Booked my flight to Manila Philippines for June 19th-29th.

[robert angel]

I would go for Florence. 


Milan - Good enough for 1 day.  You see the World's largest gothic church and if you are into fashion, you walk in the fashion streets.  Visit San Siro football stadium if you are a keen footballer  (soccer lol)


Turin - 1 day to go up on the Tower lol plus if you have the time, go to the river - for a beautiful view


Verona - 1 day.  To see the coloissom and the house of Juliet  (Romeo & Juliet)


Venice - 1 day if you only want to see the St Mark's Square plus a famous bridge.   2nd day if you wish to ride on one of the taxi boats to go to another island


Pisa - definitely 1 day - for the leaning tower itself. 


Siena - definitely 1 day - to see the famous square.  Walk through the beautiful old walls


Florence - so many to see.  The dome, Ponte Vecchio (old bridge), see the paintings etc - 3-4 days would be an ideal


You can go to Pisa / Siena by train from Florence.  Only 1 hour to get to Pisa, and 1 1/2 hour to go to Siena


I would like to see beautiful landscape of Tuscany,  the beautiful houses on the hill, Cinque Terre,  Rome,  Naples to eat Pizza, the ruins of Pompeii.  lots to see in Italy


One of my dreams is to travel all over Italy and make photo-Guide book !!

Gato, I didn't want to let off, but that's what I expected. Family and friends, especially those who are more artistically inclined, probably tell me 8 or 9 out of 10 times to see Florence first. After that, for sheer relaxation in a nice atmosphere, yea, heard Tuscany's hard to beat--my parents used to go there a lot.

Love to see some of your photos! Beethoven did some of his greatest musical works after he went deaf and some of the greatest visual artists, particularly impressionists, did their best work after their eye sight went bad. I know a legally blind young lady who working with only one eye that's beyond legally blind (20/200 or worse) studied Visual Arts nonetheless and has won awards for her pastels, oils and water color works and sculpture! She makes what I find as pretty much abstract art photographs, working a lot in black and white too.

[robert angel]

Glad you're taking your first trip. It seems like every one has you covered on women. really try to learn the people and the culture. You'll be surprised at how much further it can take you. Whether it nice place most people don't find or a hidden restaurant. take something away from it, you'll be respected more

Yea--when in Rome or in Manila, Cebu or Davao--do as they do! My language skills abroad are really bad, but with few exceptions, any efforts are appreciated--or at least get a good natured laugh. Same with trying foods they know you might be a bit uncomfortable with initially--that's especially true in the Philippines. If you try durian and balut, you will definitely be held in higher regard!!!

[kai #2]

If you have a stomach of titanium and tungsten, get the 'balut', best thing you'll ever eat

Same with trying foods they know you might be a bit uncomfortable with initially--that's especially true in the Philippines. If you try durian and balut, you will definitely be held in higher regard!!!

[Maverick]

Hey everryone, hope all is well. I ended up canceling my trip to Manila and went to Rome instead. Was all geared up to go but figured some signs happened to make me reconsider the trip. The morning that I was supposed to fly out, I was driving home and ended up getting a flat tire. I would have missed my flight if not for weather delays. Then the flight ended up being over booked so my bid for 800 flight voucher went in and they booked me for the next day flight. At that time I was kind of getting annoyed with the two girls I was going to hang out with. They kept making plans for what we could do and would not listen to me when I told them to calm down and at least let me get to Manila first. Then that day I got an email from someone with pictures of one of the girls with her boyfriend from New Zeland. I confronted her about this and asked her if this was the guy that she got pregnant by, never did get a clear answer from her so I cut ties with her right there and then. Then I called delta and booked my flight to Rome instead. I also decided that this whole thing is hard enough without bringing kids or baby's in the picture so I ended things with the other one to (we are still friends on Facebook and still talk once or twice a week), but as friends.

My trip in Rome was great and when I got back a took a break from searching. Just a couple of days ago I got back into searching with one of the first things I look at is if she is pregnant or has kids. I also believe that you have to be the one that asks more questions right away, because I know that when I have talked to these girls a lot of times I'm telling them what I want, my dream and goals. It can make it easy for them to in return tell you what you want to be told. I'm hoping to actually go to the Philippines in January that way I can get out of the cold to. I also decided to try my luck on cherry blossoms instead.

I hear ya, man. I actually made my first trip and met some of the girls that I was chatting with. I'm starting to learn that many of the girls online are super sketchy (not that they weren't fun to hang out with, but they were definitely liars). I'm starting to think that the best way to go about this is to live there for a little while and meet girls on the ground, organically.

[robert angel]

I hear ya, man. I actually made my first trip and met some of the girls that I was chatting with. I'm starting to learn that many of the girls online are super sketchy (not that they weren't fun to hang out with, but they were definitely liars). I'm starting to think that the best way to go about this is to live there for a little while and meet girls on the ground, organically.

Best results I've seen overall seem to be from getting together with women who were referred by someone with some connections on the inside. The internet isn't totally hopeless, but the sheer number of women on there will mean there's a whole lot more sorting through to do before you get a decent prospect.

Then with the on-line girls, it takes time to see --to get a 'feeling' if she really is a good prospect. Still, till you meet in person, you still don't know. These guys who chat a gal for a month, then fly over and see if they click are facing especially long odds. Time, time, time. A personal connection set up quickly more often means it will be a trivial, 'fling' kind of thing, where some cutie wants you to take her and her friends out to do fun things on your dime. You might get a little nookie on the side, but not likely a gal you want fro a wife or even for a GF.

There were some women I got along with pretty good on-line, then moved on to others, only to come back later and rekindle the relationship with those ones I'd drifted away from. In doing so, going from many dozens of women to a much smaller core of nice, level headed babes who knew I was still looking around helped my perspective.

In cafes, (not bars) I daresay malls and grocery stores to name but a few places, hanging out and meeting women who carry themselves well has potential--it sounds sort of like mongering, but if done right, it's not. No, you won't get anywhere near a 100% of women responding, but if you look and conduct yourself the right way, good things can happen. Just a throwing out a simple (not leering) smile and making modest eye contact can start something good sometimes. That might not work quite as well in certain parts of metro Cebu and Manila as it does in other less touristy places. Some guys here say a really good prospect won't give you the time of day in such places, but times are changing.

I think most guys under age thirty need to get over there a time or two, have some fun--maybe even some crazy fun, then hopefully come back to the states, having gotten that out of their system. Then maybe if they're mature--(maybe 'ready' is a better term)  enough, they might make up their minds about what they really want. And what you think you want and what you really need--namely what's probably best for you long term--those aren't always the same things.

[Maverick]

Best results I've seen overall seem to be from getting together with women who were referred by someone with some connections on the inside. The internet isn't totally hopeless, but the sheer number of women on there will mean there's a whole lot more sorting through to do before you get a decent prospect.

Yeah, the internet does have some value, potentially. I actually think that I was talking to some genuine women, but chose wrong and ended up with a scammer (though, not a terrible situation...she was still way cooler than most of the girls that I've dated in the US lol and I didn't lose any money really).

Then with the on-line girls, it takes time to see --to get a 'feeling' if she really is a good prospect. Still, till you meet in person, you still don't know. These guys who chat a gal for a month, then fly over and see if they click are facing especially long odds. Time, time, time. A personal connection set up quickly more often means it will be a trivial, 'fling' kind of thing, where some cutie wants you to take her and her friends out to do fun things on your dime. You might get a little nookie on the side, but not likely a gal you want fro a wife or even for a GF.

True story. I can't remember if it was you or someone else that advised me to look at the woman around her family. Definitely wise words. But I still think that the ultimate good idea would be to live near her and observe her on a daily basis for at least months.

Though, I'm not sure if I could see myself staying in the Philippines for that long lol.

There were some women I got along with pretty good on-line, then moved on to others, only to come back later and rekindle the relationship with those ones I'd drifted away from. In doing so, going from many dozens of women to a much smaller core of nice, level headed babes who knew I was still looking around helped my perspective.

Also, remember though, that you've been married for a long time now (I think you said 8 years....and you met your wife 4 years before that, right?). So that means you met her in 2002. A lot of things have changed, both technologically and socially, since that time. It's possible that the quality of women has significantly decreased everywhere.

Personally, I can't envision some of the things that some of you guys talk about with the girls that I've talked to (talking online for months or years without meeting, etc). I don't think that most of these girls would be able to do that.

In cafes, (not bars) I daresay malls and grocery stores to name but a few places, hanging out and meeting women who carry themselves well has potential--it sounds sort of like mongering, but if done right, it's not. No, you won't get anywhere near a 100% of women responding, but if you look and conduct yourself the right way, good things can happen. Just a throwing out a simple (not leering) smile and making modest eye contact can start something good sometimes. That might not work quite as well in certain parts of metro Cebu and Manila as it does in other less touristy places. Some guys here say a really good prospect won't give you the time of day in such places, but times are changing.

Obviously, I've only been to the Philippines once and for a short time, but my impression is that the girls just walking around in malls are super friendly. I made a few approaches and sometimes even pointed at girls and they loved it. This was in Metro Manila. Are they quality girls? Would it have gone further? Who knows. But it definitely seems like an avenue worth exploring.

Based on what I observed, I think meeting a decent girl throughout the day is a better bet than online. Of course, I'm technically unsuccessful thus far so I could be wrong.

I think most guys under age thirty need to get over there a time or two, have some fun--maybe even some crazy fun, then hopefully come back to the states, having gotten that out of their system. Then maybe if they're mature--(maybe 'ready' is a better term)  enough, they might make up their minds about what they really want. And what you think you want and what you really need--namely what's probably best for you long term--those aren't always the same things.

Yeah, I had WAY more fun than I planned to (it's hard to avoid there with so many opportunities lol). I realized from that whole experience that I'm really not ready for marriage yet.

I'd definitely say that my trip, overall, was a life-changing experience. It made me realize that I need to get out to Asia ASAP....and I've been working harder than ever on my online business since I got home so I could make that a reality.

[Jhengsman]

Obviously, I've only been to the Philippines once and for a short time, but my impression is that the girls just walking around in malls are super friendly. I made a few approaches and sometimes even pointed at girls and they loved it. This was in Metro Manila. Are they quality girls? Would it have gone further? Who knows. But it definitely seems like an avenue worth exploring.

"Pointed at" do you mean with your fingers or the local way with your eyes and lips? Maybe its a generational thing.

[Maverick]

"Pointed at" do you mean with your fingers or the local way with your eyes and lips? Maybe its a generational thing.

Well waved, then pointed with my finger as in "Hey you, come here" lol.

I wouldn't know how to point at someone with my eyes and lips.

[Jhengsman]

Well waved, then pointed with my finger as in "Hey you, come here" lol.

I wouldn't know how to point at someone with my eyes and lips.

They may have made allowances for your outsider status. You generally don't make the American come here gesture, theirs looks more like a go away wave to us. And pointing with your finger is a general no no..

[Maverick]

They may have made allowances for your outsider status. You generally don't make the American come here gesture, theirs looks more like a go away wave to us. And pointing with your finger is a general no no..

Fair enough. I'll remember that for the future.

Maybe they gave me a break because I was smiling and seemed nice enough. Who knows.