Makati City, Philippines

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More vehicle shots.

The first one is a dune buggy that was zipping around the cab. The image is all blurry and it was out of site before another could be snapped

The second one is 3 people on a motorbike. That's fairly common there but it might not be legal.

These are from the Fort Banifacio area (ritzy part of Makati with active nightlife).

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From the Army base.

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The next 4 are from the Army base. The mural is about 100yds long all with scenes from the army.

I was working my way down the sidewalk snapping one section at a time when an MP (politely) told me that my slippers (flip flops) were not allowed in that area. That it was not a great offense to him but if his superiors came by and saw me with them on in that area that it was technically an infraction. Being barefoot was not an option either as that was worse.

Maybe next trip I'll get the rest of it.

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I like to walk around all parts of the barangay just to see the buildings and talk to those that would like to try their English.

Most people that are out will chat for a bit and are surprised to see me in their humble area.

During one of walks these girls were trying to work this .....thingy. That paper thingy that you twirl around, you know.....that thingy.

After rolling the paper up on the stick a bit they were able to spin this (thingy ) enough for an action shot.

Do people ask me for money? Not normally. Most offer me something to drink, sometimes beer sometimes cola. They also like to have their photo taken which is not a problem.

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These two are taken from a walkway over the street in Quezon City. There are quite a few of these as there are no American style crosswalks.

There is often some type of surprise on the overpass too. This one had some smelly dog poo but someone selling something that you'll never need would also be a possibility as well as a homeless person.

We have met homeless people in Quezon and it's disturbing to me. A few of them have been just plain raving crazy and unable to function. If someone has family, that family will normally at least give them somewhere to stay out of the rain.

We met an old woman last year that just looked pitiful. We passed and Pinang was talking about something and I told her that we must do something for that woman.

She put some peso bills in the old woman's hand but said that "there's just no one there". In the end we had someone call the church and gave some money to care for her.

I've not seen people in such pitiful welfare as here in the Phils.

Anyway....this is a shot from the overpass with the smelly poo.

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We have friends in Quezon city. During this trip we went to their apartment.

This was the first time that I'd seen the inside of a rental apartment so I was very curious, looking here and there.

They are small for sure. Most of the "extras" are absent, like a handrail for the stairs. Overall no bad though, IMO.

This apartment is home for our two friends (man and woman ) and his sister.

They have a TV, fridge, sink and all that basic kinda stuff. One thing that strikes me is that the paints are often so dreary that it's depressing. A coat of paint before renting a unit might be standard here in the US but it's extra money for the owner in the Phils.

This apartment rents for 7000 php a month ($140) and heat is included.

Sorry no interior shots of the apartment. This is what the outside looks like though. Look at all those wires running around!

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The first photo is in the hallway looking at the building next door.

The second is the front door which is pretty nice. The woodworking is normally pretty cheap as most of the labor is done in country where the rates are cheap.

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Next door to our friends this cat and rooster were both looking at each other.

Some things that the animals here do are pretty funny to me.

The cat is thinking..."I could eat fresh chicken tonight if I could only lift that gate".

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At some point in the Christmas celebration with relatives here, we were invited to another party.

The party was at someone's apartment building. The top of the building to be more specific.

These are taken from the 4th floor of aunty ?'s building. The birthday party is for cousin ?, who just happens to be gay ( ba-ding ).

This trip, quite by accident and without any objection we just seemed to run into many gays.

They would completely ignore me for a while, checking my reactions I suppose. Who knows, I might be one of those knuckle dragging, heartless Republican gay bashing bastards!

Pinang would razz some of them playfully and eventually with some beer they would talk to me and ask some questions.

Ba-ding: Hey....do you know any gays in the US
slang: (eating the chicken on a stick like a man that hasn't seen food in a month) Yeah
Ba-ding: Do they annoy you?
slang: No more than all the other assheads....HEY, CAN I GET ANOTHER REDBULL OVER HERE!? YES PLEASE, THE GRANDE SIZE!
Ba-ding: Oh. Cool

The food and booze there was pretty good.

1. BIG plate of plain rice

2. Chicken on a stick. No Zippy, it's NOT monkey on a stick.

3. Chow mein kinda noodles

4. Very well done fish cooked with head still attached

5. Medium done fish cooked with head still attached

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I saw this guy at the party and assumed that he was a black guy. He was a dark Filipino.

I didnt see one single black person and I was looking. They would probably be very popular here.

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West Rembo

Walking around just after Christmas and all the little boys had their toy guns out in the street shooting the neighbors.

Ah, it's nice to see I tell ya.

"Hey Joe" [Bang! Bang!]

I returned fire with a borrowed sawed off shotgun seen in pic 2.

The toy guns there look remarkably real and have no red tip. "That looks just like my Glock!"

Oh and a sidenote to Wolf. One of the malls that we were at has a gunstore in it.

We were walking by and I saw some short shotguns in a display.

"What the.....!?, we gotta stop in here for a minute!"

With a license, a Filipino may legally own a handgun and this shop sells them.

There were Glocks and Smiths on display in the case. The proprietor said that one must have a license and to get a license you have to be Filipino.

Anyway......

Here are the kids and their guns.

Another sidenote. The kid in pic one is drinking out of a plastic bag, which is quite normal as the beverage is poured into the bag at the store to retain the returnable bottle.

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OK, there is the shooting, now lets check out an ambulance.

This is the Makati Ospital ambulance. It looks nice from the outside but the inside doesnt have nearly the same amount of life saving equipment as we have here in the US.

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This is very hard to see but what is inside is basically a cabinet and a tank of some kind.

Just for the record during the time that I was across the street snapping pics, there was a patient loaded into that very ambulance on a cart.....and....it....was....very....hard.....not to go and get his pic!

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Party, party, party, everyone's having a party.

The next door neighbor invited us to a party for his niece. She's turning one year old today....but the important thing to know is that there is free food and booze there.

Cool, we're there!

To be polite until everyone has at least one pass through the buffet, I dont load up. After that...it's every man for himself though.

It seemed funny to me that the family just set up the tables and parked the cars to block the traffic from the street. This street sees a fair amount of tricycle traffic.

With very little warning or hesistaion everything was set up....right in the middle of the street.