Asia Travel Information Blog

The capital of the Philippines, a grouping of twelve cities and five municipalities, is technically known as Metro Manila but usually referred to simply as MANILA, home to 9.5 million people. Manila will never be a serious tourist destination until the authorities deal with the twin evils of traffic and pollution; most tourists are in the capital because they have a day or two to kill either at the beginning or the end of a trip to the rest of the country. In its favour, Manila has friendly people, some excellent nightlife, a few historical sights that are worth the effort, plus some of the most cavernous shopping malls in Asia. At first sight, the city may seem clamorous, unkempt and rough around the edges, but what it lacks in architectural sophistication it makes up for with an accessible chaotic charm. The way to enjoy it is to step into the fray and go with the flow, which is exactly what Manileños have learned to do.

Nearly everyone has heard of the huge stone wall known as the Great Wall of China. The Great Wall of China was built mainly to protect the Chinese Empire from the Mongolians and other invaders. Successive Chinese dynasties all had a hand in repairing, re-building, lengthening, modifying and preserving the Great Wall. There are huge discrepancies regarding the length of the wall.

One account puts the length of the wall at over 3,720 miles. Richard Nixon said it was 2,484 miles long, while Time magazine favored 1,684 miles. What is a fact is that the Great Wall of China extends from Kansu in the west to the Yellow Sea in the east. Ancient records reported that at least one million slaves and prisoners of war were used to build this wall. Many laborers died from exhaustion and starvation while working on this colossal task. Their bodies were added to the rubble and masonry as the quickest means of disposal. For centuries, the Wall was known as “the longest cemetery in the world.”