January 24, 2013  Thursday Awoke in Manila

Everyone was pretty beat this morning and we slept late for us.  I didn't get up until 7:00, not my usual 4.  Keith's apartment is so beautiful and has everything you could want.

 I think there are four pools, massage center, 4 gyms, game room and indoor playroom for kids, conference center rooms.  Most of the tenants have separate room for their housekeepers, nanny or driver.  It has shower and bed.  You see a lot of nannies walking around the pools early in the morning with all the children.

View from Keith's Apartment

Living Room

This is Celo, Keith's great cook and housekeeper.  

Keith in Dining Area

We finally got going, had a great breakfast that Celo cooked with yummy fresh fruits, eggs and toast.  He is an awesome cook.  Keith had to work so we went out on the town with Celo as our guide.  We went everywhere, road every type of transportation you could possible think of. 

Don't know why I put this first, we didn't ride in one.

Manila's Jeepney

Ashley Grampy & Me on Jeepney

Side Car

 On a side car 4 of us plus driver

On A Bus

 Found a little restaurant on one of the streets that said Golden Spoon and couldn't get a picture of it because we were too far away and couldn't cross at that spot.  Said we would come back but never did.  Went to Chinatown, the fish markets, fruit markets and dry good markets are so different from home, especially in Chinatown area.  Would love to see my sister shopping there. 

Meat Market

Fish Market

Didn't get one of the fruits and veggie stands??? Don't know why seems I took pictures of everything

 It is very different the use of facilities to go to the bathroom, some just do it right on the street while you are on the ride.  Our Jeepney driver stopped with a full passenger load and walked to the front of the bus and urinated right in the middle of the street.  Amazing.
 We also came across a wedding going on and they invited us in for the service.  So many different colors in the wedding party.  The bride was beautiful. 

  Went to a museum for a shrine for a man who gave his life for freedom, who is now their idle for a lack of better word. 

 We rode a side car around for a little while to see what it was like.  Then took the train, it was like being in a sardine can.  So many people.  Had lunch in Chinatown Mall - don't know what everyone ate, will check with Ashley - I felt like I was going to faint with sweat pouring out of me.  Don't know what happened but felt okay after a 1/2 hour.  Went to bathroom in the mall and you have to pay 5 pecos to go and they give toilet paper, found out later he charged me 10 pecos because I was white, Ashley laughed and said I just got ripped off.  Walked around some more and then went back to Keith's apartment.  Ashley, Claude & I had a 1/2 hour foot massage, which was awesome.

  Celo made dinner for us which was delicious, it was called Caldereta, rice and  fresh fruit. The Caldereta was chicken, yummy fresh vegetables(corn, beans, peppers, potatoes, onions, garlic and a local hard veggie) tomato sauce, fish oil, pineapple tidbits and the juice also. The green dish is a local vegetable like a green bean but different in taste.

  You would never know that it had tomato sauce in it.  It was so good. Of course rice too.  He also made a yummy dessert out of vanilla wafers, mango condensed milk.   Mango Float.   Yummy layers and layers, so moist.

  We have been doing so many things I can't keep up with them all. We did play cards for a short time before dinner and never started again we were all too tired.  Off to bed and ready for the next day. Love to all and wish you could be here too.