E is for EDSA Complex – Manila

EDSA Entertainment Complex is a smaller version of Nana Plaza in Bangkok or Orchard Towers in Singapore. It has about 6 or 7 themed bars inside, each of them with their own simple charm.

Firehouse is probably my favourite place to start and end – it’s opened later than the other bars, or at least it was when I was there last. A good buddy and I went in here one night on a ‘quiet’ night as he was flying home and needed to be at NAIA at 4am the next morning. Needless to say, several shots, a bit of topless bikini dancing and a blowjob later, he departed for the airport straight from the bar via his hotel to pick up his luggage. Apparently during the BJ, his girl had ducked off the the CR to relieve her stomach of it’s alcoholic contents.

Cotton Club is my second favourite place there, and probably because the DJ is pretty open to playing the kinda shit I’m into. Shout him a Jack Coke and he’ll play whatever you like. The girls don’t like it, and the Japanese clientele are normally pretty upset too. Too bad! The other reason I like Cotton Club is the bar fine is lower than the others.

Bullets & Arrows is another one that I like. Some of the seats at the bar are saddles. That makes me giggle sometimes and it’s certainly uncomfortable when a girl is grinding on you. This is another place I’ve spent 2-3 hours in and spent way too much money, but came home satisfied.

Pitstop is a racing themed bar. Now I love my race girls, so this place really should make me happy, but sadly it’s always a bit disappointing. Not sure why as the girls I’ve seen in here are sexy and sweet, but there’s a vibe of pushy and slightly panicked every time I go there, like a timeshare company desperate to make a sale.

The other bars are Casino, Space Girls, Samba and VIP Rooms.

One thing to check out – plastered around the walls are the “Customer Service Creed”.

Reading this gave me a bit of hope that there is still customer service in this industry – although there should also be one of these for customers on how to treat bar girls.

A couple of tips when leaving:

• The bar fine is pretty low in some places, but they expect a tip (or a “Salary”) – work this out before you leave because you could be stung up to P6k or P7k. You *don’t* want to meet her “boyfriend” when you don’t pay up.
• Tip the mamasan when you get there, or at least buy her a drink. And don’t be afraid to be honest about what you’re into. Say “I like fat old birds who fart a lot” and she’ll probably deliver. Say “I’d like a set of slim blonde lesbian triplets who love anal” may take her a bit longer.
• Taxis outside will try to scam you. There is no way you’ll be able to get a meter, unless you try really hard. Stay at the Copacabana or the Heritage and you’ll be within walking distance, Malate is about P200 at the most, Makati is a bit more. The taxi driver will probably ask for P1000, especially if it’s near closing time.
• Girls get about P50 for each drink, and there are two kinds in most bars: standard and special. Give her a tip of about P100 and get a drink she likes if you like her.