manilla

The highlight of our trip to Manilla was of course seeing my parents. They met us at the door of our hotel wearing their name tags. We spent the next few days hanging out in Makati and generally reducing the expectations of everyone around us. 

I bet this hotel won't be so keen to accept a request for rooms for 8 adults and 14 kids next time around. 

We might have stood out a little. 

We made good use of the hotel pool and showers. 

 And then, the reason for our visit, we went to the airport to meet Dallin's flight from Budapest. Eliot and I had flown down to another island for a quick day trip and rushed across the city to the international airport to meet him, only to wait almost two more hours. Luckily the weather was nice and cool and the location especially child friendly.

 Eliot and I contributed these two bags of fresh mangoes that we were gifted. They were the best mangoes I've ever eaten.

After waiting for us inside for a while, Dallin, finally figured out how their airport work and made his way outside.


My favorite place we visited was the American Cemetery in Manila. It has 17,206 graves, the largest American cemetery for WWII graves. It has the names of 36,386 names of soldiers missing in action. It is truly a place for reflection. It is a place of humbling and peace amid a bustling city.

 We also went to Kidzania. Not a place of peace or reflection. Unless your reflecting upon what in your life led you to Kidzania. My kids all had a wonderful time, training as a fire fighter, baker, news caster, coke bottle factory worker and others. I assume the level of boredom I reached, was what my kids feel when I'm dragging them through yet another art museum.

 So fun to have Dallin around for a few days.

 We explored old town Manilla.

 And the fort. Violet blew all of her money on this paper bird. Turns out it's not great haggling to walk up to man selling something and offer all your money for one. Especially when all your money could buy ten. We were stuck with our price and bought three more. All were broken within the hour.

 It wouldn't be a trip to the Philippines without Halo-halo. It looks a little unsettling but is actually completely delicious.

Then we were back on our plane and back to real life.