Every day on my weaving tour of Japan and the Philippines I will repost all of my InstaGram posts here on my blog. I hope you enjoy my adventures.

My blog, Facebook, Instagram and email notices are not behaving well together so if you are viewing this in FACEBOOK just click the post text to see the full post (with photos) on my blog. If you are viewing this in an EMAIL just click the post title to see the full post on my blog.

Final Day 16 My special treasure from the Philippines is this pair of ear rings from one of the antique shops. They are made the bill of the hornbill bird.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 17, 2016 at 2:44pm PST

We caught a glimpse of Mt Fuji when taking off from Narita airport in Tokyo on the way home. Seems good to end a trip with a sunset.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 17, 2016 at 2:49pm PST

Home at last to see my special orchids blooming. When I opened the door the whole apartment smelled of its perfume.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 17, 2016 at 2:39pm PST

Every day on my weaving tour of Japan and the Philippines I will repost all of my InstaGram posts here on my blog. I hope you enjoy my adventures.

My blog, Facebook, Instagram and email notices are not behaving well together so if you are viewing this in FACEBOOK just click the post text to see the full post (with photos) on my blog. If you are viewing this in an EMAIL just click the post title to see the full post on my blog.

Day 15 Cathy and I took a taxi to a shopping place called Tienda Statis (?). We were told there would be antique dealers and old textile shops. This what we found in the huge almost deserted space. There were probably 50dog groomers and pet shops.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 17, 2016 at 2:19pm PST

You could look in the windows and watch your dog getting groomed.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 17, 2016 at 2:25pm PST

Only one cat shop but these looked exotic.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 17, 2016 at 2:25pm PST

This old blouse from the Spanish time was beautifully framed between two pieces of glass in one of two antique shops we found there.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 17, 2016 at 2:28pm PST

I bough this old blouse. It's fragile but I love the sleeves. It's woven in an open weave with abaca fiber. That's all I know but I love it.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 17, 2016 at 2:31pm PST

The embroidery on the sleeve I like very much.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 17, 2016 at 2:33pm PST

Pizza for our night out after the group left.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 17, 2016 at 2:35pm PST

Every day on my weaving tour of Japan and the Philippines I will repost all of my InstaGram posts here on my blog. I hope you enjoy my adventures.

My blog, Facebook, Instagram and email notices are not behaving well together so if you are viewing this in FACEBOOK just click the post text to see the full post (with photos) on my blog. If you are viewing this in an EMAIL just click the post title to see the full post on my blog.

Day 14. We drove in Manila traffic to an area with antique and old textile shops. From the bus it was easy to photograph a typical tricycle used all over the country for public transportation. Most had little canopies over the "driver" and carried several passengers

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 16, 2016 at 2:21am PST

Still Day 14 another scene from our drive to visit antique dealers. We were told that when an electric wire doesn't work they just put up another wire. This mass was nothing but it is what I could take from our van.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 17, 2016 at 1:57pm PST

We came this great shop after visiting some antique stores — both for more shopping

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 17, 2016 at 2:01pm PST

I got this necklace at Manila Collectibles. These shells were incised. We saw others around but I loved the proportion and scale these. I am imagining they will look striking.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 17, 2016 at 2:10pm PST

Our farewell dinner with a show was fun.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 17, 2016 at 2:12pm PST

Every day on my weaving tour of Japan and the Philippines I will repost all of my InstaGram posts here on my blog. I hope you enjoy my adventures.

My blog, Facebook, Instagram and email notices are not behaving well together so if you are viewing this in FACEBOOK just click the post text to see the full post (with photos) on my blog. If you are viewing this in an EMAIL just click the post title to see the full post on my blog.

Day 13 Valentines day for us. We took a 3 -hour drive in our van to Lumban, Lugana–the embroidery Capitol of the Philippines. On the way all over we have seen these Jeepneys (spelling?) which are a main type of public transportation. They are customized– maybe with a Mercedes emblem on the front. They will stop anywhere and I saw some depots, too.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 14, 2016 at 7:50pm PST

This was a leper facility originally where the nuns taught the residents embroidery and bobbin lace.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 14, 2016 at 7:58pm PST

Bobbin lace making is fast paced and takes a lot of pins. The fingers and bobbins flew to make the patterns.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 14, 2016 at 8:00pm PST

This was an experimental and monumental piece. The piece is completed here. Just working with black threads is a challenge because they are hard to see. A blurry close up follows.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 14, 2016 at 8:02pm PST

A close up of the black lace piece. You can see the pins that hold the threads in place while making the lace. Here they are ready to be removed. I would leave them in as long as possible, too, to show all the work that went into the piece.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 14, 2016 at 8:04pm PST

We stopped along the way at this lovely pottery place and met the potter. There were s lot of nice things but too big or heavy for us to bring home. I bought a coffee mug in indigo blue. One never has enough of them, right?

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 14, 2016 at 8:07pm PST

I bought this from the last weaving because the weaver there had woven it and because I always like this design when I see it. It's woven with a dark thread and a light one together In the shuttle. This makes it random which one comes out of the shuttle on top at any given time. Similar "patterns" can be made if you twist the dark and light threads– if twisted one direction you get sort of twill lines going in one direction and going the other direction if you twist them the opposite way.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 14, 2016 at 9:13pm PST

Our last stop before a 2- hour ride home was for dinner at the home and workshop of a famous fashion designer, Patis Tesoro in the town of Viaja del Sol. She uses pina and has much of it embroidered on and some painted designs as well. I wanted very much to buy a sleeve that was out when we came but it was for a customer and she wouldn't sell it. I had hoped they could have cut out another sleeve but not so. Probably they were under a deadline. The embroidery on the edge of the piece cut out for the sleeve was in black. Very elegant on the very white pina cloth. I think maybe I'll use that idea for something when I get home.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 14, 2016 at 9:20pm PST

Simple embroidery or running stitch or just a basting stitch? It's all how you look at it. I like this idea and am glad I bought pieces of the pina fabric as well as silk.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 14, 2016 at 9:22pm PST

 Every day on my weaving tour of Japan and the Philippines I will repost all of my InstaGram posts here on my blog. I hope you enjoy my adventures.

My blog, Facebook, Instagram and email notices are not behaving well together so if you are viewing this in FACEBOOK just click the post text to see the full post (with photos) on my blog. If you are viewing this in an EMAIL just click the post title to see the full post on my blog.

Day 11. This was the first weaving and shop place we visited today. May we visited 6 places today! All had looms being woven on and things to sell. There were many shopping frenzied but that’s dying down by now.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 12, 2016 at 5:40am PST

They were weaving these motifs for graduation sashes. See the next photo for the shocking number of heddle rods on the loom.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 12, 2016 at 5:42am PST

The huge number of heddle roads on the loom for making the patterns.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 12, 2016 at 5:44am PST

The next place we went to in the town of Iloilo.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 12, 2016 at 5:47am PST

We saw several places where this type of patterns were woven. I think I learned to call it “meet and separate” technique. Very attractive. In this area people like to put on shiny metallics in the cloth.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 12, 2016 at 5:50am PST

These little “tents” were for keeping fighting cocks. There would be one cock per little “house”. We saw s lot of them in this area.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 12, 2016 at 5:56am PST

Here is how bobbins were wound.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 12, 2016 at 5:58am PST

Inside is the weaving shed

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 12, 2016 at 6:00am PST

Another nice pattern. I bought one of these. I liked that I could meet the weaver. She said she is 27. Nice to see young ones coming up.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 12, 2016 at 6:03am PST

“My” weaver is on the right. I think the others were the owners of the business.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 12, 2016 at 6:04am PST

Every day on my weaving tour of Japan and the Philippines I will repost all of my InstaGram posts here on my blog. I hope you enjoy my adventures.

My blog, Facebook, Instagram and email notices are not behaving well together so if you are viewing this in FACEBOOK just click the post text to see the full post (with photos) on my blog. If you are viewing this in an EMAIL just click the post title to see the full post on my blog.

Day 10 in and around Kalibo. We walked in this rice paddy to the home of a woman who does beautiful macrame.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 11, 2016 at 5:10am PST

The path to the house. The vegetation is really tropical and so was the heat. I learned how useful an umbrella is to keep the sun off and still allow some breeze through.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 11, 2016 at 5:13am PST

She is using the fiber to make a thick table runner. I forget the name of the leaf that the fiber comes from. You can see the roll she is working on.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 11, 2016 at 5:22am PST

The pattern is really intricate.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 11, 2016 at 5:24am PST

Then we visited a weaving workshop this weaver is inlaying colorful designs on a loom with a complex pattern making set up. See the next photo.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 11, 2016 at 5:35am PST

All these sticks were in place to create the patterns she wanted. It was interesting to see the pattern-making devices used on all the looms we've been seeing. The sticks farthest away in the photo were rods with heddles.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 11, 2016 at 5:39am PST

A close up showing the two fine threads and all the crossed that are made on this device. It seems that this is traditional to this area.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 11, 2016 at 5:53am PST

Again pina (pineapple fiber) was being woven. Here it is only in the weft. The warp is silk because it is stronger which makes it easier to weave because the silk threads don't break as often. You can recognize the combination of pina and silk because the irregular lines go only one direction (horizontally or in the weft direction).

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 11, 2016 at 6:26am PST

This is 100% pina cloth. The warp as wellmad the weft is pina thread. You can recognize the cloth because the irregularities go both horizontally and vertically. The cloth really speaks to me like cloth woven of handspun threads does.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 11, 2016 at 6:30am PST

This is embroidery. The whole cloth was beautifully embroidered. See the next photo.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 11, 2016 at 6:39am PST

A view of a part of the whole cloth. It was embroidered after it was woven.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 11, 2016 at 6:40am PST

Every day on my weaving tour of Japan and the Philippines I will repost all of my InstaGram posts here on my blog. I hope you enjoy my adventures.

My blog, Facebook, Instagram and email notices are not behaving well together so if you are viewing this in FACEBOOK just click the post text to see the full post (with photos) on my blog. If you are viewing this in an EMAIL just click the post title to see the full post on my blog.

Day 9 the end of a perfectly wonderful day for a weaver! We met this woman who explained how pineapple fiber is grown, harvested, processed into thread, and woven. She took us for dinner to a place on a river and we had fish caught an hour before our dinner. I am wearing a cloth made of 100% pina and dyed with indigo. In the morning we took a flight south to Kalibo on Panay Island.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 10, 2016 at 4:19am PST

We went to see the red pineapple plants grown for the fibers in the leaves to weave the pina cloth.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 10, 2016 at 4:24am PST

The women are yanking the pineapple plant leaves which usually are not harvested until they are 1 1/2 meters long. The edges are really sharp. I brushed by a plant and my hand strung for a long time.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 10, 2016 at 4:27am PST

The leaves were then taken to a workshop where they were processed into threads.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 10, 2016 at 4:29am PST

The leaf was scraped on both sides using a broken dinner plate

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 10, 2016 at 4:31am PST

The fibers were eventually revealed and combed.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 10, 2016 at 4:32am PST

There were 6 or 8 men and women taking single, individual fibers and tying them end- to-end to make the long threads for weaving. They used a knot we know as the weaver’s knot. After trying the knot, the thread was placed in a bowl.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 10, 2016 at 4:38am PST

The bowl obtained one long strand of thread, ready to be measured out for the warp which is put on the loom.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 10, 2016 at 4:40am PST

Here is the fiber when it is removed from the plastic bowl. It’s is miles of a single strand that was carefully placed in to bowl as the individual fibers are bring knotted together. I bought one of these “patties”. It is beautiful and represents 2 weeks with of knitting– not full time work, however.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 10, 2016 at 4:45am PST

Two “patties” are put into a carton and sprinkled with sand to keep them in place as the threads are taken from the box to the warping mill. The fibers would fly around if not held down by the sprinkling of sand.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 10, 2016 at 4:48am PST

This is how the threads are measured out to make the warp which are the threads that are put on the loom for weaving the cloth. We use a warping board or warping reel. None of us had ever seen anything like this. You can see the carton with the threads in the sand.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 10, 2016 at 4:52am PST

Two threads are measured out together ( one from each patty in the box.) the threads here were being measured out on another mill.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 10, 2016 at 4:54am PST

Here is the weaving room! It was wonderful to see all these weavers. There were several variations of plain weave on the different looms. There are 124 threads per inch to make this sheer cloth.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 10, 2016 at 4:57am PST

Some looms were set up with special heddles to inlay weft threads to make patterns.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 10, 2016 at 4:59am PST

The pineapples are really red. They are smaller than the ones we eat and are given to the animals to eat rather than bothering to eat them we were told

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 10, 2016 at 5:04am PST

I’M FINALLY POSTING AGAIN HERE ON MY WEBSITE AFTER SKIPPING A WEEK. ACTUALLY MY AMAZING WEB GUY (and photographer) BOB DOES THE POSTING AND HE WAS IN CUBA THIS PAST WEEK WITH WORSE WI-FI THAN I HAD IN THE PHILIPPINES (you should see his photos!!). WE WILL POST TWO DAYS EACH DAY FROM NOW ON UNTIL WE GET CAUGHT UP.

Every day on my weaving tour of Japan and the Philippines I will repost all of my InstaGram posts here on my blog. I hope you enjoy my adventures.

My blog, Facebook, Instagram and email notices are not behaving well together so if you are viewing this in FACEBOOK just click the post text to see the full post (with photos) on my blog. If you are viewing this in an EMAIL just click the post title to see the full post on my blog.

Day 8. This is the entrance to the Balay ni Atong shops and study center in the town of La Union which is a part of San Fernando.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 9, 2016 at 5:39am PST

This is the inside of the shop.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 9, 2016 at 5:40am PST

An interesting scene in La Union on the way to lunch.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 9, 2016 at 5:42am PST

Our wonderful dessert. It’s called Halo-halo.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 9, 2016 at 5:43am PST

This is the way to eat a halo-halo–you stir all the ingredients up. I took off the purple ice cream first– couldn’t bear to have it all mixed in.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 9, 2016 at 5:45am PST

Traffic at an intersection in La Union.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 9, 2016 at 5:46am PST

Our last stop today was to a shop in Manilla, the Custom Made Crafts Center. They have lovely fabrics and objects made out of them.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 9, 2016 at 5:50am PST

These are examples of the well designed and appealing objects made of hand woven cloth.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 9, 2016 at 5:52am PST

Rolls of stiff fabrics woven of abaca fibers. Everything in the shop was attractive. There was the usual shopping frenzy.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 9, 2016 at 5:54am PST

Every day on my weaving tour of Japan and the Philippines I will repost all of my InstaGram posts here on my blog. I hope you enjoy my adventures.

My blog, Facebook, Instagram and email notices are not behaving well together so if you are viewing this in FACEBOOK just click the post text to see the full post (with photos) on my blog. If you are viewing this in an EMAIL just click the post title to see the full post on my blog.

Day 7. We stopped to take photos of this church in the town of Bantay going south this morning.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 8, 2016 at 6:19am PST

The bell tower near the big church was built as a watch tower to watch out for pirates. Lots a tourists swarming around.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 8, 2016 at 6:23am PST

We spent the afternoon in the town of Vigan. Another popular tourist spot because oh the old houses and the architecture was a fusion of Philippine, Spanish and American. The main living quarters would be on the second floor. And the windows and other architectural features allowed for letting in welcomed breezes. Many in the town were abandoned.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 8, 2016 at 6:29am PST

We toured one well restored mansion in the town. The textiles hanging over the table were there to fan the diners. They were connected to ropes and someone would stand nearby and pull them to make them fan the guests.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 8, 2016 at 6:32am PST

We left Vigan and drove 4 1/2 hours or more going more south to the town of La Union. On the way were rice fields that had been harvested. Goats and cows were grazing in the fields.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 8, 2016 at 6:36am PST

Caught this nice sunset while caught in terrible traffic on a very bumpy road to La Union. I got a lot of knitting done on the long ride. Our goal in La Union was the Thunderbird casino and hotel.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 8, 2016 at 6:41am PST

Every day on my weaving tour of Japan and the Philippines I will repost all of my InstaGram posts here on my blog. I hope you enjoy my adventures.

My blog, Facebook, Instagram and email notices are not behaving well together so if you are viewing this in FACEBOOK just click the post text to see the full post (with photos) on my blog. If you are viewing this in an EMAIL just click the post title to see the full post on my blog.

Day 6 in the city of Laoag in the northern province. We went to two museums then our bus took us out in the countryside to visit several weavers.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 7, 2016 at 4:45am PST

This gorgeous thing is a special hatchet used my head hunters! The museum had textiles but all the stuff/rituals about the head hunters was a big focus.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 7, 2016 at 4:48am PST

Two more tools for head hunters!

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 7, 2016 at 4:50am PST

Earrings for head hunting made of hornbill bill (?) and other things

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 7, 2016 at 4:52am PST

Sally and I bought hats made out of gourds with intricate basketry inside. I'm not sure how I'll get it home. I took the smallest one thinking it will be easier to carry.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 7, 2016 at 4:55am PST

We went to a weaving school in Pinili where a 92 year old woman taught. She is famous for her innovative designs. There were 20 or so looms with different patters set up so people on our tour could really get a sense of how weaving is done and how designs in fabrics are woven in.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 7, 2016 at 5:00am PST

Famous Magdalena Gamayo and one of the children around the school.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 7, 2016 at 5:02am PST

We stopped at this old church in Pacay just long enough to get photos since we had 3 more weaving cooperatives to visit.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 7, 2016 at 5:05am PST

We saw a plot of dragon fruit plants. They are related to Night Blooming Ceres plants. That the one that blooms at night for one night only. The flower is a big as a grapefruit and gorgeous. My plant only blooms once a year.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 7, 2016 at 5:08am PST

A close up of the dragon fruit plant.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 7, 2016 at 5:09am PST

I bought this blanket because the osttern wasn't symmetrical like the other patterns. It is a simple weave that I used to teach my beginners. The weaver is posing with it. I guess it will have to be packed with my gourd hat somehow.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 7, 2016 at 5:12am PST

Just one of the shopping frenzies that take place where ever we go. The prices for these handwoven textiles as well as the traditional designs make them irritable. It was a long and wonderful day out in the country side.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 7, 2016 at 5:14am PST

Every day on my weaving tour of Japan and the Philippines I will repost all of my InstaGram posts here on my blog. I hope you enjoy my adventures.

My blog, Facebook, Instagram and email notices are not behaving well together so if you are viewing this in FACEBOOK just click the post text to see the full post (with photos) on my blog. If you are viewing this in an EMAIL just click the post title to see the full post on my blog.

Day 5. True sign you are in a Philippine airport. We flew at night north of Manilla to Laoag City

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 6, 2016 at 4:11pm PST

Another airport scene. WiFi is dicey do maybe not much to send from here hotel is slightly above marginal.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 6, 2016 at 4:14pm PST

Yesterday I thought the pineapple field was interesting. Today mostly was travel with two flights. One in the morning and the other at night do we had two airport experiences but we made it.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 6, 2016 at 4:19pm PST

A close up of pineapple plants. It surprised me to see that the plants were so close together.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 6, 2016 at 4:22pm PST

A closer view of a pineapple plant. The fruit has been cut off. We saw workers leaving for the day standing in the back of a truck. They wear gloves up to the elbows to protect them from the spikey plants.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 6, 2016 at 4:25pm PST

Every day on my weaving tour of Japan and the Philippines I will repost all of my InstaGram posts here on my blog. I hope you enjoy my adventures.

My blog, Facebook, Instagram and email notices are not behaving well together so if you are viewing this in FACEBOOK just click the post text to see the full post (with photos) on my blog. If you are viewing this in an EMAIL just click the post title to see the full post on my blog.

Day 3. We flew south to lake Sebu and visited weavers in the vial page o Lamkanidang. We had to climb a ladder to get to the top floor where we were met by about 20 weavers. They demonstrated the process of preparing and weaving okay with abaca fiber.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 4, 2016 at 3:39pm PST

The next morning on the lake

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 4, 2016 at 3:39pm PST

We are in jungle country. With the same climate.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 4, 2016 at 3:40pm PST

Children in the village where we could buy the woven work of the women weavers.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 4, 2016 at 3:42pm PST

We road in this truck instead of a long walk to the village

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 4, 2016 at 3:43pm PST

The weavers met us when we finally got there after s long walk on a dirt road. It was worth it.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 4, 2016 at 9:48pm PST

Every day on my weaving tour of Japan and the Philippines I will repost all of my InstaGram posts here on my blog. I hope you enjoy my adventures.

My blog, Facebook, Instagram and email notices are not behaving well together so if you are viewing this in FACEBOOK just click the post text to see the full post (with photos) on my blog. If you are viewing this in an EMAIL just click the post title to see the full post on my blog.

Day 1 in the Philippines: Manilla. This is the view this morning from our hotel window. We are on the 8th floor. It was a beautiful morning.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 2, 2016 at 4:11am PST

This gorgeous dish of squid in its ink was one of several dishes at lunch. My new friend next to me pointed out how lovely the Lacey edge of the ink was. Then we wondered if squid ink was ever used as a dye.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 2, 2016 at 4:18am PST

I folded a napkin and dipped the edges in the ink that was on my plate and blotted it between two napkins.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 2, 2016 at 4:20am PST

I began to unfold the napkin.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 2, 2016 at 4:22am PST

Tonight I completely unfolded my napkin. It smells a little fishy.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 2, 2016 at 4:25am PST

We walked to this museum from our hotel. It's pretty new with innovative display spaces. We went to see indigenous textiles and there was also a fabulous gold exhibit.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 2, 2016 at 4:29am PST

There were several malls around and one led to the next. I liked the name of this place. After dinner it was surprising to see the malls crowded–on a Tuesday night.

A photo posted by Peggy Osterkamp (@peggyoster) on Feb 2, 2016 at 4:31am PST