Manila, Philippines

Manila, Philippines. We have to get up early today. We have a free Virtuoso tour provided for us.

We had breakfast in the room and met the Kapels in the lobby shortly before 9:00 AM. The security was very tight and they were only going to allow two busses on the dock at a time and no other vehicles. The first two busses were Virtuoso buses but that only took care of about half the people. Next there were busses for various tours mixed in. That was worthless as only the Virtuoso people were being let off the ship at his time. No more busses could enter the dock area and no more people could leave the ship. Very clever these Philippinos, not. Finally the cruise director or the captain straightened them out and they got us a couple more busses. We got one only half full and took off. It had a cracked window and was filthy and old.

After a short ride we entered a park area where we walked to an old Spanish fort. The guide kept referring to World War II as the Japanese American War. There were old cannons from centuries ago and disarmed World War II shells piled around in various places. Across from the park there was a very interesting old house from the 20s. This had been a very fancy house with exquisite furnishings and interiors that was now fully restored.

We then went another short distance to the Manila Hotel. It was built in 1912 and was in original condition except with modern improvements. I was very impressed. This was the first place we found plumbing like in the US. The men’s room had peach colored, American Standard, elongated commodes. This was the most comfortable seat since I left home. I almost couldn’t leave to go to lunch.

The lobby was great with many crystal chandeliers and a beautiful dark wood ceiling. The main ball room could hold 2,500. That’s a lot of balls. It was big too. But the ceiling was fairly low and it got loud.

Along with a very fancy lunch we were entertained by a Philippine dance and song company that had played all over the world including Disney World and had won many awards. I guess they will give awards for anything. I thought it sucked. They danced around like a bunch of over smiling fairies and often stepped on things they should not have. They were all big too, especially for Philippenos. Can you imagine 20 or more two ton tinker bells prancing around like elephants? One dance was with candles in glasses. They dropped one of them and did the rest of the dance with a glass that had no burning candle.

The high point of lunch was the advertised before lunch Hors D’ Oeuvres. Waiters walked around the tables offering peanuts and potato chips. The rest of the food was okay.

Mark Forstein will love this place. I promised not to tell but I have to anyhow. For years we have been going to good restaurants where Mark has pulled out his trusty Swiss Army knife and put a hole in the corner of his napkin. He then buttons his napkin to his shirt. Yeah, fancy restaurant and there’s Mark with a napkin buttoned to his shirt. Well, I guess everyone in Manila does that. Mark could live here. Every cloth napkin on the table already had a button hole in a corner.

After a couple of hours we were taken back to the ship by one of the buses. There was a free shuttle on the dock to a downtown shopping mall. Bobbi said she looked in a couple of stores in the hotel and saw nothing and some people back on the ship said there was nothing special at the mall so we just went down to the computer room to send letters. I think all the military walking around here with machine guns has Bobbi a little freaked if she won’t shop. We don’t leave until 10:30 PM tonight.

No Shopping Sherm Out

(Posted on behalf of Sherman Rootberg)