The Philippines consists of 7107 islands in the western Pacific Ocean, only 2000 of which are inhabited. Only about 1000 islands are larger than one sq km and 2500 aren't even named.
Filipino cuisine has Chinese, Malay and Spanish influences.
Barbecued sticks of meat or seafood are popular evening snacks. Standard dishes, always served with rice, include meat and vegetables cooked with vinegar and garlic, grilled grouper, meat stews and a huge variety of soups - rice, noodle, beef, chicken, liver, kneecap, offal and sour vegetable. Side dishes include strips of unripened papaya, fermented fish or shrimp paste and bite-sized pieces of crispy pig skin. Halo-halo is a dessert made from crushed ice mixed with sweets and fruits and smothered in evaporated milk. Several hotels in Angeles offer tours to Mt Pinatubo which erupted violently in 1991 and left an amazing landscape.