s of increased activity.
Ning's parents rather maganda maid - can't remember her name.She left half way through our stay - Yes I know what your thinking. Perverts
As the sun started to rise above Manila, we had showers and went for a walk across Ermita to the new Oceanarium, the Manila Hotel and back across Rizal Park checking out the usual array of hornbags and jeepneys along the way.
The gang at Tagaytay. Hard to believe all of us, plus photographer, fit into two vehicles.
Talking about hornbags, at a park to the west of Rizel (on Roxas Boulevard) they seem to have a huge group exercise session to loud music on weekends. All come along wearing their respective exercise wear and the location becomes a photographing perverts paradise.
Should you not be a pervert, the motion of the exercisers all in unison also makes for a very interesting photograph.
On the bay outside the Manila Hotel is there passenger ship, an older Italian liner used as an extension to the hotel and a nearby landing where the first water plane from America to the Philippines landed. I can’t remember the year, but did obtain photographs of the plaque.
Effrell, Bolinday and that maganda one yet again at Tagaytay.
A brief session of Jeepzaling around Rizal Park, breakfast at Jollibee, spending at Robinsons Ermita, adding to the Tanduay bottle collection, and we were soon back at the Mabini Mansion waiting for Annabelle to turn up.
It was then off to Chowking for lunch, a chinese food type fast food chain than never quite seem to be able to get your order correct, a bit like Sylvania McDonalds I suppose. Today, yet again, it was a matter of putting ice in my drink after being told not to, then trying to just remove the ice without giving me a fresh one.
Prayer area in Boliday's subdivision at Tagaytay. I prayed for less traffic on the return to Manila - sadly he didn't listen!
Following lunch we hit on a awesome Manila rort that gives visitors, especially those of a western appearance, beautiful aerial views of Manila from 28 floors up. No real effort is needed, just walk past a new block of condos and make sure the people there see you.
These agents virtually beg you to come in for a look and will take you right to the top in an effort to sell you their best offering. You are assured of at least 30-40 minutes of unparalleled views of this beautiful city, all for ZERO cost. Where else in the Philippines do such fantastic tourist attraction attract a negative charge?
Another real estate agent has offered to drive us up to Antipolo City to view some houses there, they will even pick us up from QC. I look forward to this free tour as I have always wanted to see Antipolo.
Kim and, hay naku, can't remember her name either, seen at Tagaytay. God old age is a bastard........... :-)
Just remember to tell them at the end that you have to discuss it with your wife, girlfriend, mistress, kids or bandage slave – then walk on to your next tour.
But today’s freebie soon came to an end with Ana’s brother, coming to, supposedly, pick up a friend of ours at the hotel.
The afternoon and evening was subsequently spent visiting Ana’s relos living in the Payatas area, as well as meeting the 30 kids born since the last visit, before heading back to Mabini Mansion for our last night there.
BUDA 22 is the first restoration project of the 'Railways and Industrial Heritage Society Phils. Inc' of which I was associated. Karel and his band of workers have obviously done a remarkable to get this looking like it does today. The last time I inspected it, in 2007, it was a rotten old wreck at Caloocan workshop.
Talking of Caloocan Workshop, I gave the manager a copy of our Australian Locomotion book as thanks for his kindness.
It was here I met our local president Jaime, secretary Karel (who I knew from my last trip), my dear diesel friend Alberto and a few other members. Also had the absolute pleasure of meeting Caloocan chief engineer Mr Bismonte.
An inspection of the yard was done, but since this was all dribbly foamer related it is included in a separate report.
You are never lonely when railfanning in the Philippines :-) My friend Karel is seen here while we were, trying, to check out boxcar numbers :-) Patience for a few of the kids, the last four remaining to the end, when I pulled out my large pile of change and let them go for it like seagulls. Great to see them so happy.
While we looked around, Ning headed on to Payatas via public transport, with Jaime kindly dropping me home later in the night.
Join us Thursday for another enthralling installment.
Dear me, what can I say. Some, well many, Pinays are just born photogenic, so you lucky readers get a bonus photo thrown in. I still don't know her name though. :-)
ENJOY
Its enough to arouse a Tanduay collector.
One had to excercise amazing personal restraint on entering the factory.
Final packing before sending off to a grateful nation!
Good little soldiers all in formation!
It was about now I enquired how much it would cost to buy this machine :-)
Filling up the magic bottles!
This was he second, and more modern, production line. It uses a fraction of the employees to operate, so is vastly more eficient than the one above.
Part of the big history display there.
No amount of bribing was going to secure me one of these babies.
Yep, they have their own fire truck (awesome little thing huh) and again, I wasn't allowed to bring it home with me.
Edward my tour guide and one of the nicest, most friendly guys you will ever meet.
The Messiah - Lucio C. Tan.PHILIPPINES 2009 - A SAUCY TRIP REPORT
PART 2
23-5-2009 Saturday
“No more sleeps – were going today. By tonight I will be munching on Jollibee in Manila.”
Arben and my dear little neice Tin Tin!
Ana-just shakes here head, none of this being particularly exciting. She just wants to see her parents, as for Jollibee, rides on jeepneys etc, well she has done it most of her life and really does not care for any of it. Actually my obsession with such is regarded as some kind of deformity.
Ning stands beside the former Italian ship that was purchased by the
Manila Hotel in order to expand their rooms.
I am told it is now up for sale.
The dock directly behind her is where the first ever PANAM water plane from the USA to the Philippines docked after landing in Manila Bay!
If it wasn’t for her family living here, I may never have even made the first trip way back in 99, let alone the three trips since.
Possibly the most fun part of the trip over was the immense secrecy. Nobody knew about it, certainly none of her family in the Philippines. They did know I was thinking about coming over and there was some shades of suspicion when they were asked to go to Mabini Mansion to pick someone up, however it was never considered that Ana would be accompanying me.
All Pinays are cute, with a few very hideous exceptions around our area, and this cousin (I think) was no exception. Also very good to talk to.
Despite what I considered an early arrival at the airport, our arses hit the ground at the sight of a massive queue all-waiting to be served. The usual loud chatter echoed around the surrounding area, and I was left to endure the inane ranting of some elderly Aussie guy who’s favourite topic was plane crashes.
What is it with people choosing moments of plane travel to discuss our possible doom should all screw up and our next land destination arriving sooner than expected. Honestly people, shut **** up!
The Family - Well part of it anyway.
Thankfully a couple of post flight Tanduays made the check in process far less stressful than is usually the case and soon enough we were in the departure lounge receiving the great news that our plane will be an hour late due to electrical problems………
ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS!!!!!!!!
Short of ‘the wings fell off’, I can’t think of much else I wish to hear about a jet I am about to hop on board. Heck, I mean electrical is pretty much everything on an Airbus, indeed nearly all aircraft.
Sadly the multi billion dollar making Macquarie Bank were unable to afford to install more than three free internet stations in the lounge or, as it transpired, to supply keyboards with letters that are still visible. Still I managed to fumble my way through a email or two on one that became available moments before we had to board.
The last event of any interest before our departure from the hollow excuse of a country was a Singapore Airlines paging for a ‘Mr Cock Soon Tan’ which had more than a few of the toilet users in a frenzy of laughter.
Filo flowers!
Finally we are able to seat our butts within the aircraft, RP-3337 for the dribbly plane gunzels, and prepare ourselves for the exciting moment of departure and subsequent brain numbing eight-hour ‘cattle class’ journey ahead.
After surveying the area for items to pinch, ahhmmmm, souvenirS for preservation, its time to pull out a foamer magazine to pass the time until the Tanduay and food comes on tap. Last trip they never gave me any, first selling me it was to early, then to late. Bloody kuriput (tight-arse) airline staff, its not as if they were paying for it out of their wages.
Lunch was an awesome caldarita dish, washed down with a Tanduay than the extremely maganda (beautiful) Stephanie eventually brought for me.
Following lunch the stewardesses all seemed to go into hiding, either sick of whinging customers, or having a nookie down in the galley. I suppose most of the guys were picturing the later while, sadly, the former is more likely true.
With only two hours to go and only one Tanduay (a awesome Filipino rum, they seem to spell it rhum, for the uninitiated) closer to paying off the airfare, I find myself heading to the galley in search of life.
Here I found one of the male flight attendants busying himself with whatever they do in the galley. Putting on my most pathetic Aussie face, I beg him for some of that wonderful Tanduay product.
A lovely guy, obviously still not destroyed by western culture, he enquires about how many I want. Upon saying one, he returns with “two it is”. Then he asks how many are with me, when I again respond with just my wife and I, suddenly I get “OK four drinks it is”.
Obviously being a nice guy, he half fills each of the four glasses with thew quality rum and then fills the balance with coke (cola, not the powdery drug stuff) and sends me on my way with a smile.
This made them exceedingly strong for my mild tastes and I found myself requesting more cola from the female attendants in an effort to sneakily water it down.
Ultimately I can’t remember much more of the flight, other than getting a few souvenirs, one even paid for, and hobbling off the plane and into excessive heat.
RP-3335 and an unidentified PAL B747 were also in the NAIA terminal.
Our society meets up with some 'Philippine National Railway' managers at Tayuman.
So far, through our charity raising efforts in Australia, we have been able to achieve much.
Soon enough we were collecting our endless piles of crap that was cast up[on us by relatives, a tradition that any guy married to a Filipina will be able to identify with. YES admit it, you know what I am talking about, I bet you a both nodding and shaking your head while reading this.
A pre-arranged shuttle was there to take us to Mabini Mansion for two nights. Usually members of Ning’s family would be there eagerly awaiting our arrival, and subsequent presents, but as this was all a big surprise we were having to fend for ourselves.
Mabini Mansion is a nice little air-conditioned oasis on busy Mabini Street in Ermita, situated very close to Rizal Park, Rizal Monument and a heap of beggars and girlies looking for some sort of fun.
We had earlier arranged for my lovely cousin Annabelle to go to the hotel, under the pretext of meeting my friend Bill who had something to give her. She turned up about 30 minutes after we had checked in and after the surprise and subsequent cuddles, where else would we go but Jollibee for an Aloha burger, cardboard flavoured fries and the first of many cokes that arrived with ice, despite requesting none.
A big had been completed and soon it was time to head back to Mabini Mansion where the A/C had been cranked up and start snoring till morning.
Found this cat at Tayuman yard and, well, I just couldn't resist. 
Our flight arrives an hour late from Melbourne! 
It was one of those quick last minute decisions, a random look on travel.com.au revealed airfares at prices that really could not be ignored. We are not talking about one off those pathetic 10% off fares; this was $645, down from the usual costs that hover on the far side of a grand, which is Aussie for $1000.
Big buggars hey!
The next 24 hours were spent in negotiation with ‘She who must be obeyed’, seeking permission to book the fares and thus relieve ourselves of the misery, boredom and evil in our local community in Sydney town.
Ning donates to the local economy!
My reasons for so urgently wanting to return were two fold; of course there was the desire to meet the members of our railway society based in Manila. These guys were terrific and are doing a terrific job over there. I inspected their recently restored trackcar (BUDA car) that is now on display at Tutuban station, as well as the extended photo wall that joins it.
They have so many plans and I feel quite honoured to be a part of it, even though I am eight hours away. Despite the distance, it makes me proud to be able to help my second country, while so many who were born there and moved here, seem not to care less.
Every weekend a sea of hornbags converge on Rizal Park for excercise to loud rock music. It worth a visit, not only for the loud music, but also the great atmosphere.
The other reason I wished so much to return was to see Filipino people back home. It does not take a rocket scientist to know that I have been developing a big grudge towards them, thank mostly to the efforts of vermin in our local community.
This taxi caught me by surprise and I had to do a sprint to photograph it. Why the fuss? I mean these things are all over the place. A closer look will reveal the company name which is the same as my dear little estranged god-son.
Daily hurt, backstabbing and betrayal finally becomes too much and your own self-defence system soon has you putting up walls, becoming negative and ensures a growing dislike for everyone in that group of people.
The view from our room in Mabini Mansion, Ermita. The trees mark Rizal Park (sometimes called Luneta Park) and Manila Port in the background. Big building in the background is the Manila Hotel, formerly owned by the national railways.
Only returning to the Philippines, where people were still truly Filipino and not corrupted by Australian lifestyle, would solve this dilemma, would return me to where my mind once was, would remind me of why I fell in love with the country in the first place.
Balintawak and the new LRT1 to MRT3 loop closure project is in full swing.
Photo: Top of condo on the corner of United Nations and Mabini in Ermita!
No more wonderful a sight can be had than from the top of the 
The province where Ning grew up in Lantangan, a small seaside location looking out across a few island. An absolutely beautiful location.
The Lantangan province taxi service.More photos from our island adventure shortly.
Brad
Yes the water is that clean in parts of the Philippines - it isn't a photographic trick used by broucher publishing companies.
Above and below we have views from the top of a hotel in beautiful 
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