Our vacation was basically split into two parts: 1) four days in Manila and 2) three days in the area of Tagaytay. Both places had many things to offer, yet they were extremely different from one another.
The city of Manila is a huge metropolis of around two million people. The city is very spread out, and unfortunately it's quite dirty in many areas. We visited the Intramuros and Ermita areas of the city as they're the last remaining sites from the conquest by Spain. The few buildings here are from the colonial times and still have that feel to them. There's also the famous Rizal Park, named after the national hero, that we strolled one sunny afternoon. Of course a big draw to Manila is the shopping (especially in the Makati district) and nobody does shopping malls quite like Filipinos. We were most impressed by the Mall of Asia (fourth largest mall in the world) and the Greenbelt Malls of Ayala Center (actually 5 shopping buildings both indoor and open-air). Another pleasant experience was the sunsets of the Manila Bay. Beautiful views. Also, you can't visit Manila without seeing jeepneys. These old converted US military jeeps left over from World War II are very unique and you'll never see two alike!
The other location we stayed at during our trip was the tourist attractions of the Tagaytay highlands. This area located about one hour south of Manila is an excellent site for escaping the concrete, smog, and heat of the city. The views are incredible and center around Taal Lake and the volcano island. This whole area is actually a caldera with the city center and scenic views at the top of the ridge, while below is where the water and volcano island are situated. We really enjoyed our time here relaxing and taking in the views. One day, Adan and Jun even ventured over and summited the small mountain of the volcano island!
Overall, our trip was a nice getaway from the stress of school and work. We enjoyed seeing the sights, meeting the people, shopping, and eating good food. Jun helped us learn about all the different cuisines and we tried many. In fact, due to the Spanish influences, we tasted some dishes that were similar to Mexican food. This was a nice surprise.
One more thing we enjoyed--singing. Adan purchased the new Wow! Videoke system and hasn't put it down since!
