Am back! For 2 days...

Touched down at 545pm just now...
Ended up buying a Wynham Estate 2002 Cabernet Merlot and a Davidoff Coolwater for Ladies from the DFS store...:)

Hahaa..I think recent unhappy events have unleashed a bug in me...
A spending bug..how ah? Hmm mm...;p

I didn't spend enough time in Manila to really get to see & feel the city...It's bustling and somewhat busy...but on first impression, more could be done for th

In general
Manila was much like Thailand or at least it reminded me of Thailand alot.
I don't know why, maybe it was the jeepneys whizzing about the streets, much like Thailand's tuk-tuks, except larger. The jeepneys can carry about 10 people perhaps?

The pinoys in general aren't exactly very friendly people...Only those in frontline jobs are friendly enough...And the ladies seem to like to stand very close to you whilst in queues. Experiened that in both shopping centre cashier queues, taxi queues and even at the immigration counter at the airport. Strange....

The hotel
I stayed in Sofitel Phillipines Plaza Hotel. LOVELY LOVELY LOVELY!
Room was huge consdering it was only me staying in it haha...
Lovely beds...flat screen 30-something-inch Sony Bravia (I think it might have been a 40-inch hmmmm)...my balcony was partially facing the sea...
The toilet was wonderful...I like such toilets, clean, spotless and cosy haha.

The breakfast buffet brought me to heaven every morning..haha..
Japanese, Filipino, Chinese, Western, Indian...they had all these cuisine and more..!
Smoked salmon, pizzas, smoked tuna, a nice little salad bar, dim sum, loads of pastries and breads...Wah lau...was really spoilt for choice... haha.

Decor and presentations were done tastefully throughout the hotel as well...:)
And the whole place was huge. Sofitel wasn't very tall. It was only 11 storeys high...but the grounds were sprawling...and the swimming pool was very nice...surrounded by coconut trees..
Sunset threw a orangey glow over everything and surprisingly, it was quite picturesque haha.

The meeting
The meeting went well...Got to know some foreign counterparts better, got to know others as well. Collected more namecards again but I think I could have done better in networking..
Hmm...bopian I guess, am shy in nature hhaa. Wanted to know some others but didn't have the chance to.

2 full days stuck in that meeting room. Some portions were definitely useful and informative. But alot were technical and I have to admit, I thought it was a waste of time for me to be there..hmm mm...was spending time clearing office emails instead and doing my own work haha.

I suddenly have this feeling..that I might kena arrowed to do a presentation for the upcoming meeting...Not a good thing..
I think I'll faint up there in front of all the industry experts, some of whom were there right from the start when the Internet started...and some others who were the ones who created the commercial Internet in the early 1990s...
Hmm mm...the next meeting might be in Taiwan or Beijing...see how it goes...

The shopping
I only managed to do proper shopping on the first day I arrived. Went to the Mall of Asia, 10 minutes by cab from my hotel. It's the 3rd largest mall in the world and literally hosts a few hundred shops on its premises...

But, certain sections made me feel like I was in SG...gosh. The first shop I saw was actually Yoshinoya restaurant haha...There was Delifrance, Macdonald's, Sakae Sushi, Ajisen and even OLD CHANG KEE!!!! piangzz..even Quickly was doing good there even though they went bust in SG back in 2004 perhap?

Upmarket shops like Topshop, MNG, Braun Buffel, MEXX, Nine West...were more or less priced like in SG...Nike was up to 10%-15% cheaper...CDs are cheap! $15-$18..those on promo can be even priced at $3 a piece.

Conclusion? Didn't buy much. Only about 4-5 casual tops from a factory outlet store ahah...About $5-$6 per piece.

Security
It's strange..haha. Every single entrance into a shopping centre or hotel or business building has a "security post". A table would be set up with a sign that says "With bag" and "No bag"...
People will just filter through accordingly. And there would be one lady and one guy dressed in security uniforms who would conduct "checks" on each individual going into the building. Bags had to be opened and cursory looks would be thrown by the officers...

Sofitel hotel even had a dog to sniff bags & luggages...each time I went out and came back to the hotel, I had to be sniffed by the dog and a lady would check my bag...zzz...

Weather
Hmm. 3 words. SAME AS SINGAPORE.

Spa
Went for a spa session with HC & Geraldine on the first night. It was quite an experience. The massage wasn't fantastic but it was defitnely a memorable and interesting experience hahhaa...

IT's not your usual spa concept in SG. Apparently, the price you pay at this particular spa includes a buffet meal as well...you can choose to makan either before or after your massage..It's entirely up to you..own time own target...There's a jacuzzi & sauna & steambath you can use...separate for ladies & gents...

Gera & I did a foot massage each...Each foot massage chair had a flat screen next to it showing cable TV...you can watch & get massaged at the same time...
One word. COOL! I was watching a little of Liverpool's match against Manchester City haha...

The scary thing was that the masseurs were all dressed in uniforms very very very closely resembling hospital garbs. imagine those greenish uniforms, shirt top and drawstring pants...complete with a little cap. It looked like as if there were lots of surgeons or hospital staff walking around.....the only missing on them is maybe those white nose/mouth masks...

Beer
There were some others from IDA who were there for the other meetings held in conjunction with this whole event...On my last night there..i.e. on Tuesday night, me, HC, Gera & a guy named Eugene had a mini chill-out at the poolside...we were also facing the sea so it was quite nice...slight breeze now and then...

Gera didn't drink...We ordered a bucket with 6 cans of San Miguel Light. Turned out Eugene has slightly sensitive skin and can't drink much....I think HC's drinking skills has not been good all the while? HC kept refilling my mug...tmd, I think I had half the bucket of beer...

Went back the room, managed to bathe and fell asleep on the bed with the TV on. The TV was supposed to keep me awake so I could blowdry my hair... haha totally concussed for 30 minutes before I woke up again to dry my hair...

Self & Thoughts
There were times when I felt shy & reserved & inadequate. I seriously need to shake this thing off. Else how to get to know more industry folks? Hmm mm...
Packed my hours with things to do, even mundane things like watching TV..to stave the mind off things..Suddenly, my parents are the only ones whom I SMS to say "I have reached safely".