Manila Redux

Let's get this out of the way:

Manila is a big, stinking, huffing, puffing, monolith of a city.  Traffic is awful, the shanties are depressing beyond belief, and the majority of buildings are gray and drab.  The local population seems compelled to dump trash anywhere and everywhere, the rivers running through the city smell foul on a good day and god-awful on a bad day, and the beggars and street urchins crowd around your car at stoplights, holding up a hand for alms.

And yet Manila isn't just yet another third world city.  With a population of 11.5 million, Metro Manila has almost the same population as Paris and Beijing. Moreover, it is in the same league as Mexico City, Buenos Aires and Rio De Janeiro.  Its' population is actually twice as large as Madrid's, and 30% larger than London's.

And which of those Mega Cities doesn't have serious issues?

I am not an apologist, mind you.  In many ways, it takes a special type to truly love Manila.  Even the locals of some financial means make sure to get out of town every chance they get.  As soon as it's a holiday, traffic snarls to a dead stand-still from people trying to go to prettier, less-crowded, less polluted towns: Tagaytay, Baguio, Clark.  Or they take a plane to Boracay, Cebu, Bohol, etc etc etc.  It raises the question: if even the locals are eager to get out, why would anyone else want to go there?

That said, one has to always remind oneself that Metro Manila is a huge metropolitan area in a third-world country. It is a microcosm of all that is good and bad, but as a matter of fact has quite a lot to offer when compared to most other third-world cities. Not only does it have access to every modern amenity and endless entertainment options, but it is also blessed with a friendly population. Life here is reasobaly affordable (if you have some money), and you are relatively close to all of Asia and the Pacific.

A lot of people refer to the Philippines as "Asia Light", "Asia 101", or "Asia for Beginners," and there may well be something to that.  The Philippines is the most "Western" of the Asian countries, in part because it was controlled by the U.S. for much of the 20th century's first half.  Today, that American influence is still highly palpable: the Filipinos are almost all capable of speaking at least some English, and their world view is surprisingly Americentric.  Some of my expat friends have told me stories of big multinational companies that actually station their Asia-bound expats in the Philippines for a year or two before being shipped elsewhere in the region, because the culture shock is less.
 

I haven't had that confirmed, but I can imagine it being true.

More than anything, however, the Philippines and Manila remind me of Mexico and Mexico City, respectively.  It was only after I came to this conclusion - and mentioned it to someone - that it was explained to me why that actually makes a lot of sense.  As is widely known, the Philippines was a Spanish Colony for 333 years, from 1565 until 1898.  What many people don't realize, however, is that the Spanish actually governed the Philippines via Mexico.  So in many ways, the influence is more Mexican than Spanish.

When you walk in Intramuros, you can still feel this influence.  The experience is more like walking in an old Mexican colonial town than one that is Spanish.  A majority of the people here in the Philippines have Spanish surnames, and the local language still contains many snippets of Spanish.  The local cuisine is strongly influenced by Spanish/Mexican cooking, and its' brand of Catholicism (and it is important to note that the Philippines is the third-largest Catholic nation in the world after Brazil and Mexico) is more reminiscent of the Mexican variety than that of Spain or Rome.

All that having been said: don't be under the illusion that this place is paradise.  It's not.  No city as big as Manila is.  But that is not to say that it isn't worth the effort of getting to know the place, because - despite all the negatives - there is a tremendous amount of culture, history and highly enjoyable tourist stuff to more than make up for the negatives.

So what would I recommend newcomers see during a visit Manila, to help generate a positive impression?  I think one has to start with this list:

1. Intramuros - "Intramuros" is Spanish for "inside walls", and it is the old spanish colonial city out of which Manila has grown. Many of the old buildings - in traditional Spanish design - are still standing, and the government tries to ensure as much of the old town as possible survives in its' original state.  The old city walls are still present, but the moat that used to surround the fortress has been filled in and now houses a golf course.  Being in this authentic Spanish colonial town while not leaving Asia is rare treat, and while I can think of 100 ways in which they could improve the experience (like not allowing the construction of modern-looking buildings inside the city walls), Intramuros is both unique and worthwhile.  While there, check out the Manila Cathedral, Fort Santiago and - if it happens to be your sport - try to catch a round of golf in Club Intramuros.
2. Makati - The business district, but also a surprisingly clean, organized section of the city.  By far the most tourist-friendly section of town, there are many entertainment options both during the day and at night  If the Philippines is "Asia Light", then Makati is "Philippines Light"...and while some might complain that it lacks the grittiness and authenticity one would encounter in more characteristic neighborhoods like - for instance - Tondo or Quiapo, I strongly believe that there is enough grittiness in these Mega Cities for people to get a good enough taste of it without having to mount an expedition. Makati is home to hotels, malls, skyscrapers, museums, the stock exchange, quaint streets lined with mature trees, and a delectable Sunday market specializing in food (Salcedo Market - check it out!).  Whole sections of Makati have elevated pedestrian walkways, designed to encourage walking while at the same time alleviating road traffic, and they connect Malls, office buildings, hotels, residential towers and covered parking structures.  Make sure to visit Greenbelt (a luxury mall built around a nice park with mature trees), the Ayala Museum (a world-class art and history museum located inside Greenbelt), and the super-exclusive Manila Polo club (if you can convince a member to invite you).  Have lunch in the Peninsula Hotel Manila, with its' magnificent lobby and elegant old-world ambiance. 
3. Tagaytay - Although technically speaking outside Metro Manila (and a good hour and a half to two hour drive away, as a matter of fact), no visit to Manila is complete without a visit to this "weekend-getaway" town located in the mountains outside Manila.  Tagaytay is actually a town located on the ridge of a volcano, overlooking the lake that has filled the crater.  To complicate the natural wonder even further, the lake contains several islands, one of which is a volcano in its' own right.  So to be precise, it is a volcano in a lake in a volcano...quite unique, and ridiculously scenic to boot!  Over the years, an endless amount of restaurants, hotels and other amenities have sprung up, many of which overlook the lake.  Because the temperature tends to be cooler than in Manila, it makes for a wonderfully relaxing terrace-lounging opportunity.  If you want to do more than lounge on a terrace and enjoy the breathtaking views, make sure to visit Antonio's Restaurant. Although it doesn't overlook the lake, it combines a delightful garden with some of the best food I've ever had.  Finally, if you can convince a guest to take you, try and see Tagaytay Highlands. It is a resort built into the mountain side, and its' Austrian-style chalet condos, mission-style mansions and Filipino-inspired golf clubhouse are sights to behold.

The list actually goes on and on, but I think this would make for a promising start. Other recommendations will undoubtedly be addressed over time, but I think this gives someone who visits Manila for the first time more than enough to chew on.

Manila is not what it seems. It isn't an obviously attractive city, and you have to dig a little bit to discover its' charms and beauty.  When you do, however, it is more than worth the effort.