Manila

I arrived in the middle of a moderate rainstorm around 11:20 a.m.  Thursday local time, 13 July 2000 (8:20 p.m. Pacific, Wednesday).  Total travel time was approximately 17 hours (Los Angeles-Seoul-Manila).

I was met by representatives of Rajah Tours after passing through Philippine customs (Balikbayan - returning pilipino/families regardless of nationality).

Rajah Tours had assigned us a tour guide (Tony Estrada) and driver for our visit, as I had arranged to match our November itinerary during this advanced trip.  They offered to take me directly to the Manila Hotel or do some sightseeing.

VJ '70 was scheduled to arrive at 7:30 p.m. via Northwest and Osaka, so I had lots of time to kill.  I felt rested after the trip and decided to see the American Memorial Cemetery near Ft. Bonifacio (formerly Ft. McKinley) and the new Veterans War Museum which opened only last year.

The cemetery (for American/Philippine Scout war related deaths) is one of only two locations in the Philippines authorized by the government to fly the American flag, the other being the Clark cemetery (non-war related).  It was a beautiful facility maintained by the American Battle Monuments Organization, authorized by the U.S. Congress after World War II.

The museum was also an interesting facility featuring Philippine battles and campaigns from the native perspective.  It included diorama displays and high-tech electronic tour presentations.

Following more general sight-seeing we headed for the Manila Hotel, 1 Rizal Blvd. (formerly Dewey Blvd.) located on the sea front near the U.S. Embassy and Rizal Stadium.  Traffic was heavy so I was thankful for Steve, our Rajah driver.

I met with representatives of Rajah Tours at the hotel and we agreed on a general itinerary for our visit including tours of Clark, Subic, and Baguio (if possible).  Due to a recent typhoon and flooding, it was not certain that all roads would be open.  My complements again to Rajah Tours for their hospitality and attention to our travel details!

I met VJ at the hotel at about 9:00 p.m.  He was more than ready to head out on the town so we made for Makati and the nightlife.  We had a great first night seeing some of VJ's old haunts (he was the manager of at least one establishment) and many still remembered him.  He was actually a legend in a few bars!

Next - we arrive in Angeles/Clark

Comments and Lessons Learned:

-  traffic is too heavy to drive yourself.  Transportation is cheap and readily available almost anywhere.

-  the Manila Hotel is Five Star class with a lot of history.   The rooms and views were excellent.   The staff was extremely helpful.  Both 220 volt (local) and 120 volt outlets were available in each room.   Converters were provided.

-  the restaurants at the Manila Hotel all featured American, European, and Asian style menus.

-  the hotel included a business office where computers were available for email, net access, and other related services.

-  the official exchange rate was approximately 44.50 PHP to 1 USD.  U.S. dollars are accepted everywhere, usually at a slightly smaller exchange rate.  No need to convert dollars stateside before travel.

-  compared to the '60s, I felt Manila was a cleaner city

-  safety was never a concern during our visit, even during our bar hopping in the evening/early morning

-  it rains in July (a lot)

John '65 and VJ '70