Manila in minutes...

So off we went on our travels at the start of half term, stopping off for the night at the City Garden Grand Hotel in Manila before catching our second flight to The Philippine Island of Palawan on Sunday afternoon. We were due to meet up with Matt's friend Kuni who is from Manila however he was out of the country this weekend (typical)! So we did our own bit of exploring after our night stay in the hotel. The hotel had a lovely rooftop cocktail bar and pool area - with the view above over the city. 

With only the morning to occupy before our next flight, we took to trip advisor in the absence of Kuni to look at the best places to visit in Manila. With Rizal Park being the top hit and only being 7km from the hotel we stretched our legs to find it. The walk there was not something I was prepared for, we took the back streets away from the glittering lights of the city and walked amongst the worst poverty I have ever scene. There were houses which reminded me of a tin version of The Burrow in Harry Potter, adding on levels all higgldypiggildy out of scraps of metal and waste. People looked at us like they had never seen a western person before and I felt very out of my comfort zone. A reminder that there is always more to a city than meets the eye and people are doing whatever they can to provide for their families. Nonetheless, children were happy and playing on the streets, some had made a basketball hoop from a tv aerial and ply board. 

Rizal Park

If you like a park and you perhaps know the history of Manila better than me, then this is the place for you. Personally it does not compare to the parks I have been to in London but it was interesting to go and have a wander around to appreciate Manila's heritage. There is a Chinese garden which looked pretty but with minimal time after our long walk we did not look around. I think we can find some of those back in GZ!!