Manila

I arrived in Manila around noon, to rain and wind. Immediately I took a taxi to my hotel, in downtown Manila. While we drove, I looked around at the "poor-ness" of the city. It was so dirty, trash laying around on the side of the street. I saw so many homeless people, huddled under a makeshift overhang. People where doing their laundry outside of what looked like their house, it was so sad. What is strange to me, is that people from Bohol move to Manila to get a better job which means more money and the ability to send financial support back to their family in Bohol. But what I saw in Manila, was much worse conditions that I ever saw in Bohol.

My hotel, somewhat in the middle of this, was very nice. There were butlers that greeted me, took my bags for me (initially so the guard dog could sniff them), and escorted me up to my room. My room was very nice and plush. Even though it was raining, I wanted to get out to see the sights. I took a shower, a warm one ;-), and then headed out. I had asked many people back in Bohol what I should see on my 1/2 day visit. Most of them had to think a while, as there is not a lot to see in the city. Most of the tourism is on the other outlaying islands. I had a few ideas but asked a butler downstairs his opinion. It had started raining harder, so the option of going to the zoo, the park, museum (outside), or fort was no longer. The butler's recommendation? Go to the Mall of Asia.... a mall? I'm not a big shopper, as I usually have my list in hand, buy the things on my list and get outta there. But I didn't want to stay in the hotel all day. So I went to Harrison Mall first, as I had an errand to run for Dennis, picking up cheap contacts for his son in the US. I have to admit I was a little.... frightened. It kind of reminded me of a Chinese market, crowded and full of cheap stuff. Guys were yelling at me to come buy there product. I found the store I needed and got out of there. On to the Mall of Asia... maybe they have a Starbucks? Yes, 2! I actually arrived and found a place to eat first as I hadn't eaten in many hours. I walked around for a while and realized how huge this place was. It was two stories, but very much spread out. I know I didn't hit every section of the mall before I was "done" window shopping. I eventually found a Starbucks and was able to buy a Manila mug... YEAH!!! I also ordered my first coffee in 6 weeks! I did order a tall and a decaf though, since it was 4pm and I did want to sleep that night. I left the mall and took a taxi to the Robinson's Mall. This mall I knew was two blocks from my hotel. I wanted to know if it had a Starbucks, how to walk to it from the hotel, and what time it opened.

It did have a Starbucks and it opened at 7am, perfect! I walked around this smaller mall a while, thinking I could come back for dinner, so I was scoping out places to eat. However, as I was leaving a short while later it was pouring outside! I didn't want to take a taxi because I knew my hotel was close, I could see it... two blocks away. So I waited a while thinking the rain would let up a little. It didn't so I went for it, trying to find any type of overhang to walk under. As I briskly walked the two blocks, 3 people came up to me trying to sell me an umbrella - I refused. The rest of the night continued to pour so I didn't make it out again. I watched a movie and read, and ordered room service. It was actually quite cheap for room service, I was surprised. So I hunkered down in the hotel, ready to leave the next morning.

This morning I woke up before my alarm, ready to go. I got ready and took a walk, only to go to Starbucks. Walking back with breakfast and coffee... mentally and physically preparing myself for American materialism again. It tasted delicious!

At eight I was ready to go and checked out. I got a taxi and almost didn't make it to the airport. Mom, you may not want to read this....we were going 120 km/h on a major road. I'm not sure how fast that is in comparison to mph but it felt WAY too fast. I thought of those video games I played on Nintendo as a kid, where you are racing other cars, weaving in and out. Coming up behind a car extremely fast, and then jerking to the right to get into the other lane, and then shortly jerking to the left to get back in that lane. It was... dangerous! As we started on the abrupt incline of a small bridge I literally flew up high enough that my behind left my seat and my hands went up to the roof. We did not slow down. Four seconds later as we started making the brief decline off the bridge, the driver came up on another driver way too fast. The other driver was starting to pull into our lane but my taxi did not slow down. Eventually he slammed on the brakes as the taxi started going horizontal screeching its brakes. I thought for sure we would either hit the car in front of us or hit the side of the bridge or both. PTL we didn't but it was definitely the Lord because we should have! I thought about saying something to the driver, "Slow down" or "I'm not in a hurry" but I realized it probably shocked as well because he slowed down considerably after that.

I arrived at the airport 2 1/2 hours before my departure. It took me less than 45 minutes to check in, go through security and go through customs. It has never taken that short of time before. I walked around for a while, until a woman approached me asking if I wanted to sit in an exclusive lounge for a small fee. It was quite a small fee, but it had a "free" buffet and WiFi. I decided to take the opportunity. That is where I typed half of the previous blog.

My flight from Manila to Taipei was uneventful. I read for a short while and then a Filipino man sitting next to me wanted to talk. He now lives in Texas, but I could still understand only about half of what he was saying. I just nodded a lot of the time. As I arrived in Taipei, I've been walking around until I found this free WiFi station. It's so great! I'll add a few pictures of Manila when I arrive home! I'll be home soon!