May 7: Strangest Asian Oddity

I call this the strangest Asian oddity and with good reason. Each country or region has their own vehicular perculiarities, but this one, in my mind, is the most bizarre.

Our recent Asian trip was a mind opener for us in a few ways. We went from the city states of Hong Kong and Singapore, both dripping with money, to the rank and very crowded capital of the Philippines, Manila. Considered to be the most densely populated city in the world. I can believe it.

In every big city I've ever visited, being stuck in a traffic jam is a great time for car spotting. While others may complain, I'm checking out the local rolling stock. In Manila.......well, let's be charitable and just say it was terrible. Not a single high end vehicle to be seen. Oops, I'm sorry, one very old Mercedes sedan and an equally old BMW X5.

Character? Yeah, you might say that, but Manila had other charms.......

Not sure of the year and model of this horse, but there were a few of these tourist traps in the city centre. But what Manila is really known (famous?) for is the Jeepney and the city was crawling with these works of art(?)........

What the heck is a Jeepney, other than someone's expression of bad taste (at least to these eyes)? For this explanation, we have to go way back to the end of WW11, when the US was pulling out of the Philippines and had to get rid of a huge amount of what were then surplus Jeeps. Lacking for municipal bus service, these Jeeps were made into cheap buses, by easily stretching the frame and adding cheap metal sides. Safe? Sure as long as you didn't get into an accident.

What made the Jeepneys famous was their ability to show off the artistic (term used loosely here) skills to get a message across, often religious in nature.......

 Those folks look comfortable? Not likely, as this is what they are subjected to once inside the Jeepney.....

No, we didn't ride in one, although after seeing what else we experienced while away, it's rather surprising.

Not all Jeepneys are ancient, although you couldn't tell that by looking at them. Companies continued to make new knock-offs until quite recently. They drive around emitting noxious fumes and using gas like it was free. How inefficient are they? A 54 passenger bus uses the same amount of fuel as does a 16 passenger Jeepney. Good reason to try phase out these unusual rolling tourist attractions.

None the less, the Jeepney was one of the highlights of our trip and something which I was looking forward to seeing. Now, I've seen enough to last a life time of car spotting.

A blank canvas for its owner

Farewell to Asia and a wonderful trip.

Until next time.......