dazedandconfused

This is a great read thanks snoopdawg and somewhat different to my very brief 2024 stay in AC (though I quite liked my time there).

No spoilers plse but I hope you made it down to Siargao - I love that island and was genuinely sad for a few days when I left at the end of my last visit there.

Cheers.

ANGELES CITY

 The direct bus service from Manila Airport to Clark (Genesis Bus) is still operating and departs on the hour from Terminal 3 (look for Bay 14 outside the arrivals level).  Current fare is Php430-00 per way and tell the ticket collector that you are getting off at SM Clark.  From there it’s a very short trike ride to Walking St, Fields Ave, Hotels etc,

I left Manila at 12.00 midday and was checking into my hotel at 13.45pm

Return service seems to be a little vaguer but there are short wait times at SM Clark for the bus back to Manila.

Wild Orchid Resort:  I stayed at the W.O.R.  Just 2 mins walk from Walking St and a great location.  It’s large, with swimming pools and has a mix of guests.  The bar appears to be open through the night.  Team there are super friendly and helpful.  Definitely (multi) joiner friendly.  If possible, get a room in the Lagoon Wing – they are slightly more modern and refurbed.  I paid extra for a room that ran straight down to the pool – shame it rained every day, all day.

Swiss Chalet Restaurant:  So many food choices, not enough time.  I ate one night at the Swiss Chalet just round the corner from WOR.  It doesn’t look to have changed its décor since 1980 and the menu is faithfully stuck in the same period too.  Pretty popular though as it was fairly busy at 7.00pm on a weekday night.  Embracing the 80’s I ordered Vol-au-vent starter (last seen cooked by my Mother at a family gathering circa 1982) followed by ‘Zurcher Geschnetzeltes’ main.  Which turned out to be a pork dish covered in identical sauce to that in the Vol-au-vent  

Envy Bar / Kokomos: Envy has closed down so I made base camp first night at Kokomos.  Unfortunately, it appeared that on that one evening I was the only person in AC who had given a hint of being interested in LB’s.  They smelt blood and at any given time there were at least 10-15 of them laying siege and hanging outside the bar waiting for me specifically to leave.  Awkward.  After 2 hours of planning an escape route and enquiring if there was a secret back exit I closed my eyes, grabbed two of them and jogged back the Hotel.  Cold light of the bathroom - one of them looked slightly like the Hotel security guard but with lippy and longer hair.  Hey ho.

Next night I met an LB from Pinalove (a first for me).  She was early 30’s and genuinely great company, we talked through the night and into the room.  She had a sad back-story (who doesn’t) but the only thing she took from me was a small piece of heart…

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Makati Short Time Hotel: The Gold Medal Winner 

My final night in town and I hooked up with a LB in one of the bars off Burgos.  Lovely as she was we needed to find a short-time place in the area - I just couldn't imagine walking her through my hotel lobby, she was wearing next to nothing, and everything seemed on the verge of dropping / falling out or off.  Non starter.  We went on a tour of the area but either found a queue waiting (Sogo) or were being ripped off - somewhere else.  So, like many before, we headed off on the well worn path to the Seoul Condo just up the road from Burgos St.

The Seoul Condo is a fantastically sleazy, skanky short time hang-out (though it is possible to get weekly or monthly rates).  I'm an old fan and used it many years ago, probably more often than I should.  Rooms are basic, lighting consists of a fiercely bright white overhead strip light and if you want to get a little ambient mood going then turn off the main light, prop open the flimsy bathroom door and hope the dim bulb from there carries enough strength to reach the bed.  I don't recall if there was a bedside table but the window sill is pockmarked by a thousand desperate cigarette burns, the towels are dry and worn, the water is cold and you throw buckets of it down the toilet to flush. The corridors echo with the sound of heels, whispers and shouts, faulty a/c units, and doors opening and closing on a fast revolving basis. It smells of nerves, sex, cash and Marlboro lights

It's the Bad Lieutenant of short time Hotels, it's about £10 for 3 hours and imho you need to go at least once to really capture the whole sleaze vibe :)

2 hours ago, outsider said:

What was the total damage ($) including the cologne?

Did the 1st LB stick around for a 3-way?

Total damage for the 3 of them - with varying degrees of success - plus random tips was about $80-00 USD 

The cologne was about the same price, maybe a bit North..

I've no regrets (other than feeling I cheapskated them on rates - I was subsequently worried about my karma bank and paid out more on other occasions). The walking cologne was entirely down to me and I should have thought about it and kept it in the case or safe.  They lead a perilous life at the best of times so I can't really blame Ms Amazon for taking the opportunity that came her way...

Nope, LB 1, did not stick around......

Interlude:

I stayed in a 5 Star in Makati and on my first night shared an elevator with a LB who was very obviously going to visit a guest – on my corridor.  I left her in peace but about 40 minutes later bumped into her again on the way out.  We had a quick chat and one thing led to another and she convinced me that she could ‘do everything’ for Php 1000.00  This seemed to good to be true (turns out it was) but hey, why not.  So, she walks back into the lobby that she had left not 5 mins before, hands over her ID to the Concierge and up the elevator we go.

At this point I should explain that with just 5 nights available and having not been in the saddle for some time I had decided that this trip was to be all about size and not quality…

Anyway turns out that Ms Toogoodtobetrue can’t really do everything for 1K, tries to upsell me on the services she can offer and is lacking a little in the downstairs dept.  But to be fair to her she understands what I am looking for and offers to share me with her friend who, conveniently, is located just a few mins walk away at a coffee stand.  So off we go, via the Concierge who returns her id and across acres of marble lobby space to the exit. On to the coffee stand where we meet Miss no2 – its late and there’s no time for wooing and romancing – her buddy tells her what I am looking for (at least I assume she does) and I do as well.  She thinks this is a great idea so we walk back to 5 star Makati Hotel with acres of marble floored lobby space meet the Concierge again who has just waved off my previous guest and here we are with no 2.

It quickly becomes apparent however that Miss no2 is not going to perform to the best of her abilities either and it seems easier just to call this off quite quickly.  Again, to be equally fair she also suggests another friend as a replacement who will definitely not disappoint. And who is also conveniently located at the very same coffee stand.  So, back downstairs we go, hello and goodbye to the Concierge as she gets her id back.

At the Coffee stand is a very tall, very ummm ‘striking’ ladyboy who confirms with a wide grin that she can indeed meet all requirements.  So off she strides towards the hotel with me in tow.  As we head into the bright lights I get a first proper good look at her and realise that I am linked in arms with the Asian Trans Hooker straight out of central casting – she is about 6ft tall, solidly built, has a fascinating collection of tattoos, impossibly high heels and has been poured into a cocktail dress about 3 sizes too small for her, which stops somewhere north of her thighs.  She sashays/ clatters across the lobby where the Concierge greets us both and raises an eyebrow at me that screams ‘really?’.  She looks down at her logbook and no doubt works out that this is the third guest I have arrived with in the space of about 60-70 mins.  I try to give a nonchalant shrug....

In the room all goes well and she does indeed have certain positive attributes.  When we are done we exchange numbers, I give her a tip and think that it might be fun to see her again.  All of which was a bit of a shame because after she had left I found that she had been through my toilet bag and taken a brand new bottle of Eau de Cologne with her…. the Big Minx.

Some notes, updates and anecdotes from a few days spent in Manila and Angeles City during the past week or so…

Manila:

I only stayed in Makati and didn’t head over to Ermita/Malate.

For older hands who used to spend time at Café Havana in Greenbelt, Makati  – its closed and has been for several years (which was news to me).  It’s been replaced by a large restaurant and at a stroke that has killed off the late-night LB FL’s activity – indeed the whole area seems to be pretty quiet after 10.30pm-11.00pm – maybe a post Covid economic hangover for the Middle Classes? 

In Makati, all the youngsters, and night owls seems to head over to Poblacion (which is the area that includes P Burgos St). 

So Burgos is where it’s still at but…. There used to a good number of Femboy massage girls wandering around – they have all gone now.  There are though plenty of FL’s on the street and hanging out in some of the Bars – usually a good number at Café Cubana.  Some are quite young, some are hardened pro’s who I remember from over a decade ago, and plenty have had boob jobs.

The interesting thing about the area immediately around Burgos is that there has been a huge number of little restaurants, bars and clubs open that are not girly bars.  Instead they attract loads of locals in and have created a really busy, lively late night scene.  Good value, excellent food can easily be found too.  Wander around the streets off Burgos or cross over the top end of the street and follow the crowds.  Most of the clubs / discos stay open late and there were plenty of non P4P (or perhaps borderline status on this) ladyboys in them hanging out in groups or with their straight friends and are more than happy to be bought drinks :)

Neon Nights on Burgos St proper (opposite Filling Station) is a bar, disco, club thing

Octopus at top end of Burgos St (go over the crossroads) is a huge club which seems to have higher admission charges early on but was free to enter after approx. 1.00am

URBN very close by on Makati Ave was pretty full too

Probably most enjoyable was Secret Door which is a little basement club with 2 -3 pool tables, a good bar and a dance floor.  It’s just 1 min walk from Burgos St and doesn’t seem to get busy until about 2.30-3.00am – its got a wildly mixed crowd of Call Center workers coming off shift, bar girls coming off shift, plenty of wandering LB’s, Ex-pats, boiler room types, travellers and grisly pool players.  The vibe is ‘anything could happen here’.  Friendly though.  I bailed as dawn was breaking and there were still folks arriving!

Date Night:  At the top of City Garden Grand Hotel (Makati Ave by Burgos) on the 32^nd Floor is Firefly a great roof-deck bar with amazing views across the City.  Spectacular at night and good for the start of a night out or a date with that special lady..

Sports Bars:  Heckel & Jeckle and Handlebar close to Burgos are still going strong and show all sports events

Angeles City Update:

Envy Bar has closed down 

Walking St is currently a bit of a mess - both 'pavement' sides of the road from top to bottom are being dug up - presumably for drains, pipes etc? - rubble everywhere...

8 hours ago, bumblebee said:

Hello Mr. D&C, great to see you surfacing after soooooo looonnngggg :)

If you happen to be passing through Thailand later in the year we may cross paths, older and a bit wiser, but no doubt some mischief can be got up to for old times sake;)

 

Hey BB! Hope you are very well.

Not only surfacing but, amazingly, able to recall my password!

Honestly there is nothing I would like more than meeting up in Thailand but it's not going to happen this year.  Maybe next. I just re-read a (very old) TR I wrote here years ago - I can remember it like yesterday....

Away from Asia, I seek vaguely LB related creative fun where I can.  I have stories.  

Will drop you a line.

All the best.

20 hours ago, Rom said:

You may also want to read my TRs here in the board.

Hope this helps

R

Salamat Rom!

That's very helpful info.  When I lived in Manila I didn't really wander over to Ermita / Malate that much (though there were 1 or 2  dodgy, expensive LB bars that definitely had their attractions...) and I suspect that I'm not going to find time to do it this trip either.  I not really one for dating apps either, preferring instead to wander off into the night and see what happens.  I'm on daytime work, nighttime some play schedule so I'll probably roll the dice.

Nice TR - good to see you wandering around the Visayas - I like those islands. 

Have fun out there.

So.....I used to live in Manila and write a little on here waaaay back in the day.  And enjoyed some great company from fellow BM's on a few occasions in Pattaya.

Then, life got in the way.  Ended up back in Europe and dropped off the scene. Anyway no need for a biog!  

It does look though that I might be heading back to the PI for a brief time at some point later this summer (probably Makati though may be able to squeeze in a flying visit to AC).  Its been about 7-8 years since I was in town and suspect there have been a few changes....

Does anyone, who has been recently, have any new recs for the scene, bars etc in Makati / Manila or is it still broadly the same Burgos, Greenbelt, BGC triangle of luck and hope?

Hello to anyone I might know.

Thanks, D&C

Hmmm, I fly out to Manila tomorrow for 6 nights, am I likely to be affected mate?

Not currently expected to go through Manila though it might rain a fair bit in town on Weds and Thurs.  Mind, you'll be used to that eh?

Hi Ernesto.

The typhoon by-passed Angeles so all normal (if that's possible) there.

Cebu City had some structural damage but the main path of the typhoon was further North on the island which was hit badly. Broadly though the City is fine.

Tacloban is a disaster zone and it's a tragic mess.   Hope your friends are ok, it's almost impossible to get any accurate information about that area right now and communication is a big problem.  You might have to sit tight for a few days before you can track them down.

Another typhoon heading in later this week as well, though not quite on the same scale as last Fridays.....

'Hey white boy, what you doin' uptown?'

Makes you feel increasingly mortal when the good ones leave us.  Lou Reed wrote truly truly great songs about a whole bunch of fragile and dark things and about people and love.  RIP.

Yup Ernesto, Cebu Pacific fly (I think) three times a week Siem Reap - Manila and vice versa. 

Ernesto, just a thought; if whilst in Cambodia you end up in Siem Reap (it's unlikely I know but you do seem to hit some places that are not always known for LB's) then you can fly direct from there to Manila with Cebu Pacific....

I reckon some guys may be more interested in the short haired one in the background.

 Blimey bumblebee, there's not much that gets past your eagle eyes!

A transvestite in Birmingham, UK sometime in the early-mid 90's.  

Ernesto, I would give a boat trip from Sandakan to Zambo a wide swerve at the best of times let alone now when it is all kicking off down in that part of the world! You're a braver man than me. General travel advice is for Westerners to avoid that particular small triangle of sea and islands.  Travel advisories issued by Governments are often ridiculously cautious but on this point they are probably very right.

But if you do decide to make it back to the Philippines it would be a pleasure to meet you - here in the sanctuary of Manila....

Cheers, d&c.

Listened to The Clash- London Calling , the whole album. They don't make em like this anymore. A masterpiece!

The Greatest Rock n Roll Album Ever. Bar none. It sounds as good today as it did 34 years ago.  Really, The Clash were unbelievable then and seamlessly blended punk, reggae, rockabilly and ska into 4 sides of stunning vinyl. Never been matched. Mind you, Sandinista was not half bad either....it was their very own Heaven's Gate.

Oh, my buddha - that is just about the cutest l'il cutie I've ever seen.

100% Agree Router!  BB I think that we may have peaked with that one, She is absolutely gorgeous

Yet more.......

Any updates on the situation in Baguio?

Haven't heard from a couple of friends there, following last typhoon.

Appreciate local update

Thanks

Woofer, I would suspect that it's been pretty wet and a bit windy up in Baguio but not flooded.  City lies in a highland area and though there are isolated cases of flooding its not something the City is prone to.  No mention on local TV or press about any dire circumstances up there either.  I'm sure your friends will be OK.  Fingers crossed.

In the eye of the storm....

Well…….its rained a great deal, like really a GREAT DEAL.  Pretty much non-stop from Saturday evening through to last night.  As I write there are still intermittent down-pours lasting for a few minutes. Then it clears up for a short while and starts over again.

Worst of the flooding, as the rain took its toll, was from Monday night to Tuesday lunchtime.  In the main the waters are now receding but there are of course plenty of places still suffering.  Much of the main part of Manila was hit to varying degrees (from ankle deep waters to chest deep and above)  but the worst affected areas appear to be the provinces directly to the South (and neighboring the Capital) Cavite, Laguna, Calumba etc etc.  talk of waters six feet deep and above not uncommon there.

As is usually the case those worst hit are often those living in the poorer parts of the city where housing and squatter camps stand shoulder to shoulder, often on the sides of riverbanks, where infrastructure is poor and normal living conditions are at best cramped and just about tolerable.

Wealthier areas like Makati and much of Fort Bonifacio faced less issues (though some still caught it very badly) as drainage and run-off is better planned. Continued investment in these two main business and upscale residential hubs also means that flooding is less prevalent here.

Manila and surrounding areas often flood and the reasons are long and complicated but in the main are due to it being a lowland area with large bodies of fresh and sea water immediately adjacent, the build up of squatter and shanty towns along all the rivers in the capital means that water flows are often blocked and congested so the water constantly spills away and over the river banks, crap urban planning means that water run off areas have disappeared and concrete covers everything where once there were fields and forests.

To be fair as well, the sheer volume of rain that has fallen would make it difficult for any city to cope with.  Whatever you put it down to, weather patterns have changed over the past decade or so and at least one a year there is now rainfall on a level and scale that would be hard to imagine a while back.

Anyways, City is slowly getting back on its feet now, it’s a Public Holiday today and all schools, offices, shops etc are expected to open tomorrow as per norm.  Headline news though is that on Luzon Island (the one which Manila sits on) nearly 1.0m people affected some, in outer provinces, with water still running through their homes. It’s worth sparing a thought for them.

Good to hear D&C and please reassure me that's not who I would like to think it is.

I can reassure you bb that that's probably not who we would both like to think it is! 

Very much enjoying this....

The Boy Next Door.....

"My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair"

Sunee Jim...

Something special for your weekend bumblebee? :)