Ride

the different modes of transportation available in Manila

Light

There are two kinds of light - the glow that illumines, and the glare that obscures.
~James Thurber

summer reprieve

i got my favorite too... cheese ice cream!

Manila Fishbowl

i spent the day at the auqarium yesterday. being a relatively new feature in manila, it was jampacked. probably the noisiest aquarium i've been to. but it was still nice seeing tons of kids oohing and aahing at the fish. im just glad i had my fisheyes at the fishbowl!

Sunset

nothing is more beautiful than a manila bay sunset seen through fisheyes :-)

Signs

yes, billboard signs. we have them dotting almost all our major highways. this would have been a typical except that the traffic is unusually light... well, it's saturday, so no one's awake yet. happy weekend everyone!

Opening Shop

Filipinos have taken bazaars and flea markets onto a whole new level at Greenhills Shopping Center. here, you can search for great finds in the comforts of an air-conditioned maze-like mall. from knock-offs to original Filipino designs to mass produced chinese goods, greenhills offers a shopping mecca to both local and foreign hard-core shoppers alike. the best time to go is of course right at opening to avoid the huge crowds and to get the special "buena mano" discount-- most shop owners think the first sale of the day brings luck so they offer discounts just to make sure they get the sale.

Golf

This was taken at the Presidential golf course, with a stunning background of the Presidential Palace. on tournaments, tee off for Hole No 1 is right from the Palace grounds, cross the river and onto the green on the other bank. i have never tried it, but i already know i will not make it. i'm not exactly a long hitter.

in a month's time another President will be playing on these greens. I have chosen my President, for Monday i am wearing green. i hope the others will choose based on their convictions and not just on what looks good on tv. Sulong Pilipinas!

P.S. this is an old old photo. we have all lost weight (and for some hair too!) since then. guess the golfing helped!

Worldwide Phenom

McD's is a worldwide phenomenon. i don't think i have been to a city outside of manila that does not have mcdonald's. sad or not, i'll let you be the judge.

in Manila, McD's is a favorite place for birthday parties for kids... until a friend of mine decided to surprise her boyfriend with one. it was fun seeing a roomful of 30-year-old lawyers playing with ronald mcdonald and popping balloons. in our suits.

and what children's party is ever complete without the fried chicken? yes, my friends, McD's in Manila has fried chicken. and we eat it with rice too. enjoy!

Philippine Macaque

the long tailed macaque is found in the few rapidly-disappearing forests neighbouring Manila. sadly, seeing them is becoming more rare these days. found them on the side of the road in corregidor.

Brothers in Arms

i went to corregidor yesterday for a much needed break. it was my first time to go to the last stronghold of american and filipino troops before their fall to enemy hands in world war ii. the site is an amazing shrine to the heroism and valor of the soldiers.

the tour started with a ferry ride from Manila bay to the island. it was amazing. oddly enough, agfter the obligatory seaview photos, everyone rushed back to their air-conditioned seats and left me at the stern all by myself to enjoy and bask under the sun. i loved loved it.

this was the dock at corregidor. the sky was blue and the sun was beating down. it was a perfect day for exploring the tiny island.

the ruins on the island allowed me to catch a glimpse of life in the former military installation. the guide said the servicemen had a pretty laid-back workday: they reported for duty at 8 a.m., broke for lunch at 11:30 and pretty much had the afternoon to do whatever they want until formation. seemed ironic that tyhey were given so much free time which they could lose at the single clanging of the bell signalling the arrival of the enemy.

General McArthur sure is popular among the ladies, wink wink.

this was the longest American gun on the island. and yes, i was referring to the picture below, not the one above.

i absolutely love this photo will be my entry for the may theme day. it depicts the camaraderie between american and filipino soldiers all too well. brothers in arms indeed.

this was taken inside the malinta tunnel, a temporary location for Philippine government during the war. it was eerie imagining what life was like within those walls carved out of solid stone, not being able to see daylight for days on end.

and when the island fell to enemy hands, they also used it as a headquarters until it was retaken in 1945.

all in all, it was a great day tour. i got my fill of the sun and history. i coudln't be happier. and i made it back to the office just in time for my 5p.m. meeting. hope you had a great weekend!

this is a view of Manila on our way in from Corregidor.