Hanging in Brotzeit waiting for Mecky

I am sitting in Brotzeit, a German themed bar in the Philippines at the Shangri La Plaza alone waiting for my friend with a German wheat beer on my table and my Galaxy tablet in hand.

I am seeing staff running around serving customers and what springs to my mind is the dedication of the staff. They have remembered me from previous visits and have been very polite and accommodating, this is the type of service that keeps people coming back.

The hospitality industry can be brutal on staff, retail and service is now the mainstay of the domestic economy with so much outsourcing the main strategic weapon. None of this worries me right now, I am enjoying a German wheat beer waiting for Mecky who is spending time with a high school friend returning to Canada the next day.

Until late 2016, I hadn't had a beer for close to twenty years until no options were available and I had a Tiger beer on Clarke Quay in Singapore and actually liked it. Now when I am at the Shangri La Plazza in Edsa, I slip over to Brotzeit for a quality beer on the sidewalk watching people wander by.

Hanging with Mecky at the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

My favourite coffee haunt when visiting the Philippines is the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf in the Greenbelt 5 shopping complex in the business district of Makati in greater Manila. What I like about the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is they serve their coffee in proper cups, not those disposable paper cups of other chains - let's get serious here.

This is a great hang, I can set up with my laptop computer and reference book and work from there for hours at a time. There is plenty of activity, but that doesn't seem to distract me and the double espresso they have on offer is some of the best coffee on offer from the large coffee chains.

Planet Grapes - where food meets wine

Planet Grapes is a favourite haunt of mine when I am staying with Mecky in Mandalyong or close by in Ortigas. This is a bar and restaurant serving good quality wine alongside top notch food - I really enjoy going there.

When I found out they offered wine tasting and wine education, the waiter pointed to the wine shop across the road on the other side of the shopping complex. I am familiar with this wine shop, they have premium wine for sale as I found out much to my surprise - the prices were outrageous.

Fortunately, Planet Grapes wine pricing is more affordable and although the bill sets me back, this bar and restaurant is significantly cheaper than the shop across the road. On my next trip to the Philippines, Mecky and myself will definitely engage in some wine education that involves some tastings.

Bali holidays with Mecky

It can be argued that Bali is not the destination it once used to be. Bali is no longer the cheap holiday location it once was - true. In so many ways, Bali has improved, it is now turning into a more upmarket destination in many instances from restaurants, shopping and activities.

As Bali holidays become more expensive, what are our choices? As I spend  my time with Mecky in the Philippines, I need to show her somewhere different that still has a resort type holiday feel. Do I start taking Mecky somewhere else or is a Bali holiday fine for relaxing and hanging out? Head to another Indonesian location maybe? East Malaysia, Peninsula Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia or the Philippines? What about Brunei or Myanmar?

I guessing East Malaysia probably as my next resort style break. We have been to Penang and Langkawi before, I would be happy back in Penang. I can't say I much enjoyed Langkawi. We travelled in KL and then onto Penang, the short hop from KL to Penang isn't too bad. But on the downside, it is so easy to get to Bali from both Perth and Manila - I think we will just hang in Bali.

Hanging at Greenbelt

When I first started travelling to Manila, I used to stay in the business district of Makati. I would then hang out at Greenbelt shopping complex during both the day and evenings when I'm wasn't doing all that much. 

This is the high end entertainment precinct catering to high earning locals, expats and international tourists. There is plenty of money kicking around in the Philippines, the cashed up locals like to enjoy life and they do.

I had seen the shopping centre grow over the years; Greenbelt 1, 2 and 3 had already been constructed when I started vising the Philippines after a long absence of more than a decade. They were in the process of constructing Greenbelt 4 when I started staying at a hotel over the road and Greenbelt 5 completed the project.

I have been told the restaurants are world class, they are certainly popular with well heeled locals, a Friday night sees plenty of suits heading out straight from the office. For me, the restaurants are the reason to be there, the bars are good too, Friday nights are my favorite, the atmosphere is vibrant, there are no issues regarding safety - I'm looking forward to the weekend.

Tulumben afternoons

There is diving in Bali, a number of Bali dive guides exist and my favourite would be Simon Pridmore and Tim Rock Diving & Snorkeling Guide to Bali - 2016 Edition. Bali is known for its diving; there are some great dives in Bali, none more so than the Liberty wreck at Tulumben.

The afternoons spend hanging with Mecky at Tulumben can be magnificent with the still water, reflective cloud cover and beautiful contrasts looking towards the horizon. This sure beats being hanging in Kuta for any amount of time. Bali is such a beautiful island once you venture past the main population areas.

Following a number of dives at the Liberty wreck in the morning followed by the Tulumben wall later that day, I look forward to Bali diving coupled with a relaxing afternoon. We can be a little selective with my afternoon post dive activities, this is a relaxing way for Mecky and myself to spend our pre-Christmas trip.

Bali as our Christmas destination

Most nations have their cheap holiday destination; I like to head over to the Philippines to get away from Perth during winter. I am able to spend time with Mecky as we travel around the Philippines.

However, when Mecky needs an overseas trip, Bali is a fantastic destination for us. Sure, we have been to Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Langkawi together but Bali is our pre-Christmas relax destination just before the Christmas peak season. Mecky flys in from Manila, usually still in her work clothes and I fly in from Perth, well after I have finished work.

For me, Bali is a three and a half hour flight to a resort location for sun, sea and surf to wind down. For Mecky, her flight is slightly longer at just under four hours, landing at Denpasar airport is the perfect halfway destination for us.

After a couple of days we are both am keen to head up north too a more  remote destination although these days we head up country first before spending the last days near Kuta. I really have no need for the nightclubs, bars or a loud disco with exorbitant prices for watered down drinks so I am more than willing to stay out of the more popular areas. I do like the restaurants and quieter bars though, Mecky does too and we enjoy the time together.

Bali is known as an adventure destination with white water rafting, scuba diving, mountain biking, hiking and the water sports of parasailing, water skiing and jet skiing. Mecky has been white water rafting but there is no way I will get her scuba diving or parasailing. Maybe the lure of the long weekend will be the motivation to visit Bali in the cold and wet winter months of Perth.