Makati City, Philippines - Page 23

slang · 11-13-2007, 05:19 PM

MSNBC Asia Pacifc details on the bombing

The Manila Times has a different story than the link above. No mention of the Rebel turncoat.

That's about 8 miles north of here...or about two hours drive in the car.

It's disturbing for sure but not to the point that I'll not go outside for days.

Wait, I don't go outside for days now.

I guess I'm uneffected so far.

For the pictures that you posted....

It is bothersome to see not only the houses of those folks but having them swim in that crappy water.

On my photo shoot of the Manila floating hotel there was a family living there on the shore with just a blanket on the stones and some flimsy sunshade type of rig.

There is a man raising a family there on the shore. I talked with him briefly. He swims and even dives underwater around the ship looking for plastics for return. The going rate is 8 pesos per kilo

W-O-W

It's sad. Very tough to see. BUT almost no one asks or even hints for money.

That's just up the river from the scene in the photo.

There's always all sorts of vegetation growing, floating in the Pasig river too. Not a place that I'd want to swim even with recent hep innoculation.

And for the American Manila Cemetery, it is surely a powerful place. There are some excellent displays that detail all the battles in the Philippines and the surrounding islands during the war.

There are rows and rows of scribed names within the walls of the monument displaying the name and hometown of all the soldiers ( that were identified ) there.

The place creeps me out and I cant be funny or drunk there, so we don't go often.

And Star City!! You don't have to go to Snow World to have a great time. There are games and interactive type activities, traditonal rides, specialty shops and all sorts of fat food places there.

It's not just for the kids, although if you go with at least one kid, it's probably better.

SparkStalker · 11-14-2007, 11:22 AM

Yeah, the swimming was a bit disturbing to see. And when we went down to the harbor where everyone was gathered (it was a Saturday afternoon), the smell nearly knocked me on my ass. I've got a few pictures of just the mounds of garbage that washed up. When I got back home, I just couldn't even begin to explain the level of poverty to people. If you haven't seen it, you just can't understand it.

I've got more pictures of the Cemetery and Memorial...I spent about an hour there walking around. I would have stayed longer, but my wife got tired of it. I'll probably put some of the battle maps up later.

I wish we'd had a few more days to actually do stuff. I would have loved to explore deeper rather than just take pictures from the back of a car.

slang · 11-14-2007, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SparkStalker

When I got back home, I just couldn't even begin to explain the level of poverty to people. If you haven't seen it, you just can't understand it.

True. That's a part of why I take some of these photos.

I've been a few other places in the world outside of the US. Until you actually go, and not to the "tourist-ey" places, it's hard to understand true povery.

It's also very disturbing to not be able to improve bad situations here. It's impossible. At times I give small amounts of money but what good does that do? Not much.

Instead I try to learn more about poverty and the options for people here. Many time I wander into places that would not normally be considered safe. I want to see the dirt. To get a better understanding of the macro and the micro.

I've found that there are dangerous people in terrible poverty but there are surely good honest people too.

In the US, if you eff up very badly you might end up in poverty over time. Here, it's not that way.

On another idea....

Since there is so much travel time to get here and it's so far out of the way, if you can research and plan your next trip before you arrive that would surely increase your appreciation of the beautiful and interesting things to do and see here.

There are tons of travel agencies and other travel groups that can assist you. I'd also help you out with information and photos/background of things that you may wish to do here.

The more people that come to visit the better. Tourism is big revenue here.

That reminds me ( I'm rambling again), what was your opinion of the Shangri-la in Makati?

SparkStalker · 11-16-2007, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slang

That reminds me ( I'm rambling again), what was your opinion of the Shangri-la in Makati?

Simply put, it's one of the nicest places I've ever stayed. The staff, by and large, was extremely friendly. The hotel itself was spotless all hours of the day and night. The restaurants were top notch, and room service was incredibly punctual. Even the security guards were friendly...they even let my wife play with the bomb sniffing dog for a few minutes.

If you all want to do a really nice meal, try the Circles buffet there. Pricey for over there of course, but it was just great, great food.

I appreciate the offer on the trip planning. It's doubtful she'll be sent over there again (the project she was working on was a total system conversion - easily the biggest thing ever undertaken for them), so unless her job changes, it was a one time opportunity. As for personal travel, I would like to go back someday and actually be able to enjoy the trip, but for now, we've got a lot of other places to go first - I still owe her a trip to Scotland and Ireland that seems to be pushed back by circumstance every year...

Griff · 11-18-2007, 09:27 AM

Nice video dude!
My part of NEPA is snow covered again today, an interesting contrast...

slang · 11-18-2007, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Griff

Nice video dude!

I'm not sure what video you are talking about specifically. I posted a video of the PA ( Philippine Army) Museum recently.

It rained the entire time that we were there and we were not allowed to photograph the inside of the museum. It's a shame as there are some great shots of PA glory inside.

Sidenote: Marcos received the medal of honor shortly after the end of WWII.

slang · 11-14-2007, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SparkStalker

....the smell nearly knocked me on my ass.....

That's another good line. I don't talk about it much but it's powerful in many of the places here.

xoxoxoBruce · 11-14-2007, 08:09 PM

Don't forget people have been eating meat for a long time, and refrigeration is a relatively recent invention. People have learned what they can, and cannot, get away with when it comes to food handling. If you push the limits, it will probably make you sick but not kill you, so you learn what the limits are.

My grandparents always let fresh meat "hang" for awhile, to make it more tender. Basically, they let it start to breakdown naturally.

zippyt · 11-18-2007, 10:35 PM

That bridge was stronger than you would think , in have seen scafolds in HK that were WAY high made from bamboo tied with suran wrap

But I Did like the line about " see the fat white man rolldown the hill "

slang · 11-19-2007, 12:22 PM

I wanted to make sure that the camera was rolling just in case I did end up busting my ass there. If nothing more the clip would have been the funniest thing I'd ever filmed.

Onward,

This is the Philippine Army Museum. We ended up here by accident.

There is a Tae Bo "class"? there on the base every morning. It's for soldiers and citizens.

We arrived late and couldnt catch the class. "Is there anything interesting I can take photos of while we're here?" I said knowing this would be an unpopular activity.

Just then the tanks came into view.

slang · 11-19-2007, 12:32 PM

Most of the cool stuff is inside the museum. The scenes from the different time periods were very well done. This is also the only museum that I've seen so far that has authentic looking models. Most of the models look like Americans while trying to look natural in a pinoy setting.

It was surely worth the P20 admission.

slang · 11-19-2007, 12:37 PM

slang · 11-19-2007, 12:44 PM

I should bring a photographer with me for these types of places.

What would make these pictures truly memorable would be to have me standing up in the troop carrier manning that big 50. Then getting some different angled shots, from the side, from the front, maybe looking directly down the barrel with me aiming. Those are the shots that I want.

Any idiot can get these types of photos. I want the action shots with me in the photo.

Even if I get ejected from the venue, those photos will be more interesting that just the run of the mill pics.

zippyt · 11-19-2007, 01:28 PM

Motorized gate , think you come motoring up in one of those , gate drops then you GO GO GO GO GO GO GO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Setup a peremiter , secure the area , then carry on with your mission

zippyt · 11-19-2007, 01:42 PM

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/aavc7a1.htm

Similar but different

11-18-2007, 09:27 AM	#5
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Nice video dude! My part of NEPA is snow covered again today, an interesting contrast... __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

11-14-2007, 08:09 PM	#8
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Don't forget people have been eating meat for a long time, and refrigeration is a relatively recent invention. People have learned what they can, and cannot, get away with when it comes to food handling. If you push the limits, it will probably make you sick but not kill you, so you learn what the limits are. My grandparents always let fresh meat "hang" for awhile, to make it more tender. Basically, they let it start to breakdown naturally. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

11-18-2007, 10:35 PM	#9
zippyt LONG LIVE KING ZIPPY! per Feetz Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,661	That bridge was stronger than you would think , in have seen scafolds in HK that were WAY high made from bamboo tied with suran wrap But I Did like the line about " see the fat white man rolldown the hill " __________________ "Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. " Brother Dave Gardner Last edited by zippyt; 11-18-2007 at 10:42 PM.

11-19-2007, 01:28 PM	#14
zippyt LONG LIVE KING ZIPPY! per Feetz Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,661	Motorized gate , think you come motoring up in one of those , gate drops then you GO GO GO GO GO GO GO !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Setup a peremiter , secure the area , then carry on with your mission __________________ "Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. " Brother Dave Gardner

11-19-2007, 01:42 PM	#15
zippyt LONG LIVE KING ZIPPY! per Feetz Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,661	http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/aavc7a1.htm Similar but different __________________ "Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. " Brother Dave Gardner

11-13-2007, 05:19 PM	#1
slang St Petersburg, Florida Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,423	MSNBC Asia Pacifc details on the bombing The Manila Times has a different story than the link above. No mention of the Rebel turncoat. That's about 8 miles north of here...or about two hours drive in the car. It's disturbing for sure but not to the point that I'll not go outside for days. Wait, I don't go outside for days now. I guess I'm uneffected so far. For the pictures that you posted.... It is bothersome to see not only the houses of those folks but having them swim in that crappy water. On my photo shoot of the Manila floating hotel there was a family living there on the shore with just a blanket on the stones and some flimsy sunshade type of rig. There is a man raising a family there on the shore. I talked with him briefly. He swims and even dives underwater around the ship looking for plastics for return. The going rate is 8 pesos per kilo W-O-W It's sad. Very tough to see. BUT almost no one asks or even hints for money. That's just up the river from the scene in the photo. There's always all sorts of vegetation growing, floating in the Pasig river too. Not a place that I'd want to swim even with recent hep innoculation. And for the American Manila Cemetery, it is surely a powerful place. There are some excellent displays that detail all the battles in the Philippines and the surrounding islands during the war. There are rows and rows of scribed names within the walls of the monument displaying the name and hometown of all the soldiers ( that were identified ) there. The place creeps me out and I cant be funny or drunk there, so we don't go often. And Star City!! You don't have to go to Snow World to have a great time. There are games and interactive type activities, traditonal rides, specialty shops and all sorts of fat food places there. It's not just for the kids, although if you go with at least one kid, it's probably better.

11-14-2007, 11:22 AM	#2
SparkStalker Vivacious Vivisectionist Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 36	Yeah, the swimming was a bit disturbing to see. And when we went down to the harbor where everyone was gathered (it was a Saturday afternoon), the smell nearly knocked me on my ass. I've got a few pictures of just the mounds of garbage that washed up. When I got back home, I just couldn't even begin to explain the level of poverty to people. If you haven't seen it, you just can't understand it. I've got more pictures of the Cemetery and Memorial...I spent about an hour there walking around. I would have stayed longer, but my wife got tired of it. I'll probably put some of the battle maps up later. I wish we'd had a few more days to actually do stuff. I would have loved to explore deeper rather than just take pictures from the back of a car.

11-19-2007, 12:22 PM	#10
slang St Petersburg, Florida Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,423	I wanted to make sure that the camera was rolling just in case I did end up busting my ass there. If nothing more the clip would have been the funniest thing I'd ever filmed. Onward, This is the Philippine Army Museum. We ended up here by accident. There is a Tae Bo "class"? there on the base every morning. It's for soldiers and citizens. We arrived late and couldnt catch the class. "Is there anything interesting I can take photos of while we're here?" I said knowing this would be an unpopular activity. Just then the tanks came into view.

11-19-2007, 12:32 PM	#11
slang St Petersburg, Florida Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,423	Most of the cool stuff is inside the museum. The scenes from the different time periods were very well done. This is also the only museum that I've seen so far that has authentic looking models. Most of the models look like Americans while trying to look natural in a pinoy setting. It was surely worth the P20 admission.

11-19-2007, 12:37 PM	#12
slang St Petersburg, Florida Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,423

11-19-2007, 12:44 PM	#13
slang St Petersburg, Florida Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,423	I should bring a photographer with me for these types of places. What would make these pictures truly memorable would be to have me standing up in the troop carrier manning that big 50. Then getting some different angled shots, from the side, from the front, maybe looking directly down the barrel with me aiming. Those are the shots that I want. Any idiot can get these types of photos. I want the action shots with me in the photo. Even if I get ejected from the venue, those photos will be more interesting that just the run of the mill pics.

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