Many of us come to this beautiful part of the world to visit, to live here for a few years, or to simply pass through on our way to somewhere else. We look around us when we arrive and we see any new things which interest us greatly, but about which we know very little. It was with this in mind that I wrote my booklet. I hope it will help newcomers to the Philippines to learn a little about when these ceramic wares were made, their recognizable shapes and colors, why the traders brought them here and their uses. -- Joy Brigstocke, the author