Arrival Philippines, Manila + Trip to Banaue & Sagada

Last thursday I took a nightflight from Bangkok to Manila. Quite shocking arrival it was. The first impressions at the airport’s immigration were quite demotivating. And the security gave me the bull’s eyes. When I took shortly after the taxi to my guesthouse, I was paralyzed by what I saw on the streets. Even more when I took the next day a long hike with a group of friends, through Malate, Chinatown and other parts of the city. You must have a heart of steel if this leaves you cold. Poverty. Painful poverty.

I didn’t take any pictures in Manila. I couldn’t. Although some scenes are already burned on my retina. Maybe later I can.

However, the last thing I want people to think about the Philippines is that it’s just a poor dangerous chaotic country, like our media often shows it. Maybe Manila is, but Manila is not the Philippines, right?
The last three days I went up north to Banaue & Sagada with Roy (PH), Anna, Kirstin and Mark (US). It was a terrible bumpy nightride of 8+ hours bus (without toilet and way too cold airco) to Banaue. From Banaue (which had the first wonderful sceneries of the rice terraces) we had to take a jeepney to Sagada, which was another 3 to 4 hours over dirtroads in the mountains. That ride was more fun though, coz it was already daylight and you were able to enjoy the magical scenery. Know that these rice terraces are the eighth wonder of the world! They are 2000 to 6000 years old!

…the pictures.

Banaue rice terraces

kids in Banaue

see the farmers?

our jeepney

grave at the hanging coffins, Echo Valley.

hanging coffins, Echo Valley

hmmm?

the obligate macroshot of a local insect…

Sagada by nightfall

We also went for some caving. Around this area. Notice again the coffins in the centre of the cliff.

These coffins at the cave’s entrance are estimated to be 500 years old.

And there we go…

Sam, Roy & Jet. 250m deep. You look like a dwarf, Roy, between those two giants! hehe.

The youngsters here have sometimes parties in the caves! Must be awesome.

swimming 250 below surface. It’s cold…freezing cold, but fantastic clear water. The feeling when you get out is so ‘waaaaah’

some cave sculptures

rice terrace sculptures in the caves

two rainbows at the same time, Sagada village

church of Sagada

One of the better restaurants there.

Sagada by night

Mark enjoying a mango at 6am in the morning, before we left for a long tiring hike to the Big Waterfall at the nearby village.

Me a little bit later…errrm, we got up at 5.40 am.

Rice in the morning

The Big waterfall! We climbed all the way around, took a shower under the falls, jumped of the cliffs…simply awesome.

local kids…Must be wonderful to have this natural playgarden as a kid.

Going back through the terraces…The end (for now!).

I hope all sceptics in regard of the Philippines have seen now that this country hosts truly wonderful places and even more, wonderful people. And I’m sure I will have more in a few weeks. Now however I have to concentrate on work again. I’m staying a week in Paranaque, a quarter in Manila, where I’m hosted by a lovely caring Filipino family. Thank you Shayne!
Next chapter: Mount Mayon (active vulcano) and the whalesharks!

Take care all.

Waterwar in Bangkok part 2

Imagine this:

A friend calls you to ask if you wanna go out for some drink ‘n dance. You’re in the mood for it and gladly accept the invitation. Only, you come both from another side of the city, so meeting up in the club is the best option. You take a taxi. The first one drops you after 10 seconds because he can’t understand where you want to go. You take another one (only takes 5 seconds), he says he understands but drops you off at a place with slightly the same name, although, wrong place! Well, not that wrong, a bunch of beautiful thai girls came to greet me instantly, but I wasn’t really out for that. So you take a third taxi who finally drops you off at the place to be, RCA.
Happy as you are, finally reached destination…you see they suddenly ask entrance fee to enter the street. Darn, Songkran, everywhere people take advantage of it. Ah well, you pay (at least you can buy two drinks from the ticket). You look at the clock and see you’re already 40 mins too late. No worries, we’re very close to the club now…

But then…you enter the zone, which seems to be stamped with people! Packed, overcrowded! And…they all carry waterguns! No way to go back now. Time to switch to first person.

After one minute I had already three buckets water over me (farangs are easy to spot targets) and I was drenged in rice porridge. I didn’t think to go on my sandals, as mostly they refuse these in clubs…It took me about 90 minutes to get to the club (which was only about 500m).
I arrived like I just dived into a swimming pool with all clothes on and rolled myself after in white flour. Pretty sight, very comfy…rrrright. But then you see your friends, the full bottle of whisky, sexy girls dancing, good live band, and you forget you’re wet and drink yourself into sunshine.

At 3 am you wanna go home and all taxis refuse you, unless you pay them like triple the normal amount. No other option, unless you wanna spend the night under a bridge looking like  a soaked boule de berlin.

Only one thing I thought in the taxi: I’m looking forward to the Philippines!

Waterwar in Bangkok

Today it started…The roads are unsafe for three days long. Songkran! Thai new year. Behind every corner there might be a bucket of water, waterhose or waterpistol waiting for you. The worst case scenario is porridge on your face.

Even the cops attack you!

I just went out for dinner and well, I was soaked when I arrived at the restaurant.

I need to wrap my electronic stuff up in plastics now when going out.

Help!

If you wanna have an idea how it looks like:

Songkran images