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The business conducted for the day, it’s time for the drive back to Manila. This is an adventure, for several reasons: there are precious few highway miles in the Philippines, and the roads are shared not just by cars, but also scooters of all types, dogs, pedestrian mothers with toddlers, piglets, the occasional cow and, of course, Jeepneys.

These are the common man’s taxi, a throwback to the American jeep which McArthur left behind after WWII as a gift to the locals; a cheap, open air mode of transportation preferred by factory workers and school children alike.

What the Jeepney lacks in speed and maneuverability it makes up for in sheer numbers, paralyzing traffic and turning what should be a brief trip into an hours long endeavor. Luckily, the locals have taken the opportunity to relieve road rage by erecting hundreds of roadside eateries.

The sane traveler will pull over and break up the drive with a lunch of fish soup, deep fried pig’s knuckles and a plate of cold, juicy mango. As long as a pressing appointment isn’t in the offing, this is the only way to turn a frustrating commute into a culinary adventure. So when the Jeepneys converge, think lunch.

This entry was posted on June 26, 2013 at 3:47 am and is filed under Travel with tags coconut groves, Jeepneys, Manila, roadside eateries, Rural Philippines. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.