Lost In Translation

Intramuros

A picturesque side street in the Intramuros.

Rain, Rain, Rain

The last three days I was in Manila there were these really intense rain showers that flooded the streets on a regular basis-crazy. The next day there would be no sign of the showers. I heard the flooding was mainly due to high tide.

Who The Hell Is My Vince?

I was talking with a friend the other day and he compared Entourage to Sex and the City for guys, but I disagreed. I thought it was all about escapism and led men to consider if they had a chance to latch on to a Vincent Chase. This article in Slate agrees with me:

Every guy between the ages of 13 and 30 has got that one friend destined for greatness, either at the minor or major level. He doesn't have to be the next box-office draw, voice of his generation, or golden god of rock—a local lothario will do. For those of us sneered at by cruel nature, this person represents our only chance for sampling the run-off glory of vicarious accomplishment. Wingmen, moochers, and hangers-on—we're usually the guy's best friends, and we're remunerated for being just that. That this category had previously been neglected by popular culture is quite amazing. It's also why Entourage's most readily cited analog is misleading. Where women used to watch Sex and the City and ask themselves, "Which one am I most like?", men watch this show and ask themselves, "Who the hell is my Vince?"

Manila Cathedral

This is the Manila Cathedral in the Intramuros historical area.

Fort Santiago

This fort has a lot of history since it was the area for protection in the early imperialist years. Later, it was the jail that imprisoned national hero Jose Rizal (who was later executed), and it was almost destroyed in the Battle of Manila in 1945. It has been restored and incorporated into a larger historical tourist area know as Intumuros.

Mall Movies: Scoop / Me, You, and Dupree

Mall seem to be a large part of Filipino culture. There are several large malls and mega-malls throughout the city. I found one, Robinson Mall, near my hotel that has free wi-fi, which is where I have been doing my blog posts. Most malls have movie theaters as well and they are super cheap $2.

A couple of days ago I saw Woody Allen's latest, Scoop, and I have to say I was disappointed after seeing Match Point. I thought he was on a comeback, I guess it was short lived. If Match Point was a repeat of Crimes & Misdemeanors, this was a re-hash of Manhattan Murder Mystery with a little Alice whimsy and Purple Rose of Cairo mysticism thrown in. It seemed like a good cast on paper, Ian McShane as a journalist ghost, Scarlett Johansson as the heroine, Hugh Jackman as the villain, and Woody Allen playing comic relief with the same schtick he's been using since the 60s. It wasn't very funny or witty in my estimation. At least he had the restraint not to make his relationship with Joahansson a romantic one.

Whether or not you like the movie, You, Me, and Dupree, will depend on whether or not you like Owen Wilson's lovable screwball act, which seems to me to be wearing thin due to overexposure. However, there's a sweet, screwball comedy lurking underneath, which is given considerable life by the always likable Kate Hudson and reliable Matt Dillon. No classic, but a fairly enjoyable way to spend 90 minutes to escape the Manila mid-afternoon heat. However, remember this, Tone Loc references and "Funky Cold Medina" will always get laughs.

Quiapo Market & Church

On Sunday I began my tour of Manil at the Quiapo Market near Chinatown. It was atypical market, and it was intersting to note that many different coutnries share different fruits like lychee, durian, etc... There was a very impressive array of fruit, vegetables, and other goods. The Quiapo Church (pictured below) apparently was rebuilt in 1933.

Jeepney

Jeepeny is the most common form of transportation for locals. On the smaller island, it's the tricycle (a motorcycle with a sidecar capable of hauling whole famillies to their destinations). I haven't ridden a jeepney yet (so I don't know the fare or anything), but they're everywhere and have totally tricked out paint jobs, someone could do a fascinating photo essay on the variety of jeepneys. Both of these forms of transport usually have some religious messages on them as well, reflecting the powerful influence of Catholicism in this country.

The Blue Lily Villa

My travel partner Jason stayed at The Blue Lily Villa the last time he was in Borcay in July, and said we needed to stay there. It is a sort of boutique guest house-it has 5 rooms that are comfortable (with air con, fan, cable TV, hot water shower) and tastefully decorated, with a quiet location away from the main tourist area of the beach. The owner has paid a lot of attention to the details with expertly crafted benches and counters outside in the front area as well. The owner, to my surprise, was former Tacoma mayor and State Speaker of the House, Brian Ebersole, who is running the resort as a sort of retirement project. He and the staff are very friendly, and since we all like to talk politics, we spent several hours trying to solve the world's problems. Furthermore, it was interesting to hear about his experiences in politics, especially given that he knows most of the major players in my home state of Washinton. I highly recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Boracay.

This is the inside of the room I stayed in on the first floor.

This is the spectacular beach view from The Blue Lily.

Boracay Sunset

Boracay is located south of Manilia in The Visayas Islands archipelago. Boracay's White Beach is an amazing beach. I think it is one of the prime destinations for foreigners and Filipinos alike. It has some trendy dining and drinking spots, not quite on par with places Bali and Phuket,however, it seem like they are on their way. We only spent two days since my traveling partner, Jason, had to get back to Tokyo on Sunday. But I think a few more days would have been necessary to fully appreciate the island and what it has to offer. I think part of it was due to the hospitality of our host, Brian Ebersole at The Blue Lily Resort (I'll post more about our host and accommodations later). In sum, it is a very relaxing and beautiful place to stay.