Boracay and Manila

We decided to spend the Chinese New Year in the Philippines and chose Boracay as the ideal place to have a relaxing holiday. The island of Boracay is about 300 km south of Manila and can be reached from flying from Manila to Caticlan and then catching a ferry across to the island. Caticlan airport is a small airport so we had to board a 72 seater plane from Manila. After checking in our bags which were extremely restricted in weight, we then both had to proceed to a counter so we both could step on the scales to be weighed!
Boracay is known for its lovely beaches with white sand and crystal blue water. Also at the end of the day there were some fantastic sunsets . Boracay certainly did not disappoint in terms of relaxation. The island was extremely busy with tourists from Japan escaping the cold as well as Chinese enjoying the extra long weekend.
The main beach is called White Beach and this area contains many restaurants that are on the beach and was extremely busy at night.  The weather was about 28 degrees each day and was not humid like Singapore.
Many of the hotels had fireworks and special buffets for the Chinese New Year adding a real festive spirit to the island .

We had a couple of days in Manila on the way home for work commitments. Manila is certainly not city with many tourist highlights and many of the tourist spots are located quite a distance from the city centre. Traffic in Manila is very chaotic and to travel a short distance can take forever. A 5 lane highway can suddenly become 6 or 7 lanes as cars, buses and trucks don't seen to take notice of the road markings. The taxis had seat-belts in the back but no buckles for you to clip into. Certainly a few times I was convinced we were going to be sideswiped from the constant weaving in and out of lanes.
Security was extremely tight in hotels and shopping centres with bag searches as well as pat downs by security staff. Also the invasion of your personal space in markets and the constant reminders of pickpockets made you very careful to guard your belongings.

View from the hotel room in Boracay

One of the many sailing boats

One of ferries that takes you from Caticlan to Boracay

Chinese New Year decorations

Sunset at White Beach

Boats on White Beach

White Beach at dusk

View from hotel room

Spectacular sunset

Chinese New Year gifts in our room

Something we don't get in Singapore

Lion dance for CNY at the hotel

Another sunset

The sunset on the last day

Good location to stay in Manila

View from the room

The local method of transport the "Jeepney"

 Waiting for bag search and frisk at a shopping centre

Manila waterfront

Sheena the bomb sniffer dog at the hotel

Toad bags in the market

Lion dance for Chinese New Year

Today a lion dance troupe came to our apartment complex to perform the traditional custom of "cai ching" which means "plucking the greens". The lion dance is believed to bring good luck and fortune to the residents . Each apartment could have the option of also having the troupe perform in their apartment for around $150. The goal is for lion to pluck the auspicious vegetables like lettuce and fruit like mandarins. The lion will dance and approach the greens and mandarins. After proceeding to eat the greens and spit them out and leave the peeled mandarins in an arrangement, like an auspicious character. 
Throughout Singapore many businesses also  have the lion dance performed during the 15 days of the Chinese New Year celebrations in the hope of bringing good fortune to the business.

The lions

Dancing around the greens and fruit

The drummer

The lions in action

The greens and fruit

The eaten fruit

                                                                        
                                                                              Video of the performance

Gardens by the Bay- Chinese New Year decorations

Gardens by the Bay has got into the festive spirit of the Lunar New Year with fantastic floral displays in the Flower dome as well as in the outside gardens. Many of the blooms are Spring flowering plants and also feature the Snake to celebrate this years Chinese zodiac.

Lanterns and Celosias decorate the pathways

Large tubs of Cumquats (represent gold nuggets ) 

Snakes and Pussy willow decorate the poles

Decorated pagoda

Celosias and Chrysanthemum display

Shaped Cumquat tree

Chrysanthemum and Torch bromeliads

The Flower dome

Phalaenopsis orchids

Coralberry

The head of the snake

Cymbidium orchids

One of the many Cumquat snakes

Decorated garden seats

Cherry blossom

Chrysanthemum tower

Decorated garden bench

Lanterns hanging in the trees

Lanterns in the archway

A snake amongst the Palm trees

Pussy Willow which represents the coming of prosperity

Torch bromeliads

One of the many floral displays

Snakes amongst the Cherry trees