Taste Filipino foods once and you will find yourself fall in love not only with the large variety of foods but also with the people. That was my experience when I shared a two-bed room apartment with a Filipino student when I was in Junior college. At first, I could not understand why he had a hard time eating out. He preferred to prepare his own meals on most occasions. I had a better understanding of his culinary preferences when, one Summer, he invited me to visit his family. It was the best trip I had ever taken. The Filipino culture is rich in all sense of the term. Known by many for their hospitality and friendliness, the Filipinos I met, stayed with and traveled with, were all great people. My apartment mate had already prepared me for the trip by showing me his album filled with pictures and day-to-day life of Filipinos. I knew what to expect. Isn't it always better to travel with a local? My friend was my guide in his country.
People, language, culture and religion
The Philippines is a very catholic country. Catholic churches and images are all over the country. Pictures of saints adorn the walls of most Filipino homes. If you are in the country on Sunday mornings, you can see how religious the people are. You will see them in their Sunday morning finest heading to the nearby local churches. By the repeated rings of the church bells, you will soon realize how important religion is to most Filipinos. Filipinos speak English and Tagalog. Catholicism was brought to the country by the Spaniards. Bear to mind that the country was colonized by Spain for a long time. This is why you will find out that the Spanish influences permeate the culture.
After spending some time in the country, you will soon realize Filipinos come from various ethnic groups. Some researchers estimate there are about 100 ethnic groups in the country.
Music, local transportation and nightlife
Just take a tour of Central Manila. You will find out that nightclubs, discotheques with bars are all over. Their presence can tell you about how much Filipinos love music. Some people even go as far as comparing them as the Latinos of Asia. Well, most other ethnic groups love music too! This comparison comes from their Hispanic origins. Don't worry if your budget does not allow you to rent a vehicle, the colorful Jeepneys will take you to your destination easily. They are a very useful means of transportation. If you want to meet the locals, you should take these Jeepneys, made from WWII US military Jeeps. I have a special fondness for them. They have so much originality. To a large measure, they remind me of some other minibuses that I saw in the Caribbean, especially in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. They take on their owner's sense of style. They are running art pieces. If you want to listen to the latest US hits, then you should ride them. Some people tell me that they sometimes forget to get off at their destinations. So these minibuses' drivers have to ask or force these passengers to get off or pay twice as much. Don't worry if the streets are crowded with tricycles and other vehicles. You may say that traffic is chaotic, but there are very few accidents in comparison to other places for the amount of traffic generated by all these people, vendors, vehicles, and tourists.
Wide variety of foods, tropical fruits, and culinary styles
East meets West
Flavor. Aroma. Are you ready to taste the best foods you can find on earth? The fusion of eastern and Western culinary practices produces the what's known as Filipino cuisine. It's known from visitors to Asia. That's what encouraged me to visit my apartment mate's family and country in the first place. He used to show me pictures of exotic fruits that I had never seen before. Till this day, I wonder whether the Phillipines does not have more varieties of mangoes than the Caribbean and Latin America combined. Actually, these fruits became part of the local cuisine. On most occasions, you won't even know whether it's the same fruit you knew all along. On other occasions, they are used as decors. When it comes to me, presentation is as important to my palate as the food itself. The Filipino cuisine is full with flavor. In fact, before any food is served, designated tasters or mamancitas have to give their approval or endorse them. They make recommendations as what needs to be added to the meals. It's quite an honor for somebody to be help in such high esteem. Once the final touches are put in, the food can be served. Have a feast of al the fresh seafoods and fruits you will be served. Keep in mind rice is central to Filipino dish. They can make so many things with this grass seed. Filipino's love of great foods translates into many world-class restaurants you can't escape.
What about the local beauties? What about them now?
The most beautiful people you will ever encounter
These are some of my memories of the country. If you intend to visit, remember that it is a humid country. So bring the appropriate clothing. The most important things you can bring with you are a good sense of humor, good attitude, curiosity, and being open-minded. Visiting the country can be a life-changing experience for you. Yes, you will come in contact with the glaring poverty of the country. Keep in mind that not all Filipinos are poor. You will find some desperate business people or hustlers who will offer beautiful girls to you, but the old profession is present all over the world. Pushed by hard economic times, people may resort to this profession in a heartbeat. But if the laws of supply and demand that are at play. You will find most western tourists who go over there just to be with the local beauties. They are guys who are so old to be these girls' grandparents. And they have no shame to participate in these practices when they know for sure that these people are just trying to survive. It's the type of occurrences you can observe in some Caribbean countries, Central American countries such as Costa Rica these days.
Enjoy your trip to the Philippines. Don't forget to visit the business center. If you decide to stay at the Westin Philipine Plaza, you will have made a good choice.
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