Kumusta Philippines: Part 1

So after 16 months in Korea, I finally got the opportunity to explore a bit of Asia! Hello the Philippines!

First stop: Manila

So for the past year and a half I've lived in the very prim and proper society of South Korea. Not that Korean people don't have sex. Between the Love Motels, Hostess bars, and 'Coffee' Girls (prostitutes who deliver coffee to your door, because who doesn't want a blowjob with their latte?)  it seems that everybody's doing it (or at least the men are). But they're kind of Victorian about it, in the sense that, everybody's doing it... *hushed voice* but nobodies talking about it. 

Oh My God! She said the 'S' word!!

After a year of censoring everything I say and do so as not to offend the tender ears/minds of my Korean friends and coworkers, it seems that I have become quite the prude. Just call me Snow White.
Walking the streets of Manila to a chorus of men wolf-whistling, meowing (wtf?!) and shouting 'sexy lady' at us, I am surprised to say that I was actually a little bit shocked. God knows why, I've had MUCH worse said to me working behind a bar in Maltby, but this kind of stuff does not happen in Korea. I think I might have even felt a little blush coming on!
Later  our naivety was confirmed when we noticed a massage parlor next to our hostel:
'Do you think it's an actual massage parlor or it's a 'special' massage parlor?'
Hmmmm, well... any doubts about this were swiftly eliminated when walking past the massage parlor again later that night. Huddled on the steps outside were a gang of prostitutes:

'Hey girls! You're so sexy and so pretty!' they shouted at us.

Not sure if they were trying to recruit us (exciting new job opportunity) or get our custom but either way I'll take that compliment. Who knew prostitutes were so nice and friendly :p

We spent the rest of our evening drinking dirt cheap cocktails at the lively bars of Manila Bay.
 And finished off with yet more cocktails and a little sheesha at one of the street bars outside our hostel. Not a bad first evening ;)



Next Stop: Puerto Princessa