First Day

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At the hostel I met up with a bunch of high school grads from Denmark. They like it here in Malate. They're planning on being in the Philippines, in this area specifically, for 3 weeks. They're doing the "In Europe, kids travel the world before heading to college" thing. They like it in the Philippines, the only thing is they say it's more expensive than Indonesia and Thailand. Hard to believe. I came here because things are cheaper.

Later on I met up with some girls from the Netherlands. One was visiting the other. The one living here is doing volunteer work. They also are planning on spending New Year's Eve here.

There are lots to do in this area. The closest I can think of being like is pre-Guiliani Lower East Side, meaning, despite the grunge there are lots to do here in terms of clubs and bars.

I made plans to meet up with my relatives here at the US Embassy along Manila Bay. I got there on time. I waited around for half an hour, then I guess I started to look suspicious. I got kicked out, nicely, by one of the guards. My cousin told me that if people say they're going to meet you at 10:00, it means they'll do their best to make it by 10:30.

I spent most of the day with them, walking around Quiapo, then Baclaran via the tram. That was pretty intense, with the markets and crowds and stuff. We ended the day at a mall. They said they wanted to show me the worst and best of Manila. The local markets weren't the worst, I thought all were the same, it's all part of the country. It's just its poor and rich people doing their thing. Constantly you're reminded you're in a 2nd world country. They don't have homeless people here, they have homeless families, laying out in the street on cardboards.

It was great, I had a chance to take the tram by myself on the way back. It was very easy. I got confused on the way. I would try to ask them in Tagalog but I'm too embarassed, so I would just ask them in English. Everyone here speaks English.

They don't have sidewalks here.

With New Year's Eve coming up, they have an ad campaign with colorful, graphic photos of hands and limbs having blown up by fireworks everywhere. Kinda gross.

Still hot and humid.

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