This is a guest post by Anil from foXnoMad

A Tour of the City

Priyank and I could have been walking around Manila side-by-side and he hit many of the major points that you shouldn’t miss if you’re planning a trip there. Taking a tour of the city is one of the best ways to capture the high points, especially if you have limited time. Manila isn’t the easiest city to navigate on your own and tours within the city are cheap and informative. Also, aside from some mild requests, you won’t be hit up to purchase extras or souvenirs excessively, an annoying aspect I’ve encountered in many other cities in the region.

Fort Santiago

Located inside Intramuros, this former Spanish fort built in the late 1500s has a backdrop of a modern city behind it and is one of the many instances where old meets new in the city. One of the views overlooking the walls is that of a pristine golf course right next door that seems out of place.

St. Agustin Church

As I mentioned last week, religion is prominent in Manila and there is a strong Catholic influence that permeates everything there. There are several churches worth seeing and discovering in Manila and St. Agustin Church is certainly a must. Generally free to the public, make sure you are dressed appropriately.

Balut

One of the Philippine delicacies that Priyank missed out on in his post about Manila was balut. While halo-halo is a refreshing a sweet desert, balut is an adventure that most don’t brave in Manila. (I missed my chance, but won’t the next time I’m there.) Balut is the fertilized egg of a duck that is eaten straight from the shell. This food you can find from street vendors isn’t for the faint of heart…or stomach. You can try your eyes first.

Variety and…Contrast

Manila is an eclectic city and only one stop you should make if you have time in the Philippines. Manila is a great city to explore and launch many more excursions to see the natural beauty the island nation has to offer. It will overwhelm your senses, both imaginary and real.

Any questions or observations? Feel free to ask. I’ll be listening to the comments all day and look forward to hearing from you. Thanks again for making this series as wonderful as it’s turned out, I really enjoyed writing these posts and reading yours.

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• Perceptions and Realities in Manila: [Part 1 of 2] (23)

This is a guest post by Anil from foXnoMad

Manila bay at night

Manila is an eclectic city seemingly in the midst of it all and yet at the edge of the world at the same time. Contrasts between old and new are abound and almost everyone wears a smile when you meet them. Many of Priyank’s assumptions were right on target, including his first taxi ride.

Contrasts

Language

Priyank began his imaginary trip by getting into a cab with a driver who only spoke Tagalog. You’ll find that English is common among the educated but most people you’re likely to encounter driving taxis and jeepneys won’t speak more than a few words. While many won’t speak English you might come across several tour guides that can sing almost every single Elvis song word for word – which I did outside Intramuros, The Walled City (He’s the guy on the left).

Tour guide

Take A Jeepney Instead

One thing that I highly recommend is taking a jeepney to get around. The most popular mode of public transportation in Manlia, many are made from old World War II jeeps left by American soldiers. They can fill up to 8-10 people who hop on and off, passing their money to the driver who never looks back to see the passengers. The entire process works on the honor system. Be prepared to board and exit quickly as jeepneys stop and go with the flow of traffic.

Jeepney

Religion and the West

Catholicism is everywhere in Manila. Most wear crosses, there are elaborate churches throughout the city, and numerous religious icons for sale at shops. Mostly an influence the result of Spanish colonization, aside from religion there is a strong Western current that runs through Manila. Many of the bars, cafes, and restaurants could be taken out of Asia and placed in Europe. And everyone seems finely in tune with US pop culture (especially the NBA).

Manila Church

From People To Places

Many of Priyank’s observations were insightful and mostly accurate. Here are a few more well made points.

• The streets aren’t terrible inside the city but traffic is a nightmare at most hours except the very dead of night.
• Malls aren’t too different than ones you’d find in North America but they are exceptional in how close they mimic them.
• Fashion is comfort meets casual. In the Philippine summer it almost has to be.

Next week I’ll run down some of the places I visited in Manila and compare with Priyank’s imaginary tour of the city. Any questions or observations? Feel free to ask – I’ll be listening to the comments all day and look forward to hearing from you.

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• Perceptions and Realities in Manila: [Part 2 of 2] (17)