Good morning! We are officially in Manila, and we finally managed to get some rest after a long day of travel. I’ll be honest, I woke up feeling a bit rough—my eyes are still heavy, and I’m a bit "clogged up" from the dust and the travel—but after a good night's sleep, we’re ready to see what the city has to offer.
We’ve checked into a RedDoorz in Phase 1, Taguig. It’s an apartment-style room, quite spacious, and though it’s simple, it only costs around a thousand pesos a night. You can't really ask for more in a big city like Manila. One of the best things about this location is that it's only about a ten-minute taxi ride from the Norwegian Embassy, which is exactly where we need to be tomorrow. We’re staying here for two more nights before moving to a "vacation hotel" with a pool and breakfast to celebrate finishing our paperwork.
The internet here isn't much to write home about, but luckily my unlimited Smart data is saving the day. I’m getting about 94 Mbps download, which is plenty for me to set up my "office" in the corner and get some work done. It’s a bit of a balancing act—working while we’re on the road—but I’m trying to be better about making more time for the family. Jessa and I are doing great; we’ve had our fair share of disagreements in the past, but we’re learning to communicate better and be more patient with each other. It's all about moving in the right direction.
Our big plan for today is to visit the Venice Grand Canal Mall. It’s an Italian-style mall with gondoliers and a really unique vibe. Before heading out, we decided to grab some food at a local spot right near our hotel. They had a fantastic selection of local dishes, and we ended up with some fish soup, vegetables, and rice. Liam, as always, is full of energy, though my back is definitely feeling the strain of the trip so far!
After lunch, we took a taxi over to the Venice Mall. It’s a beautiful place to walk around, and Jessa was quite taken with the architecture. We spent some time checking out the vendors, and I even saw some "24K gold" being sold for 400 pesos—I'm not quite sure about the math on that one, but it made for a good laugh! We also spotted some street traders selling everything from mobile accessories to clothing. The prices are surprisingly good.
As the evening rolled in, we decided to try some authentic street food. I finally tried quail eggs for the first time in my life. They taste exactly like normal chicken eggs, just smaller—no real mystery there! Jessa, on the other hand, was up to her old tricks with the Balut. She always pretends to be a pro at eating it, but I caught her removing the bird and only eating the "yummy" part! I’ve tried it once before, and I’ll never do it again; the feathers and the texture are just not for me.
It’s been a long but productive first day in Manila. We’re heading back to the hotel now because we have a very early start tomorrow for our appointment at the Norwegian Embassy. We have DNA testing and some other paperwork to finalize for Liam. Wish us luck!
Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you in the next one!
