Day 179 - Pineapples Galore

Cz's cousin LV is one of the managers at Del Monte's pineapple plantation. This morning she took us on a tour of the fields, where we learned all about the growing and processing of pineapple. Just a few fun facts: A pineapple takes 18 months to grow from planting to mature fruit. Each plant can fruit and re-grow an infinite number of times, but each time, the fruit is slightly smaller. Though these smaller fruits are sweeter, they are not up to market standard for size, so Del Monte pineapples are only allowed to fruit twice before being re-planted with new stock. The plantation also grows papaya for fruit cups. No part of the fruits is wasted. The peelings, seeds, and tops of the papaya and pineapple are processed into animal feed for the Del Monte cattle. Currently there are only 3-5 thousand cows on the plantation, but sometimes there are as many as 30,000. Supposedly when the big bosses come to visit, they all want to eat Del Monte steaks. Apparently the cows' all-fruit diet gives them a particularly nice flavour.

The pineapple fields stretch as far as the eye can see in almost every direction. In addition to the business ventures - the fruit and cattle farms - , Del Monte also runs several housing complexes, schools, shops, even a church within its land. There is even a clubhouse with rooms, restaurant, and golf course for visiting bosses. It is interesting how well Del Monte takes care of its employees. We learned from another cousin, fighting for farmers' rights that they are notoriously unfair to farmers whose land they buy out. It is interesting to have the two sides of Del Monte represented in one family.

LV and her family live in one of the company-owned houses. It is very nice, and faces a beautiful view over, well, pineapples, and some hills. In this rural setting, bugs flourish, and grow to immense proportions. Believe it or not, this is a little guy!

In the afternoon, we returned to Auntie T's house, where Cz settled in for a long afternoon of cartoons with PI. I tried not to get in the way of the TV when taking their picture, but they were both thoroughly annoyed with me.

PI: (with a telling glare - no words necessary) Dude. GO AWAY. You're interrupting my show!

Cz: (out of the corner of his mouth) Just don't look at her. If you ignore her she'll go away.

Later that night, we hopped on the night bus that would take us to Zamboanga. (pronounced sam-bwanga). Cz's mom had been warning us all day not to expect too much of the bus, and to be prepared for a long night. We were ready for Indian-standard bus; ie. schoolbus style benches, possibly no glass in the windows, and some passengers with hooves or feathers. What we got was air-con, reclining seats, and movies. Tough night indeed.