This Photo Cracks Me Up whenever I come across it...Oh Well... Go Figure!
It is not often that we can drag Wu Mama out of her home... away from her sewing, temple activities and NUMBERS - so on this nite when she actually said yes to going out, we all could not contain our happiness and got ready we did.... Fast before she changed her mind, which she is known to do....
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.
Okay, even before Halloween it was already starting to look a lot like XMAS' And I could not be HAPPIER - after all, those of you who know me well, knows that this is my MOST FAVE Holiday of all!!!
Department stores & Shopping malls, both in Taiwan & The Philippines, have already made ways for their XMAS shops: started putting up their XMAS decors.... lining up major streets with XMas lights... and even started playing XMAS carols... Heck, even Nanay was playing Jackson 5's XMas music over and over, throughout our ride to see my MOM...
So getting into the SPIRIT of things - I made my first XMAS purchase for the year... this Paper Mache' Holy Family done in Green -- as XMas will be all green for me this year...
How is it in your neck of the XMas woods???
Back In Taipei once again... and the RAIN is back along with me... my flight got in at past 1PM yesterday afternoon... it was sunny when we were landing but lo and behold, as soon as I step off the bus, closer to my home, the rain started.... must have brought it back from Manila as I heard it was nice and sunny here when I was away.... and in Manila, it was raining off and on, the whole week I was there... 2nd day back today, Monday the 3rd and it has been raining heavily.... LOLs... RAINY SEASON here we come... good thing I have a lot of work to catch up to which will keep me indoors for the next few days....
Mom & Angel: Photo Above
The TRIP was, as always, HURRIED and TIRING... still it is always worth it to see my family - especially my MOM.... she is doing quite well -- HAPPY and ENERGETIC.... it was GREAT bringing a 2 year old girl, Angel (a cousin's daughter), with us to keep her laughing as she loves kids... The only bad thing is finding a LUMP on her chest that seems to be getting bigger -- so we need to get that checked out right away... and as with most older people, she does not want to deal with it nor even think about it... which can be frustrating...
So it is scary to think about these things... how my MOM is really getting old... I only wish I can make things more comfortable for her... give her a bit more HAPPINESS... if there is one thing that she is wanting - that is to get to see my Brother Benjie... I do hope I can make this come true for her... sometime soon...
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