Manila 2014: Busy First Week!

Shopping

This week was mostly spent at the office or sleeping or shopping. Every day I go to Landmark and get some food. I usually have vegetables. But have tried a variety of dishes. It's been fun trying things. And no, I don't have any favorites

And as for shopping, it's been mostly shoes. I have been looking for black shoes to replace these ones I have at home. I have been looking actually for a couple years. I should have KNOWN I would find them here. The department store has 10 times more shoes in it than any department store in the US. It has as more shoes than a store such as Payless! So I have bought some much needed replacements for when I get home and a couple different ones that will expand my selection. LOL.

Clothes here are "one size fits all". I'm not sure who the ALL is, but it isn't me! So I stick with shoes. And I am even limited there due to size. I wear a US 8. Here, that's equivalent to a 39 or 40. It is difficult finding 39s and almost impossible to find 40s. So it takes a long time to get just the right ones. But alas, I have managed!

The Pool

Today it was rainy so I didn't go to Ocean Park. It was fine because I did laundry and rested. After dinner, I was determined to stay up during the time I would be working so I thought I would go to the pool.

On the way to the pool, the hall butler was there and I told him I had some shoe boxes that needed to be in the trash. However, there wasn't a trash can big enough for 4 boxes, so they were stacked by the door and could he have housekeeping come and get them. He looked at me funny and said that would be the Bellman. I thought that was funny, but told him I would contact the bellman when I got back from the pool. And on my way to the pool I went.

The water was cold, so I asked if there was a jacuzzi. There is... in the "SPA". Yes this is a formal, quiet health spa. I go to the floor and they set me up with a locker and made me some tea.

I sat in the jacuzzi for about 45 minutes reading. I get out, get my towel to shower off. Well I to not lock the locker since I didn't have anything in it except my shoes and my dress I wear over my bathing suit. I get out of the shower, walk over to my locker and it has autolocked! Here I am in my towel, no attendant in sight and I can't get into the locker. I wander around the ladies spa, see no one. So I bit the bullet and walked out to the desk. Thank goodness it was 10:30 PM and there was no other residents in sight. So she came and unlocked it and cheerfully reminded me to always lock the locker. I was SO embarrassed! Lesson learned!

I get back to my room and the bellman had done his best to satisfy my trash request. You can see the pictures below of his solution. All I could do was chuckle. But it works!