Scenes from Manila

On Monday and Tuesday I had the opportunity to participate in AutoCAD 2009 training for Autodesk partners in Manila. It was an interactive class in which I learned as much about the local environment at the attendees did about AutoCAD.

I found one of the most unique and interesting characteristics of Manila to be the popular form of public transportation called jeepneys. They originated as US military jeeps left in the Philippines after World War II. Locals modified them to hold more passengers and they’ve continued to fix and replace parts throughout the decades. Jeepneys are an affordable mode of transportation for locals at a fare of about 15 cents (US) and they're everywhere! They are brightly colored, artistically expressive, and no two are alike.