TrAvElInG fUn WiTh JuLiANa...

Just last week, Juliana got adventurous and decided to travel off her beaten path, come with me, and give Manila a shot -- for 5 days!!!

As much as I was looking forward to this trip with Juliana, I was also getting anxiety attacks, as I do when I am playing tour guide... No matter where we might be heading... and it did not help that most of her friends are asking her: "Why Manila?" I guess these days, when people think of traveling to Manila, not for business, they go for the beaches: Boracay, Palawan, Davao... not too much the city -- which can be quite overwhelming to most... I remember traveling there with a friend from San Francisco back in the early 90's - this being his first time in Asia, he totally suffered CULTURE SHOCK!
Am so relieved that all turned out well, more than well to be exact... Juliana was such a perfect traveling companion... not demanding at all... and just as "happy go lucky" as I am.... we filled our days with just about anything... no real schedule and plans.... we roamed where the day took us.... shopped and window shopped... enjoyed the XMas decor - which really is a MUST SEE as the Filipinos go all out for this Holiday.... and ate here and there....

Each day we got back home around 9 or 10 pm... settled in and relax for a bit, shower and chat about the people we saw, people we wished were with us in the trip, the things we bought and did not buy, and life in general -- till 1AM!!! Overall, it was a GREAT TRIP... one for the memories, indeed... and we are already talking about the next one.... here's a bit of the ITINERARY:

Nov. 22nd: First stop was my FAVE place in Manila, Shangrila - Edsa Mall... ate at Sumosam Japanese restaurant, walked about, shopped, and then met up with my family for dinner at Barrio Fiesta, a typical Filipino Restaurant.

Nov. 23rd: Met with Filipino artist, Jose Guillermo Naval @ Artina Resto & Gallery to pick up one of his works; lunch at Jollibbee; DVD shopping at Makati Square; then HIGH St @ The Fort to meet Juliana's Taiwanese friends living in Manila, the Chens, and dinner at Abe Restaurant.

Nov. 24th: Gave Juliana a TRUE Pinoy experience... made her take a tricycle, then the MRT to go North to hang out at one of the biggest and most crowded shopping malls, TRINOMA; lunch @ 5 Cows; saw the movie PASSENGERS; and the double whammy - coffee from STARBUCKS & desserts from Krispy Kreme;

Nov. 25th: Daytime was spent discovering the SPANISH influenced area of INTRAMUROS; lunch @ ILLUSTRADO & antique shopping at SILAHIS; In the evening we headed to The Podium to relax @ The Spa, a bit of shopping, and then dinner at KIMONO KEN.