Just over three weeks ago, we began our 32-hour journey from Argentina to the Philippines. Unlike our other long-haul flights, we went into this trip thrilled because we had a 6-hour layover in Atlanta!
We took a quick shower in the Delta lounge and unintentionally caught a pretty awesome sunrise before leaving the airport. I managed to snap a pic before dripping in sweat! It was a good preparation for Manila weather.
Ben graciously picked us up for an incredible brunch with Meadows’ BFF Jack and his girlfriend. Ben and Meadows used to always go to brunch at their favorite restaurant, Folk Art; they called it “Folk Art Friday”. So it was only fitting that we had a brief reunion there before heading back to the airport!
From ATL, we flew to Tokyo and then Manila. We landed exhausted, and more jetlagged than ever before. Manila is 12 hours ahead of Atlanta!
I only have photos from the website, but Meadows and I love our setup in Manila. Rather than living in a hotel, we are in more of a corporate apartment environment. We have a nice, modern apartment with a little living room, kitchen and a huge bathroom. We have been able to unpack and not worry about checking out on the weekends! Additionally, I cook a few times a week. Thankfully, we still have access to typical hotel amenities like a breakfast buffet, laundry service, daily maid service and room service.
Manila is a really interesting place. It’s the most densely populated city in the world, with 41,515 people per square kilometer. Most places we go are crowded, but it’s important to consider the people. We have met many nice people during our travels, but Filipinos are easily the kindest. Everyone here is extremely polite and helpful! Not to mention, almost everyone speaks English, which is much easier for us.
The entire city feels very western and global. Condos, office buildings, malls and restaurants surround our hotel. The best part is: the Coca-Cola office is right next-door. In addition, we have an unbelievable amount of cuisine options. The nearby mall has a Pottery Barn and a Kate Spade in it… it really feels just like home!
My favorite aspect of the Philippines is the Jeepneys, which provide local transportation. These vehicles are completely unique to the Philippines! They originated from U.S. Jeeps leftover from World War II. Today, you can find them everywhere, typically overflowing with people. It’s not uncommon to see people hanging off the back or sides of them! (Image from asiatravelbug.net)
One of the major benefits of our travels is the ability to study other governments and their different political environments. We have witnessed some pretty crazy situations this year, from the threats of terrorism in Egypt and Turkey to the recovering economy in Argentina. The Philippines is undergoing some big changes as a result of President Duterte’s war on drugs. The last count I read said there have been 1,800+ extrajudicial killings related to drugs. And when President Obama tried to intervene? Duterte was not happy. We are completely safe, but it does make reading the local newspaper more interesting.