The red light district in Manila is quite specific. I decided to explore it with a couple of my friends — out of pure curiosity. Most of the time I sat with my nose glued to my smartphone. No detail could be missed here! But do not wait for any pictures — you are not allowed to take any inside of the clubs. Do bear in mind that we did not go there actually to have fun.
I wanted to collect some material for my blog. My two male friends accompanied me so that I could feel safer and more comfortable. This article is not supposed to be judgmental as well. The red lights district in Manila covers only the Burgos street. During the day nothing happens here, just a few bars are open. When the dusk falls, all the neon signs are being turned on, and the street gets crowded with prostitutes, tourists and homeless people. I must admit, that I felt quite shocked while witnessing a white guy barging about a price with a girl when the rest of her family was sleeping on the pavement nearby.
We enter a club. It is dark and chilly inside. We order beers and take a seat at a round table in the third row in front of the stage. I have two friends with me — Jay and Marten. There are a few young girls at the stage, only in their lingerie. But before I take a good look at them a waitress appears and ask us, if we would like to play Jenga.
She wears a white shirt, which means she is not a prostitute. I take a closer look at the girls on the stage. They seem to be between 18 and 25 years old. They look younger than their age. They look bored and grumpy. We are not sure if these girls choose to be here, or whether they are forced to do it. I look around the club. I am the only white woman in the club and — as far as I can see — the only woman who is neither a prostitute nor a waitress.
White middle-aged guys surround us. Some of them hug the girls; some are just hanging around in front of the stage. The vibe in the club is gloomy and kind of sad. It turns out that for a meeting by the bar you have to pay pesos to the manager, and another to the girl, for the whole night.
