Well, time to go home. Which turned out to be easier said then done...
So, trying to get pictures of a nice sunset before I went back home, I went up the mountain again. It was very busy, many people were waiting along the stairs and on the top for it. We were lucky, we got a beautiful sunset.
After this, we went to restaurant The Blue Moon for our last dinner.
You may stay 1 month without a visa, then you have to extend it. But while they have immigration offices everywhere, there is no one in Coron. I went in Manila to the head-office, which is quite big, and also quite crowded. I had to wait a very long time, no one giving any explanation, only: "fill in this paper and go to window 32, 23, 30", etc.
Their internet-page had said the fee was 1000 Pesos per month, plus 1000 Pesos if you were late with the extension. Well, it turned out to be much more. And also they charged me 2000 Pesos for using the priority lane, which they did not tell me before. Well, finally, just before closing time, I got my papers. The man who was serving, showed me my passport. Is this you? Yes. He grabbed the papers, took - without looking at it - a card from a big stack, so I supposed it was some merchandise, wrapped in in the papers and gave all to me. Tired but happy that I got my papers just in time, I went out and back to the hotel. Relieved that I now had the papers, first thing was, to book a flight to Amsterdam.
Hey, no new time stamp in my passport, so I checked the papers and the card. Then it turned out to be a so called 'alien-card'. An ID-card for the Philippines. Only 1 minor detail: IT WAS NOT ME!
To late to go back now, and the office was closed until monday. But I had booked the flight for sunday. Well, on saturday I thought just to go and try. Time enough, so I decided to go walk and try to find the way. At 10 minutes walk, I reached the Rizal Park. A very big and beautiful park. I walked a little around, took some pictures in the Chinese Garden and then tried to find a way out on the other side.
That is where I met Paul, in the chess-area next to the Japanese garden.
Paul is a retired tourist guide and turned out to be a very nice man, just doing now and then some small jobs. I told him my story and he offered to help me. First he told me how to get there, and next day he would call his son in law, who happened to be a supervisor at the office, to ask for help. I walked on, came across a golf-course in the middle of the town and then entered 'Intramouros'.
The old city, surrounded by a huge wall. This is a nice part of the city, I decided to come back the next day to explore it.
Yes, the office was closed except for the security. And a supervisor of the cards. But the room where the cards where stores was locked, so I had to come back on monday. OK, back to the park for another chat with Paul. Back in my hotel I first booked 2 more days to stay, then posponed the flight for 2 days.
Next day I went to explore the old town. Here some nice pictures. As you can see the wall is quite big. On the inside they have made a lot of small shops and restaurants, which make it look a little like the canals in Utrecht.
Following some very nice buildings in the old town:
But there is also still a large poor area:
I met some other people in a bar which I recognized from last year. Also told the story there, and they warned me that there were quite some fraudulent people working at the office, so I had to be carefull. It could be a trick to make me pay again for the card. So, I decided to call Paul and ask him for help. Monday morning we met at 7.30 in the park and went together to the office. Paul in the meantime called his son-in-law. That turned out to be of great help. Within minutes they found my card and handed it over without any problems. In 5 minutes we were back outside. I am quite sure I would not have been able to do this so quickly without the help of my new friend Paul. If you ever visit Manila, and the Rizal Park, go meet him at the chess-area, next to the Japanese garden (or a little further then the more well-known Chinese garden. Just ask anyone there for Paul. He will be happy to meet you.
Having coffee at Starbucks with Paul, which is also inside the wall.
After this, at ease, we went back to the park and I took some more pictures.
Throughout the day the fountains have several different forms:
And on the other side of the road are 2 beautiful museums:
Well, in the end, without the delay I would not have seen the park, I would not have seen Intramouros and I would not have met a very nice man. So after all it was a nice stay in Manila.
Here the last picture, on my stop over in Taiwan (6 hours). The beer was very nice. ;-)
My flight home was with China Airlines. A very nice airplane, very nice food and much more space then with all other companies I have been flying with! Also usb- and power-connection at the chairs.
So, trying to get pictures of a nice sunset before I went back home, I went up the mountain again. It was very busy, many people were waiting along the stairs and on the top for it. We were lucky, we got a beautiful sunset.
After this, we went to restaurant The Blue Moon for our last dinner.
Manila
The next day at 8.30 I left for the flight to Manila. Checked in at the hotel and immediately left to go to the Immigration Office.You may stay 1 month without a visa, then you have to extend it. But while they have immigration offices everywhere, there is no one in Coron. I went in Manila to the head-office, which is quite big, and also quite crowded. I had to wait a very long time, no one giving any explanation, only: "fill in this paper and go to window 32, 23, 30", etc.
Their internet-page had said the fee was 1000 Pesos per month, plus 1000 Pesos if you were late with the extension. Well, it turned out to be much more. And also they charged me 2000 Pesos for using the priority lane, which they did not tell me before. Well, finally, just before closing time, I got my papers. The man who was serving, showed me my passport. Is this you? Yes. He grabbed the papers, took - without looking at it - a card from a big stack, so I supposed it was some merchandise, wrapped in in the papers and gave all to me. Tired but happy that I got my papers just in time, I went out and back to the hotel. Relieved that I now had the papers, first thing was, to book a flight to Amsterdam.
Hey, no new time stamp in my passport, so I checked the papers and the card. Then it turned out to be a so called 'alien-card'. An ID-card for the Philippines. Only 1 minor detail: IT WAS NOT ME!
To late to go back now, and the office was closed until monday. But I had booked the flight for sunday. Well, on saturday I thought just to go and try. Time enough, so I decided to go walk and try to find the way. At 10 minutes walk, I reached the Rizal Park. A very big and beautiful park. I walked a little around, took some pictures in the Chinese Garden and then tried to find a way out on the other side.
That is where I met Paul, in the chess-area next to the Japanese garden.
Paul is a retired tourist guide and turned out to be a very nice man, just doing now and then some small jobs. I told him my story and he offered to help me. First he told me how to get there, and next day he would call his son in law, who happened to be a supervisor at the office, to ask for help. I walked on, came across a golf-course in the middle of the town and then entered 'Intramouros'.
The old city, surrounded by a huge wall. This is a nice part of the city, I decided to come back the next day to explore it.
Yes, the office was closed except for the security. And a supervisor of the cards. But the room where the cards where stores was locked, so I had to come back on monday. OK, back to the park for another chat with Paul. Back in my hotel I first booked 2 more days to stay, then posponed the flight for 2 days.
Next day I went to explore the old town. Here some nice pictures. As you can see the wall is quite big. On the inside they have made a lot of small shops and restaurants, which make it look a little like the canals in Utrecht.
 |
| Some park inside the wall, I have entered an inside wall on this side and you are looking at the outside of the wall over there. |
Following some very nice buildings in the old town:
But there is also still a large poor area:
I met some other people in a bar which I recognized from last year. Also told the story there, and they warned me that there were quite some fraudulent people working at the office, so I had to be carefull. It could be a trick to make me pay again for the card. So, I decided to call Paul and ask him for help. Monday morning we met at 7.30 in the park and went together to the office. Paul in the meantime called his son-in-law. That turned out to be of great help. Within minutes they found my card and handed it over without any problems. In 5 minutes we were back outside. I am quite sure I would not have been able to do this so quickly without the help of my new friend Paul. If you ever visit Manila, and the Rizal Park, go meet him at the chess-area, next to the Japanese garden (or a little further then the more well-known Chinese garden. Just ask anyone there for Paul. He will be happy to meet you.
Having coffee at Starbucks with Paul, which is also inside the wall.
After this, at ease, we went back to the park and I took some more pictures.
Throughout the day the fountains have several different forms:
And on the other side of the road are 2 beautiful museums:
Well, in the end, without the delay I would not have seen the park, I would not have seen Intramouros and I would not have met a very nice man. So after all it was a nice stay in Manila.
Here the last picture, on my stop over in Taiwan (6 hours). The beer was very nice. ;-)
My flight home was with China Airlines. A very nice airplane, very nice food and much more space then with all other companies I have been flying with! Also usb- and power-connection at the chairs.
