Outside Manila

Finally took our jeepney ride for a block. Nicole and Ava wouldn't go any further for fear we would end up on the other side of Manila. Better than Hannah, who was too disgusted to venture into such a lowly form of transportation. 

We went outside Manila to the volcano. The smog followed us all the way. Buildings and factories slowly gave way to rice fields

and tin roofed sheds. The jeepneys

transformed into motorcycle taxi cabs with a covered sidecar and third wheel.  We saw one with a driver, two adults behind him on the seat riding side saddle, holding two small children in their laps, and finally two more passengers in the sidecar. They pack them in.

The crater of the active volcano is a lake with an island in middle which has in it another lake which smolders sulfur fumes. We took a traditional boat with bamboo outriggers propelled by a to

yota engine and transmission. One pedal for gas, one 

pedal for the clutch and a automobile stick shift for changing gears - including reverse. No wind. The water was sheet glass and the driver down shifted to second so that another b

oat wouldn't pass us. 

The volcano island has no cars or motorbikes, only horses - small itty bitty ones. So str

aight up the mountainside we went. No switch backs or turns. Straight up as the crow flies. The horses weren't too happy. Ava's guide was a little boy and he just jumped on the horse with her and away they went. "Balance, balance" was all he told her. I didn't see her until the top. The sight of the smoldering volcano was beautiful, but not as enjoyable as the horse ride up and down with our guides running behind us - passing by the dirt floored tin roof shacks with residents hanging outside on the covered "porch" eating lunch. 

Wendy has been spoiling us with lots of good food and shopping galore! We went to the Mall of Asia which is the largest shopping mall in Asia and Hannah was in shopping heaven! 

We took a horse carriage ride to the heart of the old fort city during the Spanish colonial period. The horse was foaming at the mouth from thirst and the hide on it's back was worn from the reins. It was a quick jaunt as the driver kept wanting us to get off so that he could double the price. Since we wouldn't, he had time to kill and proceeded to drive through the heart of the busiest blvd. he could find.  Traffic swarmed around the carriage as he waited to turn left then right. No problem for the horse though.

sige na !

Manila

We arrived in Manila airport to the mildew smell of a season of monsoon and the constant tooting of automobile horns. Now we know what horns are used for - not emergencies but a constant chatter of roadside wants and desires. Four "lanes" quickly narrow to one and half as drivers creep and crawl grudgingly. We can see why the filipinos back home like to light up their cars. If you can't be seen here you're going to get hit. 

The local taxis or "jeepneys" - half truck, half van, colorfully painted and lighted- are the cheap forms of traveling for locals as they sit on the benches inside, quickly emerging from the rear like city soldiers ready to achieve their objectives.  We just fall in line running with the crowd so we can cross the streets unscathed - safety in numbers. 

6 hours behind and a day ahead have hampered us a bit and totally confused Ava's sense of time. She woke up at 2 am and kept telling us it was 8 in the morning and she was starving. She refused to go back to sleep thinking the sun was going to come up shortly and ended up watching her IPod for 4 hours.

Until next time.

Off to the Philippines

Well we are about to embark on our travels!