Manila/El Nido, Palawan, Philippines
It was hard to pick just ten photos, but these are my favorites. This vacation was quite the ride. I’ve been wanting to visit SE Asia since I first started traveling intently, but it’s not exactly the cheapest/easiest trip to plan. Turns out, I just needed a little motivation and fearlessness of a Brenna and I was ready to go.
You already know that getting to Manila was a complete disaster and I nearly had a mental breakdown (a far cry for my calm interior) but I finally made it. Many hours and many dollars later, I found myself arriving at the frenzied airport at 5am, so refreshed to see a familiar face after I begged her to pick me up (because, wimp). I’m not sorry though, because that airport was a madhouse. At 5am. Woof.
I did nearly nothing to help with the planning of this trip, but you don’t need to when traveling with a logistical mastermind. We spent one night in Manila, just long enough to get a sniff of a new city and new culture (and some delicious tacos).
My first impression of Manila was like being physically assaulted by a very friendly homeless person. Meaning, once you get used to it it’s great, but at the beginning it’s a bit of a culture shock. He’s a bit dirty, sweats a lot, is an occasionally terrifying driver. But, he also grows on you, and is kind of lovable, and once you get used to him, you leave, and are a little bit sad but have a silly grin on your face.
The Jeepney, posted above, is one of the most popular means of transportation in the Philippines. These fascinated me -- I actually thought it was kind of genius to repurpose these WWII vehicles and make use of them. We didn’t ride in one, because it is basically a suicide machine, but they were fun to watch.
I have a terrible habit of asking questions people most likely don’t know the answer to, like “Brenna, do they have car insurance here?” Because, necessary. Traffic was like functional chaos there. Everyone might drive insanely, but they know how to do it well.
Anyway, I was completely expecting humidity coming from the armpit of the south, but boy, sweaty gonna sweat. So much perspiration. So pretty. There are probably zero toxins in my body because my skin vomited them all out. How about that for imagery.
(Sorry for the lack of structure of this post).
Because my flight arrived so early in Manila, we went back to the hotel so I could shower, and then headed to Starbucks for so much necessary caffeine and wifi, and so I could add a new coffee cup to my collection (I really need to start collecting smaller things). Nothing opens until mid-morning, we reluctantly found out after searching for breakfast, but food was found and then we explored the malls, which Manila is famous for. She introduced me to some of the best tacos I’ve ever had, some local brews, and then I tried keeping my eyes open as long as I could, but failed around 8pm. I slept so hard, so well, and the next morning we were off to the airport for the most beautiful beach in the world.
God bless Brenna. Seriously. We walked out of the airport to find a bus to take us to El Nido. I didn’t know El Nido was a 6 hour ride away, nor that it would be in a sketchy van, or that I’d need to write out my will because there was a very fat chance I wasn’t going to survive getting there. Holy anxiety. But, when other people aren’t worried, it usually means I shouldn’t be either, and despite that ride being the cheapest most awful roller coaster you could take on an island, we arrived unharmed. But I couldn’t find alcohol fast enough.
Whenever anyone asked me how the beaches were, I had a lot of trouble coming up with a way to accurately describe the beauty. There are no words, other than they truly were the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen. It was literal postcard-perfect paradise. Most nights had the best, most colorful sunsets I’ve experienced. We took an island tour to the most incredible, fun islands and stayed at the cutest Inn with the cutest hostess. Thoughts about kidnapping the most adorable little Filipino babies crossed my mind a time or two.
I spent my time there learning (and being forced) to unplug. That’s hard for me. I thrive on information and ‘go go go.’ This trip was equal parts relaxing and exhausting for me. Island time is a very real thing -- everything moves nice and slow, when it wants to. An excuse for lateness that I wish I could’ve brought back to the Western world.
I left with a new unique perspective on a new culture. For a country that has so many social problems, the people of the Philippines were some of the friendliest I’ve ever met. They were so happy and welcoming. Some live so simply, on very little, but seem incredibly happy. Genuine and accommodating -- you could tell they were proud of their home and wanted to show it off to you. I only wish I had learned a little Tagalog. It sounded like such a beautiful language, and I’d loved to have known what the locals were saying.
On my flight home, I was sandwiched in between two older Filipino women. I declined my dinner on the plane (both options contained fish) and one of the women called attention to the flight attendant, demanding in Tagalog that I get a meal. They’re just so kind and caring, despite knowing nothing about me. (BTW, food was completely wasted on me in the Philippines and my lack of taste for seafood, but I still had some delicious dishes).
I was delighted, amazed, frustrated, excited, annoyed, perplexed and ultimately I was left smiling about the chaotic experience of Manila, but also slightly saddened by some of the things I saw during my time there. Unfortunately the grinding poverty that afflicts the country is all too common and apparent in Manila, with slums and shanty towns quite visible from the major roads and highways across the city. This is something I wasn’t quite prepared to see, but was a great reminder of how privileged my life is.
The Philippines was a beautiful place. Of course, as usual, this trip left me thirsty for more. There is so much still to see, and I want to see it all.
