First impression of Manila

I spent the week touching Dewali in the year 2004 in Manila away from family on official assignment which couldnt be avoided.

As you hit the Manila road from the airport, the impression is actually no different from the impression Mumbai, Colombo or Jakarta would give. The signature of a improvising nation was all over it. Actually, the poverty, the shabiness of the makeshift homes on both side of the road was not inviting at all. The roads were good though and there was hardly any small or non-airconditioned cars on the road except the Zeppnies offcourse. Zeppnies were a marvel to see. These are actually american army zeeps refurbished and remodelled and were used as a mode of public transport.

We stayed in Central Plaza which was like any other big hotel which could be anywhere. The buffet lunch was a great experience as here one could experience plethora of foods from that part of the world. It had food of thai, Japanese, Catonese, Vietnamese origin. It was great joy feasting of most meat based wonders. God save you if you are a vegeterian though. The town is littered with restaurants catering food from around the world and its not very costly.The street life in Manila is very colourful and active. Its full of vendors selling snacks and assorted cheap goodies.The look and feel of the place is lot like America. The long occupation and interaction with west has reduced the orientalness of this charming city.The city didnt feel very safe, specially after dark. You will find security men armed to the teeth at the entrance of most of the shoping malls. You will read in papers that there was was shoot out in a Zeppnie. One evening I was walking few meters away from the hotel and two kids started following me and came too close for comfort. I came back to the hotel fast. I was strongly advised not to venture out in the evening alone. I love walking around a town for it gives you a sense and taste of the life in that place.The business district look as sanitized as any other business district in any other large city. The starbucks, the Mcdonald’s make you feel at home immediately.The economy is in shamble and there is no sign of concrete road map to comeout of it. It’s a blesssing for the nation that Phillipinos from allover the world send home foreign exchange.The people there are extremely friendly and warm and its almost an obessesion for them to smile and have fun. The poverty of wealth probably had enriched their inner wealth.

Not for nothing Manila is called the Armsterdam of Asia. The city has the most colourful nightlife which stretches to the early morning and its largely safe. The city is transformed after sunset. The neon light, the colourful signboard, the hint of sin at every nook and corner makes the city look so very alluring. The karoke bars, the entertainment complexes, the massage parlour all tease you to have a taste of something mysterious and eternal. The choice is your and no one if forced into anything. You will also get calls at your hotel rooms asking if you need something, anything.I met a girl around 5pm infront of a bar who was all very trendily dressed up. She was young and we started chatting. She was 22, had a baby, not married. She said without any bitterness that the guy was Casanova and had left for someone else. She had actually come to the bar for interview. Almost, apologetically she told me, ‘if we could agree to a price, I could come to you hotel. Will you hurt me?’. I asked how much she wanted, she kept quite. She was into it but she needed to earn.

I promised to come back to her, one of those empty promises she would probably get used to.

Babies out of wedlock was no big deal. A very non-asian phenomena exsited in this island. specially when each of the phillipinos and phillipinas believe that they were very religious.

A visit to the mall named Claoerietta is a must.

As I was walking along Makita city, I met a pair of highly fashionable girls in micro-mini. The tall girl smiled at me and we spoke. She introduced the other girl as her student learning the rope. Of what ? Walking the road? She refused to come alone. This gave me the escape route. They were one of the best looking girls I have ever encountered.

I saw no bitterness in anyone I met in this short journey. The life was though hard in general in the city.The memory of the walk down Roxas Boulevard one evening and the look of Manila bay got etched in mind forever. It was intoxicating atomosphere out there. The festivity and celebration of living at its best. The sidwalk had small eating joints, all decked up for the eveining with fancy, ethnical and oriental lamps. Attached to each of this joints, there were small stages where live bands were performing. Obviously, each of these joints had specialization in catering to a particular and different national or provincial food. The bay, engulfed in darkness and only illuminated marginally by lights faraway and its reflection had a mystical look. Far away, ships and large boats standing still or may be moving slowly looked almost permanent. There was slight chill in the air as the evening aged. The texture of the warm soup in my mouth, the lilting soulful music in the ear and the stillness of the bay in the eyes transformed me to a world almost nonexistent.

I didn’t have enough of it and feel the urge from the bottom of my soul to go back there with my woman and son and become a permanent part of this spectacle by the side of Manila bay