Manila

It was around 7AM and we were just waking up when the sound of drums and music started. We jumped out of bed and looked outside and there were dancers and bands and tents with all sorts of welcome signs. We had arrived in Manila and Manila was happy to see us! The Phillipines is home to the other large portion of our crew and once again many were eager to see their families. Since some of the guys had to work for part of the stay, their families were coming onboard to spend time with them on the ship. We were introduced to several family members and got our picture taken with Mark ( we call him fondly, the Omelet dude) and his Mom and Dad and brothers. There was an excited air on the ship partly a result of the family reunions but also because there was such a tremendous welcome reception immediately on shore. The music and dancing went on all day. There were souvenir stands and they had made tee shirts specifically for the date and our ship. (I bought one of course!) There was LOTS of security around the port and we were told not to venture too far on our own. In fact there were security guards with weapons pretty much everywhere we went in Manila. We were docked near the famous Manila Hotel and not far from the Old walled section of Manila. Once we left the port area we found a big city with all kinds of heavy traffic and everyone in a hurry. In addition to the many cars, there were Jeepneys, which are converted and elongated Jeeps with seating in the back . The Jeepneys are painted and decorated based on the creativity of the driver and operate like cheap taxis if you don’t mind being scrunched together and sitting bent over because the roof is very low. Not recommended for tall people! There were a few horse drawn carriages trying to maneuver in and out of the traffic but it was still everyone for himself regardless of the mode of transportation. The city looked a little beat up although there were areas where new construction and renovation were taking place. The highlight was a stop at the Phillipine American War Memorial. It was a somber reminder of the lives lost during WWII and the strategic importance of the Phillipines during the War. Made me think of my Dad, who was on his way to fight in the Phillipines when the war ended. No port visit is complete without shopping so we went to the Mall of Asia since the crew had recommended it so highly. There were security guards at every entrance and your bags were checked and you were scanned with a metal detector. Once inside it was like any other mall. We each had an ice cream cone at Hagen Das for around 450Pesos which is roughly $10.00US. (We’re really getting good at converting to the local currency!!) Back at the ship the party was still going on on the pier so we hung out and listened to the cool music and watched as the crew returned from their visit to their homeland. It was a sad time for them but I was ready to leave because our next port was Hong Kong!!