Monday 19th January 2015
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| View from our Malate/Ermita Tune Hotel narrow window |
What could
possibly be wrong with arriving in Manila at 4pm on Sunday 18th
January 2015?
Well possibly
because…Pope Francis was in town! Along
with five million (plus plus) joyful and excited followers…
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| The sellers of rain poncho s would have been VERY happy! |
And…it was pouring
with rain to make the whole experience even more thrilling.
We got off the
plane with our large amount of luggage (six heavy bags) and found a taxi quick
smart. But oh dear and oh no – the taxi
people told us there was no way anyone could drive through to Malate until at
least 8pm. The roads were all closed,
for the Pope. We might like to go back
into the airport and find a seat for the duration. We both showed the whites of our eyes – no
more airport unless there was absolutely no alternative!!
A sensible taxi
coupon seller came up with a better suggestion – we could get a taxi to the
Mall of Asia and find a cup of coffee and a place to sit. Well yes; a cup of coffee all very well but…a
stiff gin in the Mall of Asia would suit us better, thank you!
We found a
relatively peaceful table outside in the cool evening air and watched the papal
doings on TV through the window of TGI Friday, where the staff were shivering
miserably. (It was about 25 degrees…)
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| Yes! A fabulous photo from my portfolio!! |
We finally got to
our new Tune Hotel in Malate at about 9pm and settled in our (very small) room
to watch more papal doings. I fell
asleep; Pete faithfully watched until well after midnight.
Today has passed
in a bit of a blur…. Westpac Bank decided that something dodgy was going on in
Malate in the early hours of the morning…yes, it was me, creeping along the
street and withdrawing money from ATM #3, a few kilometers away (the others
were all out of order; this is the Philippines!) And no I don’t mind at all; it is very nice
of Westpac to be so vigilant.
But…ohhh…the phone calls, the wait wait waiting on the phone line…
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| Pete H Max W |
At lunchtime we
went back to the Mall of Asia where we met up with Pete’s old college friend,
Max Walch, who lives and works here in Manila.
Then we went to a very dull precinct where Pete bought a new inverter…I
was so lacking in energy that I didn’t even take a photos. But I did take one of some sparkly
chandeliers! And I managed NOT to buy
and induction cooker and a fat-free deep fryer, which a lovely girl told me
would improve my health and temperament no end…
I demonstrated to her, with large gestures, how much luggage we were travelling with and she ceased and desisted with her sales pitch and helped me take a nice photo of the sparkly light fittings instead.
I demonstrated to her, with large gestures, how much luggage we were travelling with and she ceased and desisted with her sales pitch and helped me take a nice photo of the sparkly light fittings instead.
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| Opposite our Tune Hotel….Hugs &Kisses and sleeping chickybabies! |
Back to the Tune
Hotel…no more Pope. But a whole lot more
LONG conversations with Westpac…
Enjoying Manila
but…looking forward to getting back to 2XS!!
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ReplyDeleteWow, that would have been very exciting for a good Catholic boy such as Pete! Pope Francis seems like a very good man who is making really positive changes in the Catholic Church and living by example. Not so much fun when travel weary of course.
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