Manila Hijacking

Sunday, August 22 2010

When we got back to the hotel from Universal Studios, we got to learn about the hijacking / hostage situation that was taking place in Manila (Philippines). We watched live footage in horror of an ex-cop who took a bus load of Hong Kong tourists hostage.

Read the story here.

Hoola Dancing ~ Amazing Show

From the AMAZING SHOW (Philippines)
Remember: They're all men!

One night only! ~ Amazing Show

From the AMAZING SHOW (Philippines)
People: They are all MEN!

Transportable store!

This is someone's bicycle ...but also their little store selling cigarettes/candy!

Escaping the heat

People look for shade ANYWHERE to escape the heat!

Looking for a job?

There are company stalls outside the public library. People can go there, apply for a job, have an interview on the spot and find out then and there if they're hired. If not, move to the next stall!

Male Urinals

There are male urinals like these all over ~

Halo Halo / Pat-bing-soo

Pat-bing-soo is a very popular summer snack/dessert in Korea. It's a mixture of yogurt or ice cream, fruit, cereal, jelly bits etc... served on crushed ice. In the Philippines, the same thing is called Halo Halo (meaning "mix mix").

It's served like this:

After mixing everything together...

Day 5 - G'Bye Philippines, Friday Jan 30 2009

At departures at NAIA, you have to say your goodbyes outside the airport building. This eliminates congestion inside, which is pretty great...Security allowed my aunt to stand in the queue with me right up to where I had to present my ID and scan my luggage.

Similar to what I saw at Changi Airport in Singapore

Ohhh ~ I had a 30 minute Shiatsu massage

Few minutes before boarding

Good bye Philippines!

...Happy to be back in Korea (Incheon Airport)

Day 4 - Cowboy Grill, Thursday Jan 29 2009

There was a travel agency at our hotel, and the ladies there helped us out with a few necessary things. For the first day, they thought my aunt was my mother because she kept calling me 'anak' which means 'my child' in Tagalog. They were very friendly and loads of fun... so ~ we went out with them on Thursday night when they finished work! (at 22:30)!

This pizza was goo-oood! But SO garlicy

There was live music ~ I really can't stand live music.
Singers scream and when it's SO loud...how can anyone enjoy it?

Day 4 - Divisoria Market, Thursday Jan 29 2009

Divisoria Market is ... incredible! One doesn't quite know where to look... where to walk. You have to clutch on to your bag (in my case ... a camera as well). So we stopped to buy sandals for my aunt, but they didn't have her size. The woman YELLED to a man in a buidling across the street.... I couldn't see who she was talking/screaming to.

So I walked across the street... looked up at the building, and saw a man standing at the window. He put something in a bucket and that was connected to a cable-like thing and reeled the bucket across the road (from the one building to the next) ... with my aunt's sandals inside!

Beads beads beads

Sandals

Hangers

Manicure in the middle of the street!

While we were at lunch, these guys were posing for me outside!

Day 4 - Manila Zoo, Thursday Jan 29 2009

We went to the Manila Zoo on Thursday.
It was pretty run down and some animals looked really sick.

Filipino school kids on a field trip

Day 3 - White Bird, Wednesday Jan 28 2009

After the Amazing Show, we rested a bit at the hotel. And around 22:30, my aunt and I decided to go out shopping. On our way to the market, we greeted a group of guys that were near our hotel. One guy appeared to be advertising a bar... and asked if we wanted to go to one. We thought - Why not? The place was called White Bird.

We were ushered into the bar... and seated on a couch facing a stage. We were given menus and ordered a drink. And then... there were male dancers on the stage in front of us! The manager came to introduce himself to us and came to sit down next to me. He was dressed in pants and blazer ...and earrings. He pointed to a room with a large window. There were about 15 guys wearing white vests. The manager told me that I could choose any guy I want to dance for us. (I didn't...)

Anyways... there was music... there was dancing...there was a pole. 'Nuff said! One guy got off the stage to dance in front of me, but when he got too close we chased him away.

After we paid (and we were cheated!) ... we hurried out of there so fast and agreed that we'd put it down to life experience. We still went shopping after that! Only got back to our hotel around 2am and chatted while eating junk food ;) It was a great night!

Day 3 - Amazing Show, Wednesday Jan 28 2009

This is a 70-minute musical variety show highlighting world culture.

It also features some of the some of the most beautiful transvestites in Asia.

NOTE: Transvestite = someone who adopts the dress

or manner or sexual role of the opposite sex

So... all these 'women' are actually men!

They were... beautiful!

Phantom of the Opera

Dream Girls

This gal was a hit with the audience

Cabaret performance

Japanese dance

So sexy

Is it a guy?

Is it a girl?

It's both!

Korean fan dance ~ Buchaechum

This guy (in white) was the only 'guy' in the show .... WOW!

Just for the record: HE held ME.
(And I told him he was cute!)