Manila

[quote=red kilt]reports just given to me by a friend staying in malate that lac is now (as of tuesday evening) closed with a big red closed sign across the front, and the security guards sitting in front.
some uncertainty about whether this second raid happened soon after midnight or soon after midday today, but my source thought it was noon today (maybe to catch the under-age college girls who might be there).
this is a report given to me by a mate staying in malate- i have not personally been there to verify it (and don't plan to)[/quote]

wow!
i was there last week monday. glad i got to see the place. the official reports are obviously full of crap, didn't see any sign of forced labour or ****d there when i visited. quite the opposite...

Was in Manila yesterday, read an article in local paper about Lim making a personal trip to LAC to padlock the cafe himself, article quoted him saying he wanted to make sure the place was shut down permanently and never reopened even under another name. I'd say look elsewhere for quite a while. Havana was pretty busy last night, I had good luck there.

[QUOTE=CollegeMan83]Was in Manila yesterday, read an article in local paper about Lim making a personal trip to LAC to padlock the cafe himself, article quoted him saying he wanted to make sure the place was shut down permanently and never reopened even under another name. I'd say look elsewhere for quite a while. Havana was pretty busy last night, I had good luck there.[/QUOTE]This is his one trick in life.

Years and years ago, the guy did the same to some great bars and nightspots in Malate/Ermita.

Then he did the same to the popular attractions on Roxas Boulevard.

Anywhere where people might be having a good time, he wants to show hes the Sheriff and shut it down. Makes for a great photo-op but thats about all Damn hes 79....who are the folks who vote for this guy ?

[QUOTE=D Cups]Jeez, I hope it reopens by October when I'm there! And with some big-titted newcummers. Regards to you RK :).[/QUOTE]

Cheers DC.

I wouldn't hold my breath. Mayor Lim is reported as telling the authorities to ensure it doesn't reopen again somewhere else under another name.
I guess some other place in the area might try to pick up some of the slack but they will need to be careful.
I noted G Point had a smallish sign on the front window last year (not sure if it is still there?) saying something like "prostitution is not permitted in this establishment" so they were aware that there is some sort of a fine line between a bar and a ..whatever?.

[QUOTE=CollegeMan83]Was in Manila yesterday, read an article in local paper about Lim making a personal trip to LAC to padlock the cafe himself, article quoted him saying he wanted to make sure the place was shut down permanently and never reopened even under another name. I'd say look elsewhere for quite a while. Havana was pretty busy last night, I had good luck there.[/QUOTE][url]http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/metro/view/20100622-277046/Lim-closes-bar-said-to-be-employing-sex-workers[/url]

Lim will keep it closed down i would bet. everything i hear about him is the demise for any good hunting. but of course it just goes further underground

LA closing. Will what the Phil needs to do is look at how progress can improve on a money maker for all. There are serveral countries (not the US )that do a great job manageing entertainment locations. When government steps in like Phil did it puts most of the pain on the locals. Saying goes something like when you tax the rick shut them down the locals feel the pain. It would be better to set up legal business (amazing LAC) and manage age and have accounting of reciepts entrance fee etc. Instead shut down gives pimps and makes legal citizens criminals. Ah just venting this is a smoke screen anyway wonder what this guy is really hidding. smile

Greetings all! Been hanging around on this forum for years but never really posted anything of interest, but popped my PI cherry last night and thought the story was interesting enough to post. Sorry, this ended up being pretty long.

Got to Manila early, arrived at 8AM, made it to the Astor Hotel by 915AM (morning rush hour traffic in Manila is horrible, well, ok, the traffic seems to always be horrible). First impressions: traffic, smog, and more smog. Been to Bangkok, that place has downright organized traffic and clean air compared to Manila IMO.

Couldn't check in to the hotel yet, so dropped off my bags and started walking. I'm young (27, decent shape), and I've lived in the tropics for a few years so the heat was just about what I expected, but I wouldn't advise wandering around downtown on foot if you're not used to the heat. Hit starbucks and a national bookstore to kill some time, then walked from Astor to Greenbelt, wandered around the malls (huge, reminded me of Singapore malls) and killed an hour or so in the Alaya museum, pretty nice (and cool).

Ate lunch at a forgettable burger place in Greenbelt 2, then walked back to the hotel. Note: the underpass configuration in the vicinity of the Mandarin Oriental (Makati and Alaya ave intersection I think?) is really confusing. I kept going up and down the stairs and turning circles like 3 times and couldn't figure out how to get to the other side of Makati. Finally one of the traffic police took pity on me and laughingly told me how to do it. Stupid me.

Anyway, back to the hotel, took a nap. Got up around seven and decided to go to Havana Cafe. I'd checked it out during my earlier walk to Greenbelt and it seemed pretty nice (though empty at the time). Took the hotel taxi for 200p (yeah probably too much, who cares, I'm only going to be here a week). Got to Havana about 8PM, ordered a Mojito and chilled at my table for an hour or two. A lot of pretty obvious FL in the park area next to HC, but the crowd at the cafe itself is mostly couples or groups of 4-5. Saw two or three other single dudes sitting at tables similar to what I was doing (Hi to anyone reading this).

Made eye contact with a group of five ladies, they finally waved me over and made room for me at their table. Ranged between 24 and 27, all well educated, nicely dressed, obviously not WG. Talked for about five minutes before the skies opened up and dumped rain. Elbowed our way into the little indoor area at HC but it was way too crowded and noisy, so after buying a round of drinks for all five we wandered back outside and hung out under the overhanging balcony.

Here's where it got weird: One of the girls in the group takes me aside and starts lecturing me about how I don't know what I'm getting into, and I'll be sorry if I take any of these girls back home, and that I "don't know who she is" and she straight up tells me she wants me to leave right now so that there isn't any trouble. I'm moderately drunk at this point, but not stupid, so being my first time here I think WTF but I decide I'll listen to her. Two of the girls (24yo and 27yo) are all over me but I try and excuse myself and walk out towards the taxi area out front. I hear them all yelling at me to come back but I keep walking. I make it to the taxi area and there's a security guard there that looks a little bewildered by the scene that ensues, me trying to get in a taxi, two girls grabbing either arm trying to stop me from getting in the taxi, two other girls standing and watching, and the fifth (*****) girl keeps yelling at me to leave and saying she knows all the security guards and it's better if I get out of here. This is just bizarre. I get in the taxi finally and head to Burgos street.

Get out and walk all the way from one end to the other, I think I get offered five massages, four boxes of dick pills, and about half a dozen attempts to get me into one bar or another. Turn around at the end and walk back to the beginning and holy shit, the girls from Havana are all piling out of a taxi, four of them, minus the one crazy ***** girl from earlier. They run right up to me and start jabbering away about how surprised they are to see me (I was pretty surprised too, it had to be an accident because there's no way they followed me). Weird. So we all bar hop around, for half an hour or so. One of the girls knows the owner of Handlebar so we end up there for about 2 hours, drinking and eating a few snacks.

Gets to be almost 2AM and everyone is getting a little tired. Everyone had pretty much sobered up by that point too so after some discussion the two girls that were all over me before decide that they're ok to "share" me and both want to come back to the hotel. Didn't really expect this, but who am I to argue.

Once we get back to the hotel I can tell that this is new to all three of us. I make out with the 24yo while the 27yo goes and grabs a shower, by the time she comes out her friend has my entire dick in her mouth and she just stands there as she comes out of the bathroom looking kind of shocked. It was pretty funny. So then the 24yo goes and takes a shower and I kiss with the 27yo for a while, but she's definitely a lot more shy than the other one. The other girl comes back from the shower and jumps on me, the 27yo says she's shy and will "try it in the morning". I don't mind and proceed to get it on with the 24yo for about an hour, she's a lot of fun and keeps trying to get her friend to join, saying "hey xxxx watch this, see what you're missing, come join. " but the other girl has none of it and I'm sure she was asleep by the time we finish at after 4AM. I crash out hard and wake up at about 9AM when the 27yo jumps me while the 24yo is still sleeping, we go for a while and then look at photos on my laptop for an hour until it's time for everyone to leave. No money changes hands, I'm kind of worried about insulting them, and I probably spent about 1500p on food and drinks the night before anyway. We trade email addresses for the pictures on her camera from bar hopping the night before and I check out of my hotel and head to Angeles by bus, where I end up being so tired I don't go out and end up sitting in my hotel writing this instead of meeting beautiful women. I figure two in one night makes up for a zero tonight.

First impressions of Angeles are that it's not my kind of thing, I feel a little out of place being a younger dude without anyone to hang with. Anyone in Angeles feel like showing a new guy the ropes Wednesday night?

Havn't had the opportunity to visit yet ,but was looking forward to seeing it later this summer.

Sounds like Lin , at 79 and still mayor, needs to be reminded of something.?? Maybe the demenita is getting worse??. How about someone giving him some vitamin V . Maybe he will think it is M&M's , eat many of them , and wack himself to death. Any other suggestions for him from those that are familar ??

Whats your opinion of Astor? Im booked for August but info is hard to find....

[QUOTE=CollegeMan83]First impressions of Angeles are that it's not my kind of thing, I feel a little out of place being a younger dude without anyone to hang with. Anyone in Angeles feel like showing a new guy the ropes Wednesday night?[/QUOTE]
Good report, just watch your yourself. Crashing hard with two girls in your room after the drama at CH:( But at least it worked out good for you. Maybe you should of tipped something?

Go to Lost In Asia on Perimeter Road today at 2 pm. Look for Duke (manager) tell him that it is your first visit and you read on ISG to come and see him. He will give you some good advice and there are some nice ladies in there:) I will email him and tell him CollegeMan may stop in, so after you meet him, just tell him your username.

How long are you in town? I will arrive 1 July for 5 days.

Robb

[QUOTE=FreebieFan]Yes BPI ATM is fine with branches in most places. I like when the screen oepns that you are asked if you want " English or Taglish".

The BPI ATM card only takes a 4 digit number..whicch is very different to all the 6 digit numbers required by HSBC cards in all countries.[/QUOTE]
I love the BPI ATM (one of many) at SM Cebu. When you insert your card, and before you input your pin, the money door opens as the ATM is playing soft music and then on the screen it says "You Wish:D"

Robb

[QUOTE=Blackangst]Whats your opinion of Astor? Im booked for August but info is hard to find....[/QUOTE]I liked the Astor. Internet was free and worked pretty well (I was on the 18th floor in an executive (read: basic) room. Didn't check out the pool, but the lobby was nice and had some breakfast down there (not free) before I left in the morning. Service was good, everybody was friendly. Only downside was no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get the shower to be very hot, it was lukewarm at best. I also ended up in a room with two single beds instead of one king bed, a little grunt work and I moved them both together so not a big deal really. I can't remember what I specified when I reserved the room (through Agoda.com). For the price (I think about $60US), I recommend it, as the location was very good (3 min walk to Burgos, 20-30 min walk to Greenbelt).

Robbaf: Thanks for the advice. I'll go down to Lost In Asia this afternoon. I've got a map bookmarked here on the laptop here somewhere. I'm only in Angeles until Friday, then I am spending the rest of my time in Subic until I fly back out next Tuesday night from Manila.

First impressions of Angeles are that it's not my kind of thing, I feel a little out of place being a younger dude without anyone to hang with. Anyone in Angeles feel like showing a new guy the ropes Wednesday night?[/QUOTE]sounds like a great adventure in manila. I will have to try that. There are a lot of crazy girls here.

But actually Angeles is my favorite place.

I am in angeles thrusday night and go subic Friday?

Can show you around or just bar hop with you. Lots of girls here like the younger guys. Some yes like older guys like me. I am older but have about ten

Steady girls and of course bar hop for new talent and new adventures.

People here are very nice

Send inbox or what ever. I know a few very hot girls that want to meet younger guys.

[QUOTE=CollegeMan83]Here's where it got weird: One of the girls in the group takes me aside and starts lecturing me about how I don't know what I'm getting into, and I'll be sorry if I take any of these girls back home, and that I "don't know who she is" and she straight up tells me she wants me to leave right now so that there isn't any trouble. I'm moderately drunk at this point, but not stupid, so being my first time here I think WTF but I decide I'll listen to her. Two of the girls (24yo and 27yo) are all over me but I try and excuse myself and walk out towards the taxi area out front. I hear them all yelling at me to come back but I keep walking. I make it to the taxi area and there's a security guard there that looks a little bewildered by the scene that ensues, me trying to get in a taxi, two girls grabbing either arm trying to stop me from getting in the taxi, two other girls standing and watching, and the fifth (*****) girl keeps yelling at me to leave and saying she knows all the security guards and it's better if I get out of here. This is just bizarre. I get in the taxi finally and head to Burgos street.[/QUOTE]Been there, seen that. The girl who was making noise may have felt intimidated or wanted to just show off. Especially when the girls say "you don't know who I am" I just tell them that I don't want to know who she is other than she is a woman looking for trouble and picking on innocent foreigners.!

[QUOTE]Once we get back to the hotel I can tell that this is new to all three of us. I make out with the 24yo while the 27yo goes and grabs a shower, by the time she comes out her friend has my entire dick in her mouth and she just stands there as she comes out of the bathroom looking kind of shocked.[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]You must have had a whale of a time.

BTW, as for the other member's question on Astor, it is nicely located, walking distance to P Burgos, and while some rooms are clearly old looking, some smell brand new. I think they have been doing some renovation.

And the good thing is. The breakfast is excellent, and with a mercury drug store next door, and 7-11 across the road, not much is missed.

One more thing. You can strike deals with the hotel taxi, so for 600 to 1000 peso per day, the driver will be more than happy to meet you away from the hotel. As they have some contractual agreement. And tour you around, and the taxi drivers there outside Astor are not out for money, so they will not make it a point to drag you to bars where they get a cut. More like a personal chauffer.

Try it out.

BTW, Best Western rates varied between 90 S$ to 120 S$ when I checked in, checked out and checkde in a few days later. Never bothered to find out the price difference, though the 120 S$ room was smaller but looked fresher and higher floor.

[QUOTE=FreebieFan]Had a funny incident with HSBC in Shanghai. I went to close my account but they needed to see my passport, driving licence, fill in a long form etc. Too much admin so instead I withdrew almost all contents and left RMB1 in the account.

Every month some sweet young lady calls me and asks me if I could please close my acccount. This has been going on for past 5 years.[/QUOTE]Typical of HSBC. You did the right thing :)