Manila with the Hyatt's

I got to Manila this Spring and was fortunate enough to swing my meetings just before Easter so Ben and I could stay there over the long weekend. Yes in Singapore, Good Friday is a National Holiday!

Some of you may have heard the stories about  Easter in the Philippines and how....interesting...it can be. I will let you research for yourself, but some of the activities include live reenactments of the crucifixion or people carrying crosses through the streets, just to name a few. Ben and I didn’t participate, or even watch for that matter, but did go to a few cathedrals and were met by throngs of Christian parishioners.

Here are just a few of the adventures we had in Manilla.

While in Manila, we met up with our good friend (Sarah)'s sister (Alma) and her adorable family. We were only suppose to hang out with them for an afternoon, but had so much fun with their cute family that we changed our plans so we could hang out with them. 

 

 I love the markets around the city. Little kids everywhere ran their family fruit and vegetable stands.

We started our trip with a “Wok”ing food tour through Manila’s Chinatown. My favorite food included some incredible pork and chive dumplings. I think I ate the equivalent of a bucketful. I am pretty sure the only fight Ben and I got in was over the last dumpling :) We really love dumplings.

Ben and I are like TWO PEAS IN A POD.....

.....Unless we have dumplings to fight over. Then you better stand back.

This is my favorite picture from the trip.

Little Mila is definitely beat Ben in Chess.

I was super excited to finally find a hand carved nativity set.

On Saturday we drove to Vila Escudero. It was basically a large family plantation for a very wealthy family in the Philippines that has since been turned into a museum, amusement park, water park, waterfall restaurant, tourist attraction. It was pretty awesome, kind of tacky and super kitschy, but we had a blast with the Hyatts.

This was our mode of transportation around the Villa.

One of the many attractions around Villa Escudero, this was the "waterfall restaurant". We literally sat and ate at the base of the waterfall.

Another attraction which we participated in was longboat canoeing.

There were tons of hilarious decorations, sculptures and statues like the gigantic whale  in the top right corner. There was also, oddly enough, an ET statue, minney and mickey mousse and a lot of European statues.

Another picture of the "waterfall" restaurant.