One thing we were looking forward to in the Philippines was the SHOPPING! :) The next day a typhoon/monsoon rolled in, so it was the perfect day to spend the day inside shopping till we dropped! Which is exactly what we did. I know I've written about being overwhelmed in Seoul before, but the indoor market at Green Hills Manila takes the cake! :) One of the craziest things was how hard the shop workers were trying to get our attention. They call the women, "Mommy" and the men "Sir," so as we were walking everyone was screaming "Mommy, Sir, beautiful handbags, very good prices, shirts berry good prices." I learned to walk quickly through those sections and not make eye contact. :) When we first got into the wide open area, I would take a couple steps, and just stop, stand still, and look as far right and as far left as I could, not even knowing where to begin. There were all these little stands, but built up like individual store fronts, and it went on forever.
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| Walls of designer purses - crazyness! |
It's known as a bargain center, and has EVERY name brand you can think of. I don't even thing they're fake, I think they're just damaged, like possibly a stitch or seam being off. Regardless, we couldn't tell that anything was wrong with them, and we took FULL advantage of getting great things in our sizes for CHEAP.
Leigh left with 30 t-shirts, 3 pairs of shorts, a North Face Winter coat for $25, and a pair of shoes! We had to borrow a bag from Ian just to get all our goodies back! I was a little more reserved with my shopping, as I was just trying to take it all in! :) I regret not going with more of a gameplan, had I been more prepared I could have stocked up on some great clothes for friends and family back home. Next time, I'll know what I'm walking into! All in all, Green Hills was an absolute success!
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| Leigh turned into a shopping machine! :) |
The infamous JEEPNEYS!! :)
These things are everywhere in the Philippines. I'm sure you're wondering, "What's a jeepney?" Well...they are the most popular means of public transportation in the Philippines. Pretty interesting fact: they were originally made from leftover Military Jeeps from World War II. When the war was over, there were a lot still left over so they were sold or given away. The Jeepneys are known for their flamboyant decoration, crowded seating, and aggresive driving. They're definitely a symbol of Philippine culture.
After shopping till we dropped and since it was so rainy, Sunday night was pretty low key. Ian made a popular Canadian, particularly Novia Scotian treat - Donair. It's like a gyro, but with a sweet sauce. They were delicious! Then, a manicurist/pedicurist, and a masseuse came to the house to give Marijean and I manis and pedis, and Leigh a massage! :) We felt like royalty! And the prices were insanely cheap!
While it was a whirlwind of a trip, Leigh and I loved Manila and loved seeing (meeting for me) Marijean, Ian, Brayden and Kennedy! Thanks for such a great time, and we can't wait to visit again!
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| Leigh's nephews, Brayden (left) Kennedy (front) |
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One thing we were looking forward to in the Philippines was the SHOPPING! :) The next day a typhoon/monsoon rolled in, so it was the perfect day to spend the day inside shopping till we dropped! Which is exactly what we did. I know I've written about being overwhelmed in Seoul before, but the indoor market at Green Hills Manila takes the cake! :) One of the craziest things was how hard the shop workers were trying to get our attention. They call the women, "Mommy" and the men "Sir," so as we were walking everyone was screaming "Mommy, Sir, beautiful handbags, very good prices, shirts berry good prices." I learned to walk quickly through those sections and not make eye contact. :) When we first got into the wide open area, I would take a couple steps, and just stop, stand still, and look as far right and as far left as I could, not even knowing where to begin. There were all these little stands, but built up like individual store fronts, and it went on forever. 
These things are everywhere in the Philippines. I'm sure you're wondering, "What's a jeepney?" Well...they are the most popular means of public transportation in the Philippines. Pretty interesting fact: they were originally made from leftover Military Jeeps from World War II. When the war was over, there were a lot still left over so they were sold or given away. The Jeepneys are known for their flamboyant decoration, crowded seating, and aggresive driving. They're definitely a symbol of Philippine culture.
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