A PHILLIPPINE FAIRYTALE - 'Mall'ing in Manila - 6 December 2022

As Alex had suggested that I go Mall hopping or Mall-ing this day he also suggested SM Mall of Asia and Ayala Mall, for starters. The offer of his vehicle with chauffeur to take me around the whole day was an added attraction. Gael and Alex suggested that it would be a day well spent on the modern side of Manila. Thus far I had been mostly on the Old Manila side appreciating the historical development of the country, like Intramuros and Binondo. What I heard of the SM Mall of Asia from Gael and Alex astounded me and I accepted the offer from Alex.

SM stands for ShoeMart, which was the first business launched by Henry Sy, the founder, in 1958 - a shoe store. His business acumen and aggression helped expand the business to a departmental store specialising in sale of shoes. In time ShoeMart became SM and stepped into the realm of mall development in 1985. Today it operates 79 malls and over 2300 stores nationwide.

The SM Mall of Asia, opened in 2006, is the largest mall in Philippines and the third largest in the world with a land area of 170 acres and developed floor area of 5.25 million square feet. The MoA is estimated to have over 200,000 footfalls a day! The Mall of Asia consists of four buildings namely, Main Mall, Entertainment Mall, and the North and South Wing Parking Buildings. They are interconnected by walkways and elevated pathways. One of the features of the MoA is the humongous IKEA store. On most days the 5000 parking slots in the parking buildings fall short of the requirements. A large steel framed globe welcomes visitors at a prominent roundabout which turns into an LED display by night.

My first visit was to the giant IKEA store, which opened in 2021. It covers two full floors and is the largest IKEA store in the world with 700,000 square feet of awesome shopping experience. The sheer range of products is astounding. Prices are quite reasonable and a few discounts were in offer too. Space saving ideas for bedrooms, kitchens and study rooms were on display. What amazed me was their quality checks and returns policy. Even though I wanted to buy many things I refrained from doing so for two reasons. For me travel is not for shopping; it is for seeing. Secondly, I prefer to travel light, except when I am on a driving tour.

The only thing I spent on in the IKEA store was in the Swedish cafe. The superbly organised dining area was a marvellous experience. Initially I was a bit doubtful if I should go in because there was a warning at the entrance that one could be delayed for half an hour or more. To fetch food, that seemed excessive to me. But then, I wanted to experience the process. Generous screen displays showed the items of food available and their prices so that one could more or less decide on what to pick up. I joined a fairly long queue after picking up a trolley cart, a tray to be placed on it and a glass for a beverage.

As the queue moved the food came into view. The initial displays were cold items such as cakes, cold cuts and pies. A combo of two apple crumble pies and unlimited Nordic drink was my first pick. The next few items were the hot meals like fried chicken, spaghetti, soups, salmon and Swedish meatballs. I took a portion of 12 Swedish meatballs with broccoli and mashed potatoes as well as two pieces of fried chicken. As I reached the billing counter the lady looked at the items on my tray and confirmed my order. Once the payment was done I picked some cutlery and tissue paper and proceed to locate a table to sit in that extremely busy dining area. There was no jostling or shouting or rude behaviour. Despite the dining area having over 500 people, one could almost hear a pin drop.

The food was excellent, to say the least. The fried chicken was crispy and deliciously spicy. The meatballs were superbly marinated and juicy. The extra creamy sauce made it all the more tasty. The mashed potatoes were so cheesy and yummy that I yearned for a bit more. But, when I looked at the twin apple crumble pies that were still intact I knew I would court trouble with more mashed potatoes. The pies could have been a bit more moist and the Nordic drink, a cola, was not that great.

I resumed my tour of the Mall on a full stomach. Leaving the IKEA store I went around the SM supermarket. The Mall has been decked up for the Yuletide and the massive Christmas Tree was the centre of attraction. Despite the huge quantity of food I had ingested a while ago I was tempted by a small store that advertised the best Suman Latik in the world! What's best in the world must surely be tried. The Tita Paring Suman Latik claims to be a secret recipe developed from the pre-war era and continued. It is a distinct triangular shaped rice cake wrapped in banana leaves and glazed with signature tick and rich Latik sauce, which is caramelized coconut milk. My desire to try one overwhelmed any protestations from the middle segment of my body. The rice cake was so soft and smoothly textured that it didn't feel like rice at all. The Latik sauce was incredibly tasty and the combo, in one word, heavenly - a food for the Gods.

My pledge not to eat anything more for the next two hours soon vaporized as I ambled along the Mall. I came across a crowded kiosk in a passage of the Mall and went closer to discover the attraction. The kiosk was doing very brisk business selling Hopia, which I soon learnt is a bean filled moon cake pastry, popular with Filipinos. There were many different filings and they were flying off the racks. It is a widely available inexpensive treat and a favoured gift for families, friends and relatives. I picked up a packet of the premium variety to taste and found it too bland.

Tired with walking around in air-conditioning for over four hours I stepped outside just a bit. Almost at the very exit there was a cart vending hot chestnuts. My mind harked back to the holiday in Turkey when I used to feast on them. I bought a quarter kilo of mid-sized chestnuts to have over tea. The poor chestnuts did not survive the next half hour. By then it became clear that any further stay in that Mall or a visit to any other Mall would be greatly injurious to my health, financially and physically. I called it a day and got back to my accommodation.

As the sun was going down I watched the sunset from my room. I decided to walk down to the Dolomite beach, which was less than a kilometre away from my accommodation, to catch the dying embers of the sun. The views were astounding, but I got very little time there as all on the 500 meter man-made beach were asked to leave at the stroke of 6 pm. The Dolomite beach has been a controversial project, but I decided to get back there to view the sunset the next day, weather permitting.

A PHILLIPPINE FAIRYTALE - A Tour of Chinatown, Manila - 5 December 2022

With the baggage still in the custody of Air Asia the routine of drying the underclothes, socks and t-shirt continued this morning too. Intent on trying a motorized tricycle to Binondo I stepped out of the residence and went to a tricycle stand. I struck a deal with a kind man for 150 PHP for the 3 km ride. Initially I sat inside the low seated tricycle. Not only was it incredibly uncomfortable I could see nothing on the outside. I requested the driver to take me pillion for the rest of the ride to which he readily agreed. However, the contraption was such that I could not sit astride.

Perched with my face parallel to the pavement and holding on for dear life in the morning hour, which got worse as we neared Binondo, the 15 minute ride seemed an eternity. The arch at the entrance of Binondo, past the Pasig River, welcomed visitors to Chinatown.

Binondo is reportedly the oldest Chinatown in the world. It was established in 1594 by the Spanish for the Catholic Chinese, within close proximity of Intramuros, but across the Pasig River. The Chinese had been in Manila before the Spaniards as traders and Binondo was already a thriving centre for commerce. Even today a walk through Binondo reveals how critical it is to trade and commerce in Manila. The trades established by Filipino-Chinese are in full swing with the area bustling. One of the things I was told is to be careful of my belongings while moving through Binondo. Petty thefts and snatchings are not uncommon here. There are warnings in busy stores asking one to beware of pickpocketing. When I went to a police kiosk to ask for directions the two policemen there told me to hold on to my backpack securely.

I got dropped at the Binondo Church. Established in 1596 for Chinese Christian converts, the church has gone through many rebuildings and renovation. The original church was completely destroyed in 1762 due to British bombardment. A granite structure came up in 1852, which also suffered extensive damage during WWII.

The church which was then known as Our Lady of the Most Holy Parish now goes by the name of Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Lorenzo Ruiz, who was the first Filipino to be canonised by the Church in 1987.

Saint Ruiz was born to Filipino-Chinese parents and was trained in the Binondo Church before he left for Japan as a missionary. He and his three companions were arrested, tortured and asked to renounce their faith in return for freedom. Saint Ruiz stuck to his faith in Christ and gave up his life after incredible torture and hardships. The square opposite the Church, Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz, has a large statue of Lorenzo Ruiz and a memorial to the Filipino-Chinese martyrs of WWII.

Next on my list was the President Grand Palace. I had picked up this from the internet as a must visit place. It even showed up on Google Map. Thinking that it would be a palace related to the President of Philippines I walked hither and thither through the super crowded Ongpin Street taking extra care of my backpack. The map sometimes showed me a few places short of the location and at other times ahead of it. Finally, a kind gentleman pointed to a building three doors away and I went there only for my jaw to drop. It was a fine dining restaurant that was reportedly popular for the foods they served. I was not ready for a meal at 10 am and walked briskly away admiring at the industry and hard work of people there. Jewellery shops and butchers seems to be doing brisk business apart from stores that vended cheap clothes.

The Our Lady of the Pillar Parish Church, commonly known as the Santa Cruz Church, is a baroque Roman Catholic parish church. It was built when the suburb of Santa Cruz was established by the Jesuits in early 17th century. As you enter the church, on the right side, is an apse with a seated Christ and many vaults beside it. It  is reportedly a very active parish and is unique in that it has a mosaic altar wall depicting The Sacrificial Lamb above the tabernacle instead of a statue of Our Lady. There is also a beautiful fountain in front of the church.

Through incredible, milling crowds I reached the Plaza Miranda, which was a centre point for political discourses during the rule of Ferdinand Marcos. The huge gatherings and even a violent bombing made this a historical landmark of the city. After years of neglect the square was renovated in 2000 and deemed as Freedom Park. Thousands pass through this Square daily and is seems to be the Manila equivalent of the New York Times Square.

Despite fronting the Quiapo Church, Plaza Miranda and the streets surrounding it are known as a center for fortune telling. The practitioners claim that they have gained the gift from their devotion to the patron saint of Quiapo Church, the Black Nazarene. The Church, however, condemns this practice. The devotion to the Black Nazarene has grown manifold over the years. The statue of the black Christ was brought in by the Spanish in the 17th century and is considered to be miraculous with people kissing the feet of the statue.

On the walk to the San Sebastian church I came across the Shrine of the Holy Face and walked in to find none there except a nun manning the store and a caretaker. The Holy Face of Jesus is said to have miraculously appeared on the shroud after Jesus' resurrection. Many contradictions and controversies surround the Holy Face of Jesus.

From the outside the San Sebastian church looks run down and in urgent need of repair. It is the only steel church in the Philippines and was completed in 1891. The earlier structures made in 1621 and 1651 of wood and bricks were either burned down or destroyed by earthquakes. The prefab steel was brought in from Belgium to establish the Gothic revival baroque church. The church is under renovation since 2011. The altar is a makeshift wooden cut out with massive scaffoldings behind it.

The National Shrine of Saint Jude Thaddeus is located within the Malacanang Palace complex with security restrictions. A popular school is situated close to it. Attendance at the Thursday novena at the shrine is very high as the Saint is the patron for hopeless cases.

The Malacanang Palace complex is where the President works from, and in the past they used to live there too. Security is very high and visits have to be pre-scheduled. My entreaties to visit the museum and library, or even to take a few pictures, met with stoic, but polite, refusals. Photography was a big no-no, too. I came away with a few photos of abandoned mansion gates in the vicinity!

Gael and Alex picked me up from the Malacanang Palace complex area to go to the airport and retrieve the baggage. Instructions contained in the email I had received the previous evening were not so accurate as I discovered when I took the visitors pass as the arrival lounge. Despite the confusion and some moments of anxiety I finally was in possession of my suitcase. I asked the staff about the compensation for the inconveniences and he offered a paltry 1000 PHP. As I refused to accept that he directed me to file a complaint online.

It was already past 4 pm and Alex took me to the United Club for an Indian meal. He ordered paneer tikka and chilly bombs for starters with a couple of chilled pints of Stella Artois. The main course was delectable chole with massive baturas. That was a heavy meal for an aging belly. Over the delayed lunch cum early dinner it was decided to forgo the Corrigedor island tour as the regular tour was suspended and a customised tour would be too time consuming and expensive. Instead, Alex offered to send me his car for mall hopping the following day.

A PHILLIPPINE FAIRYTALE - Tour of Old Manila - 4 December 2022

Yesterday the Air Asia staffer had affirmed that the misplaced baggage would be delivered by late evening to where I was put up. That came and went and there was not news of it. Repeated calls only brought further assertions that they are making their best efforts to trace the baggage. With no clothes and toiletries I depended on the toothbrush and paste provided in the accommodation. As for clothes, I washed the underclothes, socks and t-shirt the night before and hung them up to dry in the room. This morning they were not dry enough for use. I used the hair dryer in the room to blow dry the items for nearly an hour and I was ready for the day. Breakfast consisted of banana flavored cornflakes, Froot Loops, cold milk and a hot cup of coffee. Scheduled for the day was a historic exploration of Old Manila.

Intramuros is where the history of Old Manila unfolds and it was less than 3 km from my accommodation. I decided to foot it to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells along the way. It was humid and warm, but not uncomfortably so. A few hundred meters along the way came the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Guidance, known in Spanish as La Ermita de Nuestra Señora de Guía. The church is home to the Marian image of the Immaculate Conception, believed to be the oldest in Philippines. The Catholic Church was found in 1606. I was fortunate to be part of the Sunday service that was ongoing at the time of my visit. The bi-lingual homily and a superb choir were the highlights.

Walking past the Rizal Park I came across a popular golf course by the side of the Baluarte de San Diego that is one of the old fortifications within Intramuros. There were many interesting sculptures along the walk. One was the bust of José San Martin, who is regarded as a national hero of Argentina, Chile and Peru, a great military commander, and one of the Liberators of Spanish South America. The other was that of José Martí Pérez, who is considered a Cuban national hero because of his role in the liberation of his country from Spain. He was also an important figure in Latin American literature.

The memorial to Cory and Ninoy Aquino on a high pedestal had a few bouquets placed at its base. Ninoy, in whose name the Manila airport is, was the main opposition to Ferdinand Marcos. He was slain at the airport and his wife became the President of Philippines in 1986.

Also known as Old Manila, Intramuros is home to the city's iconic and historic landmarks that were built during the Spanish occupation in the Philippines. Within the 6 meter thick walls, in 146 acres are the ornate Manila Cathedral with its bronze carvings and rich stained glass windows, Fort Santiago, with a large stone gate and a shrine to national hero José Rizal, San Agustin Church, the oldest stone church in the Philippines, the University of the City of Manila, Spanish colonial furniture and art filled Casa Manila museum, and horse-drawn carriages (kalesa) that ply the area’s cobblestone streets.

Fort Santiago was built as a Spanish fortification in 1571 beside the Pasig River and named after the patron saint of Spain, St. James. The entrance fee is 50 PHP for a senior citizen. The walk in humid conditions called for a cold drink and I spied a cafe near the visitors' center that advertised Halo Halo, the unofficial national dessert of Philippines. The tall clear glass contained crushed ice, coconut milk, jam, sweetened kidney beans, tender coconut strips, cubes of fruit preserves, agar and thick sugar paste. Taking my time over the drink I watched large number of visitors engage guides from the visitors' centre and soldiers doing their routines. The foreground of the Fort has many kiosks vending food, drink and memorabilia.

Armed with a couple of maps from the visitors' centre I started my exploration of the ruins that once housed the Spanish and American armies. The central part of the fort is surrounded by a moat and is entered into from a reconstructed main gate.

The major attractions within are the Jose Rizal shrine and the dungeons. The Rizal shrine museum has on display memorabilia of the hero, including letters written to his parents, brother and family before his execution, a recreation of the farcical trial and sentencing, the prison he was incarcerated in and his footsteps representing his final walk from his cell to the location of the execution. A very poignant and moving memorial, indeed.

A short distance away is a white cross which marks the spot where more than 600 bodies of Americans and Filipinos were recovered, believed to have been victims of Japanese depravity in February 1945. The nearby dungeons vividly bring home the tortures they would have been subjected to. The views of the Pasig River are awesome from the ramparts of the fort.

The Plaza Roma, Palacio del Gobernador and Manila Cathedral is almost a single complex. The Plaza Roma is the centre of Intramuros and has a memorial to King Charles of Spain. Milling crowds at the Plaza and the Cathedral foretold humongous crowds expected for the Grand Marian procession in the afternoon. The cathedral is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as the patroness of the country. It also serves as the seat of the Archbishop of Manila.

A short walk away is the Bahay Tsinoy which houses the Kaisa-Angelo King Heritage Center, a museum that documents the history, lives and contributions of ethnic Chinese in Philippine life and history. At the time of my tour it was closed to visitors due to renovation. However, there were a group celebrating a Christmas function within it.

The Manila Memorial is one that recalls the awful consequences of the war in 1945, which affected young and old alike.

The San Augustin church is the oldest stone church in Philippines, having been commissioned in 1607. Dedicated as the Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation and Cincture the church was closed to visitors due to a high profile wedding that was to take place inside. I begged and weaved my way in for a few minutes of prayer and photos.

The Casa Manila has preserved relics of Spanish way of life in a museum, which has an entrance fee. I took refuge in a restaurant besides it for a feast of Sisig, a must try while in the Philippines.

On the walk back from Intramuros I took a detour to admire the Gomburza monument dedicated to three secular priest and hero-martyrs that was moved in front of the National Museum from the Plaza Roma. When I got back to the accommodation I tried in vain to reach the Air Asia official to check on the misplaced baggage. There was no response and I knew any further efforts on a Sunday evening would be futile.

In the evening my nephew, Alex, who has been in Philippines for a dozen years picked me up with his wife, Gael and three lively kids. He drove me around for a feel of a different Manila, a modern and developed one, full of malls, high rise apartments, hotels and restaurants. Being a Sunday evening the traffic was heavy. The Mall of Asia took my breath away and so did most of the other malls. Gael and Alex took me to Crisostama, a typical Filipino dining.

While on a pint of Sam Miguel Light came the sauteed baby squid in olive oil with chilly and garlic. Soon followed sizzling button mushrooms in garlic and olive oil, the beef soup La Paz Bulalo with beef chunks, marrow and veggies, sticky rice, fried pork chunks, eggplant omelette and taro leaves with pork bits and thick coconut milk. Awesome, to say the least. Moreover, the cuisine is devoid of masala and is easy on the tummy.

While at dinner I got an email from Air Asia informing me that the baggage had arrived Manila. Despite being told the day before that it would be delivered to my accommodation, the email asked me to collect it from the airport. Alex, being in the aviation business, promised to take me to the airport and fetch the luggage tomorrow afternoon. After dinner Alex drove me around to a few places that would suit retirees. The cost of living is such that a family of three could lead a very decent life inside of USD 2000. Alex promised to get me details of the retiree visa. If found feasible this would be a good place to see through the sunset years!

A PHILLIPPINE FAIRYTALE - An evening in Manila - 3 December 2022

I had a carefully crafted plan to walk to the Rizal Park from the accommodation and return to it after savouring the sights along the route. Located right in the heart of Manila City is the 240,000 sqm, 7 level, Robinsons Place that is currently the leading shopping center in Manila. It is this locational advantage that made me chose my accommodation.

Within a kilometer radius of Robinsons are a community of residences, government and business offices, academic and medical institutions, parks, famous landmarks, churches, hotels, and night spots. It is also within walking distance from the enchanting Manila Bay. Robinsons Place shopping complex is connected to the twin residential high-rise condominia, the Robinsons Place Residences and Adriatico Residences; the 18th floor of the latter complex is where I would be housed for five nights.

Past the Robinsons Place is the Supreme Court of Philippines and Department of Justice. Supreme Court wields administrative power over the lower courts and its personnel. The University of Philippines and its Museum of Ideas are a few steps away, as are the buildings housing the National Bureau of Investigation and the WHO. Nearly a kilometer down the road is the historic Methodist Church facing the entrance to the Rizal Park North entrance.

The forecourt of the Natural History Museum immediately after one enters the Park has many boulders of the Mayon Volcano, which is the most active volcano in Philippines. Extensive restoration of the Rizal Park has closed off most of the northern part. The massive statue of Lapu-lapu, the warrior who defeated Magellan and delayed the Spanish conquest of Philippines, can be seen from the entrance to the Luneta Park, which houses the Rizal monument.

Jose Rizal was put to death by the Spanish at the age of 35 at a site quite proximate to the monument that commemorated 100 years of the execution of the Filipino nationalist. The multifaceted intellectual sparked the revolution that brought to an end more than 400 years of Spanish dominion of Philippines. In front of the open air auditorium of the Park are many fountains and busts of native heroes. A lively food court operates within the Luneta Park. The Quirino grandstand stands at one end of the Rizal Park, at the mouth of Manila Bay. The grandstand has not been in service since its closure during the pandemic. The grandstand serves as a symbol of independence from American control of the country.

On the way back to my accommodation I chanced upon the memorial to the many splendored Carlos P Romulas, who presided over the fourth assembly of the UN, was a Pulitzer prize winner, was Secretary of education and foreign affairs, was President of the University of Philippines and was Major General of the Armed Forces of Philippines. What an achievement in the 86 years of his service to the nation!

A PHILLIPPINE FAIRYTALE - Chennai to Manila - 2/3 December 2022

The plan to visit Philippines has been ongoing since 2019. The rude intervention of the Covid pandemic and certain other priorities pushed the plans till now. The schedule is to travel in the first fortnight of December to Manila, El Nido and Cebu. Philippines, a country named after the Spanish King, King Phillip II, is an archipelago stitching together over 7600 islands. Philippines gained independence from Spanish rule in 1898 and from USA in 1946. Tagalog and English are the official languages of the country, which is overwhelmingly Christian in religious orientation. Manila is the capital of the country and Peso (PHP) is the official currency; 1 PHP is equivalent to 1.45 INR and 1 USD approximates to 56 PHP.

Philippines is transitioning from an agricultural economy to one dependent more on services and manufacturing, which accounts for 75 percent of employment and contributes over 90 percent of the GDP of USD 370 billion. Another major contributor to the economy is overseas remittances which is about 8 percent of the GDP. Tourism, which was a mainstay for employment, took a hit during the pandemic. The government is trying to recover lost ground by putting in place certain tourist friendly policies. One such is the facility of visa free entry for Indians, with a live US Visa, for a duration of 14 days or less, like what Kazakhstan had initiated and benefitted greatly. Another measure that could boost tourist arrivals into Philippines from India would be direct flights from Mumbai, Chennai and Cochin instead of changing crafts in Singapore, Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur. It is reliably learnt that Air India is likely to start a new schedule directly from Chennai to Manila, besides other popular South East Asian destinations, in early 2023. That would be most welcome, provided it is cost effective as compared to existing services.

I had booked my tickets from Chennai to Manila via Kuala Lumpur with Air Asia and the return was from Cebu to Chennai via Kuala Lumpur. A couple of weeks ago I was informed that the Cebu Chennai flight has been cancelled. Mercifully, I had used Network Tours and Travels, Surat to book the tickets. Rajiv Shah reworked the itinerary and got me tickets from Cebu to Chennai via Manila and Kuala Lumpur for an additional fee. It is in circumstances such as these that the invaluable contribution of a travel agent comes to the fore. Communicating with the airline for refund and rebooking is onerous and taxing.

The check-in and immigration at Chennai International airport were smooth. However, for no apparent reason only three security lines were functional with attendant long queues and delay. Making people trudge slowly in queues is a habit in our country. The gates and facilities at the Chennai International airport are pathetic. I spent a few hours at the lounge, over a drink and dinner, as the flight was delayed by about an hour. The flight was choc a bloc, but the Malaysian crew handled the situation well.

The flight got into Kuala Lumpur 45 minutes behind schedule, where I had to switch airplanes for the schedule to Manila. What a refreshing change even the Air Asia terminal was in comparison to the Chennai International terminal! Security was done and dusted in 10 minutes and I grabbed a couple of cream buns and a cup of coffee from a Coffeebot machine. The flight from Kuala Lumpur to Manila was nearly full too.

Despite the slightly delayed start from Kuala Lumpur the flight was ready to descend to the Ninoy Aquino international Airport, Manila shortly after noon, local time. However, we had to hover around for a while due to traffic. The flight was 10th in order of landing priority. Finally, we landed 15 minutes late at half past the noon hour. While immigration was hassleless the wait for baggage was endless.

After an hour, a solitary Air Asia staff told a stunned assembly that few baggage was not loaded from Kuala Lumpur airport because of belt malfunction. And, behold the bolt, they have not been able to trace the baggage in Kuala Lumpur either! Some passengers let their lungs do the talking and the hapless staffer handed over claim forms, stating that the bags would be delivered to the hotel by night. However, he was unable to confirm the flight by which the luggage would be received.

Disappointed and frustrated, with no clothes to change into or toiletries to freshen up, after filing the complaint and taking the number to contact the staff, I proceeded to exchange a few USD to local currency, 1 USD equalled 55.4 PHP. Next exercise was to source a sim card that would afford adequate data and local calls. At 1000 PHP I fetched a Smart sim card with unlimited local talk-time, messaging and 73 GB data; the counter executive activated the same and I was connected in Manila.

I had to get to the Airbnb accommodation I had booked near the Robinsons Place. While a Grab taxi costed the fare at 485 PHP, a private taxi service blew my mind with a fare of 2400 PHP. I had to wait about 15 minutes for the Grab ride, which took me through clogged streets and highway roads in about 40 minutes to the correct address. Abigael was at hand to make me comfortable in the room that overlooked the Manila Bay at a distance. After a short rest I made a call to the contact number I had been given to trace the luggage. Besides a pious assurance there was little else and there rested the matter for the rest of the day!