Mabuhay!!

October 3rd - 4th, 2006

After an extreamly long flight, Toronto-Chicago, Chicago-Tokyo and 5 hour layover in Tokyo-we were onto Manila. The flight on Japan Airlines was pretty good, there were lots of empty seats and the food was traditional Japanese snacks and just being at the airport in Tokyo made me realize that we have to come back here.

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I’ve always heard about the toilets and everything being high tech…but when actually going to bathroom and having options like music, flushing sound, air, spray… Ry was in there for a long time and told me he really enjoyed it...just ridiculous!  We're looking forward to seeing the city Dec 23 when we are here for one night!  

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It’s close to midnight and we are rushed into a limo and driving to our hotel in Makati City, in Metro Manila. The driver gives us a briefing on what we are in for and it sinks in that this will be our new home for a few months!  The city is alive, horns are blaring, lots of traffic and people on the streets….he points out several malls, huge buildings and explains that Filipinos are mall rats…since shopping is my past time, this will work out great!

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Our hotel is in the heart of the business district, modern and nice.  We decide to go wandering around and end up at a noodle house next door…it’s about 1am and the place is packed.  As soon as we sit down, we see a sign that says push button for service!  HILARIOUS….Ry’s most talked about invention this summer, is here and being put to great use!!!   So, of course we got great service…what an idea!  The food was fantastic and there were about 4 different hot sauces, Ry was in heaven!  There was way too much food, it looked like a dinner for 4 people, and the total bill…..converts to $ 11.00 US!!!  

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Our first night in The Philippines was a wonderful taste of what’s yet to come!!

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Oct 5th, 2006

Our Director, Silvia, arrives from Spain tomorrow, so we took advantage of our day off to explore Makati City.   Jet Lag from the trip got us up around 6am, to kill time, we decided to walk around and check out the mall. The whole way there we were honked at, people yelling hello Ma’am, from across the street, and throughout the whole 20 minute walk to the shopping mall….it was odd that people were so friendly!   The mall didn’t open until 10am …so we had A LOT of time to kill!   We weren’t the only ones eager for the mall to open, there were lines forming outside the entrances, as if it were boxing day…these people really like to shop!

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Ryan was enjoying all the added attention he was receiving, feeling like the tallest guy in the city!   Wandering around the mall, hours went by, so many stores, huge visual electronics displays, all bringing me back to my time in Singapore!

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The Typhoon last week has left alot of damage, electricity was out, massive trees were ripped out by the roots and flooding in the streets, have left alot of repairs for the city.   This place is a far cry from the clean streets of Singapore, but the chaotic honking, traffic and constant hustle is definately exciting!

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October 6th, 2006 Silvia has arrived and there is alot of work to be done.  She's been up for 48 hours so while she rests, Ryan and I have a dozen things to do to prepare for the upcoming days in Makati City.  We head back to the mall, to pick up business materials, books, set up a bank account and exchange money, the currency takes some getting used to, especially when you leave with over $ 200 000 Peso, it's hard to keep track!

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Another hot day in the city goes by!

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