What I learned about Manila

So I've spent 4 days in Manila, and made a couple of observations.

1) Manila office wins the best snacks award, hands down. In fact, I'm scared to come back now. Somebody take these mini Toblerones and wafers away, please!

2) Somebody once hypothesized that third world countries tend to have poor services because they have never enjoyed good service and therefore don't know how to provide it. Well the Philippines is either the exception that proves the theory wrong, or the exception that proves the rule, or whatever, but it is the exception. Excellent service everywhere here. Or maybe people are just really really friendly?

3) I'm a "ma'am." Nowhere else have I been reminded of this fact more frequently.

4) Food is terrible here. Nothing else to add to this point.

5) It is a dangerous, dangerous country.
Why else would they have at least one security guard next to every single door? I mean, EVERY SINGLE DOOR. Including McDonald's, Starbuck's, CPK. It's not enough to have a building security guard, for example, but every company on every single floor gets an independent security guard. I must get sniffed by 3 dogs and searched by 2 guards between the hotel entrance to my room.

6) On this last point--I think the office came with a security guard. I suspect there's an invisible chain that links him to the door. As far as I can tell he's always there at the same spot, and sleeps there on the chair.

7) Lastly-people sing a lot, even in the office.