Manila: "God Bless Our Trip"

The headline is a reference to something I saw painted on the side of one of the many thousands of 'Jeepneys' in Manila. And just about sums the place up. I won't say too much about the City, but I was not hugely impressed -- felt very much on the edge. Lovely people I met though - quite religious nearly all of them.

Jeepneys are fun -- WW2 Jeeps stretched into buses and adorned with paintings etc.

Wiki on Jeepneys:

When American troops began to leave the Philippines at the end of World War II, hundreds of surplus jeeps were sold or given to local Filipinos. Locals stripped down the jeeps to accommodate several passengers, added metal roofs for shade, and decorated the vehicles with vibrant colors and bright chrome hood ornaments.

The jeepney rapidly emerged as a popular and creative way to reestablish inexpensive public transportation, which had been virtually destroyed during World War II. Recognizing the widespread use of these vehicles, the Philippine government began to place restrictions on their use. Drivers now must have specialized licenses, regular routes, and reasonably fixed fares. Due to recent fuel price increases the Metro Manila fixed fare has increased from 5 pesos to 7.5 pesos (currently about 10 to fifteen cents American.)