Friday Night In Manila

Manila - Entertainment, originally uploaded by jsigharas.

After an already full night of gallery hopping and openings at the Fort we decided to hit up some traditional Filipino cuisine and drinks at Maca and San Miguel beer and dancing at Temple, and then later to Absinth, to experience Manila's thriving nightlife. Friday night can't be beat as it is also payday. All of this can be found at Greenbelt Mall in Makati City, considered the highest-end shopping center in Manila, and where the young, trendy and stylish play. It is well known that Manila's youth love to party. After coming home at 6am the following morning (right on time for the hotel's breakfast buffet) we can definitely contest to that.

View From City Garden Hotel, Makati City

Manila - Buildings, originally uploaded by jsigharas.

Despite being jet-lagged for the first day and a half (Manila is 15 hours ahead of Vancouver), the humidity (a shower is needed immediately after exiting an air-conditioned building), and the simple act of walking down pedestrian un-friendly streets (it can best be described as passing through an exhaust pipe packed with crazed motorist and no sidewalk space), the city of 10 million-plus hasn't diminished our productiveness at all. We met with Boots Herrera, via a short tricycle ride, for a book launch at an Italian owned space called Alliance de Francaise de Manilla. Boots then graciously takes us to two gallery openings and a photo exhibit at a well-designed shopping center called Fort Bonaficio Global City in Taguig City.