~1993~ Manila - July 1993 Seoul - July 1993 My Travel My Reflection |
| MANILA |
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| The capital of the Philippines is as different to the delicate white flower after which it was named as you can get. A sprawling metropolis, covering nearly 250,000sq miles and home to approximately 10million people, it is almost the antithesis of the rest of this laid back often breathtakingly beautiful archipelago country. That's not to say Manila doesn't have its charm. A cultural melting pot where East meets West, where Spanish colonial churches stand side by side with Oriental mosques, where horse drawn carriages vie for road space with jeepneys (makeshift minibuses/taxis) and homes with no running water or electricity stand in the shadow of steel and glass uber-towers. The largest city in Southeast Asia, Manila is not for the feint hearted, its relentless bustle and notorious nightlife are both enthralling and draining, but if it's action you're looking for prepare yourself to be spoilt rotten. |
| Philippines The 7000 islands that comprise the Philippines are the forgotten islands of South-East Asia. Off the main overland route and with a recent history of martial law and endemic corruption, the country has struggled to attract tourists in the numbers many of its southeast Asian neighbours have. Since the demise of the authoritarian Marcos regime 15 years ago the Philippines has fared better; however, the last few years have sent the country's fortunes tumbling once again. In 2000 a Brussels-based research centre declared the Philippines the most disaster-prone country on earth. It named typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, garbage landslides and military action against Muslim insurgents as just some of the problems both locals and tourists have had to deal with. Despite these difficulties, most of the Philippines is laid back, stable and relatively safe. The country likes to promote itself as the place where 'Asia wears a smile' and the locals are, by and large, an exceptionally friendly and helpful bunch. On top of this, transport is cheap, the food is good, accommodation is plentiful and (for the monolinguistic) English is widely spoken. |
| Memories by Sudhir Iyer Was walking down memory lane, Was walking on the beach, Throttling the feelings of pain, Keeping doubts out of reach. Had a look at the sands of time The hours when time itself stood still, Could hear distant bells chime, And I was walking while I still stood still. Felt the heat of the sun beating, Could sense an awe that the past left, Saw the sheath of life fleeting, Glimpses of what was there were best. |
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