Manila

[QUOTE=Xion149;1888846]We are pleased to present part 1 of 2 in our informative "Thailand vs Philippines" series:

Part 1: Why Manila is a sweltering shithole that should probably be nuked from orbit.

Why Thailand is totally amazing and other observations that aren't completely fucking obvious.[/QUOTE]If you had gone to LA Cafe in Manila in the evening you would have had a totally different experience in regards to available women and would have probably found at least something to your liking. The reality is that you generally can have a better GFE experience at a lower cost in the Philippines versus Thailand and most everybody speaks English as well. However as you noted, Manila is a pigsty of a City and disgusting.

OK so first off my reasoning behind writing this is I asked a bunch of people, "Which is better, Thailand or the PI? A simple question to which I received a myriad of of lengthy drawn out reasonings that led me to conclude the only way I'the actually find out would be to go there. Hats off to the one gent somewhere in this forum who so eloquently described Manila as a "shithole", give this guy a fucking gold star, but I couldn't rely on a single opinion so I hopped the next flight to the PI, aaaaaaaaaaaand.

Manila is a shithole!!

Like Latin America, the people are the progeny of psychopaths and sociopaths emptied from Spain's prisons oh so long ago.

Not great breeding stock unless you are trying to create a low IQ environment. Oh wait, the Philippines is a low IQ (sub 90) environment!

You want hot? I rode the LRT just to ride it. When I got off, the 93 F outside temperature felt like air conditioning.

Go to Angeles. IMO it is a world class monger destination, all packaged nicely in a close area.

[QUOTE=BeersTerry;1888995] Hats off to the one gent somewhere in this forum who so eloquently described Manila as a "shithole", give this guy a fucking gold star, but I couldn't rely on a single opinion so I hopped the next flight to the PI, aaaaaaaaaaaand.

Manila is a shithole!!
[/QUOTE]Thanks. I don't know if I actually take credit from someone else here but I have on occations described Manila as a shithole. I am not so negative as you though as I meet 20 to 40 nice girls each trip (at least I think they are pretty / fuckable but beauty is as we know in the eye of the beholder). I come here 15 to 20 times a year. Even if I can't stand the place as a whole I have found myself a few safehavens (Makati / Glorietta) with almost western standards (obvious reasons I come here quite frequent but I do sometimes combine in mongering as well) and a few other places where I stay within the hotel boarders.

So when I just stay put in one place and doesn't move I tend to not think to much about that I am in the shithole called Manila (I mean after my blodpreassure drops back to normal after the initial taxiride from NAIA T3/ trappic). I have fun here and I enjoy good western standards almost without hickups.

Quite a rant you got there, hehe, I laughed my ass off reading. I agree Thai(BKK) and Indo(Jakarta)girls are better in general but there are gems in phils as well and they are not so hard to come by.

I cannot recommend it. AC, elevator, plumbing was old and not working properly. The swagman bus to Angeles is old, and the Air conditioning sucked. For the price, it should be nice.

I didn't even bother with LA Café due to the scare reports here of runners / scams etc. All I needed was a girl crying she got robbed and calling her uncle the cop.

I flew in, and headed to Angeles. More reports in angeles and Makati sections.

[QUOTE=VicVeg;1889201]I cannot recommend it. AC, elevator, plumbing was old and not working properly. The swagman bus to Angeles is old, and the Air conditioning sucked. For the price, it should be nice.

I didn't even bother with LA Caf due to the scare reports here of runners / scams etc. All I needed was a girl crying she got robbed and calling her uncle the cop.

I flew in, and headed to Angeles. More reports in angeles and Makati sections.[/QUOTE]I would not stay at swagman either. But their bus or van service to Angeles is convenient and good. There are couple of other decent hotels nearby. Best western is pretty good. Their renovated deluxe room is very good. Bayview park around the corner is decent although here you have a walk of shame, mostly caters to families. Both have decent included breakfast. Both are girl friendly if you book for two. La cafe is not bad as you think. There are gems to be had. Many are old but you do get some part timers who want to make quick bucks.

Unfortunately la cafe is not what it used to be before. Only problem is all spinner types are attracted to Koreans.

[QUOTE=Kaywhy;1888904]
I'm still deciding if I go with the "I'm so sorry you had a poor experience on your first visit to the Philippines" or "what a fricken moron, gets scammed with the oldest tricks, can't even find a SIM stall in Greenbelt, etc".
[/QUOTE]You are certainly free to describe me the second way! If I am to criticize, then I must also accept criticism as well, but let us be ACCURATE- I was scammed at the AIRPORT, I had no problems locating the Globe store in Greenbelt. It sounds like you basically agree with everything I wrote, you just don't like the way I said it. If by "be positive" you mean "sugar-coat it so nobody's feelings get hurt" I'm sorry I simply cannot accommodate you, I think it is far more important to provide ACCURATE information. I realize my writing might be a tad bit hyperbolic- but did I tell the truth or did I not? Please understand nothing in what I wrote was meant to insult the PI, its citizens, or anyone who enjoys vacationing there, these are only my personal SUBJECTIVE observations.

[QUOTE=SaltyPete;1888934]
As you've found out, Manila doesn't offer the proximity of venues that Bangkok has. If you are here for a short visit, you need to pick your poison and stick with it, unless you like sitting in a taxi for a couple of hours.
[/QUOTE]Could not have said it better myself, this fact was really at the crux of my displeasure- once I laid eyes on Burgos and had my "wait- this is it? Moment, I could simply not rationalize spending a week stranded in this particular area with such a lack of options. I WAS very curious about EDSA, it sounds like my kind of place, but honestly once the urge to flee set in, that was all she wrote.

[QUOTE=Surfer500;1888970]
If you had gone to LA Cafe in Manila in the evening you would have had a totally different experience in regards to available women and would have probably found at least something to your liking. The reality is that you generally can have a better GFE experience at a lower cost in the Philippines versus Thailand and most everybody speaks English as well. However as you noted, Manila is a pigsty of a City and disgusting.
[/QUOTE]That english is widely spoken in PI was the original selling point for me- that is definitely a big advantage over Thailand. The few girls I did meet were certainly quite friendly (it was more the people in the various service industries that I found a bit rude) but the city is really just SO objectionable. I like girls as much as everyone here but I feel like I should maybe do SOMETHING else on vacation besides party (what am I going to use for a cover story?) and in Manila, that list of "something else" is frightfully small.

[QUOTE=BeersTerry;1888995]
You want hot? I rode the LRT just to ride it. When I got off, the 93 F outside temperature felt like air conditioning.

Go to Angeles. IMO it is a world class monger destination, all packaged nicely in a close area.
[/QUOTE]LOL- I did hear that about the LRT, from SEVERAL people (some former Manila residents)! Although I was desperate for cross-town transportation, sitting in an oven on wheels was never a realistic option for me (while suffering may be a part of my day-to-day existence, I refuse to accept it in any form on my vacations).

IF (huge if here) I ever return to the PI, Angeles and Palawan (the place that I really regret missing out on- it looks amazing in photos) will certainly be my only prospective destinations.

[QUOTE=DonaldSucks;1889011]
So when I just stay put in one place and doesn't move I tend to not think to much about that I am in the shithole called Manila (I mean after my blodpreassure drops back to normal after the initial taxiride from NAIA T3/ trappic). I have fun here and I enjoy good western standards almost without hickups.

Quite a rant you got there, hehe, I laughed my ass off reading. I agree Thai(BKK) and Indo(Jakarta)girls are better in general but there are gems in phils as well and they are not so hard to come by.
[/QUOTE]Absolutely- I have a really low tolerance for BS, and the one thought that kept constantly floating through my mind was "THIS PLACE REALLY GETS MY FUCKING PRESSURE UP". At the rate I was going I was about to have a stroke by day 2, it just quickly started to become the polar opposite of what vacation should be.

Thank you I'm glad you laughed, my intent was not only to inform but also entertain! .

I am in Pattaya now, annnnnd this is pretty much exactly what I was looking for. Just the right amount of seedy, but still overall fairly clean, food is excellent (Casa Pascal, WHOA- color me impressed! Prices not outrageous, lots of non-girl activities, people are friendly, girls EXCEEDINGLY friendly, and 4 p options were LIMITLESS, I mean seriously I have never, anywhere, seen so many girls crammed in to one place, its borderline absurd. I can see how it might get old after a long, LONG time but for the moment I am finding it just fucking exceptional!

UNBELIEVABLE! Xion, you must be hideous. Or you just didn't try. Despite its squalor I thought it was impossible not to get laid in Manila.

[QUOTE=Xion149;1888846]

Total girls slayed: FUCKING ZERO.

.[/QUOTE].

Holy cow! Didn't you people just take Xion's post as humour? IMO it is pretty good writing.

I too also ran into the friggin' scammer saying that the hotel offered a transit bus even though I told him I was waiting for a taxi. Mutherfocker had me walk down to the store front, way too far in the heat. I kept inquiring if it was free. He finally told me the price after about 5 minutes. I voiced my displeasure as BM's were kind enough to tell me that the cost of a cab from Terminal 1 to Pasay was at most 200 php.

Pasay: I purposely picked a hotel across from EDSA as it was most convenient should I wish to cab to any other areea such as Malate or Ermita. Staying in Makati would limit you to Burgos St and Greenbelt Mall. Did not like Havana Cafe as it was friggin' hot and I was not going troll nor sit outside sweating. IMO Makati is like a mini Angeles City at twice the price or more. I personally did not find the talent any better than Angeles, though one could argue that there may have been 3 - 4 hotties in a lineup rather than the 2 - 3 which I found in an Angeles lineup.


Insult the PI ????? The country is a shithole!

Xion, there's so much here, I will split this response into two posts. Great Field Report! Even though you had a bad experience (we all have at some point), your reporting is accurate and descriptive. Thanks for that (newbs take note). Having said that, here we go! From your first report:

[QUOTE=Xion149;1888846]So I'm heading back home and despite it being night time, THE HEAT, DEAR GOD THE HEAT. At 8 pm it is literally like being on the surface of the sun. I don't think it dropped below 90 my entire visit. I arrive back and the condo DRENCHED in sweat and PISSED because of it, now I have to shower and change all over again. [/QUOTE]Temps will run about 88 at night, and 92 in the day. Its a bit like Hawaii (72 at night, 75 during the day), but hotter. You understand its the tropics, near the equator, yes? One could make the same claim in Indonesia and central / south america.

[QUOTE=Xion149;1888846]You literally cannot get from point A to point be on foot, it is fucking INFURIATING. Also, the TRAFFIC, OH MY GOD. The two major entertainment areas, Burgos and EDSA / Malate are on opposite sides of the city. If you think you're going to just bounce back and forth from one to the other, fucking think again!! You could be looking at an hour in the cab EACH WAY during some times, other times might take 20 minutes.[/QUOTE]Well-documented, in fact legendary, right? Much more infuriating is what the locals must do: ride a open-air jeepney (try it!) across town for work, 1-2 hour (each way, each day). You think you have it bad in an air-con taxi?

[QUOTE=Xion149;1888846]On that topic, MANY other things in this country make zero fucking sense. Example: there is a McDonalds outside of Greenbelt 3, which was PACKED and the line takes FOREVER, why? Well for one, they don't accept credit cards!! Are we in the fucking twilight zone? A massive, multinational corporation, outside of one of the largest malls in the city, does not accept credit cards. OK THEN.[/QUOTE]They don't take CC for several reasons. Its a cash-based society, poor folk don't have CC. Less than half the adults in RP even have an ID of any kind. Another factor: A credit-card swipe device must be hooked to relatively high-speed internet for any transaction. HSI is not readily available in phils. Using dial-up speed equipment would make CC transactions take too much time in a fast-food joint. CC is more available in sit-down restaurants, where they can take your CC and process it while you are finishing your meal. Its much faster for the McDonalds counter personnel to make change with cash than for you to swipe your CC / ATM.

[QUOTE=Xion149;1888846]I finally arrive at P. Burgos, sweaty and enraged, to a scene I can only describe as reminiscent of the cantina in Star Wars. Midgets, homeless people with no limbs, stray dogs and MASSIVE mutated rats. These giant armada-sized cockroaches are EVERYWHERE, look down and there's one crawling over your foot at any given time- they are so big any sane person would opt for retreat rather than stepping on one, [/QUOTE]Cultural phantasmagoria. Beautiful, ain't it? One man's ceiling is another man's floor.

[QUOTE=Xion149;1888846]I'm not spending an hour cleaning that shit off my fine Italian shoe. [/QUOTE]Um. You weren't really wearing nice clothes, right? That's like wearing bling. You wouldn't do that in Mexico or Medellin. You become a target. Well-document here.

[QUOTE=Xion149;1888846]What there WERE a lot of in this area, was children begging, DEEPLY UNSETTLING!! I can immediately understand why this would be a prime destination for a certain type of dirtbag- and if any of them are reading this now, I hope you burn forever in the 9th layer of hell. [/QUOTE]Its also a prime destination for non-dirtbags. However, like swallowing cum (or whiskey), its an acquired thing. One must repeat in order to get used to it.

[QUOTE=Xion149;1888846]I met a sketchy American outside smoking and told him what a shit time I was having, he told me that most of the girls here have chlamydia, and he looked like he was speaking from personal experience. That's all I needed to hear, CHECK PLEASE![/QUOTE]You believed that? You're smarter than that.

[QUOTE=Xion149;1888846]See, this is what I fucking get for trying something new. Well no more of that shit, I'm not fucking around now. I head for the PI Airlines ticket office and book passage to the one place I know will never disappoint me, mufukkin Bangkok baby!! And more specifically Pattaya, to which I'the never been before. Something old, something new, some hot girls for me to screw.

Stay tuned for part 2 (coming soon, in the Thailand forum): Why Thailand is totally amazing and other observations that aren't completely fucking obvious. [/QUOTE]This doesn't jibe with your previous Bangkok post:

[QUOTE=Xion149;1133638]Nice report Chill Out! On the second to last day of my trip, I find myself wondering the same thing: where are the 9's and 10's? Or shit, even the 8's seem to be in short supply.

What I really want now is to just find the smoking hot chicks. You know the kind you see at import tuner car shows and shit- whatever the cost! I've already wasted several days sifting for diamonds among the garbage, now I just want to throw money at the problem. Please no lectures on prices, if you know where these chicks are, even if its one of these JP clip joints, or some overpriced escort service, let me know and I'll come with the bangin trip report. Rainbow 4 was unimpressive (and girls bitchy) , Baccara was probly the best so far but I'm still not wow'd by anything I've seen here thus far.
[/QUOTE]

And from your second (your response): So correct on many counts.

[QUOTE=Xion149;1889344]You are certainly free to describe me the second way! If I am to criticize, then I must also accept criticism as well, but let us be ACCURATE- I was scammed at the AIRPORT, I had no problems locating the Globe store in Greenbelt. It sounds like you basically agree with everything I wrote, you just don't like the way I said it. If by "be positive" you mean "sugar-coat it so nobody's feelings get hurt" I'm sorry I simply cannot accommodate you, I think it is far more important to provide ACCURATE information. I realize my writing might be a tad bit hyperbolic- but did I tell the truth or did I not?[/QUOTE]You told the truth.

[QUOTE=Xion149;1889344]Could not have said it better myself, this fact was really at the crux of my displeasure- once I laid eyes on Burgos and had my "wait- this is it? Moment, I could simply not rationalize spending a week stranded in this particular area with such a lack of options.[/QUOTE]Welcome to a new culture. I find it difficult to stay in any of the main locations (AC, Burgos / Makati, Malate) for more than a few nights. Every monger should experience Burgos at least once.

[QUOTE=Xion149;1889344]I WAS very curious about EDSA, it sounds like my kind of place, but honestly once the urge to flee set in, that was all she wrote. [/QUOTE]Most likely it would be your kind of place. However, MBC or G-Point freelance bars, which are not far from EDSA, would probably not be your cup of tea (older / hags).

[QUOTE=Xion149;1889344]That english is widely spoken in PI was the original selling point for me- that is definitely a big advantage over Thailand. The few girls I did meet were certainly quite friendly (it was more the people in the various service industries that I found a bit rude) but the city is really just SO objectionable. [/QUOTE]Correct. However, all of this is well-documented on this board. Lying and scamming are more accepted in phils culture, and can be quite a turn-off for westerners. Food ain't good. Troppic can be horrendous. 'Regular' girls will be an hour (or more) late to meeting with you (traffic = horrendous). Remember, its you who must adapt to their culture (which is well-documented here), not the other way around.

[QUOTE=Xion149;1889344]I like girls as much as everyone here but I feel like I should maybe do SOMETHING else on vacation besides party (what am I going to use for a cover story?) and in Manila, that list of "something else" is frightfully small. [/QUOTE]Respectfully disagree. There are fewer 'typically-touristy' things to do here, but there are other things; and they take time to come across, repeat visits, as they are not 'typically-touristy".

[QUOTE=Xion149;1889344]Although I was desperate for cross-town transportation, sitting in an oven on wheels was never a realistic option for me (while suffering may be a part of my day-to-day existence, I refuse to accept it in any form on my vacations). [/QUOTE]Interesting observation. Your previous field reports (its been a while between) show you have visited other shitholes. Philippines culture being a well-documented blood-boiler is openly visible on this (and other) boards. In fact, there is an entire board called [URL]philippinefailblog.com[/URL]. Please read the rantings on this board of myself and GoodEnough of various east-west cultural pissoffs.

[QUOTE=Xion149;1889344]IF (huge if here) I ever return to the PI, Angeles and Palawan (the place that I really regret missing out on- it looks amazing in photos) will certainly be my only prospective destinations. [/QUOTE]Don't do that. Don't go there based on nice pics or advertisements. Even the crappiest of hotels make themselves look good online. Talk to gents who have been, ask them specific questions: "Is it as hot in Palawan as Manila"?

[QUOTE=Xion149;1889344]Absolutely- I have a really low tolerance for BS, and the one thought that kept constantly floating through my mind was "THIS PLACE REALLY GETS MY FUCKING PRESSURE UP". At the rate I was going I was about to have a stroke by day 2, it just quickly started to become the polar opposite of what vacation should be. [/QUOTE]Welcome to pinas. It would appear that you did not RTTF.

On this thought, I rec'd a PM recently from a gent who will come to phils soon for his maiden visit, and set up a party for some of his buddies who will be joining. He has questions (thanks guy for not asking those on the open board). However, his questions are of the vague type: What is a centrally located hotel (central to what)? Which city has the best girls (what do you mean by best)? And so on. Gents, please ask specific questions.

Xion, if you can be accused of anything, it is that you were not prepared for the everyday third world scamming that goes on. As a veteran traveller, you should be aware that taxi drivers tend to be some of the biggest scammers in most countries.

Same with phone cards. For 500 php, I bought a sim card and enough minutes for the 2 weeks I was in the Phils. There were lots of kiosks inside the airport as well as vending machines where you could have purchased a sim card for about USD $3.

WestCoast1, that Philippine Fail Blog is one funny site.

Any prognostication regarding if / how Duterte's inauguration might impact things in Manila? Not the fact he's going to be president, but the fact he's being inaugurated 6/30. Any expectations of tourism / mongering challenges week before and / or after the event?

[QUOTE=Xion149;1888846]

Part 1: Why Manila is a sweltering shithole that should probably be nuked from orbit.

Manila fucking blows goat balls. FUCK, scammed already.

THE HEAT, DEAR GOD THE HEAT.

Also, the TRAFFIC, OH MY GOD.

Midgets, homeless people with no limbs, stray dogs and MASSIVE mutated rats. These giant armada-sized cockroaches are EVERYWHERE,

Average attractiveness of females: Not worth a second look.

Total girls slayed: FUCKING ZERO.
[/QUOTE]You, my friend, are my new hero. Anything to keep these awkward PUA dweebs away from the Philippines is a service to mankind.

You're right, there's nothing for you here. Tell your friends. And the Thailand McDonald's is more delicious too. Enjoy your Big Macs.

I found Xion's report hilarious, and his use of hyperbole to depict the horrified reaction of a new comer to the city both very funny and extremely well written: it's sort of a pastiche of Apocolypse Now and Wayne's World. I hope he goes to Angeles eventually for a day or so and writes about that as well.

The fact is that for most, this is not a great holiday venue; it's got miserable infrastructure, doesn't manage anything particularly well, offers nothing of cultural interest to the casual visitor and in general proffers nothing that isn't done better in other countries. Plus, the wretched airport experience alone, for those who haven't yet learned to anticipate and circumvent scams can offer reason enough to start wondering "what the hell have I done?" before the official vacation even begins. Zion's narrative depicts all of that and more.

Longer-term residents, frequent visitors or even first timers with a high level of tolerance for inconvenience can pierce the veil of fourth world grimness and find a richer, more satisfying experience but that takes some work, and I can well understand those who don't want to make the effort and just want to have an immediately enjoyable holiday. Thailand offers that type of experience and the Philippines doesn't even come close. It's unfortunate that for many, Manila--together with its intrinsic navigational nightmares--and Angeles City, represent the entire country.

GE.

My requirement was to be met at Terminal 3 on a Sunday afternoon. I only had one night in Manila for appointments in Ortigas. I didn't want to be mucked abut looking for a girl or having her say she was 'coming' and arrive four hours later. I gte bored in the various drives around Manila. Also get bored of the chase if the girl is no a certainty.

Lined up a nice girl via a FB friend of a friend. I still can't backtrack how I came to be FB friends with her. This girl is an OFW that is in between assignments. She is in MNL doing some additional training course to prepare for her next job.

Upon arrival at MNL T3, I text her from the Tarmac and she is already waiting in the terminal. Walk out, quickly identify her in a lovely green shirt, hail an Uber and we were on our way to Ortigas.

In the car, lots of body language, holding hands etc. At the hotel, she was shy, but she is cute. Out for some quick filipino food, back to the hotel. She was rather shy in bed too so not the best experience. Morning glory was similar, her mind really was on her training and her next assignment. Breakfast together and she was on her way with her P1000.

This is the fourth time I've lined up an MNL airport arrival. I would certainly do it again.

BD.