General Info

[QUOTE=Mortman] Happened to me the first time, I stupidly thought I could do the same as I do in Europe and just turn up with my passport and they would match my details on the computer. [/QUOTE]

Hahaha - but this is The Philippines, chock full of little brown jobsworthies who are paid peanuts and who therefore display all the sense and initiative of trained monkeys. But there again, knocking back a rich foreigner is probably one of the few kicks that they enjoy in their sad, humdrum, little lives.

On a similar theme, I was fighting my way through the crowds (and it was not even rush hour) at Ayala MRT station yesterday and it occurred to me that this particular station must have being designed by a sadistic misanthrope or maybe more likely an architect who would find difficulty getting a job as a toilet cleaner in the west. It’s the main commuter station for the up market financial district and yet it is dull, gloomy, airless, dirty and with so many stupid design faults that it could be used as a role model of how not to build a transport facility. Climbing up from EDSA (no escalator to the first floor) the ticket concourse is way up in the sky even though the actual line is back down nearly back at street level. So you go up and you come down:D. Ticket machines exist but have not worked in living memory. So there are long snaking queues for the 3 or 4 harried ticket sellers and which apparently, at rush hour, extend all the way back down to EDSA. And then after all this, when you have got a ticket, its time to join another queue for the cursory and therefore pointless security check. Grrrrrrrr!!

I have nothing but admiration for the long suffering commuters who have to put up with this shit every day in sauna conditions, gulping in lungfuls of the fetid air that wafts up from EDSA . It must be a indication of the cheerful fatalism of the average Filipino that they tolerate this nonsense without more of them jnot running amok and engaging in a spot of commuter rage.

A stunning and humorous report by the cunning stunt -- and very British in its absolute negativity. We'd have thought you could have led the Manila transportion rebellion yourself!

Backing up a bit to the Manila airport taxi situation, I was pleasantly surprised earlier this month when I flew Davao to Manila via Cebu pacific. There were three taxi queues (spelling?) and all three were clearly labeled. One was something like contract price, which I assumed would be the most expensive. Then there was yellow taxis which had a 70 pesos start. Then there was the line for regular taxis with a 30 peso start. I opted for the yellow taxi and ended up getting flagged just over 200 pesos to get to hotel near Robinsons Ermita. The guy drove well, didn't honk incessantly, didn't try to sell me his little sis, and actually helped me with my bag. I tipped well...much less stress than the old ordeal.

I can't recall, but wasn't it over 300 in the old days when they had a special counter with the fees written on the wall?

Maybe there are different systems in the different terminals so if you are a newcomer, please read previous posts as well.

I wonder if all that British complaining my be making a difference!!! Before you know it, there will be a special 1st class lane at MRT for people willing to pay a bit extra.

X

[QUOTE=Vandaddio]Hey Robb, thanks for the site, lots of girls.

Now I just need the wallet and the time for them.

I don't want marraige, just want to meet them when I get there, and date them. Maybe better than pay 4 fuk?

I'm not sure how Phillipinas are and how many dates it will take to bury the sausage?[/QUOTE]
Your welcome and one date will work:D

[QUOTE=Robbaf]Your welcome and one date will work.[/QUOTE]you have to love the catholic girls

I hear you have to escape the parents or relative chafferone.

You have to love the freebie girls as to the pay 4 however pay 4 makes things mor eblack and white. And less complicated. Kinda like ordering a pizza.

Pic your size and toppings.

[QUOTE=GoodEnough]It's easy. Just follow the the steps listed below:

1. First, accept the fact that it may be the worst, most screwed up airport in Asia, and perhaps beyond; that it's designed mindlessly, with no consideration for passengers. Once this idea is rooted firmly in your brain, proceed to step two:

2. Walk outside the international arrivals terminal--assuming that you have eventually found your bags--and flag down a decrepit, almost surely un-airconditioned, and probably filthy taxi; then ask the driver politely to take you to the next terminal; if you have several hours to kill you're pretty much screwed as there's nothing to do and you probably do not have time to go anywhere;

3. Flinch, and repress the urge to kill when the driver quotes you an absurd price for driving you and your luggage a couple of kilometers; make sure to enunciate your terminal choice clearly or you may wind up in the wrong place and have to repeat this semi-unwholesome experience;

4. Arrive at your new departure terminal and go through the hassles of screening, removing shoes, long lines and lack of service again--smile throughout it all cause you know that you're gonna get laid in but a few hours and the sex will push the hassles into irrelevance quickly;

5. Board plane for onward journey.

GE[/QUOTE]Whilst I agree with some the taxi situation has improved a lot. Now you can pay slightly more and get decent airport taxis in old Naia and in Aquino. They are the yellow ones. Clean and decent and way better than the normal crap thats on the streets in Manila.

Interesting article regarding what Homeland can do.

[url]http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/148203[/url]

[QUOTE=Mike Bel]Dear collegues,

Thanks a lot for the mass of answers I received about the topic "Ozamis City: webcams prohibited in cafes? ". I've read them well and as you all I'm convinced that somebody is fooling around with me.

Mike[/QUOTE]Here is a picture of a DIA girl that was in a private webcam booth yesterday in Ozamis City. She told me it was more expensive then the normal cafe.

Robb

[QUOTE=Robbaf]Here is a picture of a DIA girl that was in a private webcam booth yesterday in Ozamis City. She told me it was more expensive then the normal cafe.

Robb[/QUOTE]The tits tell the story..
Amazing how convincing these LBFM are with their BS stories eh?

Take care mate!
AV

[QUOTE=Robbaf]Here is a picture of a DIA girl that was in a private webcam booth yesterday in Ozamis City. She told me it was more expensive then the normal cafe.

Robb[/QUOTE]Has anyone ever been on:

[url]http://www.myfreecams.com/#Asian[/url]

They are all Pinays.

I didn't see anything about Robbaf's post that implied anything remotely related to a woman's BS story. Maybe I need a new pair of reading glasses.

But she did have a nice pair of tits! X

[QUOTE=Amavida]The tits tell the story..
Amazing how convincing these LBFM are with their BS stories eh?

Take care mate!
AV[/QUOTE]

Planning a visit to the Philippines in November and am thinking of having a suit custom made (in addition to other activities). Anybody know a good tailor?

I'll spend about 4 days in Cebu, 4 days in AC, and will go through Manilla twice during the trip (between Cebu and AC, and right before flying home).

So basically, anyone who can make a good suit in 4 days or less.

[QUOTE=Dbdoll]Planning a visit to the Philippines in November and am thinking of having a suit custom made (in addition to other activities). Anybody know a good tailor?

I'll spend about 4 days in Cebu, 4 days in AC, and will go through Manilla twice during the trip (between Cebu and AC, and right before flying home).

So basically, anyone who can make a good suit in 4 days or less.[/QUOTE]Forget about that. The PI is not known for good tailoring. Very few wear suits because of the heat. The formal outfit is a thin shirt which the name escapes me right now. The PI is not like Hong Kong or Thailand where tailors whip out suits in a couple of days. Good luck finding a decent tailor.

[QUOTE=Thatguy865]Forget about that. The PI is not known for good tailoring. Very few wear suits because of the heat. The formal outfit is a thin shirt which the name escapes me right now. The PI is not like Hong Kong or Thailand where tailors whip out suits in a couple of days. Good luck finding a decent tailor.[/QUOTE]
The barong is the name of the shirt here that's typically worn for for or less formal occasions, and there are several styles, the appropriateness of which depends on the degree of formality of the event.

There are in fact lots of tailors here. In Davao, I use an outfit called Chardin, which has great cloth and does a fine job if you're careful to specify exactly what you want. I've ordered probably a dozen shirts of various styles and fabrics from them, as well as pants and a suit and I've never been disappointed. I'm sure there are places that are equally good in Manila and Cebu. I suggest checking with someone at your hotel, or with another expat who lives in whatever city you're staying.

GE

[QUOTE=GoodEnough]I'm sure there are places that are equally good in Manila and Cebu. I suggest checking with someone at your hotel, or with another expat who lives in whatever city you're staying.[/QUOTE]

True... but given a choice (luckily I do have a choice) I'd get my tailoring done in Hong Kong (not as expensive as before), Thailand (not as low priced as before but still a good value IMHO) and now Vietnam is getting to have some good tailors at great prices...

PI is OK but not in the same league as those three places. Plus I found that they try to drastically over charge foreigners (true other places do also but not as bad as PI does IMHO). I went with a local supplier of mine to a tailor to get some alterations done, one high price for me and a drastically lower price when he asked about the same items.

So GE's advice is solid... get a local expat to ask around and see if they will have their GF's take you to work a better deal for you in exchange for you taking them out for a meal or such.

If you have a choice and find a local you trust, always let them bargain for you.

I don't know where to ask this, so I try here.

How can I change the order of the reports within a thread, so that the oldest comes first and newest last? I selected this in the 'User CP', but didn't give me the expected result.