Travelogue: March in Manila

Posted by May

Politics Talk
My very recent trip to Manila took me to places I have never set foot in nor appreciated much before when I was still living there. My head was deadset on the negatives. Raised in a busy and overly-crowded city, I became unaware of the tiny things which make up a big and progressive nation.

Me and President Noynoy

One thing I didnt fail to miss and applaud was the new Philippine president's goal to move ahead with the times and not forgetting to take the people with him. As a bachelor, President Noynoy Aquino's fight with corruption glued me to the tube most of the days watching senate hearings and the entertaining corrupt military officials who tend to forget how much government millions they have stowed away in foreign banks. I especially found enormous respect for Senator Jinggoy Estrada for being relentless.

One day as I was watching the news, I heard that President Noynoy bought a brand new bulletproof car that he himself drove. It caused numerous mouths to speak and critics to criticize seeking answers if the president spent the people's money for that pricey car. And of course he replied (not in exact words), "I'm rich and my family is rich, I'm single and I love cars. I will spend my money on buying cars if I want to without touching a single cent of government's money" - something close to that nutshell.

What do I love about that? Since the president was driving the car himself as opposed to presidential chauffeur and security, he gets the chance to see street poverty first hand. Due to this, he gave attention to street kids being out in streets a lot instead of spending time in public schools. He also focused his immediate attention to buses emitting black smoke causing sickening air pollution.

Transportation Talk

MRT

I rode a lot of Metropolitan train. It came to the point that I became too impatient for jam-packed roads and speedy cars. Metropolitan Railway Transit became very indispensible to many young professionals. MRT fare is cheap not to mention fast. The other railway system was LRT which I hated most of all back then. But now the cars are new and spacious, I dont mind riding them at all. I think it's safe just grab your purse real close to your heart and eyes.

Tricycles are not cheap but this small vehicle can get you to places jeepneys and buses cant. For Php20, you can experience this loud, roaring thrill if you are not very picky. Tricycles can be found almost everywhere in the city and provinces.

tricycles

Food Talk
My long list of food I brought with me. I made sure that I'd only eat those that I wont find anywhere else in US. It was a goal and one way to achieve it was to eat and meet friends. Here's some:



Karyoka



Taho

Halo-halo

Green mango with bagoong

Mango bravo

Binatog

peach mango pies (Jollibee)

Travel Talk
I visited places with friends and though most of them are malls and spas (gotta go to spa!), I got to collect photos especially for SOTC blog purposes of places that are new to me. This way readers will be encouraged to visit places and form their opinion on what's good and what's not. The idea is to share. So I share! :)

The Fort, Global City (Taguig).
View website here.
A highly urbanized district in Taguig. Nothing different from Ortigas or Libis but the high rise condos there are selling like pancakes. The young entreps and the expats are the target buyers as well as foreigners who are opting to settle in Manila.

The UP-Ayala Hub
Lets get techie, shall we? The hub is the latest hangout in Quezon City for families and young career people. Also built by Ayala Land, a visitor can immediately recognize the similarity of the two hotspots (Hub and the Fort).

At the Hub, QC

SM Malls
SM Malls are huge and numerous. They're literally everywhere. SM Malls symbolize Filipinos' love for shopping and everytime, a mall pops up and it gets bigger and bigger! I have been to most SM malls and in any given time, I never get to roam one mall in a day (except SM Fairview). SM MOA is currently the biggest with hundreds stores inside, people actually hire a golf cart or a tram to get around!

SM North Edsa

SM MOA entrance

My Favorite Scenes
Amidst the daily hustle and bustle in the city, I get my high whenever it's time to come back to my place in Greenview. I love the busy area leading to the subdivision entrance then everything becomes totally distant and peaceful. I call it "city away from the city".

the scene from the bridge

the bridge

outside my door

daily dusk

gate view

Finally, while I was there...
...I got to see precious friends: attended Elizabeth's bridal shower and celebrate my 10th year friendship with my Korean buddies.

...I got to see Supermoon. That phenomena in which the moon appears to be closer to earth than ever before. I sat outside my door and took a shot of it, it does appear closer!

supermoon 2011

...I got to be a part of a fashion bazaar. Me and Trendygirls team got invited to showcase shoe fashion for the Summer Fashion 2011. It was hard work to be there but it was totally worth it. I got to meet people, they got to know more about Trendygirls and that was the goal.

Sundance bazaar

...I got to be published on one of iphone's city tour guide via itunes. My editor at My GPS City emailed me and told me my article's up! See link here and download it from itunes for $2.99, you can get 10 places guide with audio guide on your iphone.

My first walking tour article on itunes

And this covers my Manila 2011 trip.

New Year. New Home.by Jackie

I was sitting on a bench in a hospital waiting for my daughter's name to be called for her follow up check up after having her hand surgery. It was also the time that the doctor would remove the cast on on my daughter's hand which she wore for about a month. As a mother I was so anxious what would the doctor would tell me and my husband about the result and progress of the surgery. However, I had never seen my husband more worried than I am only except when there is something "big" that he want to tell me.

I did not mind much about it at first for I did not want to talk nor think about anything else rather than the doctor's opinion and conclusion about my daughter condition. But he seemed to be a kid who has been looking for a candy or of some sort. He kept on walking around, going in and out of the hospital. His moves made me more worried of something that could be related to my daughter's surgery. So I did ask him what had been bothering him and he could tell it to me right there and then.

He sat down beside me looking down on the floor and asked me, "Could you live here?" I was stunned could not think of anything to say though there were so much thoughts in mind. Questions like, "Why are you asking me that kind of question NOW?", "What do you mean by here?" , "What is wrong?", "Why do we have to move?", "What made you come up with that idea?"  BUT none of those thoughts were uttered. 

He held my hand and touched my face and moved it towards his face then he told me, "It is fine if you can not. It is just my thought." 

I did hold back his hand and told him, "Wherever you go, I will go. Just please do not ask me anything like this again in a situation where you know that I can be caught in between."

To confirm, he asked me once more, "So, can you live here?" I replied with a question to verify if he was serious about it. His answers were very consistent to what I was expecting for his idea is not only an idea, but it was already a PLAN.

That happened about 10 months ago. It took us 7 months to prepare for the BIG MOVE of our lives, that is to restart our lives in a city afar from all our families and friends but certainly not away. 

I do not only love my husband but I do trust his wisdom as well. Above all, I do trust God that every thing is just going to be fine wherever my husband and I will be. The important part of it is that, to me, we are together and we will always be, till death do us part.

A start for new friendships, new challenges, and new adventures for me, my hubby and my daughter.

Flying to our NEW HOME

Thick clouds covering the whole island where I could only see is the peak of Halla Mountain.

The excited family to their NEW HOME.