[This message has been edited by outwest77]
I left dec 26th arrived the 28th spend a great New Years Eve in the phils with my gf. We were invited to a Catered Party at Bayview Hotel,in manila, overlooking Manila Bay,Very nice hotel, much nicer than i could afford to stay in long term.... Band, nice food, the whole works.
If you want to see fireworks, go to the phils on New Years eve, nothing in your wildest dreams will prepare you, So many firecrackers, cherry bombs, Roman Candles, going off on each corner, the whole city was just one big smoke cloud, Scared the ever livin you know what out of me.......i have sensitive ears.......Anyway all the cabdrivers wanted "no meter" , and we finally just gave up on the cab ride to Manila bay from Makati. and said, ok how much, it was gettting late and we did not want to arrive late at the party. A very fun evening, and all of the waiters performed a choreographed dance routine on stage, those filipinos can dance, ( i think the head waiter was a professional choreographer. )Anyway a great new years, better than i have ever had,
After the party was over we dropped by a small restaurant where a few friends of my gf always hang out, and she knows the owner, Boy they sure make a big deal of foreigners, i bought the whole house a round of drinks, and of course everyone had to kareoke.......i get a big kick out of that and am actually becoming quite fond of the whole thing. I cant sing a lick, and dont try, but my gf has 2 or 3 songs that she absolutely has to sing, to me of course, i think by now i have heard her sing those to me about 100 times on my 3 trips this year, but she actually has a very nice voice, and i think its her cute way of showing me her feelings, Her friends were as always a blast, and the lady who owns the small restaurant, (babylyn), seems there are a lot of Baby, honey, etc names over there......anyway, she is great, alot of Seamen are always in the restaurant between their dutys, since there is a seamen rooming house nearby, Nicest guys you would ever want to meet, would not want to get in a fight with one though, Big Strong, hardworking guys.
Roxas Blvd was decorated with festive street light covers for the holidays, which i think they have left in place now, If you have never seen Manila on the holidays it is something to see, all of the major streets are festively lighted, as are the buildings themselves. Reminds me of when i was a kid we lived in france and Paris at christmas was something to see.
On my GFs birthday, early January , i decided to go all out a bit, and bought her a lot of new clothes etc, belt, in the Mall, and then we went to a bakery, to pick out a cake, Well you know the communication mixups you always see over there. so.....i ask the bakery clerk, what type of frosting the cake has,,,,oh sir, butter frosting........hmm ok, Guess she means buttercream, We will take that one i said........So anyway later as we cut into the cake, we disccover.........the clerk was not joking, the frosting is Pure, 100% butter, (the cake was yellow, but i did not think anything of it until taking a bite)
I dont know, maybe thats a popular frosting there, has anyone else heard of this, This was the largest bakery chain in manila, Goldilocks, maybe the largest chain in the phils, you see them everywhere...., but they would not be doing it if it was not a popular request, Anyway, my gf said she did not like it,(maybe she was just being polite and agreeing with my view) and so i introduced her to the wonders of real american style carrot cake Courtesy of Kenny rogers, We called them on the phone, and since everything can be delivered, in the phils, 15 minutes and 440p later including delivery charge, We had a Delicious American style carrot cake, ........... Believe it or not it is not easy to get an american style cake there, or maybe i just went to the wrong place.
LOL butter frosting, who ever said the phils is boring, , never a dull minute.
