Makati City, Manila 2007

1. Had pork ribs in Tory Roma's restaurant located at Glorietta with 2 colleagues. One of my colleague was excited and wanted to try it out while travel to Manila, so we join him for the dinner. In addition, I never try it in Malaysia.

2. Most of the apartments nearby are occupied by foreigners. Only rich local family affords to stay in such residence unit because the price of the house, electricity & water bills can cut off their pay every month. Last time, the electricity and water bill for my unit was twenty thousand Peso per month. Not easy to live in Makati city because the price not yet include other bills. How much a household should earn in order to stay in such places?

3. An old tree planted in front of my apartment.

4. An office building with modern design near my apartment.

5. It is hard for you to look for such tall buildings outside the city.

6. Rebels were cowing at The Peninsula Hotel in November 2007. At least two people were injured in this incident. Most of the hotel guests and staffs had been evacuated. A senator, a former vice president, a Catholic bishop and several journalists were arrested after a seven-hour standoff.

7. Street view in the city, you can see various luxurious cars on the road. At every traffic light, you will see some young kids or old folks request donations from you while others may offering sale of low quality goods, such as newspaper, cigarette, hat, flowers, toys, etc.

8. It is not a good experience to drive in Manila and the roads in the city need to be repaired.

9. Some of the buildings had become well-known landmark in Makati City. I always told taxi driver that I wanted to go home near Citibank Tower, Paseo de Roxas.

10. Took a photo outside my apartment. You can find many taxis in Manila, quite convenient but they will ask for tips for the days before & after Christmas. It was hard for me to get a taxi after work few days before Christmas 2007. I tried to take few buses and then walked back to my apartment. My client place was near Magallanes Village, quite far from my apartment, so I had to take taxi every morning to reach their office.

11. This was the apartment that I stayed for half year.　There are small swimming pool and gym room at the top floor in this building. I often went to exercise in gym room in the morning and swim at evening every weekend. This was the way I spent my spare time over there.