zip up and down the road on his trike taking passengers to their appointments and taking kids to and from school.
Ramon heeds “The Call Of The Open Road” and motors along the highway on his trike.
Canon EOS 40 D Photo by Samuel E. Warren Jr.
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Photography Patrol – Pastrana Sari–Sari Store–Photo by Samuel E. Warren Jr.
Pastrana Sari-Sari Store
Pastrana Sari-Sari Store – Photo by Samuel E. Warren Jr. Pastrana is pronounced “Pah-strah – nah.” And the words, sari-sari, are pronounced, “Sorry – E, Sorry – E.” A sari-sari store in the Philippines is like a General Store in rural America or a small convenience store in an American city. This little store a customer can actually walk into and shop. Some sari-sari stores are more like a bank teller’s window at the drive thru lane of a bank. You tell the store operator what you want and they either give it to you for a certain amount of pesos or they tell you they don’t have the item.
A sari-sari store’s merchandise varies from store to store, but, they can have everything from double A batteries to detergent to candy to rice to Coca Cola, Pepsi, Merinda or Royal orange soda to San Miguel beer. Americans love the term “small business.” but to truly appreciate how small a business can be and still make a living for a family, you have to shop at a Philippines’ Sari-Sari Store. Photo by Samuel E. Warren Jr.
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