Philippines

To say the least, my first impression of Manila was unflattering. After being ripped off by a tricycle taxi, I walked along a filthy road where my hotel was located and saw a little boy pooing in the street. I was then quickly surrounded by other homeless Filipinos aggressively begging for change.

That night was a whole lot better, though. Beggars still followed me around like I was Warren Buffet, but the lively area where I stayed (Malate) was bustling with nightlife. Almost every bar had a live band cranking out decent music, sometimes with a Latin flava.

The next day I ventured to Fort Santiago, an old Spanish fort along the river. Even though the heydays of the fort – now a tourist attraction – are long gone, there were still guards in period uniforms toting shotguns. I assumed that they were there to prevent pickpockets, or to intimidate cheap tourists who refused to pay the entrance fee.

I eventually jumped on a bus and headed north to the former Clark Air Force Base, which shutdown following the eruption of a nearby volcano in 1991. The base is flanked by Angeles City, a popular tourist spot for old men.

I didn’t realize that Angeles had such a high concentration of go-go bars until I got there. I probably saw at least 80 of these bars in less than a half-mile stretch. The city still had other things to offer other than scantily-clothed ladies and expensive drinks.

One day I rented a scooter and traveled to the dormant volcano, Mt. Arayat. I then befriended some local Filipino guys who took me to a cock fight. The angry roosters were like Gladiators as they fought to the death while spectators cheered. I ended up losing my two bets, but it was more of a cultural spectacle for me than simply gambling.

Following the fights, my new friends invited me to a party where I ate chicken feet and downed cheap brandy. All in all, it was a great time. I was surprised at just how friendly the Filipino people were. They don’t call the Philippines the “Land of Smiles” for nothing.

I spent most of my time in the country on the famous shores of Boracay, located south of Manila. The sandy beaches on this island are perhaps the best that I’ve ever seen. White Beach has a four-kilometer stretch of fine white sand, lined with resorts and crystal clear water.

The nightlife on the island's boardwalk was also bumping. Just watch out for the ladyboys who scour the boardwalk for easy prey in the early morning hours.

Luckily I didn’t get too drunk and fall for their evil deceiving ways, like other duped guys. You wanted to tell them that they were holding hands with a dude, but I didn’t want to risk a fight with a man in drag. Though ladyboys strive to be feminine, they still get very hostile if angered.