Manila Mayhem: Humidity, Halo-Halo, and Honestly, Just Trying to Survive
okay, so manila. it’s…a lot. i’m a freelance photographer, and usually i’m all about the golden hour and perfectly composed shots, but this place? it’s about capturing the chaos. the real chaos. i landed with code 1692241 (don’t ask, airline stuff) and then promptly got lost for three hours. three hours!
right now, i just checked and it’s…sticky. like, aggressively sticky. the weather report says 25.84°C, feels like 26.62°C, humidity at 82%. honestly, it feels like you’re walking through warm soup. i’m pretty sure my camera bag is developing its own ecosystem. the air pressure is 1015, which, i guess, is normal? i don’t know, i’m not a *meteorologist. i just take pictures of things.
spent yesterday wandering around Intramuros, the walled city. it’s…touristy, obviously. but also kinda cool. like stepping back in time, if that time involved a lot more jeepneys and selfie sticks. i overheard someone complaining on a local forum (https://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g298460-Manila_Metro_Manila_Region_Luzon-Vacations.html) that the horse-drawn carriages are overpriced. apparently, you gotta haggle hard.
“Don’t trust the guys offering to take you on a ‘cultural tour’ near Fort Santiago. They’ll take you to a souvenir shop and expect a commission.”
that’s what a guy at a street food stall told me, anyway. he was selling some kind of grilled pork skewer that was surprisingly delicious. i think it was called isaw. or maybe i misheard him. everything’s a bit of a blur.
food-wise, it’s insane. i’ve had everything from adobo (obviously) to halo-halo (a shaved ice dessert that’s basically a sugar rush in a cup). someone warned me about eating street food, said i’d get “Manila belly,” but honestly, i’m living on the edge. i found a great little place on Yelp (https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Restaurants&find_loc=Manila) called ‘Barbara’s Heritage Restaurant’ - a bit pricier, but worth it for a clean bathroom, let’s be real.
my neighbors are…loud. really loud. karaoke at 3 am loud. but also, super friendly. they keep offering me mangoes. i think they’re trying to fatten me up. if you get bored, Tagaytay is just a short jeepney ride away, apparently. i haven’t made it there yet, but it’s on the list.
spent an hour trying to navigate the MRT* (the subway). it’s…an experience. think rush hour in new york, but with more people crammed into a smaller space. i heard that pickpockets are common, so i kept my camera tucked away. i also found this helpful blog post about getting around (https://www.thepoortraveler.net/guide-to-manila/).
“Just accept that you’re going to sweat. A lot. And bring hand sanitizer. Seriously, bring a lot of hand sanitizer.”
that’s the best advice i’ve gotten so far. honestly. i’m starting to think i need to invest in a portable fan. and maybe a hazmat suit. but hey, at least the photos are good. or, they will be, once i figure out how to edit out the humidity. check out my instagram (https://www.instagram.com/yourphotographerhandle - replace with actual handle) for updates (when i have wifi).
and one last thing: don’t underestimate the power of a good halo-halo. it’s the only thing keeping me sane.
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