General Info

[QUOTE=Ezinho]I will be heading to the Philippines during the Christmas break. I will arrive in Manila at Noon on the 24th and be there until the morning of the 29th. I have some questions, please forgive me if they are stupid:

1. What is Manila like during the 24th and 25th when it comes to mongering? I've read that LA Cafe is open 24 hours a day, but even on December 25th? Also, how is the selection? I'm assuming it's not as good as it usually is.

2. I would like to leave Manila on the 26th and spend the weekend in Angeles. But I've read that is one of the worst times to travel by bus in the PI since everyone is going somewhere. Would there be seats available on the 26th? Or would it be better to go on the 25th? Do buses even run on Xmas day?

3. Do I need to make hotel reservations or can I just show up and find something in Manila? Same in Angeles. I don't need anything fancy, the Executive Plaza looks fine to me.

I guess what I'm asking is; what the hell should I do?? If I were going at any other time I would just follow the great advice on the forum, but going over Xmas, I'm honestly not sure what would be best. Should I line up some girls before I go, through the internet. I have no idea.

Any feedback is appreciated.[/QUOTE]Will give you as much feed back as I can. My experiance is that the days leading up to Christmas are pure hell. Traffic will be the worst of the year and everyone's mind is elsewhere. But sometime on the 24th everyone in Manila leaves for the provinces. On the 25th you could play foodball on EDSA. Ghost town.

The hotels can still be busy with forigners so I would book ahead.

For the days after Christmas and before New Year, it is also ligher than normal traffic. Hotels are particulaly full over new year's eve.

As for LA Cafe, I have never seen it empty but you can assume many of the girls will go to their families in the provinces. But also as many are local, they still want spending money and need to eat.

Can't help you with the buses but can guess that if the buses run on the 25th, you will be the only one one them. I can't imagin that they would be crowded on the 26th either. Most likely they will stay in the provinces for the weekend.

Filipinos like to go out on Christmas day so forget about taking a taxi anywhere. Complete gridlock in Manila. I would suggest you get a hotel reservation. A lot of Philippine foreign workers come back to visit family, so hotels and flights will often fill up.

I think LA cafe will be open.

As for transport to AC, use Fly the Bus or the other service (forgot the name). There are more than the usual foreigners in town during that time but those bus runs generally don't get many locals on board. I would think most buses run on Christmas.

In Phil., I found that New Year seems to be a more family oriented holiday and that would be the day when bars would close and bargirls would head off to their hometowns. Christmas tends to be more party oriented and bars and bargirls know that this is a great time to make money.

X

[QUOTE=Ezinho]I will be heading to the Philippines during the Christmas break. I will arrive in Manila at Noon on the 24th and be there until the morning of the 29th. I have some questions, please forgive me if they are stupid:

1. What is Manila like during the 24th and 25th when it comes to mongering? I've read that LA Cafe is open 24 hours a day, but even on December 25th? Also, how is the selection? I'm assuming it's not as good as it usually is.

2. I would like to leave Manila on the 26th and spend the weekend in Angeles. But I've read that is one of the worst times to travel by bus in the PI since everyone is going somewhere. Would there be seats available on the 26th? Or would it be better to go on the 25th? Do buses even run on Xmas day?

3. Do I need to make hotel reservations or can I just show up and find something in Manila? Same in Angeles. I don't need anything fancy, the Executive Plaza looks fine to me.

I guess what I'm asking is; what the hell should I do?? If I were going at any other time I would just follow the great advice on the forum, but going over Xmas, I'm honestly not sure what would be best. Should I line up some girls before I go, through the internet. I have no idea.

Any feedback is appreciated.[/QUOTE]

Do things go back to normal on December 26th?

Does anyone know the easiest way to get from Boracay to Camiguin by plane? Is it best to fly back to Manila and then to Cagayan de Oro, or can I go to Cebu and then on from there?

Thanks

I do not believe there is a ferry to Camiguin from Cebu. You will have to get to CDO, then by car to the ferry terminal across from Camiguin. About 2-3 hr drive.

[QUOTE=Ezinho]I will be heading to the Philippines during the Christmas break. I will arrive in Manila at Noon on the 24th and be there until the morning of the 29th. I have some questions, please forgive me if they are stupid:

1. What is Manila like during the 24th and 25th when it comes to mongering? I've read that LA Cafe is open 24 hours a day, but even on December 25th? Also, how is the selection? I'm assuming it's not as good as it usually is.

2. I would like to leave Manila on the 26th and spend the weekend in Angeles. But I've read that is one of the worst times to travel by bus in the PI since everyone is going somewhere. Would there be seats available on the 26th? Or would it be better to go on the 25th? Do buses even run on Xmas day?

3. Do I need to make hotel reservations or can I just show up and find something in Manila? Same in Angeles. I don't need anything fancy, the Executive Plaza looks fine to me.

I guess what I'm asking is; what the hell should I do?? If I were going at any other time I would just follow the great advice on the forum, but going over Xmas, I'm honestly not sure what would be best. Should I line up some girls before I go, through the internet. I have no idea.

Any feedback is appreciated.[/QUOTE]

Just come here to AC! Like I've said, well maybe not on this site, but most girls run out of money and so many hotties still here in AC.

Xmas eve, about 5 years ago, I had a girl not up to expactions, no problem at 5am as I got an even better one to replace her.

Does anyone have any advice on the relative merits of Camiguin vs Palawan -- in terms of natural beauty and the vibe for traveling? Any nightlife scene or women looking for friends in either place?

Thanks,
WJ

[QUOTE=Warmjan]Does anyone have any advice on the relative merits of Camiguin vs Palawan -- in terms of natural beauty and the vibe for traveling? Any nightlife scene or women looking for friends in either place?
WJ[/QUOTE]

I was in Palawan, but did not go stay in Puerto Princessa. Palawan is good for sight seeing, diving, snorkeling and such. I was in El Nido and Sabang in Palawan and did not see anything for nightlife. Did I see some women looking for whatever, yes. Would I have done them, no. I brought my own, and that would be my recommendation if want company with you in Palawan. But for anytime you take a woman with you, choose wisely. If you go to Palawan, and she's wrong friend to bring. It's not like Angeles or Manila where they are easily replaced. Recommendation for Palawan, go there for the beauty and the outdoor activities and not for mongering.

Manila – Return trip

Did a lot of sight seeing during the day. I got a fairly good map of the city from the Hyatt Hotel in Malate. I guess if you just took a taxi everywhere it would be easy to get around this city but if you’re going to do it on your own like I did, walking free, jeepney 8P and local busses 11P, it’s really hard if it’s your first time here. Everyone was helpful with pointing me in the right direction or telling me which jeepney/bus to take. Talked with a lot of regular girls along the way, they are so sweet, shy and soft spoken. But I still made it everywhere I wanted to go and I had fun and meet some nice people along the way.

SM Mall in Malate – I went here every day/night to hang out, eat or shop and was approached several times every visit. Some were young, some were older and some were TG’s so be careful and ask like I did, “Can I ask you a personal question, are you a girl?” I knew they weren’t and all answered truthfully.
I tried hanging out at the Starbucks looking for FL’er but didn’t have any luck, guess no one wants a 60-year-old guy, but still had fun talking to the regular girls there.
I played it safe and never took a girl from the mall or the street.

Executive Plaza Hotel Malate – I liked this place a lot. Booked my room through Agoda and got the room for $40 US instead of the $57 they advertise.
It’s close to LA Café and seeing that I never got to any other areas to play it was good for me. Internet sucked and was expensive. They make you sigh up for a plan, 1-hour of use for 240 P good for 24 hours, 4-hours of use for 480 P good for 36 hours or 16-hours of use for 960 P good for 48 hours. I tried the 4-hour for 480 P and, because I signed out when I wasn’t using it and I was busy with other things, I only used about 1.5 hours before the 36 hours ran out. Not a good deal at all.

Butterfly Bar – Out walking around one evening and stopped in here just to have a Coke and rest my tired feet. It was quiet and empty, 4 girls/women working behind the bar, 4 young waitress, a couple of older ladies offering massage, 3 20-30 year olds that I took to be working girls and 4 customers, including me, 2 guys were playing pool and 1 guy was sitting with one of the working girls.
I really was tired and didn’t plan on taking anyone but after talking with one, her name started with either C or S, said she was 27, and her coming down to 750 P for a few hours, I agreed. She was fun in bed and we had a nice time together. She stayed for over 3 hours, 2 pops she showered and left. Sorry, no photos because she said she doesn’t do this often. Yea right.

Mike

Christmas Day is VERY different there than here. NOBODY stays home with their family. I was at Mall of Asia last Christmas and the traffic and the crowds were beyond belief. 2 hour + wait to eat, they ran out of Pisos at ATMs and exchange houses (I had JUST arrived and only had dollars) just an absolute mob scene. IF they had a Fire Marshall he would have shut it down.

Not sure about finding girls but EVERYBODY is out and about and traffic is otherworldly. This Pasko I plan to stay in a very remote area (thinking of Batanes).

Getting to Camiguin is a major pain since SEAir flight stopped operating. Ditto Baguio. AsianSpirit recently became Zestair and they stopped the Baguio flight meaning ONLY Laoag (and Tugeraro which is way the F out there away from the coast)has air service now in Northern Luzon.

[QUOTE=Warmjan]Does anyone know the easiest way to get from Boracay to Camiguin by plane? Is it best to fly back to Manila and then to Cagayan de Oro, or can I go to Cebu and then on from there?[/QUOTE]
Zest Airways (formally known as Asian Spirit Airlines) flies to Boracay from MNL and CEB. [url]www.asianspirit.com[/url]

The same airline I thought flew to Camiguin from Cebu but apparently that isn't the case now. Maybe that service is seasonal.

Mattrick: It was SEAIR, not Asian Spirit, that served Camiguin from Cebu. It is not seasonal, it is dead. HOPEFULLY another carrier will fill the void (ditto Baguio service).

Getting to Boracay is easy. The trouble is because it is so easy it is horribly overcrowded (and overpriced).

Internet - I found a fast and cheap, 1 P a minute/60 P an hour, place. It’s called 365 ATTO Internet Café, 328-8816. It’s across from the Robinsons Mall where the Starbucks is, above the massage place, on Admatico Street. They let me hook my MacBook Pro too.

Taxi – There is a guy in front of the Executive Hotel/7-11 named Willie Monton, and 3 of his friends.
I took Willies taxi one time and I’m glad I did. He took me to catch a bus and my camera fell out of my pocket in his car. I had his card with me so I called him, he found the camera and I asked him to turn it in to the hotel for me. I called the hotel and sure enough they had it waiting for me. When I saw Willie again I offered him 500 P as a thank you and he wouldn’t take it.
They are not metered taxis and he says they charge a fair flat rate. At least they are honest and you can trust them to take care of you. I used one of his friends there to take me to the airport, he asked for 500 P but settled for 300 so it doesn’t hurt to ask.
Willie told me he can get girls too but I never got the time to try them. He takes you to an apartment where you get to meet and choose one. Willie said the best time to go to the apartment is between 4 and 6 PM. They stay all night and it’s 1400 P.

Walking around with a backpack – I had an incident at the mall with my backpack on. I was in a crowded line and I thought I felt something/someone pulling/nudging on my backpack, I reached around and everything was OK but there were 3 guys behind me with a look about them. I took it off and carried it over one shoulder in front of me after that. Just be careful.

Mike

Back story that prceded this one reminded me of something.

Some time back I score a lovely girl. Princess something she called herself. Took her for nice lunch then got her to Sogo. Got her in bra and panties and thought, this is Kodak moment.

Reached into my backpack for my Sony digital. Which was full of pics of variou ladies. And no where to be found.

Sadly. Some bastard had removed it from my backpack in Glorietta the day before. Was an old camera and needed replacing, the pics were all ladies which Id already saved anyways, and having stolen it, the guy would have had to buy a battery charger to have any use from it anyways. But backpacks, . Wear them on front or hold them in crowded place is good advice.

[QUOTE=FreebieFan]Back story that prceded this one reminded me of something.

Some time back I score a lovely girl. Princess something she called herself. Took her for nice lunch then got her to Sogo. Got her in bra and panties and thought, this is Kodak moment.

Reached into my backpack for my Sony digital. Which was full of pics of variou ladies. And no where to be found.

Sadly. Some bastard had removed it from my backpack in Glorietta the day before. Was an old camera and needed replacing, the pics were all ladies which Id already saved anyways, and having stolen it, the guy would have had to buy a battery charger to have any use from it anyways. But backpacks, . Wear them on front or hold them in crowded place is good advice.[/QUOTE]

Good advice! My backpack was opened when I had it on my back but this was in a europe. Had my Canon EOS in it, but they didnt take it. Subway.
Anyway where is the most likely place to get robbed or picked in the Philippines? Manila?