Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It's polluted and crowded like many big cities. Compared to the islands of the Philippines, Manila has little appeal to me. That said, I still think it's worth a visit, given its capital status.

I spent the morning of May 7 doing sightseeing in Manila. I took a flight to Cebu in the afternoon.

I took a cab to Instramuros, which is a must-see in Manila. Riding a horse carriage is a relaxing way to see Intramuros. The horse-drawn carriage driver asked for 300p, and I managed to get it down to 200p for a half-hour ride. The driver told me some basic facts about each building or bulwark on the way. It was a pity that I didn't quite understand his English.

I can finally claim to have a fair complexion, standing next to the guard. ^____^

The driver suggested me to get off the carriage to take some photos at some attractions. The driver's 15-year old nephew helped me take some photos. He said in broken English that they charged every half an hour and that I would need to pay 400p if I wanted to take a longer ride. I had a hard time understanding his English. So I said,"I'll talk to your uncle." I made it clear to the uncle that I would not take a longer ride and that I would only pay 200p as agreed.

I hate it when people try to make me spend more money. It's not just about money. It's also about not wanting to be tricked.

Manila Cathedral

I was not allowed to go inside because I was wearing shorts. I found this discriminatory. We come to this world stark naked. Why should shorts be considered not decent enough for a church?

The statue opposite Manila Church.

San Agustin Church

Memorare Manila

Fort Santiago Admission:50p

Horse-drawn carriage rides are available inside Fort Santiago as well, but I chose to walk.

I found this statue grotesque and interesting.

Rizal Shrine is dedicated to the Philippine national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, who was executed by the Spanish colonial authorities in 1896. Unfortunately, this sacred shrine was desecrated by a tourist trap. When I entered the shrine, the security guard asked for my nationality. I told him that I was from China. He didn't ask me to register. After I went up to one of the show rooms, a staff member asked me to write down my name, nationality and address in a sign book. I thought it was just routine registration of visitors. So I complied. The staff member then asked me to make a donation. It was then that I took a good look at the sign book. I saw some visitors donated more than 1000p. I suspected the staff filled in the amount to trick visitors into donating more money. I had already signed my name and didn't want to make a scene. So I donated some changes. He said the amount out loud, in the hope of embarrassing me into donating more, but I ignored him. It was obviously a shameless tourist trap.

I bet their national hero Dr. Jose Rizal would turn in his grave. Donation should be voluntary. It's absolutely despicable to trick people into donating money. Later on, I saw a Korea visitor being asked to sign his name from a distance. He looked surprised when the staff asked him to donate some money. In spite of his surprise, he took out his wallet. Most people wouldn't make a scene because of some changes. A friend of mine told me that he had similar experience when he visited the shrine with his friends. He forgot to warn me before I left Guangzhou.

Later on, at another museum, a staff member gestured for me to come in, but I refused to go inside, as I saw a sign book at the entrance.

Tricking people into donating money is not the same as charging an admission fee. I'd gladly pay an admission fee to see a place. Being tricked is a totally different matter.

A small garden

I saw a restaurant named "the House That Fried Chicken Built" and it reminded of of the tongue twister, "This is the house that Jack built".

Rizal Park Admission is free. It's a good place to stroll, picnic and simply relax. A perfect retreat from the chaos and madness of downtown Manila.

What impressed me most were the jeepneys in Manila. Each jeepney seems to have its own colors and patterns. It's hard to find two jeepneys looking the same in Manila. I actually enjoyed riding on a jeepney, as it's airy and more comfortable than an air con bus. However, it's hard for a foreigner to figure out the stops and routes of jeepneys. So I took a cab when my destination was not far away.

I made a point of visiting the Chinatown in Manila, as it was my first time going abroad. I wanted to see what a Chinatown looked like. As it turned out, I was quite disappointed by what I saw at Chinatown. The area looked pretty run down.

There are many jewelry shops in Chinatown.

KFC meals are very much localized in the Philippines. Aside from chicken, you can get rice and soup at KFC. I personally prefer the traditional KFC chicken meals. Local flavor does not appeal to my taste bud.