An immense sense of weight welcomed me as I threaded on the land of 'makeshift mothers' - women I grew up in the hands of. The women who'd take the place of working Singaporean mums, who in turn had to leave the care of their own children to relatives and the streets. Those were the humanist lens I wore as I stepped into the land of the Philippines. And I dare say I was overwhelmed with an eerie nostalgia as elements of the Philippine landscape appeared before my eyes.
The Philippines has an old world charm that is not characterized by outstanding monuments nor mega shopping malls - the charm is innately within the Filipino soul. Manila, like any big primate city in a developing country, has its zones. I stayed at the Central Business District (Makati City) with Aaron. In Makati City, security was tight, the environment was sanitized and the infrastructure was comparatively modern. This contrasts from Pasay City, just a stone's throw away where poverty is rampant. During my one night stay in Manila, we hung out with friends, played golf, ate quite a bit and partied!
The very next day, Aaron and I had to make our way to Boracay - the party island one hour away via flight! There's been quite a bit of hype about this place and since I've been into islands of late, I thought this had got to be good! Boracay turned out to be a fantastic island for partying and chilling by the beach. Marine life is average... Waves and winds hit strong against 'White Beach', the long stretch of white sand this place is acclaimed for. It's a tourist haunt though - so steer clear of touts.
And despite the brevity of this trip, I enjoyed myself tremendously! It was a well-deserved break from the hectic work week that had passed. Thanks to Aaron for making it all possible :)
The Philippines has an old world charm that is not characterized by outstanding monuments nor mega shopping malls - the charm is innately within the Filipino soul. Manila, like any big primate city in a developing country, has its zones. I stayed at the Central Business District (Makati City) with Aaron. In Makati City, security was tight, the environment was sanitized and the infrastructure was comparatively modern. This contrasts from Pasay City, just a stone's throw away where poverty is rampant. During my one night stay in Manila, we hung out with friends, played golf, ate quite a bit and partied!
The very next day, Aaron and I had to make our way to Boracay - the party island one hour away via flight! There's been quite a bit of hype about this place and since I've been into islands of late, I thought this had got to be good! Boracay turned out to be a fantastic island for partying and chilling by the beach. Marine life is average... Waves and winds hit strong against 'White Beach', the long stretch of white sand this place is acclaimed for. It's a tourist haunt though - so steer clear of touts.
And despite the brevity of this trip, I enjoyed myself tremendously! It was a well-deserved break from the hectic work week that had passed. Thanks to Aaron for making it all possible :)
Keep Wanderlusting!
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