Skip to main content

Manila - An Americanized Asia

Makati
I am currently on a business trip in Makati City, part of Metro Manila. It is one of the most populous places in Manila and is the financial hub of Philippines. A walk down the Ayala Avenue (called the "Wall Street" of Philippines) is an experience in itself. 

A lot of malls, including the one nearest to me - Greenbelt Mall, are located in Makati. A walk around the place and you can see all the major brands trying to find space in this busy city. Starbucks, Citi Bank, McDonald, KFC and various other American companies are huddled up together.

Ayala Ave
The driving is done the American-way too, on the other side of the road, for those of us who are more comfortable driving on the left side the "wrong" side driving can create a mental havoc. And of course the traffic is crazy! (I drive in India - so doesn't bother me)

For a second you might feel you're in some populous city in the US of A! But....there is the Asian side of Manila you can't miss. There are a lot of bikes that do the "old weaveroo" (I'm using this phrase from the movie I Love You Man, this is the best way anyone has described what bikers do - zigzagging though the traffic).

Jeepney
Another interesting and a popular mode of transport is Jeepney. There is an interesting story on Wikipedia how Jeepneys were made from left over US military Jeeps from World War 2. And the "ney" in Jeepney comes from the crowded knee-to-knee seating. 

All this makes Manila (I haven't explored other parts of Philippines) an interesting mix of cultures from east and the west. So watch out for this city as there are just too many surprises it holds!



Disclosure: www.pushkarbajpai.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Labels:
Location: BSA Tower, 108 Legazpi Street, Makati City 1200, Philippines

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Scuba Diving 36 feet deep in Goa (Surreal but Nice!)

"Surreal but nice" that's what Hugh Grant's character managed to blurt out, mesmerized by the beauty of Julia Roberts (in the movie Notting Hill ). And this was the exact thought that was running in my mind as I was rising from a depth of over 35 feet under water in the Arabian Sea near Goa, India. I had just finished my first dive (rather second dive of my first dive) with grouper fish, tailor fish - and many more - knelt at the bottom of the ocean floor and touched a ship wreck that sunk more than sixty years ago! It was a surreal experience that has left me with a feeling of self-satisfaction as well as endless curiosity. The two feelings very rarely take a house together in my mind. Probably the last time they shacked up together was when I got an admit for my Master's from State University of New York . The feeling of gliding underwater among the fishes, water pressure trying to burst your ears drums, flying over huge boulders of rocks under sea; like an un...
21 comments
Read more

How not to read History? Avoiding Sophistry, Deceitfulness, and Irrational Narratives

Introduction A few days ago I wrote on how a contemporary Dharmic mind is enslaved with various narratives meant to degrade the tradition of Dharmic spiritualism (or Hinduism) and relegate the spiritual path as non-sensical, patriarchal, and regressive (i.e. against modernity). I've three examples below that show the eagerness in contemporary conversations to push this narrative. Since free speech and vaad (Sanskrit: वाद, discussion) are two-way streets so it's well within my right to share my opinion based on sound reasoning and well-established examples. And my opinion doesn't rely on the play of words (Sanskrit: सामान्य छल, quibble)) or a mere attack on the opposition (Sanskrit: वितंडा, cavil/sophistry). Just a side note, these categorizations are based on the ancient  Nyaya philosophy composed by Akṣapāda Gautama between the 6th century BCE and the 2nd century CE. Example 1 -  वितंडा / Sophistry Buddhism and Sanatana Dharma have a long history of coexistence and assim...
Post a Comment
Read more

9000 days of destiny

I was wondering about my doubts and prejudices I have at this stage of life. It is in human trait to suffer from these emotions. But history has given enough evidence to form a case when humans have risen beyond their flaws I recently saw the movie "Invictus". It is based on the true events that lead to South African national rugby team, the Springboks, winning the 1995 rugby world cup. The movie shows how two persons from completely different backgrounds rose above their beliefs and prejudices to unite a country broken by apartheid. These were South African President Mr. Nelson Mandela and the captain of the South African rugby team Francois Pienaar.  Clint Eastwood directed this movie. It stars Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela and Matt Damon as Francois Pienaar. The movie is thought provoking and inspires you to dream big. It in its' limited time depicts the segregation created by decades of apartheid in South Africa. However I was captivated by the song played ...
Post a Comment
Read more