CRAZY DAY IN MANILA!! My FIRST Impressions of the Philippines! 🇵🇭

Summary

In this video, the traveler defies warnings about Manila's crime and traffic to explore the city's hidden gems. They marvel at the skyscrapers, parks, and American Cemetery, then visit Rizal Park, a tribute to a national hero. They enjoy local cuisine at Jollybee, explore the historic Spanish Quarter, and immerse in Manila's oldest Chinatown. The day ends at the SM Mall of Asia, touted as one of the world's largest malls, where they experience the vibrant atmosphere and diverse food options.

Takeaways

• 🚫 **Avoiding Manila**: The traveler was advised to skip Manila due to high crime rates, bad traffic, and a perceived lack of attractions.
• 🌆 **First Impressions**: Upon arrival, they were pleasantly surprised by Manila's skyscrapers, natural parks, and beautiful weather.
• 🏢 **Modern Cityscape**: The city's modern and metropolitan vibe, with a mix of rugged rural and urban elements, was appreciated.
• 🌳 **Rizal Park**: Visited Rizal Park, a peaceful haven away from city chaos, and learned about Dr. Jose Rizal, a Filipino national hero.
• 🍔 **Jollibee Experience**: Tried the national fast-food chain, Jollibee, and filmed a separate video about their first impressions of the food.
• 🏰 **Spanish Influence**: Explored the old Spanish Town, known as Intramuros, with its unique architecture reflecting Spanish, Mexican, Chinese, and Filipino influences.
• ☕ **Local Coffee**: Enjoyed local coffee at a shop overlooking a Filipino wedding, noting the refreshing drink and the prevalence of singing talent among locals.
• 🥧 **Egg Tarts from Lord Stow's Bakery**: Found and enjoyed egg tarts from a bakery famous for its unique, not overly sweet desserts.
• 🌆 **Chinatown Exploration**: Visited Manila's Chinatown but found it mostly closed, except for the acquisition of Lord Stow's Bakery egg tarts.
• 🛍 **SM Mall of Asia**: Concluded the day at the SM Mall of Asia, one of the largest malls in Asia, with a focus on cleanliness and a wide variety of shopping and dining options.

Q & A

What was the initial advice given to the traveler about Manila?

The traveler was advised to avoid Manila due to its high crime rate, bad traffic, and the belief that it is unsafe, dirty, and has nothing to do.

Why did the traveler decide to visit Manila despite the warnings?

The traveler decided to visit Manila because they were intrigued by cities that are an assault on the senses, similar to their experiences in Naples and Bangkok.

What were the traveler's first impressions of Manila?

The traveler was impressed by the skyscrapers, natural parks, and the mix of modern and rural vibes in Manila, contrary to what they had been told.

What historical site did the traveler visit in Manila?

The traveler visited the American cemetery, which commemorates American soldiers who were heroes in World War II.

Which Filipino fast-food chain did the traveler try?

The traveler tried Jollibee, a popular Filipino fast-food chain, and made a video about their experience.

What is the significance of Rizal Park in Manila?

Rizal Park, formerly known as Lunetta Park, is a commemoration of Dr. Jose Rizal, a Filipino national hero who fought against Spanish colonialism.

What is the Old Spanish Town in Manila known for?

The Old Spanish Town, also known as Intramuros, is known for its thick stone walls, Spanish, Mexican, Chinese, and Filipino architectural influences, and as a filming location for TV and film.

What did the traveler think of the children they met in Manila?

The traveler found the children they met in Manila to be extremely friendly and polite, making them feel very welcome.

What is the Mall of Asia known for?

The Mall of Asia is known for being one of the largest malls in Asia, featuring a wide variety of shopping and dining options, and is known for its cleanliness and modern amenities.

What was the traveler's experience with the local food in Manila?

The traveler enjoyed trying local food like Jollibee and Lord Stow's Bakery's egg tarts, and they were impressed with the flavors and quality of the dishes.

Outlines

00:00

🌆 First Impressions of Manila: A City of Contrasts

The speaker disregards common advice to avoid Manila, choosing instead to explore the city firsthand. They express initial surprise at the city's modern skyline, natural parks, and the American Cemetery's historical significance. The area's blend of urban and rural vibes is highlighted, along with the speaker's excitement to explore further. Despite the long taxi ride and challenging traffic, the speaker's first impressions are overwhelmingly positive, noting the city's beauty and potential for adventure.

05:01

🏞️ Visiting Rizal Park and Exploring Manila's Spanish Quarter

The narrative continues with a visit to Rizal Park, a tranquil escape from the city's chaos, and a tribute to Dr. Jose Rizal, a Filipino national hero. The park's peaceful atmosphere and the speaker's interaction with enthusiastic local school children add to the positive experience. The journey then takes them to the old Spanish Town, known as Intramuros, where they admire the mix of architectural influences and the area's historical significance. The speaker also enjoys local cuisine at Jollibee and experiences the local talent for singing, expressing a desire to visit a karaoke bar.

10:04

🍽️ A Taste of Manila's Food Scene and Visiting Chinatown

The speaker shares their experience of trying local food at Jollibee and their quest for unique street food in Chinatown. They express disappointment at finding many food stalls closed but delight in discovering Lord Stow's Bakery, famous for its egg tarts. The narrative includes a humorous anecdote about almost missing out on the bakery's treats and a mention of David Beckham's endorsement. The speaker also visits the SM Mall of Asia, one of the largest malls in Asia, and is impressed by its cleanliness and modern features.

15:06

🛍️ Shopping and Dining at the Mall of Asia

The final paragraph details the speaker's visit to the Mall of Asia, where they shop for clothes and explore the food court. They try various local dishes, including Hong Kong-style chicken and a unique Filipino soup, adjusting the flavors to their liking with chili oil. The speaker concludes the video with a positive outlook on their Manila experience, expressing a desire to return and continue exploring the Philippines.

Keywords

💡Manila

Manila is the capital city of the Philippines and serves as the central theme of the video. The video aims to challenge the negative perceptions about Manila, showcasing its vibrant city life, rich history, and diverse culture. The script mentions various locations in Manila, such as Rizal Park and Intramuros, highlighting the city's attractions.

💡Crime rate

The term 'crime rate' is used to describe the level of criminal activity in an area. In the context of the video, it refers to the initial warnings the narrator received about visiting Manila, suggesting it might be unsafe. However, the video aims to dispel such notions by showing the positive experiences had by the narrator.

💡Traffic

In the video, 'traffic' is mentioned as a challenge faced when traveling within Manila, with the narrator experiencing a long taxi ride. It's a common issue in many large cities and contributes to the initial negative impressions the narrator was warned about.

💡Rizal Park

Rizal Park, also known as Lunetta Park, is a historical urban park in Manila. The video describes it as a 'little haven away from all the chaos of the city,' indicating its role as a peaceful escape within the bustling metropolis. It is also a place of national significance, commemorating Dr. Jose Rizal, a Filipino national hero.

💡Jollibee

Jollibee is a fast-food chain that originated in the Philippines, mentioned in the video as the country's national dish, not to be confused with adobo or rice. The narrator's experience trying Jollibee is highlighted, emphasizing the importance of local cuisine in understanding a place's culture.

💡Intramuros

Intramuros, meaning 'within walls,' refers to the historic walled city within Manila. The video discusses its Spanish colonial architecture and history, showcasing the area's significance as a fortress and its current status as a tourist attraction.

💡Chinatown

Manila's Chinatown, mentioned in the video, is one of the oldest Chinatowns in the world. The script describes the area's vibrant street food scene and its cultural significance, indicating the diversity and richness of Filipino-Chinese culture in the Philippines.

💡Mall of Asia

The Mall of Asia is noted as one of the largest malls in Asia. The video captures the mall's vast size and variety of offerings, reflecting modern consumer culture and the development of Manila as a cosmopolitan city.

💡Lord Stow's Bakery

Lord Stow's Bakery is mentioned for its famous egg tarts, which have a unique history tied to Macau but are also available in Manila. The video uses this bakery as an example of the globalized food culture and the pleasant surprises one can find in unexpected places.

💡Locals

The term 'locals' is used throughout the video to refer to the residents of Manila. The narrator's interactions with locals, such as the school children and the people they meet, contribute to the video's narrative of hospitality and friendliness, challenging the preconceived notions about the city.

💡First impressions

The phrase 'first impressions' is a recurring theme in the video, as the narrator documents their initial experiences in Manila. It's used to convey the idea that initial judgments or hearsay should not dictate one's view of a place, as personal experiences can be vastly different.

Highlights

The traveler was warned to avoid Manila due to high crime rates and bad traffic, but chose to visit anyway.

Manila's skyline is filled with skyscrapers and natural parks, contrary to prior expectations.

The American Cemetery in Manila is a significant historical site commemorating World War II heroes.

Rizal Park, formerly known as Lunetta Park, is a peaceful haven away from the city's chaos.

Dr. Jose Rizal is a Filipino national hero celebrated for his role in fighting Spanish colonialism.

Jollibee, a popular fast-food chain in the Philippines, offers a taste of the country's national dish.

The Old Spanish Town in Manila, known as Intramuros, showcases a mix of Spanish, Mexican, Chinese, and Filipino architecture.

The SM Mall of Asia is one of the largest malls in Asia, offering a wide range of shopping and dining experiences.

The traveler enjoyed the local hospitality and friendliness of the Filipino people, especially school children.

The city's traffic was a challenge, with a taxi ride taking an hour and a half.

The traveler was impressed by the cleanliness and modernity of Manila, contrary to initial advice.

The Chinese influence is evident in Manila's Chinatown, one of the oldest in the world.

The traveler encountered a lively and photogenic atmosphere in the Spanish Town area.

Despite initial plans, the traveler had to adjust their itinerary due to time constraints and traffic.

The traveler experienced the local talent for singing, noting that many Filipinos they encountered could carry a tune.

The Mall of Asia features a unique attraction: self-driving security dogs.

The traveler's experience with the local food was a highlight, particularly the fried chicken from a food court.

The traveler expresses a desire to return to Manila and explore more of the Philippines.

Transcripts

avoid Manila everybody Told Me Not to

Come to Manila avoid this place at all

cost the crime rate is really high the

traffic is really

bad this is matro manella or should I

say Manila which is what the locals call

it I was cautioned to avoid this place

at all costs and head straight for the

scenic islands of the Philippines I was

told that Manila is unsafe dirty and

there's nothing to do there so I ignored

everyone's advice and I made it my very

first stop on the

trip let me explain why so I was giving

the same Spiel when I told people I was

going to Naples in Bangkok and those

places blew my mind I love a city that

is an assault on the senses so this go

to the question is vanilla really worth

visiting let's find

[Music]

[Applause]

out very very first impressions here in

Manilla like wow can we take a moment

look at the view from our balcony First

Impressions Manila ISM youth buildings

beautiful weather and we're right next

to a huge chopping Mall as well I am

seriously impressed You're simply the

best I don't know what I was expecting

but I feel like people led me to believe

it wasn't going to be like this that it

wasn't going to be full of like

skyscrapers and loads and Natural Parks

and Beauty but uh they'd be lying can

take a moment and see all these

highrises given American Vibes given

Hong Kong Vibes fully builtup District I

don't know what people are talking about

and then also if you can see just behind

me is the American cemetery that's for

all of the American soldiers that were

Heroes that fought in World War II it's

absolutely huge here behind me it's like

in a nice little circular formation you

can see all headstones and the little

crosses just to commemorate them all and

you know what I love what is a great mix

here so I feel like we're in the

business district right we're in the

heart of the think of like the financial

district like it's all very modern

Metropolitan upstairs I can hear rooster

cin the balcony upstairs like it's the

perfect mix between like rugged and

Rural and like Metropolitan City Vibes

love it so cool we're going to get ready

head out see what's in store for us

today and continue on our first

impressions here of

Manila

joice who you shareing

with who you sharing with

all right guys so after a very long taxi

ride it was almost an hour and a half

cuz the traffic here was crazy we have

made it to Rizzle park now originally my

very first stop that I wanted to go to

was Venice Mall it was very close to us

but the day was getting away from us the

traffic was crazy so we're going to skip

that but I'm not even too disappointed

we got to see the Venetian in maau and

I've heard it's very similar I know in

the one here that it's pet friendly and

the same as the one in maau you can

actually do the gondolas you can have

the gonders singing and in the one here

apparently you can even put a lock on

the Love Lock Bridge which pretty cool

so GED we didn't see that but moving

swiftly on we are now here in rizle park

and it was formerly called lunetta Park

and it's absolutely gorgeous it's like a

little Haven away from all the chaos of

the city it's really nice and peaceful

but to give you a little bit of

background information about what it is

here so Rizzle Park was basically built

in commemoration of Dr Jose Rizzle who

is basically Filipino national hero

because he's the one that kind of

kickstarted all of the rebellion and

fighting back against Spanish

colonialism so they've actually done

this parking to commemorate him you know

to say that it's about freedom and

Independence so it's very very nice very

peaceful it's a beautiful Monument to

commemorate them and there's even a

guard there paying his respects so I've

seen the country's national hero now I

want to try the country's national dish

and now I'm not talking about adobo rice

I am talking about chick and joy let's

try authentic jollybee

[Music]

guys it is so nice here in rizle park I

didn't even realize that they have

Japanese Gardens they got Chinese

gardens there's picnic tables to have

your lunch there's lovely water features

here you can sit beside there's shaded

areas I would 10 10 recommend you add

this to your must visit list in Manila

okay right hi this lovely group of

school kids started waving us over and

they were the best honestly they were so

enthusi Astic about the video and it

made us feel so so welcome subscribe to

Lauren you guys are the best high five

thank you so much high five high five

high five fiveing to meet you thank you

so you guys are so friendly this is our

first day in the Philippines bye guys by

bye they're so cute oh my God I'm

obsessed I'm obsessed with them they're

like the nicest children I've ever met

in London if somebody sees me a camera

they just slag you off oh my God FR

Manila I've been made to feel so welcome

what polite children like honestly their

parents should be so proud of them

honestly the loveliest children they've

made me feel so welcome oh my God I

could cry okay thank you so much for be

in my video if you're watching this I

thought what it's like to be

famous all right on to jollybee we've

got sidetracked on to jollybee we

ordered a lot of food and jollybee so

I've made an entire video on our very

first impressions trying jollybee in the

Philippines I'll pop a link for that

video on screen and in the description

so after we polished off our Feast it

was time to make our way over to the

Spanish quarter all right guys so next

up on the tour we are here in the old

Spanish Town in Manila it's actually

known as inter muros meaning Within

These Walls so it's actually surrounded

by huge thick stone walls because back

when it was under Spanish rule it was

built as a fortress to protect the city

from foreign invasions and since then

you can really see the influence of

Spanish Mexican Chinese and Filipino all

in the architecture that's all around

you and just let you know it's also been

used as a filming location both for TV

and film domestically and

internationally you can kind of see why

like it's super photogenic it's super

picturesque and it's a really different

structure compared to the rest of

vanilla so let's go check it

[Music]

out you guys even the Starbucks here in

all Spanish Town Manila is a Vibe like

can we take a moment I really don't

encourage people to go to Starbucks when

you're away and I'm a hypocrite cuz I've

already been to one in Hong Kong and

I've been to one in Lisbon and I'm very

tempted to go to this one we're going to

take a little bit of a walk down the

street see if we see an independent one

that's more Manila Vibes but if not I'm

more than happy to go here for a coffee

okay let's check out the rest of the

Spanish

[Music]

Town all right guys we have taken a

little shade break now we're in balb bar

Lee's gone for an iced coffee I actually

don't know what I'm getting I basically

said I didn't want any dairy so they

said they would like I don't know make

me some sort of drink without dairy it's

non-alcoholic I'm assuming and we've got

beautiful seat on the second floor I'm

not sure if you can see behind me lovely

balcony views we're overlooking some

sort of Filipino wedding celebration it

looks absolutely beautiful and at the

back of the coffee shop is where the

wedding is happening and it looks

stunning so we've got our drinks it

looks very appetizing not entirely sure

what it is but let's give it a go it's

like lemonade with a bit of mint blended

into it not overly sweet actually quite

sour but very refreshing on a hot humid

day like today it's definitely like 31°

outside I'm pretty sure it's like 99%

humidity your girl is melting and Lee's

gone for a lovely caramel

latte delicious also side note I don't

know if there's something in the water

here but every single Filipino person

that I've heard singing and we've only

been here a few hours there's a girl

apartment next door with singing the

ladies downstairs were singing people in

the taxi singing why can you all sing

[Music]

like what's going on and where can I get

this Talent from because he everybody

can carry a tune I've never known

anything like it it's unbelievable if we

had more time I would love to hit up

karaoke bar in Milla tonight and just

hear like a couple of Filipino celon

belt it out but I don't think we have

time for that so for now our mint

lemonades are going to have to suffice

Che

[Music]

guys all right guys so next up on the

tour we are going to go to the oldest

Chinatown in the world obviously not

including China itself but right here in

Manila we are in Chinatown you just

cross the pic River beautiful views at

Sunset bridges in the back lovely

Colonial Lighting and then head over

here and let's check out the street food

let's do it

[Applause]

[Music]

so guys we have come to Chinatown in the

hopes of getting some street food but it

looks like everything's shut look all

the way down there it's like majority of

the stuff is closed there's one thing

open here but we're looking for a

specific thing because we've obviously

just come from Hong Kong and maau we've

had a lot of like Chinese food so we're

trying to see if we can find something a

little bit more unique here that we

haven't already tried in either Hong

Kong or ma like we've had the dumplings

we've had the B buttons we've had a lot

of noodles so let's see we can find

something else it's not looking too

promising though everything looks closed

guys I do not believe it they have Lord

sto's Bakery here we queed for 25

minutes from the C didn't move in maau

we tried to get it again in the Venetian

in the maau couldn't find it and here it

is right in front of us in Manilla with

no Q so there's a little bit of a queue

but nothing like what it was in maau

[Music]

we literally got the last four and

they're warm saw the guy walking out

with the tray and as soon as we paid for

ours the lady people walked in the door

and she just said no more so happy days

we got them okay so we are sanitized

we've got our four egg Tarts here and

just let you know so unlike the other

egg Tarts that you will find like in

Asia these are traditional ones they're

actually made by an English pharmacist

called Andrew long story short he moved

over to maau Hong Kong area and he

didn't want to leave like he was there

to St Pharmacy but but he wanted to stay

so he met like a lovely maau lady

married her settled down and opened up

his Bakery and here we have it and these

have been endorsed by David Beckham

himself so like I said if it's good

enough for Beckham it is good enough for

your

girl delicious 128 l no more no less and

inside you got that creamy custard and

again it's not overly sweet I found a

lot of the desserts in Asia haven't been

overly sweet just the right amount of

sweetness I do feel like it's missing

the cinnamon and the icing sugar but

that's just parel preference that's just

me CS off to Lord

St we are going to tuck in and enjoy

these and if we have time if it's a very

big if because we do have a flight

really really early in the morning and

it's completely dark outside it's

getting lit we have one final stop that

we want to bring you to so bear with us

guys we're going to enjoy these

[Music]

all right guys so we did manage to make

it about 40 minutes in a taxi and we're

here we're at the SM Mall of Asia

apparently this is like one of the most

incredible malls here in the Philippines

if not the world it's the biggest in

Asia the biggest in Asia so big boy here

needs a pair of shorts he's in the

market for them so hopefully we can get

one before we got to get two Betty buys

and catch our flight because we're not

finished until we're just getting

started okay they put the camera way go

through security see you inside I know

it's like the biggest mall in Asian I

don't know what I was expecting but this

this is this is nice oo this is

nice they've gone all out the whole

place is jacked jacked the Halls lights

on lights on lights this has to be one

of the cleanest malls I've ever seen

look not a speck of dirt not a

fingerprint what's happening what look

that's just a car

with there self-driving dogs what's

happening why is there self-driving

who's driving security dogs this is like

the Tesla

they're

canines welcome to the Future

[Music]

folks just for a size reference that's

Lee and this is the size of the teddy

bear cat okay

[Music]

so the original POA was to go to a thing

called like a seafood Dapper and you

basically pick up your seafood and you

pick a restaurant and they cook it for

you real nice and you have a whole local

experience right that was plan a given

the fact that we are so limited on time

and we did eat a lot of Jollibee and we

did have some egg Parts we're now

contemplating maybe getting a snack here

in this food for if you do want to see

what the Dapper restaurants look like my

friend Ryan want sh Adventures te went

to check it out it looks class so go

check out his video I will pop the link

for it up here if you want to go watch

it for now me and Lee are going to check

out the food court and see if anything

tickles our fancy there seems to be

plenty plenty

[Music]

options I look absolutely exhausted

because I am but Le decided on some food

he has gone for some Hong Kong and his

food we literally just left Hong Kong

and he can't get enough it so he's

offered some sort of three cup chicken

apparently it h like buffalo sauce and

he wanted with vegetables but they

didn't have any I wanted a barbecue pork

butn they didn't have any and there was

something else that he wanted and they

didn't have any it's like if you've ever

seen Santa Claus one cold glasses but

delicious seasonal favorite eggnog we're

out all chocolate milk please we're out

plain milk's fine

they said it's got a bit of a kick to it

I'm waiting for it to kick tasty though

I like it I want to ask for chili oil we

got the chili oil let me add a little

bit of spice it's better with the chili

oil that's surprisingly tasty that

chicken I get that again like a sit down

meal in the restaurant this is lovely

you didn't even want through I didn't

even want it Filipinos really know how

to do Fried Chicken I'll tell you that

much it's not the most appetizing

looking um soup I've ever seen I'm being

honest T like chicken broth it's

it's a bit thicker than soup it's a bit

there's a bit of viscosity to

it oh they're gr they have more flavor

than I expected nothing wrong with that

we're going to talk in and enjoy one

[Music]

Petit all right guys that is it for the

Mall of Asia and that is it for this

video I really hope you enjoyed it

because we certainly did I will

definitely be back in man but on to the

next part of the Philippines stay tuned

because we got plenty more in store for

you until then thank you so much for

watching take care of yourselves goodbye

and good

luck this is literally par ohello has

arrived 10 10 don't judge us we Jolly

betic take away my passport I'm never

leaving