Does anyone know of any good hobby shops there? I will be in the Ayala Center, Makati City section of Manila. I'm also thinking of popping over to Hong Kong for a weekend while im "in the neighbourhood". If I do I will deffinatly visit the cemetary where our comrades are buried. If anyone has any relatives that fell in the Battle of Hong Kong and would like me to stop by thier grave or lay flowers let me know. The HK trip is still up in the air.

Cheers
Keith

I'll get you help from other Filipino hobbyistas' who "live" in Manila. As far as I know their are two in Ayala Center. One of them is in an area called Greenbelt. also in Makati but 1+km away is a hobby shop called JMN (if I'm correct) in Makati Cinema Square.

I'm an expat in another country. Better stock up. you'll be surprised with the prices. I do half of my purchasing when I'm there on holidays.

Keith: When exactly are you coming over? Do register here: http://ipmsphilippines.proboards32.com/index.cgi which is the forum of IPMS-Philippines BAC (www.ipmsphilippines.com)for a more "responsive" reply to your request.

Anyway, there are several decent hobby shops at Metro Manila - two at Makati itself, several others relatively close-by. Some of us can give you a tour of hobby shops and/or other sites. Some of the IPMS-BAC/Armorama Da Filipino Phorum members work/live in Makati so they could meet you personally. You could even be a guest at an IPMS monthly meeting if you come at the right time of the month.

One of the hobby shops (Lil's Parksquare) has lots of Tamiya kits (Lil's being the official distributor of Tamiya here). Another shop in Makati is Hobbies n' Comics which is essentially a 'JMN' (as mentioned by Mondo) in Makati (JMN is in Manila - beside Makati). HnC has some after-market parts, decal sheets, etc.

Feel free to PM me - and don't forget to register at the first link I provided.

I will be there from the 7th of Feb to the 7th of March. It sounds like I will have a few places I will be able to check out!

Thanks for the help guys, I appreciate it. I wouldnt mind attending an IPMS meeting providing it fits into my schedule. Sounds like fun.

Cheers
Keith

Hello FNC1! Glad you visit us. Drop us a line when you're here

Hi FNC1,

Mondo, GI, and Shonnen Red are right on the money about the shops in the Makati area. Feel free to introduce yourself in our forums. You are very welocme to post any questions in the board. When you arrive in Manila, feel free to get in-touch with any of us.

Your'e coming to Manila just the right time because IPMS-BAC has some activities scheduled in February. One is our exhibit at the International Hot Air Ballon Festival in Clark, Pampanga and an inviational tour of the an airbase. One of our memebers is also a WW2 aficionado and can tell you lots of History and events in the Philippines of the period.

Again, please don't hestiate to PM me or Shonnen when you arrive.Moreover, visit our foums. We'll make sure you will have a great time while in Manila.

Sincerely,
Wanze

Thanks for all the help! Ill make sure to get in tough when I arrive next week. Im also going to join that forum and say hello over there. Again, thanks guys.

Cheers
Keith

can you slip me in your suitcase? It sure sounds like fun. One day I plan to do the Asia tour. Hopefully I won't have to win the lottery to do it, though that would be most helpful. I am full of envy....have a ball

Welcome to Manila FNC1! Hope you'll enjoy your stay here. I'll try to meet up with you when my schedule permits. I admit however that I've been a very bad boy when it comes to attending IPMS-P-BAC meetings and events

Well blaster, it wont be ALL fun...I'll be working 10-12 hour days hehehehe. Will manage to take some time off though. Sometimes I love my job

Cheers
Keith

Ei Keith,

It's just a perfect time to leave and enjoy the warm weather in Manila.
Getting a -35 last week, gave me more reason to go for a vacation in the Philippine .. :-)
And yes, Mondo is right, you'll be suprise with prices of kits in Manila.

Best Regards,
Blitz

So prepare a big box and some more cash cause you'll be going home with more kits than you imagine. :-)

First of all there's non of that 10-16% VAT on purchases that I've seen in Europe and the US and some Asian countries. I had a friend buy me a DML kit in HK that would've been even cheaper if I bought it in Manila.

Get a big box. Provided you don't pay customs duties going back to Canada.

I have a 700$ exemption for the time I'll be staying so duty wont be a big problem, Im thinking that with what you fellows have told me, I'll leave the one suitcase pretty much empty :-) I know what I will be doing NEXT winter! Building all the kits I get in Manila lol! Do you think they will have one of these there??

It was -33 last week here too, so I am deffinatly looking forward to warm wind and cold beer. I'm told though that its hard to get San Miquel actually COLD! Is this true? Maybe my first stop will be to buy a small fridge
hehehe

Cheers
Keith

Keith,

I see that you are from Ontario, I'm here in Mississauga and I work in Toronto. Are you also from southern Ontario?
San Mig!!! you sure know our beer. The San Miguel they have in LCBO is brewed in HK, so at least you'll get the real deal..

I'm sure you'll find most of the kits available. I'm not sure about after-markets. But just to give you a sample I ask my friend to get an Italeri LCM which cost 1,800 pesos almost like $40 CAD, half the price you get here in stores.. so prepare yourself for a shopping spree, mate..

I am a bit hurt by this statement. You yourself have 1500 posts on this site and we have many, MANY active Filipino's posting on Armorama.

Very dissapointed....

Jim

I am about 500 km due north of you....Sudbury.

Staff_Jim: I didn't intend to "steal the thunder" from this site, but merely trying to help FNC1 as much as possible. True, the Filipino community is more-or-less active in here - one reason why you gave us a forum - but I reckon FNC1 would've added feedback from other people who do not visit this site because they aren't registered here in the first place.

If you still have issues with my post, please do email me at ATomasCTT (at) gmail (dot) com

Hope you understand.

If your fellow Filipino's don't mind being lumped into a "more-or-less active" category then who am I to complain.

Jim

Hi Keith,

I work here in Makati, maybe I could help point you to where you want to go. Just PM me if you need help. BTW, where will you be staying?

Cheers

Arvin

Lol, bit of a story with that....

In the last three weeks I have booked into the Shangri La, the New World Renaissance, and the Oakwood. Its been finalized that I am at the Oakwood. Im hoping this is a good place? A month is a long time to spend at a hotel that isnt very good. Feel free to give me a review of the place if you know it well...

Cheers
Keith

Hi Keith,

Its actually within the Glorietta Mall itself. Its where high profile people stay (when I say high profile I mean rich people, expats, consuls, ambassadors, etc.), that's why I said you have class . Its a very good place.

The building is within or part of the Glorietta Mall. That place is surrounded by shopping malls, movie houses, and very good restaurants. The nearest hobby shop w/c is Lil's is approximately 50 meters away.

Just PM me if you need details on how to reach me incase you need help....I work near the place...

Cheers

We might be able to meet too. I'm scheduled to come home by mid-Febuary. Probably stay in Manila for a week and then off to my hometown of Davao and the beaches.

I'm having my leave signed today.

Well guys, I have been here for a bit more than a week now, and except for the bomb going off a few blocks from my hotel its been fantastic!!! I found Lil's and it was everything you said it would be. I have already bought a couple of kits and will probably buy a few more. 750 pesos for a model!!! Thats about a third of back home. Oh, and btw...why didnt you guys tell me how amazingly incredibly beautiful the women are here???? Ive been in full drool mode since I arrived. Still like to meet up with a couple of you while im here. Cheers for now, you can find me at Merk's in greenbelt, I'll be the drunken drooling Canadian.

Do any of you guys still want to get together?


Cheers
Keith