Maitri writes: We're taking a big break from traveling outside Manila as I am not feeling that well--too exhausted. The 30-hours ferry boat from Palawan to Manila, the all day walk around Chinatown and Divisoria through thick traffic of people and vehicles, the noise of the city was more than this poor, old body can take.

However, we have done a few local trips, including to the Ananda Marga yoga office in Quezon City, a suburb of Manila. No one was there except for one Filipino yoga teacher and four volunteer workers. The rest were in Cebu (the center of the islands) because of a meeting.

We also went to Las Piñas to see the world famous bamboo organ, but we were granted only a peek as they were preparing for the international organ festival opening that evening. We're still hoping to visit Los Banos and maybe climb Mt. Makiling which is supposed to have a thick forest of trees and hot springs. We're staying here in Manila with my brother in-law who lives on the 26th floor of a condominium. We have a sweeping view of part of the city which has 20 times more skyscrapers than Portland. Isn't that something?

This city of this very small country is peppered with giant “megamalls” which occupy several city blocks. They even have the Mall of Asia, reportedly the biggest mall in Asia. In this mall, there is not just a supermarket, but a “hypermarket”, as they named it. You think America is the land of consumerism? As far as I have experienced, Manila must be a close second!