The Pilipiñas Packet

New Year’s Day was another lesson in cultural difference. I had already felt the disturbing culture clash of Christmas and was mildly anxious about what a Filipino New Year would be like.

And then the big day itself, a strange and troubling mixture of a new sort of Christmas Eve celebration for me.

The week is rushing towards Christmas and I don’t feel the same anticipation, the same mood, the same anxiety. I haven’t seen a ’normal’ Christmas for years now.
But this year is different, very different.

We made a trek to the big malls in General Trias – Carmen to buy Christmas presents for all her grandchildren, and me to get an extension on my Philippines entry visa.

All I had for guidance for this little side trip was my guide book, an old friend who had recommended it and our driver, Romel. The best intel came from Romel who merely advised we would get wet.

I wanted Sandi to experience as much of The Philippines as we could reasonably manage in the eight days available. That had to include Manila. And what better excuse than her visit to check off items on my own ‘bucket list’, much as I loathe that expression. I had done a quick tour of Manila the first time I was here last year, but what did I really see?