Time Out

Kung Hei Fat Choi! Sa aking mga dear reader/s… pasensya na at medyo matagal-tagal din akong walang entry. Medyo nag-AWOL muna kasi ako ng ilang araw. Bakit? Wala naman. Life is becoming too boring. I needed a break from life. Di naman ako nagpakamatay — don’t take the “need a break from life” to literal. Naisip ko lang na masyado akong down and bored the past few weeks — kung kaya’t kailangan kong mag-hibernate panandali. I took a break from my “Singapore” life — had a quick getaway – then balik ulit dito.

Ano ang ginawa ko? The usual. Everytime I feel that life here is becoming boring and unbearable — umuuwi ako ng Pinas. I went home for a few days and emerge myself sa buhay Pinas. O… alam ko na marami (tingin ko lang naman) ang magtatampo dahil sa hindi ko man lang nagawa na i-meet sila. Wag na kayo magtampo — hindi po ako nagtagal sa aming maralitang probinsya… was there for a day then balik Manila na ako the next day. Sa Manila man — pinili kong maging loner. Since I was only there for a limited number of days — medyo hectic ang buhay with all the places I need to go to. Syempre – bukod sa lakwatsa – kailangan na ring isabay ang mga sangkaterbang errands.

Sa aking sandaling pananatili Pinas — may mga ilang bagay-bagay akong namumi-muni….

1. MRT is the best transportation if ang patutunguhan mo ay within EDSA or near it (e.g. Makati, Ortigas, Fort). Grabe ang traffic sa EDSA… as in any time of the day.
2. Greenwich Pizza is the best pizza sa Pinas. The Pepperoni and Cheese is just pure heaven. Simpleng-simple lang ang lasa – cheese, pepperoni and a little tomato base. Walang kumplikasyon.
3. Majority ng taxi sa Metro Manila ay may napakahinang aircon. Di ko ito magets. Dahil bas a nagtitipid sila sa gasolina kaya kailangan hinaan ang aircon? Kulang sa maintenance? Malamang sabahin nyo na baka luma lang yung taxi… nope.. kahit yung mga mukhang bago na taxi ay may mahinang aircon.
4. God-send ang PUV tulad ng FX. I don’t think I’ll survive Pinas without them. Isa lang marereklamo ko… kung sa likod ka naupo— halos hindi ka na abutin ng aircon. Pero madali naman remedyuhan ito – e di sa harap ka maupo.
5. One should not take “Jollibee chicken joy” for granted. For sure ay mami-miss mo ito pag napunta ka sa bansang walang Jollibee. I had dinner in Jollibee few days ago – and it was one of the best dinner of my life. The 2 pc Chicken… with rice.. and overflowing gravy is to die for. Hay. Sino man ang magsabi na food has to be costly to be delicious is dead wrong.
6. I don’t like Trinoma. Feeling ko the layout is not that good. Nakakalito. Being a new mall — I was surprised na parang luma na ito. The floor tiles are chipped and dirty. The restrooms are not that clean. Ewan. I don’t think this place will be in my list of malls to go. Kaya sa mga hindi pa nakakapunta dito – lower your expectations.
7. Bibingka is no longer a seasonal merienda. Kahit hindi pasko – pwedeng magbibingka. I love the bibingka in Via Mare Café – piping hot with melting butter, salted eggs and cheese. Perfect with hot tea. Simbang gabi na lang ang kulang! ☺
8. Sa mga taong mahilig mag-merienda — the Philippines is the best place to be. I love merienda – nga lang dito sa Singapore — merienda usually consist of kaya toast, medium cooked eggs and coffee. Fine… I am exaggerating… meron din naman iba pang choice… but the choices are not as many as the choices sa Pinas. Palabok, Ginataan, Turon, Banana-Q, Camote-Q, Biko, Kwek-kwek…etc..etc.. I can go on forever… merienda pa lang. Wag na nating pag-usapan ang agahan, tanghalian at hapunan… mababadtrip lang ako!
9. Movies. I was surprised at the variety of movies na pwedeng panoorin ngayon sa Pinas. You have the usual “masa” movies, Hollywood blockbusters, Pinoy romantic comedies and Indie films. I was able to watch a few Pinoy Indie Films before – and some of them are really good. I am not into artsy-fartsy films… kaya medyo natuwa ako na may mga films din pala na artsy na pwede ring mag-appeal sa jologs na katulad ko. (Sidebar — saw Condo in Robinsons Galleria —- and I am not shy to admit — di ko ito nagets… the ending sucks… ano gusto paratingin ng filmmaker? Pag malabo ang mata kailangan magsalamin? Hmm… siguro para lang sa “ma-art” na tao ang movie na ito… maybe hindi ang tulad ko ang target audience….)
10. Bonifacio High Street is the best place to hangout. By hang-out – I mean have coffee… have a quiet dinner with friends… chill….. Lam nyo naman – when one gets older… the meaning of hangout changes. If you are looking for the “makatanggal eardrums” na tugtugin while sipping ice cold-oeverpriced beer - this is not the place to go. But if you are into a quiet afternoon walk with your pet dog, a good book and your ipod — swak na swak ka dito. Galing nitong place na ito. Makes me want to buy an overpriced house within the vicinity. ☺
11. Krispy Kreme is my favorite sin. I am a Krispy Kreme fan for the longest time. Lagi nga akong nagpapabili nito kung meron manggagaling sa US. Isipin nyo na lang ang aking kaligayahan when I learned that Krispy Kreme is coming to Asia. Syempre pa — bilang parusa sa akin – wala dito sa Singapore. Pero okay lang — as long as within reach na ang bilihan. Syempre pa – I did not forget to visit the Bonifacio High Street Krispy Kreme branch nung nandun ako. Diet? Ha? Ano yun?
12. Naghihirap daw ang mga Pinoy? Lagi ko itong naririnig. Mahirap na daw ang buhay… madami ang nagugutom…etc..etc… I really want to believe this —- pero tuwing uuwi kasi ako — this was not the scene I see. Parang kabute ang pagsulputan ng Shopping Malls at Condominiums….. ang daming private vehicles sa kalsada… latest model ang cellphone na hawak ng mga nilalang…. Punong-puno lagi ang malls….. walang maupuan sa mga restaurants…. I can’t help but wonder — ito ba ang mga naghihirap na Pinoy? Hindi ba this occurrence can be considered as a “growing purchasing power” ng ating mga kababayan? Of course – marami pa rin tayong kababayan ang nakakaranas ng poverty…. we can’t deny that …. But sa tingin ko – we should also not deny the fact that there are also a number of peope that are better off today than before. And we should be thankful for it.
13. Selecta Quezo Real is probably one of the best ice cream flavor in the whole world. I have been craving for ages sa Cheese Ice-cream na binebenta sa kalye – o in the words of the rich “dirty ice-cream”. Wala kasi dito nun e. Dahil walang dumadaan na mamang sorbetero sa pinag-stayan ko — Selecta Quezo Real ice cream ang binili ko. Grabe. Happiness in every scoop. Sobrang saya ko talaga. Pramis.
14. Malaki na ang iniayos ng Makati. Before kasi — kahit saan pwede ka pumara ng taxi. Ngayon may mga specific taxi stands na. Hindi na rin masyadong namimili ang mga mamang tsuper. A+ ito para sa akin. Keep up the good work!
15. There’s no place like home. Kahit ano pang sabihin kong masama tungkol sa Pinas —- the best pa rin ito para sa akin. Kahit ano pang sabihin ng iba — there is a steady progress sa Pinas. Nakikita ko ito sa tuwing uuwi ako. Siguro talagang pinanganak lang tayong mga Pilipino na medyo OA. Yun bang kailangan lagi may drama sa ating buhay. We have the dreaded “ teleserye disease”. Lagi nating pinag-tutuunang pansin ang mga negative sa buhay — that we failed to see and experience the good things Pinas has to offer. Ewan. Mahirap na siguro baguhin ito. Pero ako — alam ko — kahit nasa ibang bansa man ako – time will come na babalik din ako sa Pinas.