Philippines

Last night, I reached Manila via Singapore. I got in rather late so have had trouble catching up with myself today! After reading a lot about Manila in advance, I was apprehensive about the crowding and the clamour but have found it a lovely city. It is very easy to get around in taxis and costs are reasonable. Of course it is very different here as both culture and history have forged a unique path. The arrival of the colonizing Spanish in the early 1500s, followed by an army of priests and soldiers, put an end to Islamization in this area. The Spanish were followed by the British, the Americans and the Japanese. The yearning for freedom was strong though and a modern nation was forged after WW2.

The city is certainly large and filled with traffic. The streets are orderly and the people very friendly and helpful to visitors. I am staying in Intramuros, the old walled city built by the Spanish in the late 1500s. The history of buildings, many long gone, is recorded in great detail everywhere. Earthquakes, fires and wars have been hard on bricks and mortar so what old architecture remains has been rebuilt any times. Almost the entire city was destroyed as the Americans defeated the Japanese in 1945.  I had a lovely walk at dawn around the entire perimeter of the old city. Large parts of the ancient walls have been repaired and from up top there is a lovely view of the modern city all around.

The iconic public transport is the jeepney and they are ubiquitous in the city. They harken back to the American military jeep but many embellishments have been added! There are several other very common modes of transport, mostly designed to get around the traffic that blocks the streets!

After a few days of discovery here, I fly to Cebu Island for a more laid back experience.