manila

Hey, Walter!

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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

In all its glory: Mulberry Walter

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Manila Night Crawlers

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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”

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… 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

The visitor’s badge

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Lessons from a bus ride

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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 - EDSA Greenhills - Vicky Belo

Belofied App billboard

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Around Metro Manila in “Bourne Legacy”

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Jeremy Renner and Rachel Weisz in Marikina Public Market

(Photo from wired.com)

Much has been said and done about “Bourne Legacy”, especially it was shown for more than two weeks ago. I only got the chance last Saturday to watch it, together with Mon and my almost-8-year old nephew who was a big Jeremy Renner fan. When he watched “The Avengers” last time, he was hooked in the Hawkeye persona to the point that he was hinting on wanting bow and arrows for his birthday two weeks from now. Not gonna happen.

Well anyway, my dear nephew fell asleep for about 15-minutes when the scenes were all talk and I can’t blame him. It was a PG-13 movie but I think if it were not for Jeremy Renner, he would not be happy to go with us to see it. But upon the mention of Manila, there was a progressive murmur of excitement among everybody inside the cinema, in anticipation of how the Manila scenes would be depicted in the movie.

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Perfect photo for Independence Day

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It’s a holiday today here in the Philippines because of our 114th Independence Day.

I was just browsing my news feed on Facebook to see what was going on with my contacts, then this picture posted by one of my classmates from graduate school popped up from my screen.

maria clara crisostomo ibarra prenup photoshoot philippines

Ligawan sa Jardin. Circa 1898. (Courtship in the Garden. Circa 1898)

(Photo from my friend’s FB)

Then it hit me. It was HER. Wow! I’m so living for the whole theme of this prenuptial shoot. Maria Clara and Crisostomo Ibarra from Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere.

I thought she was just looking for inspiration for her prenuptial shoot! It was one of the coolest and most beautiful thing I’ve seen in days, and it makes me extra happy to see it in this special day. Happy Independence Day!

 

My “stuff” — extremely picture heavy!

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So yesterday (or last Saturday as it is now Monday here in Manila), I had an afternoon to fix my things because they are scattered everywhere in my room.

I had the opportunity to clean what needs to be cleaned, polish what needs to be polished and others similar to that.

I also took advantage of the perfect afternoon sun diffusely shining by the window to take pictures of the things I currently own. I used to take pictures of them but only with my camera phone, and I’m not surprised that photos were better on a digital camera.

The most logical way for me to post my “stuff” (i.e. bags and SLGs only) here is via size, first with the largest until the smallest:

vintage louis vuitton keepall 50 manila philippines

Louis Vutton Keepall 50

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My undying love for Doc Martens

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Brown 8-hole Doc Martens and Black 14-hole Doc Martens

In Manila, or the Philippines in general, we don’t have Spring, Winter or Fall. We only have the sweltering heat of summer or the pounding rainy season. And in between those two, we have a momentary pleasant weather around the Christmas season. I’m like a human barometer. I can tell if it will rain because I’m usually very uncomfortable and will refuse to budge from one corner. Unlike the most adventurous folks here, I’m not the one to dress up looking like I’m up for a tundra experience. My layering is limited to two – just a shirt and a light jacket/cardigan, if the weather really permits.

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Stray kitty!

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I’ve been seeing this kitty in Farmers – Cubao for the last three nights on my way home from work. I just felt really bad over its mewing while scavenging for food.

Yesterday, I stopped by a vendor of candies and brought a pack of Skyflakes biscuit. I had tossed it to the poor kitten but she expectedly ran away. When I was about 10 feet away, I saw it come back to eat the food.

Stray kitten eating some biscuits in Cubao

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