Manila

Manila new
Manila old

Are the jeepneys racing each other?

Hot, humid, hectic and just a little fumey. You take your life into your own hands trying to cross the road and put your life into someone elses hands if you jump on to one of the many jeepneys or peddle carts that are all over the city - which I haven't done as I have no idea where the jeepneys are going and most places can be walked to relatively easily. There isn't much to see here in terms of sights and buildings but there are a few nicely laid out and clean parks and the Spanish have left their mark in the older part of a walled in town and fort. There is also a hectic and bustling chinatown with market stalls strewn about the streets, some streets pedestrian only but others you are sharing with all the colourful jeepneys. I haven't taken many pictures as although I feel quite safe walking around I do stand out quite a bit as a westerner and I get stared at quite a bit so I have left my camera tucked away in my bag. The people are very friendly and there is a bit of a western feel here, with a Marks and Spencers in the mall and starbucks in quite a few places, as well as restaurants selling wide and varied types of food - I have succumbed to an iced chocolate in Starbucks -it was lovely and cost US$2 :-) I have also, for US$10, bought myself a sarong, a towel, a few new t-shirts and stocked up on toiletries so I am all set to move on and go and find an idealic beach somewhere and chill - destination Palawan.