Hong Kong Disneyland
Topic: HK Disneyland is the worst "MK" every put to paper

#	Author	Message
51	barboy Mon 2/25/2008 6:31p	AAHHH----- HOME AT LAST!(2 hrs. ago), after 4 weeks out in the Pacific zones it feels good to be back again. "Philippines is a third world country and so when you go to a place like Boracay that feels closer to Hawaii than the Philippines, then yes it does feel more artificial then the rest of the country." Yes, absolutely yes. And here lies the problem from my end---- there are two Pilippines: The squalor, poor beyond poor which is 99% (or higher) of the population who make Mexicans as a whole look well off and then there is the high end stuff like Makati and the very expensive---even by US standards--- Global City(Fort Bonafacio/ Forbs Park) which is being modeled as I write this after Singapore, Roppongi Hills of the Tokyo Area and Hong Kong--- modern high rises everywhere and high end retailers. But I like drinking San Miguels with the local, friendly, painfully poor folk in the provinces on the beaches rather than shopping at Fendi and Sacks 5th like Wife does. We had a huge argument where to buy lots and land 2 years ago(she won and bought an excluive lot in Global City and a high rise 1 bed condo) So needless to say we do vacations very differently now.
52	barboy Mon 2/25/2008 6:46p	"WorldDisney and barboy: it seems that you both seem to be saying that you don't get the real Phillipines experience unless you experience third-world conditions like $15 hotel rooms and robberies!" Pretty much, yes. I haven't been robbed yet(knock on wood) but I'll take the 3rd world conditions as I feel comfortable riding in broken down taxis, while traveling over uneven filthy streets and roadways on my way to a local karaoke bars for some 3rd world fun. Where else can one get a Pina colada or the like for about 1 US dollar and a full body 1hr massage for about 7.
53	barboy Mon 2/25/2008 10:29p	" my friend is still there and thinking about going further south either to Puerto Galeria or somewhere else for diving." Puerto Galera would work quite nicely for that being it's in the Bantangas--- a diver's paradise. I've done two trips down there for dives. I think I might head back to the Philippines in May.... and check out Bali and/or Jakarta too since they are so close.
54	barboy Mon 2/25/2008 10:40p	"south islands of Mindanao, Palawan, Bohol, Boracay, Leyte, Cebu" Impressive, most impressive World D..... you have seen more than I have. I've been to the Hundred Islands, Corrigidor, Bataan, way up north to Apari but not to Leyte Gulf, Cebu, Mindanao nor Palawan. You went to Mindanao....... did you know that(I believe) it is 3rd on the list for abductions/kidnaps around the world----Colombia being #1...... I need to get down there next trip.
55	SuperDry Mon 2/25/2008 11:23p	<<< You went to Mindanao....... did you know that(I believe) it is 3rd on the list for abductions/kidnaps around the world----Colombia being #1...... I need to get down there next trip. >>> Sounds charming!
56	WorldDisney Tue 2/26/2008 12:12a	^^LOL SD!!! Yes, only the best vacation spots! And actually I never knew Mindanao is the 3rd biggest lists of abductions, but yes, there is HEAVY security there. I went to the major city there a few years back, Davao, and honestly the amount of security carrying AK 47's and guns almost made me feel like I was in Iraq ;). But, it feels pretty safe to me (I guess all the guns around kind of does that ;)). I have a friend who lives there for about 10 years, retired, and has a Philippina girlfriend there. He's in his sixties. Davao is a great little place, nice beaches and down-to-Earth people. Its very different from fast paced Manilla. I would tell anyone not to worry about what they heard and even though the island might have its problems I'm assuming, Davao is as safe as anywhere else. Like my friend told me when I was down there, he's been there nearly a decade now and the only time he's hear about any crime in the city is mainly drug related and robberies. So yeah, you should definitely go.
57	WorldDisney Tue 2/26/2008 1:01a	And let me clarify about being robbed in Manila. True, I was robbed, but I was simply pick-pocketed in a mall and luckily for me I only had roughly $30 U.S. at the time and my ATM, Drivers license and etc wasn't in my wallet, so I got off lucky. I also been pick pocketed in Vietnam about 2 years ago by a bunch of ladyboy hookers (yes, looong story lol), but these things happen, well, sort of ;). When I was 18, a mexican gang held a gun up to my head wanting me to give me my jacket at a bus stop (and I DIDN'T) and this was back in good ole L.A. where I lived four days before Christmas lol. So yes, these places aren't always the safest, but look around and I will bet you they are actually a lot less dangerous then where most people live in the West. Its a 'different' type of danger to me, being raised in the hood was a hundred times worse than what I see here any given day and probably why I like living in Asia so much more than I would like to live in Europe or the U.S.
58	Mr X Tue 2/26/2008 1:03a	**When I was 18, a mexican gang held a gun up to my head wanting me to give me my jacket at a bus stop (and I DIDN'T)** Wow, what a fool! You're lucky you're not dead, bro!
59	SuperDry Tue 2/26/2008 1:15a	<<< And let me clarify about being robbed in Manila. True, I was robbed, but I was simply pick-pocketed in a mall and luckily for me I only had roughly $30 U.S. at the time and my ATM, Drivers license and etc wasn't in my wallet, so I got off lucky. >>> Time out. A pickpocketing is not a robbery. "Robbery" is theft under threat of violence. Thus, by definition, robbery is a crime of violence. Having one's pocket picked is just plain old theft. I'm sorry you had your pocket picked, but it's much less serious then you led us to believe.
60	WorldDisney Tue 2/26/2008 1:17a	It's called 'life in the hood' Mr. X. If I gave up my coat, yeah I be alive, but it also means I would be giving up my coat to every gang in the area. It's like the bully taking your lunch money scenario. You take a chance and roll. I did and was never bothered again. I figured at most, they would just beat me for it. I still remember it vividly, the guys were actually arguing with each other who was going to 'shoot me' lol. I knew then they weren't going to do it or I would've been dead the second I said 'no' the second time but I ran off and got 'lucky' in the end ;). Hmmm, is is just me or have I managed to bring this thread waaaay off topic lmao! Hey, at least I'm posting a little again ;D.

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