The original intention of my venture north is to land in Manila and then to go to Hundred Islands National Park for more beach time with some AIESEC trainees and alumnus from Manila. Unfortunately too many people back out at the last minute and the trip is cancelled. Amy, who recently finished a year long traineeship in India and who was the organizer of the trip, is nice enough to offer to put me up at her place for a few days and to show me around. On day one we visit approximately 7 malls. Its not that Amy isn’t a good tour guide or that she is not trying to find things to do. That’s just Manila. We ride the metro between malls, we visit Makati (where there are many malls) and we get some Burger King, at the mall.
Amy and I on the way to the mall
A MALL!
Another thing that Manila has in abundance is Starbucks (which is completely absent everywhere else I have been in the Philippines). I have a very homesick moment when we stop at one to meet Amy’s aunt. Not because I am particularly fond of Starbucks but because it smells the same in every country. The smell in there makes me think of this time last year when Brittney and I were spending every evening at Starbucks in Brentwood studying for our Botany 321 final. This makes me think of home and winter and how I am sad because I have to spend Christmas by myself in the stupid Philippines. But my sorrows are temporarily forgotten as we move malls to get some dinner.
Instead of spending the next day in the city Amy and I take every form of public transportation known to the Philippines south to Tagaytay to see Lake Taal and Taal Volcano. Rides in a taxi, jeepney, bus, tricycle, motorcycle and boat land us in the middle of the lake at the base of the Volcano Island crater (the main crater of 47 that make up Taal Volcano). Here we refuse offers of guides and rides on sad, starved looking ponies and hike to the top Filipino style – in our flip-flops. We walk around the sulphurous lake in the middle of the crater, take in the incredible view of all the potentially deadly crater islands speckled across the lake, then walk back down amid a bunch of foolish looking tourists on ponies.
Crater lake
Lake Taal and Taal Volcano craters
The next day we visit the old part of the city called Intramuros. We tour Fort Santiago which was the seat of the Spanish military power when they had colonial rule in the Philippines. Here, I finally learn something about Dr José Rizal, the Philippine national hero who has about 2 streets and a park named after him in every city in the country. He was imprisoned here before being executed for inciting a nationalist revolution against the Spanish, mostly through his writing. After the fort we go to Manila Cathedral and creep on a wedding with the most adorable little flower girl ever.
Tricycle ride in Intramuros
Fort Santiago
Me as Rizal
Cutest flower girl ever
Amy has to work the next day so I wander in Makati and, of course, go to the mall. I manage to write and send some Christmas cards (and as I am posting this almost halfway through January they should be arriving soon so look for them in the mail!). That night I stay with some trainees that are working in Manila for a business consulting firm. We will all be meeting up again in a few days in Bohol to spend the holidays with the Tarsiers and the Chocolate Hills.
