Chilla in Manila

Manila Bay fishermen

Haven't written much the past few days because, well, there hasn't been much to write. Manila is humid, humid, humid and I can't walk more than 5 minutes before being covered in sweat, which tends to sap one's motivation to be out conquering a place. I've kind of just gotten used to it, frankly, and hardly even notice anymore when I'm glistening head to toe, but twice I have walked into coffee shops to get a cold drink and when I got up to the register, before even saying a word, the worker just handed me a bunch of paper towels. Oh yes, it's very attractive.

This guy was washing his laundry.

So I've been going slow and taking it easy. I walk slowly and I take lots of drink breaks and I don't try to cram in as much as I would normally. One whole day consisted of me sauntering along the bay walk and meandering down around the pier area, about a mile in each direction. It was nice and I got to talk to lots of people and I got to drink lots of iced coffees along the way. And that was that day.

One of the nicer views of Manila that I saw. Hard to reconcile
that if you walk one block into town, it is a completely
different world.

Another day consisted of me going to the big market area, Divisoria. It's a street market that covers about 50 blocks (I'm totally guessing) and goes up and down streets and in and out of tiny alleys and seems never-ending and as if it's totally impossible to see it all. The nice thing about it is that it's a market for the locals, not a tourist thing (although I don't really think this city has any tourist things), so the merchants don't bother you, no one is harassing you to buy things as they're seemingly not really that interested in your business. Which was quite nice to just be able to walk around and look at things and not feel pressured constantly as has happened in other countries, which left me feeling like I couldn't look at anything. Of course, it didn't stop people from staring as I think I may have stood out there even more than anywhere else in the city as the market is set in a particularly dodgy and run-down end of town and clearly doesn't attract outsiders (I saw exactly one other white person my whole time there). It's one of the most chaotic market scenes I've ever been witness to and, having been to India, that's saying something. The filth and trash and noise and foul air and car fumes and people peeing in the street and raw meat/fish laying out in the baking sun and tens of thousands of people crushed together and cars/trucks running through the middle of the whole thing all made for quite the assault on every one of the 5 senses. It was actually one of the cooler things I did in Manila!

The funny part of this picture is that, even though you can't
make it out, the sign posted on that fence reads
"No Fishing This Area". Yep, the sign in the middle
of all of those guys fishing.

Other than that, not much to report. Manila has not been a favorite and I'm ready to leave tomorrow (three days here would have been more than sufficient). But I'll leave you with a few random items/experiences I've garnered along the way:

1. They use paper straws here. Which, if you think about it, makes no sense. Roll up a piece of paper and then suck something wet up through it and tell me what happens. Yep.

2. I noticed immediately that Manila seemingly has no crossing signs at intersections (I did see one but it was broken... of course). There is no system, you just go for it. On my first day, still playing the good American and waiting for some sort of obvious sign as to when I could cross a multi-lane road, an old guy saw me, came over and grabbed my arm and led me right out into the middle of the street, him holding up his hand to cars and them stopping along the way until we reached the other side. And that is the way it's done here. You wait for the tiniest of pauses in traffic, hold your breath, close your eyes and go for it.

The baywalk

3. Poverty is rampant here and I'm sure not many people can afford to buy a whole pack of cigarettes. Which is why it's brilliant that the street vendors will allow you to buy just one at a time. They also keep a lighter on a string on the cart that the customers can use. Genius!

4. I was sitting outside my hotel one day and saw some boys across the street picking on a much littler kid who was crying. A guy who had been sitting near me got up and crossed the street and yelled at the older boys. I didn't understand what he said but it must have worked and they suddenly seemed very ashamed and helped the little kid up. I love that stuff, how adults in other countries still totally rule and, even when it's a complete stranger, the younger people totally respect them and do as they're told. America, take note.

And just one block in from the bay area, this is what
Manila really looks like.

5. On my last day I stopped into a tiny little café to have some dinner. As it was totally packed, I was shown to a random chair that was open at someone's table. I said that was alright, I would just take the food with me but they insisted so I got plunked down with a whole group of strangers, whether they liked it or not. I ate fast.

6. Normally in other countries, there always seems to be an over-abundance of stray dogs roaming the streets. Always, without fail. But here there are cats. And lots of them. I didn't see one stray dog but I saw hundreds of stray cats. Odd.

7. I have seen VERY few other white people here, as in less than 20 total in 5 whole days here. However, the majority of the ones I saw were white guys who are with Filipino women. And my sense is that these aren't the kind of men who are real popular with the ladies back home. But I guess that here they're pretty big stuff (someone told me that on $1,000 a month you can live like a "princess" in the Philippines). Guess money can replace good looks, eh?

The beginnings of Divisoria Market

8. The day I went to the market, I got in a cab (the first I took while here but, having heard what a rough part of town it was in and that it was difficult to find, I thought it a good idea), knowing that it should cost about 100 pesos (a little more than $2 USD) for the trip. I asked the guy to turn on his meter and he assured me he would (with foreigners they'll often claim it doesn't work or try to charge you a flat fee that is exorbitantly higher than what they would charge a local). Fortunately, by this point I was acclimated enough to the city to know where I was and which way I should be heading as, when we left I noticed he was going south when we should have been going north. I pointed this out to him, assuming he was just trying to take the "long way around" to get more money out of me and wanting him to know that I knew what he was up to when he informed me he was taking me to a different market. Me: "I don't want to go to another market, I want to go to Divisoria.". Him: "But you'll like it better". Me: "But I don't want to go there." Him: "But it's better". Me: "But I don't want to go, I want you to turn around and go to Divisoria.". Him: "But I'll only charge you 300 pesos to get there!". When I insisted that I was going to Divisoria and would pay him no more than what the meter read, he kicked me out of the cab! So, yeah, that was a first.

9. Speaking of cabs, when leaving the market, it was nearly impossible to find one that was free (considering it was a very poor section of town, not many cabs go there, I suppose). Some little boys asked me if I needed a cab, that they would get me one. I initially said no as I was sure I could get my own. But the longer I stood there (and the sweatier I got) and none would stop when they asked again I said yes and told them where I was going. I've gotta say, those littler buggers earned their tip! They ran and hailed and yelled and fought with cabbies and other people who were trying to jump in ahead of them and physically attached themselves to cars and jumped into the front seat and refused to get out and did a LOT of work to finally get one to pull over to pick me up. Not only did I tip them but I noticed the cab driver gives them a cut as well. Interesting system.

10. I had read that Filipinos are very non-confrontational and will avoid using the word 'no' at all costs (it's not uncommon for them to shake their head 'no' but still say 'yes', just say they don't actually have to say the word). So I arrived expecting a meek culture and yet in other ways they're super bold. They'll stare without shame. They'll come up and take pictures of you without asking (although, really, I take pictures of them so I guess fair is fair). And with no lead-in, no 'hello' or anything else, they'll open conversations with what we would consider to be bold questions like "Why are you alone?", "Where is your husband?" and "Where are you going? Can I go with you?". But in the end, their smiles win you over. Pure, genuine smiles that exude warmth. You can't beat that.

And with that, bed. I have yet another obscenely early wake-up call tomorrow (4 am!) to catch my next flight. Why, WHY, do discount airlines have such ungodly early flights?? Sigh. And zzzzzzz.

Why, yes, that IS a woman getting a pedicure on the
street in the middle of the market.

I don't think there is a bigger bubble tea fan
out there than me but rock salt and cheese
flavor bubble tea? Really?

Naked little boys beating the heat in the fountain. Ah, the
simple joys of life.