Manila

[QUOTE=Red Kilt;1226485]Manila Christmas traffic 2011 is horrendous. It even made the papers yesterday and today. It is always bad but this year it seems to be worse and it is still only Dec 13. I had a trip today that took almost 2 hours and which normally is around 35 minutes even at busy times.[/QUOTE]Stay away from the markets too, unless you want to get caught in a pedestrian jam. Made the mistake of trying to take a shortcut through Baclaran market to Taft MRT at the weekend. Normally a 10-15 minute stroll, it took me 45 minutes! The crowds were horrific. The malls are not much better. Its at times like this that you begin to realize just how seriously overcrowded the place is.

[QUOTE=Tequila Shot;1226477]I can happily update you Bros that this bad experience did not deter me from going to the LA Cafe last night (yes, the same night after the bad experience) .[/QUOTE]Good for you for not giving up. That was a scary situation. I will make sure not to get into that position when I'm there in January!

To save a couple hundred buck I'm flying into Manila rather than Cebu. Cebu is my preference. Now you guys have me worried. An evening arrival so I was planning to spend a night or two in Manila, then a few days in AC, then fly somewhere south out of Clark.

Some questions.

When would be the best time to hire a taxi to AC? I'm thinking with a 9pm arrival, I might be better off to go direct to AC.

FLY the Bus, is there any time that seems to work better when it comes to avoiding the traffic jams? They have three times last time I checked.

Can CS pick me up at the airport? It would be much appreciated.

[QUOTE=Cunning Stunt;1226644]Stay away from the markets too, unless you want to get caught in a pedestrian jam. Made the mistake of trying to take a shortcut through Baclaran market to Taft MRT at the weekend. Normally a 10-15 minute stroll, it took me 45 minutes! The crowds were horrific. The malls are not much better. Its at times like this that you begin to realize just how seriously overcrowded the place is.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=Cunning Stunt;1226644]Stay away from the markets too, unless you want to get caught in a pedestrian jam. Made the mistake of trying to take a shortcut through Baclaran market to Taft MRT at the weekend. Normally a 10-15 minute stroll, it took me 45 minutes! The crowds were horrific. The malls are not much better. Its at times like this that you begin to realize just how seriously overcrowded the place is.[/QUOTE]Thanks RK and CS. Now I won't sleep tonight since I'll be subconsiously dreading the traffic jams I'm going to have to confront tomorrow. RK, does this diminish the possibility of meeting at GB 3 for a few glasses of red?

GE

[QUOTE=GoodEnough;1226811]Thanks RK and CS. Now I won't sleep tonight since I'll be subconsiously dreading the traffic jams I'm going to have to confront tomorrow. RK, does this diminish the possibility of meeting at GB 3 for a few glasses of red?[/QUOTE]It probably means that you will arrive just as we are completing dessert and coffee but I can easily be persuaded to join you in tackling another bottle.

You may be lucky and find that just as the Red Sea parted for Moses, so too may the traffic part for you between the airport and Makati.

You better say your prayers tonight.

[QUOTE=Red Kilt; 1226829]You may be lucky and find that just as the Red Sea parted for Moses, so too may the traffic part for you between the airport and Makati.[/QUOTE]And it does happen!

Once I was driving from Ayala Alabang to Makati and I realised that I had eaten something that was seriously disagreeing with me. Maybe something with sesame oil, but I had this incredible need to find a bathroom super urgently. Now driving on the south super highway towards Manila (the most unsuper highway I can imagine) at 6pm guarantees traffic is backed up and wall to wall.

I was really worried that I would have an accident, but then, the traffic jam miraculously dissapeared, the highway became blsisfully quiet and I made it from Alabang turn off to Don Bosco turn off in 12 minutes (equivalent of going down EDSA non stop at 120 km p hr) and found a bathroom 3 minutes later. Pray hard GE LOL.

I just drove from the airport to the Dusit in Makati, and the traffic was everything foreseen by Red Kilt. I texted one of my colleagues here and joked that the inability to manage traffic flow is more or less a metaphor for the management style of the whole country; pay no attention and hope for the best but at any rate it's out of our hands. On a positive note, the Dusit now has in-room wifi, which is good since my new MacBook doesn't take a cable and assumes that the entire world has access to Internet without cable. I don't think Apple makes a special "Philippines edition."

GE

[QUOTE=GoodEnough; 1227073]I just drove from the airport to the Dusit in Makati, and the traffic was everything foreseen by Red Kilt. I texted one of my colleagues here and joked that the inability to manage traffic flow is more or less a metaphor for the management style of the whole country; pay no attention and hope for the best but at any rate it's out of our hands. On a positive note, the Dusit now has in-room wifi, which is good since my new MacBook doesn't take a cable and assumes that the entire world has access to Internet without cable. I don't think Apple makes a special "Philippines edition."

GE[/QUOTE]To Good enough,

I think Manila need a good modern transit system a subway system but the government don't want to spend any money to Improve the country, all they want is foreign investment so they can pocket more money so much coruption here.

Fast Eddie 48

I'll be there the day after Christmas. How to you thing it will be then?

[QUOTE=Red Kilt; 1226485]If anyone is coming to Manila in the next 10 or 11 days for business or pleasure then either think carefully about whether your visit is important or not and if it is, then make sure you stay close to your point of business (walking distance).

Manila Christmas traffic 2011 is horrendous. It even made the papers yesterday and today. It is always bad but this year it seems to be worse and it is still only Dec 13. I had a trip today that took almost 2 hours and which normally is around 35 minutes even at busy times.

[QUOTE=JayHighFive;1227241]I'll be there the day after Christmas. How to you thing it will be then?[/QUOTE]I "thing" it will be OK. Manila will be dead. Most provincias get out of Manila and back to their family in the provinces for Christmas to NY period.

[QUOTE=Fast Eddie 48;1227226]I think Manila need a good modern transit system a subway system but the government don't want to spend any money to Improve the country, all they want is foreign investment so they can pocket more money so much coruption here.[/QUOTE]You are probably right. The transit system Manila has is inadequate for its current passenger turnover and usage. But the Philippine government doesn't have the resources to upgrade the system and so would be mainly reliant on major foreign investment. And in view of the current global economic situation and the ongoing ramifications of the Piatco fiasco deterring investors, I cannot see that happening anytime soon, can you?

[QUOTE=Cunning Stunt;1227334]You are probably right. The transit system Manila has is inadequate for its current passenger turnover and usage. But the Philippine government doesn't have the resources to upgrade the system and so would be mainly reliant on major foreign investment. And in view of the current global economic situation and the ongoing ramifications of the Piatco fiasco deterring investors, I cannot see that happening anytime soon, can you?[/QUOTE]Actually, I can see it happening fairly soon. The construction of a subway, the extension of the rail system and other huge infrastructure needs have been "packaged" by the national government into part of its Public-Private partnership initiative, under which the private sector (of this country) would raise the funds and operate the systems, but the government would retain the land and ultimately the title to the systems. There's been a huge amount of interest expressed by several of the larger corporations here, and lots of planning has already been done. This does not, of course, mean that it's going to happen, but the possibility is strong that at least some of it will.

GE

[QUOTE=GoodEnough; 1227352]Actually, I can see it happening fairly soon. The construction of a subway, the extension of the rail system and other huge infrastructure needs have been "packaged" by the national government into part of its Public-Private partnership initiative, under which the private sector (of this country) would raise the funds and operate the systems, but the government would retain the land and ultimately the title to the systems. There's been a huge amount of interest expressed by several of the larger corporations here, and lots of planning has already been done. This does not, of course, mean that it's going to happen, but the possibility is strong that at least some of it will.

GE[/QUOTE]Just to extend what GE says (and I heartily agree with his proposition) , the North Rail project that includes a "fast rail" system to the DM International Airport in Clark will now be *fast-tracked. The plane crash last week in which a small plane destroyed a number of houses near the airport has shown everybody that NAIA is dangerous in manyways, especially not having any adjacent spaces for expansion beyond its already squashed boundaries.

* by fast-tracked, I mean that it will probably come about in 10 to 12 years time even if everything happens rapidly and without any hitches

[QUOTE=GoodEnough; 1227352]Actually, I can see it happening fairly soon. The construction of a subway, the extension of the rail system and other huge infrastructure needs have been "packaged" by the national government into part of its Public-Private partnership initiative, under which the private sector (of this country) would raise the funds and operate the systems, but the government would retain the land and ultimately the title to the systems. There's been a huge amount of interest expressed by several of the larger corporations here, and lots of planning has already been done. This does not, of course, mean that it's going to happen, but the possibility is strong that at least some of it will.

GE[/QUOTE]This is a really fascinating subject to me. Since I have been spending alot of time in Manila sitting in traffic wondering how to fix the problem. When I compare it to other places that have great subway systems like Hong Kong, Boston and London it seems that it can be done. But when I think about just one small piece it completely escapes me. If you take Makati ave, it is only about 1 mile from Greenbelt to say Burgos. If you had some type of train here you would have to make 2-3 stops to even make it useful. My reasoning is that it is so hot and humid most of the year that it is impossible to walk that distance. Let alone the thought that you would have to close Makati Ave for more than a year to build it. If you close Makati Ave you may as well close Makati!

[QUOTE=GoodEnough;1227352]The construction of a subway, the extension of the rail system[/QUOTE]Oh God can you imagine? Building anything would mean the eviction of 1, 000s of squatters. I would think getting them to leave to make way would be harder than tearing down a Bank of America building.

Oh the humanity!