Manila

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.Manila, Philippines
Thursday April 16th, 2009
Last port before Hong Kong and disembarking
Lovely beautiful sunny day, all day but H O T
We started off by getting our meeting plans crossed, I got off the boat at 7:30 as soon as the ship was cleared, but the plan was to meet at St-Agustin church at 8:30. Finally around 8, waiting in the sun with the dancers and the drummers there to welcome us, everybody got together, 12 of us, which is too many, we started walking very fast to the east end of the walled Old city called Intramuros.
We soon realized that we could not keep up the pace and T and I lost the group; we met up with 4 at the church and museum of St-Agustin and 2 decided to go back to the ship an rethink their day’s plan. T, Ron, Jean and I continued our planned itinerary a little slower than before as it was getting hotter by the minute. After St-Agustin we saw the 19th century Casa Manila, a colonial lifestyle museum, and the cathedral; we never made it to the bamboo organ church, just not enough time. Our last stop was the Fort of Santiago, an old Spanish stone fortress and memorial of sorts to Dr Jose Rizal, the Louis Riel of the Philippines; he was confined during his trial for sedition. His famous poem, sent hidden in an oil lamp after his execution is translated in many languages all over the museum and his cell bloc.
We then taxied back to the ship around noon. At the gate, I almost got into a cab but Ron saved the day again and directed me to the free shuttle so we could make our way to the Mall Of Asia; I really did not want to see the Mall but as it was a long drive west of the city into the newer section, it was worth the effort. We walked the halls and stopped at Kultura Filopino where the whole sale staff was dancing to loud music in the halls of the store, interesting. We also ate at Chowking and it was ok.
Back home early at 2, we cooled off in our room; I swam a bit and usual 6 tea club meeting on deck 9.
1000 visitors came on board, as many staff members met their families in this port; Indonesians do all the housekeeping and culinary work around the ship and Filipinos man the bars.
Terry is anxious to get off the ship, 33 days is too long for him, 2 weeks enough he says.

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