"2006 VT Meetings" Manila Travelogue by asianbelle

What a way to end the year! Visiting VTers were treated to Pinoy-style Christmas celebration. A Filipino dinner complete with wine and fireworks was held at Harbor View to welcome Dennis (Daryll), Sunil (sunk07) and Johannes (Mittnic). First time attendee was Selina (Selina.Gecolea).

In photo from left: Selina (Selina.Gecolea), Sunil (sunk07), Joy (joysweet, standing), Dennis (Daryll, standing), Jackie (ahorny), Regina (Dennis' pretty sis), Johannes (Mittnic), me, Lili (lmc2626), Aimees (moonlighting), Penn (Boljakool)

Group Pic

Bok and Bee from Malaysia visited the country for a second time this year. We had a pre-Halloween dinner in Malate were trick-treating kids dropped by our table.

It was the first time for Amy (malakawon) to attend a VT meet. In picture were: Amy (malakawon), Presy (pres_16), me (standing), Aimees (moonlighting), Penn (Boljakool, standing), Bee (beekon), Bok (muddybok, standing), Lili (lmc2626)

Zin and Me

I encountered Zin (zin) through the travel forum when she asked where Plaza Ferguson in Manila is. Her post puzzled me - "why would a foreign lady go to this place - a favorite hang out of street kids and beggars?". I found out that she will be spending part of her school break in the Philippines and from thereon, we exchanged mails.

The next thing I knew, she is already touring the northern part of the country. And imagine my surprise when I got a call from her on the rainy Saturday afternoon of August 12 asking if we could meet that afternoon as she is on her way back to Myanmar the next day.

Zin and I shared lots of giggles and fun stories over cups of coffee at Starbucks Bayview. She shared her observations and impressions of the Philippines and its people from her 2-week travel within the country.

During our conversation, Zin mentioned her desire to visit Coconut Palace. So we decided to move on and had a brief tour of the CCP Complex, stopping at some points of interest for photo shoots - Cultural Center, Folk Arts Theater, Convention Center, Coconut Palace, Film Center, Senate. We also drove past Mall of Asia and I dropped her off at Ayala Museum.

Cielo, Anand and me

Anand (Anand1560) signed up in VT after my visit to KL so we didn't get the chance to meet. During the SEA Games last December, he visited Cebu but didn't have time to fly to Manila.

Finally, just a day before the long Holy Week break, we had the opportunity to have lunch at Mr. Choi Robinson's Ermita. He was in town from Guam on the way back to KL.

Cielo (jasmine_trias) made up the trio. It was a brief yet fun lunch with Cielo as her usual self... kikay!