Back in Manila! We had to get extended visas and we were told we could only do the long term extensions in Manila. This may or may not be true (it seemed to be incorrect) as we were only able to extend for 59 days and then we will need to return to another immigration office to extend further when that is supposed to expire (but not too far ahead…but not too close to expiration or you’ll have to pay the express fee…as we of course needed to). Sigh. So all bureaucracy across the globe seem to be infuriating. I don’t know if I should get started on my overly angry, per Chad overreaction, to them not even allowing me in the immigration building because I was wearing shorts! And I’m a woman. It seemed ok that chad was wearing shorts. Granted longer ones, but I don’t think us switching shorts would have helped. So I had to buy a scarf from a hawker that was standing outside (because obviously this is a thing that happens often…thanks for the heads up, ugh eye roll) and the scarf while not that expensive is of course way more than if I bought at a shop or anything else…dress, pants, skirt. And when I asked the security guard if there was a shop I could go to he just lead me to the scarf person. Even though about a block away there was a cheap store with anything I could have wanted/needed for a 1/4 the price (which we discovered after completing everything) Again, that 1/4 is a dollar, so the $4 is not a big deal really, but it’s the principle. And I get real bristly (evidently) when I’m told what to wear/that what I’m wearing is inappropriate. Chad found it amusing since I didn’t seem to mind the same for temples or churches, but to me it seems a very different thing when it’s a religious place I’m choosing to come view and a government building I HAVE to come to. But I’m nearly over it (hahaha sounds like it doesn’t it?). I mean, really maybe I should just start wearing longer shorts? Or shorter skirts? And I suppose it gives some jobs to those scarf sellers.
Anywho, after going to the first counter and getting new forms to fill out (the ones we had already printed and filled out we’re out of date…though I think if today I looked on the website those would be the same) then off to another line and counter to get some stamps and…who knows, a bill…and then to another line and counter to pay for things. Then just a short 1 hour wait (lunchtime! Glad we packed a “picnic”) and then we picked up our passports and visas!! Hooray!! it actually wasn’t too painful as forms and hoops go.
The immigration office was down by Intramuros, which is the old stone-walled area that the Spanish occupied and lived in while they ruled the Philippines circa 1600-WWII. So: giant cathedrals, soldiers barracks, prison cells built into the wall (now converted to student eateries as inside the walls now include 4 universities/colleges as well as museums, businesses and the San Miguel office headquarters) all encompassed by a 30-40 foot thick wall. Canons facing out. Pretty saturated with history. That being said, after touring the first cathedral we could walk to the girls were pretty spent on walking and the walking and visa-ing had taken a fair amount of patience so we opted for the ultimate tourist tour: horse drawn cart! It was great, and while our driver/guide was not a font of information (he may have been, just not in English), it was lovely to see a lot of sights in a brief time. The museums were interesting, and the girls were very happy and amused by the novelty of the horse. Alys noted all the details: the bucket hanging to catch poop, the fancy decor on the reins, the horseshoes to keep his hooves from wearing down (dontcha know ;)) that all the drivers wear the same yellow and green checked shirt. That girl has a keen eye.
So Uber in The PI is Grab and it is GREAT but after our immigration business was completed and now we had enjoyed our carriage ride we thought…why not go full throttle with the foreign public transport? We tried to ask how to get to the light rail (figured we could walk…pretty sure it was easy walking distance, but that distance seems to be different for us and the folk we ask). Our sweet cart driver said we should take a Jeepney to the LRT (rail) and we have been meaning to try…they seem confusing to our foreign eyes…so he hailed one for us and on we hopped. Sadly it was rush hour. And the traffic in Manila on the best of days and times is not pretty. after the novelty wore off (maybe 5-10 minutes in 😆🤦♀️) it was stop and go traffic in the back of an open van where the exhaust is NO JOKE and it is hot and sweaty and our girls were tired and Marion was Sooooo thirsty. Those girls are so sweet. Really the only thing she complained about was our lack of water. Which I think we were all feeling.
Finally we jumped out before our suggested stop (as we followed our snail like progress on google maps…maybe went a mile? A kilometer? In about 45 minutes). We walked through a large plaza (aided by advice from another jeepney rider/exiter…helpful people everywhere, honestly.) and in 5 minutes we had gotten water and the LRT was in sight.
We snagged a snack and then tackled understanding the system. That was the easy part. Got tickets and all was very smooth. Then we had to get on the train. Quite the line up at the yellow markings…hmmm….oh, because a few people wriggle out and you have to cram yourself into the car!! Gives a whole new meaning to crush of humanity. Second train arrival we thought we were ready but Chad still had to physically push someone off the train (he wasn’t on, but trying to push his way on) so Marion and I wouldn’t be left behind!! Hahaha! Honestly I still adored it. We were moving! Quickly! And the air was fresh and air conditioned even though it was shared by a few hundred strangers per car and Alys said “everything went black” I think because she was smashed and that’s all she could see, not because she passed out. Actually the girls seemed to quite like it. Sort of like the challenge of an extreme sport. And coming out the other side: ALIVE! What a rush 😆
We sadly didn’t get any pictures of the insanity that was the packed LRT (just tying to make it…at one point they did a…brake check? Still unsure…but sure the brakes were slammed on and we were all hurtled forward…so we held on and no pictures). The next time we took an LRT adventure was All Saints Day which is a legit holiday here and so the trains were comparatively empty. Delightful but less impressive.
So that was one day in Manila!
The Adobo Hobos 