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Published: January 18th 2014
That old saying if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything is dancing around my mind as I write this. Quartermaines blog that went viral and suffered a vitriolic attack from outraged Filipinos has been one of the reasons I have struggled with do I write this blog or don't I? This is a rant at Manila, not the Phillipines as a nation or Filipino people.
Why do i even write travel blogs? So when I go senile my great grandchildren can read me them and I can say...oh? really? I was in a Cambodian brothel? how sweet pass Gran a lolly.
So here goes. Manila, when I arrived it was 4.20am and I was on the first bus to the Batangas at 5am. So I saw you fly past out of a bus window shrouded in half darkness and what I thought was tropical morning haze....make that pollution. Nice enough bus, good fast service. Arrived on time at the port in Batangas, all good.
My flight out of Manila was at 1.35pm so Sky and the wonderful Cherry at South Sea Divers suggested I spend the night in Manila as even catching the 5am ferry would make it a risk due to the Manila traffic. Im a reasonably seasoned traveller so can work out a bus timetable in most places. Cherry kept suggesting to bypass local bus transport and make things simple by taking the SI Kat which is a ferry and bus combination right to the door of the City State Towers hotel in Manila where they had booked me a room for my layover. 750 pesos, using local transport and later ferries I would've had time for another dive and saved some money but I'm glad I listened to Cherry. I left Sabang at 9.30am and did not get to the room until 2.pm. I would not have made my flight unless I had listened and taken the layover option.
The bus ride back to Manila from Batangas started off easily enough if not for the aggressive porter who had grabbed my bag off me and carried it to the bus then boarding the bus and demanding porter fees..100 pesos. Get real. I gave him 20 pesos. He gave me the finger. I spent the bus ride chatting with a lovely English guy who had been the only man in Sabang to end up with a sad ending massage...his masseuse had recently been dumped by her boyfriend so the poor girl ended up sobbing dripping tears onto his back as she massaged him. He ended up counselling her as she didn't want money she just wanted her boyfriend back. I noticed a street kid sleeping on an island on the main road in a pretty awkward position face down and wondered if he was alive. Manila revealed her grim grey grimy slums through the smog as the bus made its way into the city.
So, I had 24 hours in Manila. The City State Hotel had an impressive lobby. Chandeliers, marble floors, sweeping staircases and excellent staff on the front desk. Even a concierge happy to lug my bags....once I got into the lobby after having been checked by security. Security wiped some detector over me and my bags, I'm OK with that. A mangy looking dog at the end of a lead held by one of the security guys then went to work on my bag, and me. Sorry Sir but I will step back when the dog buries its nose in my crotch then jumps up scratching my shoulders with its claws. He may have reprimanded the dog for jumping up but he certainly didn't need to smirk about the crotch sniff.
Still relatively happy I checked in....you are paying cash? well we require a 200% deposit for cash, which we will hold and exchange at our highly inflated rates. Fine, I hand over a hundred US note. That is 200% plus a bit more. You cant give me my change but will sort it out in the morning when I check out..OK, fine, I now have no cash at all except for 100 pesos so will have to find an ATM. Shouldn't be a problem, Cherry gave me directions to Robinson Mall where I could buy anything. Ahh anything?
While in Sabang I met a woman from Germany who asked me if I had a tampon as she had not been able to find any anywhere on Puerto Galera. I walked with her to the chemist who said no, not available but you may be able to get some in Manila. Luckily for her I had some in my emergencies bag and gave her some, but I thought I would see if this thing about Tampons being full of mercury as explained by the pharmacist in Sabang was true.
I got to Robinsons Mall without too much drama, holding my nose each time I passed a balut seller. Slammed into a few people who do that peculiar Asian thing of walking along and suddenly coming to a dead stop for no apparent reason. Found the mall and got passed the security pat down and dog - this one a non crotch sniffing model - and into the mall. I tried the massive supermarket, napkins only. I saw a chemist so went and asked there. The woman behind the counter looked at me when I asked about tampons and said..."We don't use these ones, only bar girls and sluts" and promptly turned her back.....did she just call me a slut???
Hmm. Manila no wonder your tourists are often annoyed. If this is the way your service industry treats tourists in your capital city, no wonder you get bad reviews.
Mood deteriorating rapidly I went wandering past the Pacquino store and found a food court. The japanese place looked popular even though it was looking out towards a very noisy exercise demonstration being held in the middle of the food court area. The sashimi was 150 pesos so I looked and was fishing around for 50 pesos in coins when i realised it was a thousand peso note I had. Ok, good to go. I called for the check and paid and waited..and waited..listening to the superloud gangnam style exercise demo lady loudly shouting see this old woman of 45 years, she can even be fit. I noticed the guy next to me also fidgeting around waiting for his change. Eventually he got up and loudly shouted WHERE IS MY CHANGE. So I stood up and shouted MINE TOO over the music. The waiter ambled over and gave me a snide look and said....Madam, I thought it was a tip. Yes, I always tip 850 pesos for a 150 peso item. I left him no tip at all.
Enough. Back to the hotel for a sleep and a proper meal from room service. First I had to find an ATM which I did. I didnt expect or want the armed guard inside the little cubicle with me. In every other country the guard stands outside not tries to peer over your shoulder at what you are keying in on the keypad. I asked him to turn around. He did not. He had a gun I did not so, guess I lost that argument before it even began.
I finally made it past crotch sniffing dog and up to my room and had a nice hot shower. I ordered up a feed and turned on the tv....one channel in Filipino. No English channels at all. I mentioned this to the guy who delivered my food and he said he would bring it to the attention of the manager when he bought my change back. An hour later, no change. I went down to the front desk and asked for my change - 650 pesos. Again, oh sorry madam, I thought it was a tip. Look, I have no problem tipping people, but don't assume I am an idiot there to line your pockets. I grumped back up to my room to try and get some sleep only to find Manilas loudest videoke bar backed onto my hotel room. The Katy Perry hour ended at midnight. The Rolling Stones hour ended at 1am. The 80s hour ended at 2am. I think i fell asleep somewhere in the Romantic songs hour around 3am.
On checkout I had a cab booked to get to NAIA for my flight. As soon as I got in the driver locked the doors. We drove past the kid on the median strip I noticed the day before, his position unchanged. Excuse me but I believe you have a dead kid on the street there I mentioned to the cab driver..he just shook his head. Three hours ahead of my flight I got to the airport and web checked in. I showed my check in to one of Air Cebu Pacific's staff. Counter B. I stood in line and finally got to the head of the counter to be told wrong queue..go to the next bank of counters. I stood in line there after showing my pass to the staff. I got to the counter. Wrong queue madam, the other end of the airport. Gee thanks. I finally after standing in queues for an hour got to the right queue and checked in.
Through immigration and into the departure lounge where a huge crowd of people seemed to be gathering. I started chatting to a Aussie expat aka living in the Philippines for the pussy as he candidly explained because he seemed to be the only person who wanted to acknowledge me. The airline speakers suddenly announced that the flight was overbooked and anyone wishing to give up their seat would be given a free return flight anywhere in the Philippines. Old Aussie pussy hunter grabbed my arm and barged through the mass of Filipino people lining up to try and get on the flight pushing them aside.....seems even the Filipinos are desperate to get out of Manila.
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SkiSet
The Ds
Manila ..... haven't had the pleasure
Hi Cindy, Great blog ..... travel broadens our horizons for a variety of reasons from the experiences we have in the destinations we choose. Whether they be pleasurable experiences or show it like it really is - warts and all. I always look back with great fondness to the TB get-together in Sydney. A not-quite-so-green TBer now, I am so glad that I got to meet all of you who made me feel so welcome and, with special thanks to The Travel Camel who made it all possible. And, you're right. TBers don't compete with each other - we share. Cheers, Jan