Under Attack! (Manila, Philippines)

Just a quickie. Don't have much time, being pulled around left, right and center by relatives, go here, see this, see that, etc.

Happy New Year everyone! First off, I'm glad to say that I'm blessed for not being anywhere close to the earthquake and the tsunamis that have just hit throughout Southern Asia. I pray to God that none of my friends that I've made along the way were there.

Anyway, lastnight was crazy! Here in the Philippines, instead of stocking up on alcohol for New Year's Eve, they stock up on fireworks/crackers. The noise slowly started at about 7pm and progressively got louder and louDER and LOUDER, non stop until about 1am. The drinking doesn't start until about 2am after everyone's loaded up on a midnight meal. During the attack of the fireworks, everyone wears facemasks in order to prevent black boogers. I can only imagine what it must really sound like being in a war ridden country. Once it was all over, all you could see is a cloud of smoke. What a BANG!