What I did manage was a visit to Greenbelt Mall, one of many super-modern malls in Manila. The mall was big and confusing enough for me to get lost (twice), but in all other respects it was exactly what you'd expect of a mall: full of western brand shops and chain restaurants, and blissfully air-conditioned.
Another thing I managed was to get a haircut. With the temperature in the Philippines, I certainly couldn't be bothered with a mop of hair on my head. I thought they did a rather good job this time - and I mean 'they': there was one person responsible for washing and blow drying, another for cutting, and a third for styling. Division of labor and specialization driven to extremes!
