Challenges one's stereotypes of what an Asian country is… Lara, NY
In our brief stay in Manila, we found out that it's a tough city to negotiate, but once you familiarize yourself with the city's idiosyncrasies, it's a delight, especially because the people are very helpful to strangers. The language is not a problem: everybody speaks and understands English. The entire country challenges one's stereotypes of what an Asian country is because it is very westernized in outlook and culture, given its 300 years under Spain and 50 years under America. The Coconut Palace is a unique place, and like many of the buildings built by the Marcoses during their dictatorship, it is a symbol of excess.
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