manila – BRYOLOGUE

Hey, Walter!

May 29, 2022bryologue Leave a Comment

Since finishing my final school requirement, I finally have the time to start cleaning out my bags. One night, of course, won’t be enough. While we were watching a movie on Netflix, I was busy cleaning the leather bags with some leather cleaner spray.

I am not sure when (i.e. what date) I would finish, but I had to start somewhere, right?

Cleaning day! Mulberry Piccadilly, Bayswater and Small Bayswater

Cleaning day! The ‘Bayswater’ family: Piccadilly, Bayswater and Small Bayswater

On the other hand, from time to time, I stumble upon a nice bag for sale.

I have not been buying bags since the start of the pandemic because not only of adulthood (I had to renovate a house for months!), but also I have nowhere else to go. I even switch things up a bit just to go to the grocery so as to air some of my bags out.

But this showed up. And of course, I had to get it:

In all its glory: Mulberry Walter

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Manila Night Crawlers

January 16, 2021bryologue Leave a Comment

I am not sure how the title sounds, but it seemed apt to what we exactly did one Saturday evening. We have been seeing beautiful photos of the City of Manila at night making the rounds in social media. This crawl had been long overdue, but, despite the quarantine and working from home, we did not have much time.

Well, we finally did it with our trusted 25kph max e-scooters. Our first stop, chase the sunset at Manila Bay.

Manila Bay does not look that filthy from here

From our place it took only around 15 minutes to go there. We haven’t been this close to the sea for more than a year. While Manila Bay is not exactly a beach resort, seeing see birds, a floating restaurant, boulders, and seawater was a welcome respite.

Disclaimer: I had to remove my face mask ONLY for this photo. Yes, I wore the same thing as my last post!

There were a couple of families who were there. I thought 16 year old kids are not allowed to be outside because of the quarantine protocols. But I don’t blame them. It has been a very long movement restriction in the Philippines and kids may not be handling this very well. We even allowed Brie to drop us off back to the apartment last New Year — the farthest she had been since being at home since March 2020.

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“Toto, I’ve got a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore”

August 7, 2014bryologue 3 Comments

… that was the first thing I thought of when I stepped inside this enclosed and highly-guarded area in Manila. It was so — clean. So clean that it was impossible to believe that such an oasis exists in the heart of this bustling city. The walkway leading to the main office building was lined with flagpoles and flanked with two Japanese koi ponds. I had been into this area last year, when we were to renew our clearance from NBI. I always wondered how the place looked inside, knowing what it was. You won’t be able to see anything from the streets, and I don’t remember having a peek while the LRT traverses Taft avenue (or is it even visible from the railway?). One has to leave an identification by the gate, subject any bags for inspection, and get frisked by the guard before entering. There were barely any people walking by the excellently manicured lawn, and I was half-expecting children doing cartwheels on the grass. LOL

I had a couple of “appointments” (you very well know what I am talking about) in the Philippine office of this international organization. But as much as I want to put its name in writing, I fear that doing so might either jinx my chances or bring the panel into my website. Not that I have anything to hide, but I just don’t want the contents of my blog to influence the selection process. I am still hoping for the best and, of course, preparing for the worst. What’s the worst thing that can happen now, anyway?

The visitor’s badge

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Lessons from a bus ride

September 14, 2012bryologue 3 Comments

Just kidding. I won’t be giving a mock epiphany over a bus ride, the same way an article of a ditzy girl from a school in Katipunan had gone viral earlier this week and received lots of criticisms.

Anyway, I had an unfortunate incident before leaving the house and tripped and midly sprained my left ankle. I then chose not to take the MRT out of fear of taking another wrong step and rolling down the stairs to see the end of me.

As much as possible, I avoid taking an airconditioned bus because I can’t stand the air conditioning mixed with those My Shaldan and pine tree-shaped air fresheners. Just the thought of smelling them made me instantaneously nauseous. As I always claim, I can ride an ordinary bus or a long jeepney ride but not an air conditioned bus. However, as years passed by, I finally developed a better tolerance, unless the bus really stinks.

Belofied App billboard

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