Parc Haus Suites Makati

... but they did not sell vodka or rum at this shop. They directed me to one by the doors. Next I followed the group to customs where I got in the visitor line. In front of me were two young guys, one tattooed and looking at bit like a bum and the other looking like an abercrombie & fitch model. They were from Sweden and were heading to Boracay for the nightlife and diving Very personable guys. Customs went well and I went to collect my baggage. It was ...

... and are back in (the comparitively serene and quiet) Bangkok. On re-reading this, one might get the hint I hated Manila. Nope.  It was amazing.  We were quite amazed at the lack of tourists - perhaps this is because of its reputation.  Don't get me wrong.  There were some tourists.  But if you are expecting Khao San Road, or Pham Nu Lao, forget it.  I do imagine, however, that some tourists, headed for the islands, spend their time in Manila inside their hotel.  We ...

... and to Glorietta, which was located at the Central Business District. We bought our snorkeling sets, snacks, mosquito repellant, anti-motion sickness pills, etc. The malls were pretty busy specially that today was a holiday (Holy Monday). I was exhausted to the bone today, and I can hardly wait for our trip to the islands tomorrow.

... just walked around a bit, getting my bearings, and soon it got dark. In the morning I went to look for a different hotel. I checked many, and they were either more expensive than my current one or worse. I finally found a fairly decent room at Hotel Juliano. I took a family room for 1000 pesos. The single and double rooms were too small. It was a decent room with A/C, TV, and private bath with hot water. My only gripe about the ...

... trips by us to buy the parts they needed to install, some of the issues (not all) were resolved. But in the meantime other lights in the living room started to go out. A couple were just bulbs that needed to be replaced and we took care of those. But other were out due to bad ballasts or wiring which required more maintenance calls, more trips to buy parts and more time wasted waiting for the repair guys to show ...

... and have dinners with visiting dignitaries all in the name of diplomacy.We could eat and drink too much but at least it would be for a noble cause. Shots of vodka with the Russians, big bowls of spaghetti with the Italians, chargrilled burgers with the Americans. And we could finally get those burgers the way we really want them even if we had to bring over a chef from the states to cook them.

... the Philippine tinikling using six bamboo poles. The steps were the same, although there were variations in movements and tempo. How could cultures be so diverse and similar at the same time? Time to call it a night. I had a huge bathtub in my room and I treated myself to a warm bath. I leisurely sat on the tub, closed my eyes, and felt the water caress my body. In my mind, I recalled images of caves, mists, and clouds, and those wonderful serene mountains of Guilin. February 14 Day 4 ...

... The village was in complete darkness (power cut) as we shouted for help. Any other time it would have been a laugh but we were both knackered from hiking. Thirty minutes of shouting bore fruit and Johnny came to the rescue but also chastising us. I asked him how many people had done this before...'none' was his reply. Two things I have learned about the Filipinos since arriving that really fascinate me. Firstly, what they call 'bahala na' which roughly translated means 'all ...

... in Arabic. The ladies all had a great sense of humor, and thought it was particularly funny when I told them my age. I have the impression that they think every white man is over fifty. With a rare few exceptions, I think they all are. My stylist was thin as a rail, and had a chic feminine hair cut, a layer of foundation, and two lumps under his shirt. He also did a great job and my hair is as short as it would be had he used a razor, except he did it all with ...

... local Filipino act, while I slurp on my watery Long Island Ice Tea. I go for a wander around the Greenbelt and most bars are a little quiet, and thus retiring might be the best option. I return to the 7 11 near my hotel, and to my great disdain, they stopped selling beer at midnight, because it's Election Day in the Philippines on Sunday. What a 3rd world thing to do... I'm shattered.