Take leave from commenting on the News Headlines for a change!
In Manila after the last visit in 1997 is a revelation to me!
I am here to attend the 'Destination Wedding' of a handsome and bright couples from Singapore and also took the opportunity to visit an old friend who moved to Makati City, Manila, the Philippines, to work about 8 months ago.
So, here are some of my impression before I embark on a light jog/walk along the Manila Bay front starting from the US Embassy to the Asia's largest shopping mall, the SM Mall of Asia later this afternoon!
1. Makati City is very developed where I stayed. A 15 mins walk to The Peninsula and Shangri-La Hotel along Ayala Avenue. Lined by high-rise office buildings looking just like those in Singapore Shenton Way or Gangnam CBD district in South Korea!;
2. I took the walk to The Peninsula during lunch and can sense the vibrancy and energy of the place. Nothing unlike in Singapore CBD lunch time crowds. The MacDonald I took lunch at was packed! I also observed that the young professional office workers here did the same thing as those in Singapore - they don't seem to understand the Notice of Returning Your Tray After Meal!! LOL!! Maybe it is just a common trait of a 'modern urban city with the mentality that clearing after self' is for some workers to do!!??;
3. Visited the Greenbelt shopping mall or recreation and retail area nearby astounded me with how large the place is for shopping and eating and being entertained! It has a total of 5 blocks with a nice landscaped garden in between the 5 blocks! My buddy and I had 6 freshwater oysters each at a good price relative to what we can get in Hong Kong (where my buddy hailed from) and Singapore! The NEXT PLEASANT SURPRISE is the crab feast at the restaurant right next to the Oysters Bar! I must say I was totally bowled over by the 'peppered and salted King Crab'. Nothing in East Coast comes close to it! Taste and freshness wise!! Seriously! And the price is a tad lower and definitely worth every peso charged! A place I will certainly bring my family to dine should I visit Makati City, Manila again!!;
4. Interesting to visit the Saturday market in a car park! Was informed that the same stall owners will set up their stalls on Sunday (today) at ANOTHER car park nearby and called it, yes you guessed it: 'The Sunday Market'. The set up is very much like those markets in London or Sydney that I had visited with many local foods and delicacies stalls as expected. A surprise was how diverse the stall owners are. We have Moroccan, French, German, Malaysia and Chinese food stalls set up. It is obviously a 'must bring visitors to experience' activity by expats who have visitors in town! Nice!! Maybe our 1st world country can learn from them instead of the 'CCC approve pasar malam' on an ad hoc basis in our CBD? Alas, we don't have open car parks in the CBD anymore!! Forget it;
5. visited the casino stripe too and played 'Carribean Pokers' for the 1st time with my buddy. They have Melco Casino (City of Dreams), Solarises (I think), Genting's Resort World in operating and with a few more in the development stage. The crowd was reasonable in the City of Dreams casino. I wonder if every country's economic planners are following the same play book of Singapore. Build casinos (or 'Integrated Resorts) and they will COME! If so, when is the 'tipping point'? With the anti-corruption drive in China scaring or deterring many from overseas gambling trips, Singapore's casinos are already feeling the chills. Their lives can only be more challenging when the rest of the region start their own 'Casino' or IR building 'copy cat' strategy!
6. wifi is also readily available at the shopping malls but is a problem when you are on the road to outside Makati City or Manila. The country, sorry, just talk about the Manila area, is SO BIG that getting to the 'Destination Wedding' venue took a 2-hour coach ride. Despite this, the event was exciting and a moving celebration of 2 young persons making a promise to each other to be wife and husband and best friend/partner for life. I was privileged and honour to be here among their family members and close friend of around 40!
I sign off now and write about the jog/walk from the US Embassy to SM Mall of Asia tonight!
In Manila after the last visit in 1997 is a revelation to me!
I am here to attend the 'Destination Wedding' of a handsome and bright couples from Singapore and also took the opportunity to visit an old friend who moved to Makati City, Manila, the Philippines, to work about 8 months ago.
So, here are some of my impression before I embark on a light jog/walk along the Manila Bay front starting from the US Embassy to the Asia's largest shopping mall, the SM Mall of Asia later this afternoon!
1. Makati City is very developed where I stayed. A 15 mins walk to The Peninsula and Shangri-La Hotel along Ayala Avenue. Lined by high-rise office buildings looking just like those in Singapore Shenton Way or Gangnam CBD district in South Korea!;
2. I took the walk to The Peninsula during lunch and can sense the vibrancy and energy of the place. Nothing unlike in Singapore CBD lunch time crowds. The MacDonald I took lunch at was packed! I also observed that the young professional office workers here did the same thing as those in Singapore - they don't seem to understand the Notice of Returning Your Tray After Meal!! LOL!! Maybe it is just a common trait of a 'modern urban city with the mentality that clearing after self' is for some workers to do!!??;
3. Visited the Greenbelt shopping mall or recreation and retail area nearby astounded me with how large the place is for shopping and eating and being entertained! It has a total of 5 blocks with a nice landscaped garden in between the 5 blocks! My buddy and I had 6 freshwater oysters each at a good price relative to what we can get in Hong Kong (where my buddy hailed from) and Singapore! The NEXT PLEASANT SURPRISE is the crab feast at the restaurant right next to the Oysters Bar! I must say I was totally bowled over by the 'peppered and salted King Crab'. Nothing in East Coast comes close to it! Taste and freshness wise!! Seriously! And the price is a tad lower and definitely worth every peso charged! A place I will certainly bring my family to dine should I visit Makati City, Manila again!!;
4. Interesting to visit the Saturday market in a car park! Was informed that the same stall owners will set up their stalls on Sunday (today) at ANOTHER car park nearby and called it, yes you guessed it: 'The Sunday Market'. The set up is very much like those markets in London or Sydney that I had visited with many local foods and delicacies stalls as expected. A surprise was how diverse the stall owners are. We have Moroccan, French, German, Malaysia and Chinese food stalls set up. It is obviously a 'must bring visitors to experience' activity by expats who have visitors in town! Nice!! Maybe our 1st world country can learn from them instead of the 'CCC approve pasar malam' on an ad hoc basis in our CBD? Alas, we don't have open car parks in the CBD anymore!! Forget it;
5. visited the casino stripe too and played 'Carribean Pokers' for the 1st time with my buddy. They have Melco Casino (City of Dreams), Solarises (I think), Genting's Resort World in operating and with a few more in the development stage. The crowd was reasonable in the City of Dreams casino. I wonder if every country's economic planners are following the same play book of Singapore. Build casinos (or 'Integrated Resorts) and they will COME! If so, when is the 'tipping point'? With the anti-corruption drive in China scaring or deterring many from overseas gambling trips, Singapore's casinos are already feeling the chills. Their lives can only be more challenging when the rest of the region start their own 'Casino' or IR building 'copy cat' strategy!
6. wifi is also readily available at the shopping malls but is a problem when you are on the road to outside Makati City or Manila. The country, sorry, just talk about the Manila area, is SO BIG that getting to the 'Destination Wedding' venue took a 2-hour coach ride. Despite this, the event was exciting and a moving celebration of 2 young persons making a promise to each other to be wife and husband and best friend/partner for life. I was privileged and honour to be here among their family members and close friend of around 40!
I sign off now and write about the jog/walk from the US Embassy to SM Mall of Asia tonight!
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