Manila Manila

We have a foreigner guest, A, staying with us for less than a week. Since my brother couldn't entertain her due to his busy schedule, the rest of the family was tasked to take care of her. I've lived in Philippines all my life and I couldn't quite decide where to take A considering that an out of town trip wouldn't be possible given her short stay. Here are a few of the things we did and what we will be doing in the next coming days.

1. A visit to Intramuros - The fortress is historical and there are several places to go to inside the walls - churches, casas, ruins and parks. Today, Ma and I brought A to the walled city and we hired a kalesa to take us around. There are kalesas for rent and the kuchero was even trained by the Department of Tourism to explain the sights around Intramuros. For a one hour ride, we paid Php 250 each. Not bad. He even spoke in English.

2. A taste of Filipino food - Always, always, we bring a visitor to have a taste of our local cuisine. But of course, it'll never be in carinderias! This evening, my family brought A to Recipes in Shangri-la Mall. We've taken her to Cafe Juanita before so it was best to bring her some place else.

3. A trip to Ayala Museum - I've seen the permanent exhibit Gold of Ancestors at the top floor and it's amazing. The collection made me really proud of my Filipino heritage and even centuries ago, I would say our ancestors' skills in jewelry making was advanced. Ayala Museum has several floors and I was also able to see their other collections including dioramas detailing Philippine history.

4. Lunch at People's Palace - I'm crazy about Thai food and there's one excellent resto in Greenbelt 3. People's Palace. This posh resto has a high ceiling and elegant interiors. I know this part of my itinerary doesn't fit quite well with my supposedly ala Wow Philippines itinerary but I just want A to see Greenbelt (it also happens to be my favorite place on earth). People's Palace is a bit pricey but it's worth it.

5. Support Reportory Philippines - Ma and I are thinking of bringing A to watch a stage play. Though the story is that of Mulan, it would be wise to showcase Filipino talent and how we can stage world class plays. Had I known earlier, I would have bought tickets for West Side Story. I do want to watch it too.

6. A trip to 168 - There is nothing Filipino about 168. The products are all from China but what is good about this place is that one can buy pasalubong at a very cheap price. There are a lot of good finds mostly novelty items. Maybe A can find something nice for friends and family. On another note, I did also bring A to a handicraft store in Intramuros but she didn't buy anything.

I would love to bring A to cultural shows but for now, these are all I could think of as the Little Ambassador of the Philippines. I shall be doing more entertaining in the days to come.

Happy weekend everyone! :-)