After rising before dawn for a last run through ice and snow around the imperial palace in Akasaka, it was rather a shock to land in Manila. The outside temperature was 28° Celsius - and the locals were happy that it was so cool. My first evening here was with Kitt Schroeder at her restaurant Lemuria, thought to be the city's most romantic. I went there, though, less for that reason, but more for her interest in German wines. Riesling is not really on the radar screen in Manila, but that should change as people begin to drink more what they like and less what they think they should. That said, like elsewhere in the tropics, the air conditioning industry probably turns a handsome profit each year, which makes drinking red wines in environments chilled to the temperature of refrigerators possible…until you step out into the real world afterwards. Comments