I took a 3 hour "overnight" flight from Bangkok, which was pretty horrible as I was in one of those exit row seats which does not recline. True to form, I didn't sleep a wink and arrived in Manila a complete sleep-deprived zombie (I really need to put a stop to this overnight travel stuff because it tends to mess up my sleep pattern for a few days and induce general grouchiness).
My first impression of the Manila was of your typical big, dirty, SE Asian capital city, but after a few hours of wandering around (and consuming approximately one liter of coffee), I started to sense that Manila had a very different feel. What really set the city apart in my mind, were the people. Everyone, and I mean everyone, is friendly. Not that fake I-want-to-sell-you-a-tour-so-I'll-pretend-to-be-your-friend crap, but genuinely kind and eager to help you out or just strike up a conversation. As an added bonus, almost everyone speaks English or a blend of Tagalog and English, so you can actually connect with people and there is no more of this point-and-gesture food ordering business.
The Philippines isn't a typical backpacker destination and, in general, there aren't too many tourists, which means that the locals aren't yet jaded about the negative effects of the tourism industry and actually kind of curious about visitors. What a refreshing change from Bangkok and the backpacker trail. Of course, this comes at a price. While the Philippines doesn't seem to attract a lot of budget travelers, for some reason (which I have not yet entirely figured out), it does attract more than its fare share of sex tourists. Fortunately for me, I don't frequent the same establishments as these creeps, so I don't have to interact much with them.
Upon arrival in Manila, I checked into Friendly's Guesthouse, which I would highly recommend. This guesthouse is one of these special places that is owned and run by an enthusiastic local backpacker and just exudes a welcoming traveler vibe (a bit like my friend Laura's hostel in Panama). The owner is a human travel encyclopedia for the Philippines and has really fostered a fun atmosphere at his place.
One of my favorite things about arriving in Manila was having access to a kitchen. Yes, you heard me right, I was excited about a kitchen (for those who don't know, I'm not exactly wonderchef). I'd been missing western food since Bangkok, so I was looking forward to a grocery story and preparing some of my own meals. I almost did cartwheels down the supermarket aisle when I discovered that there was an entire section devoted to cheese. I returned to the hostel laden with two bags of dairy products and enjoyed them all to the last morsel. I think that finally took care of my western food cravings, at least for now.
-Julia
A little pandemonium at the Bangkok airport
Manila
Interesting public message
Intramuros, Manila's old Spanish Colonial town center
The "jeepney", a cross between a jeep and a small bus...definitely the most colorful way to get around town
World War II Memorial (Central Manila was almost completely destroyed during the war)
Intramuros church
More jeepneys, I really liked these things
Manila skyline from Friendly's guesthouse
1 comment:
Well, I have to admit that there is hardly really any tourist destinations in Manila. Down south (by boat or by plane) is where the best places and where most of the tourists are. But then you did go South to Coron after all. :)
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