Top: From the filth of Manila's Chinatown
Middle: . . . to the luxury of the Peninsula Hotel. I'll take the latter any day.
Bottom: Home to Imelda Marcos. She owns the 23rd floor - just a block away from my hotel.
My day began at 5 am with the sun rising! Up early and to breakfast when it opened at 6:30 am.
Left the hotel about 10 and went to the Glorietta Mall and the Greenwood Mall. Both are massive and beautiful. Anything you want.
Got a taxi and headed to Manila's Chinatown. Crowded, dirty, and typical of what I've seen in "Chinatowns" before. The streets were very crowded with lots of shopping, "soliciting", and people trying to get "too close for comfort" to me. I understand pick-pockets abound here so I was very cautious.
Went to the Lacson Monument on Carriedo Street, the Santa Cruz Church, the Carriedo Fountain, and the Arch of Goodwill.
Stopped at a Chow King and had a "halo-halo" (translated into English as "mix-mix". It is a combination of shaved ice, "yam" ice cream (the purple one), dried fruits, sauces, and I think nuts - but there were some things I couldn't identify. The objective is to mix it up - and it was REALLY GOOD and refreshing. Enjoyed that. Thanks to Riza Ford for tipping me off on that special thing.
Walked around a while and went through an area that was all radios and amplifiers. I think the objective was to see who could play their boom-boom-boom music the loudest!
Walked back to the Arch of Goodwill and hailed a taxi to take me back to the Peninsula. Since it's Sunday the streets weren't as crowded as usual and I only felt that I was going to lose my life 5 times instead of 25 times!!!! The taxi drivers are WILD - WILD - WILD. Note to self: NEVER, NEVER drive in the Philippines. But the taxis are very, very cheap - never more than 100-200 Pesos (equivalent of $2-4 US).
Got back to the Peninsula in late afternoon and went to relax by the pool while it is so, so hot outside. Finished my first book of the trip!
Cleaned up and started packing for the 2nd of 12 times on this trip! Ugh!
Had a light dinner at the hotel - good but nothing spectacular. To bed early as I was up early and didn't have a nap. Looking forward to Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur.
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