Mabuhay Manila!

The choir which sang folk songs from Asian countries

From left: Eugen (Germany), Baibonn (Philippines), me (Malaysia), Chan (Vietnam) and Harry (Australia)

I just got home from a symposium in Manila.Second visit to this land of beautiful and hospitable people (although a friend told me they were also constantly at each other's throat over petty things).I met up with some wonderful people I met 5 years ago.Krip, Jimmy, Danton and George (G and his tunang came to my hotel) And oh! Chan was there too and we met Eugen at Starbucks, Megamall.Finally! Pics as above.

I got lucky with Dr Mariam's choice (Baibonn took me around.What a nice, crazy woman she is! We shed tears together at Hossein's as we ate our lamb bryani.She told me about her mother, butchered mercilessly in the 1970s and how she escaped marriage at 9 or 10) She showed me how Manila had progressed.I love their malls which are shopper-friendly (Trinoma has beautiful, spacious gardens.Baibonn says there are more but we don't have time to visit them all.Prices are cheaper in Manila than in KL, folks).

The symposium itself was nicely organised.I also found out who my real friends were and what made genuine scholars genuine. If they are reading this, wave!