Working in Manila

I spent a week working in the Manila office, usually one of the first there and staying later after work trying to get a handle on how they do things here, meeting with the various managers, and taking occasional trips out for beers in the evening with them. Friday night was the office Christmas party, a good chance to relax and socialise with the people from work.

Bryan, the Manila IT guy, offered to walk with me to the party as it wasn't too far, and so we first went home and I grabbed a shower and changed into jeans before we set out to walk to the office, it was an interesting walk as it took us through the center of the red light district. Bryan is a shy guy and the girls standing around and calling out worried him a bit, but if you ignored them they soon gave up. We arrived at the restaurant way too early and so after seeing if anyone was there (they weren't) we headed out for another walk around a nearby park area.

We walked for about 45 minutes and then realised we had walked quite a way from the hotel and had to get back, we planned to get a taxi back but then Bryan had a better idea, Jeepney!

Jeepneys are everywhere here, old Jeeps that have had the body extended and now carry 16+ people in the back with a few more clinging on where they can. They are a very Philippino travel method and I was keen to try, Bryan found one going the right way and we jumped in, soon we were crammed in and off we went, there was no aircon obviously but when the vehicle was moving the air movement made the heat bareable, unfortunately the traffic meant that most of the time was spent sitting and waiting, it got hot!

We arrived near the hotel and walked in about right, and in Philipino fashion everything started an hour late anyway.

The meal was good, chatting with lots of people and the service was very attentive, as soon as your beer was half empty a new cold one would be put into your hand by the young attractive waitresses. There were also 6 girls dressed as 'sexy santas' wandering around the party and greeting people, apparently one of the guys in the office is married to a local girl who owns a girly bar and she asked a few of her staff to come over to brighten the place up…madness!

After the meal we went upstairs for a slideshow and more drinks and I was one of the last to leave around 3am, I was careful not to drink too much whilst being sociable and think I surfed that edge nicely. As everyone left another British guy in the office offered me a nightcap in a local bar and then as we walked over the road he saw some of his friends drinking in a very local bar. We stopped there and he introduced me to the mix of locals and foreigners drinking outside this small bar. One of the guys had a guitar and would play random songs from the 80s that everyone would sing along to, madness! I stayed for an hour then made my excuses and walked home, a good night!