How to Avoid Traffic in Manila.

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Traffic in Manila is the worst!  Just a couple of days ago, I made an awful mistake of starting to travel to Silang Cavite at noon, on a Friday which fell on a pay-day.  Awful! I was able to reach the gallery at 4:30pm and came back home at Cubao around 9:30pm.

Looking back I wouldn't want to go through it again.  Now the thought of doing a 9-5 job left a bitter taste in my mouth.  If this is something that I would have to go through 5 days a week, I should be feeling lucky with my current freelance job.

Here are the things that would have saved me a lot of time.

5 Ways to Avoid Traffic in Manila

1.  Leave early and avoid rush hour

I fell for the same mistake I did during the Pahiyas trip in May.  I left later than planned, so I had to start my day in traffic as opposed to a smooth and sailing trip with fresh and cool morning breeze.

2. You don't have to go to the bus terminal to get on a bus

Instead, get one that's running on the road.  Chances are there are still available seats, if not, there will be some soon.  It's better that way than to go farther distance to go to the terminal, knowing that you'll have to go back to the same route you've been before.

3. Take the MRT

The line may look intimidatingly long, but once they're accepting passengers, you'll notice that you'll get closer quickly.  You'll just have to wait for minutes.  Better that than waiting for hours in a bus.  I noticed that it has been running a lot faster than usual.  Fast enough that it made me feel scared for those people in it, at the same time, happy that at least they're moving fast unlike the bus that I was in.

4.  Try taking tricycle

Tricycles could go to streets that's not so traffic and make its way in between cars or along sidewalks.  The point is, it's moving.  The only con is that you'll inhale more smoke from exhaust and it's more expensive.

5.Traffic is worst in roads entering Alabang but it gets better through Guadalupe

Stops at ortigas and continuous well through Santolan.   When there's traffic, there's really no choice but to exercise patience. But hopefully with stricter road law implementation, and improved MRT system, it will get better.   As for now, we just have to roll with the punches. 

Publisher: Shy - Saturday, July 30, 2016

Slurping Pho like Crazy

I've had many embarrassing moments in my life.  Some of them I wouldn't dare telling a single soul about.  They haunt me in my dreams and in my waking times.  I don't know why these moments seem to happen more frequently lately.

For some weird reason, I don't have a clue.  But here's what I know... there's always a rainbow after the rain, and I'm just itching for my redemption to come.

Ok, so let's talk about the picture.  Let me introduce you to pho, a traditional vietnamese delicacy, which is just made by boiling different spices and beef for 8 hours, drowning rice noodles just few hours before serving and then eat them with mint and fresh mongo sprouts on the sides.  I know this because I made one before.

It's delish!

So the story went like this.  It was 4pm and my father was tagging me along as he does his meetings with his suppliers.  The last one he would meet for the day was held in Pho Hoa, a Vietnamese restaurant here in Trinoma, Manila.  One table for my father and his supplier, and adjacent to that was for me. 



It was 4pm, and I have not eaten lunch yet.   As soon as the bowl of soup landed on my table, I wasted no time and started to slurp my way down to bottom of that bowl.  It was out of my head that I was munching it ridiculously unpoised for a 29 year old woman.  All I could think about then, was that my mind was screaming that the soup tastes so damn good and that I should eat it fast, like super fast, and so I did. LOL

It just dawned unto me that it was that bad, when my father made this side note "you aren't so hungry, are you?", more so when the supplier said if I wanted to get half of his sandwich.

ok facepalm moment coming.

And BOOM there you go!



Image Source: {deadliestfiction}

Publisher: Shy - Thursday, February 20, 2014

How We Celebrated Chinese New Year!

Ok so most people in Manila who don't want to bother celebrating along a crowd of locals and tourists in Binondo, have eating Chinese food as their way of joining the festivity.  Unfortunately my sister, her boyfriend and brother are those people.  I, on the other hand, had already lined up an awesome itinerary, with us having to go to Binondo, try authentic Chinese food, watch the dragon dance and buy tikoy, a sticky rice cake.

But since that's 1 verses 3, I had no choice but to go with their idea.

So we went to Greenhills, and hit this Singaporean resto, Crystal Jade to eat some Chinese food. 

The food my sister ordered were sweet fried eel,

fried rice

flavored and original (wasn't able to take a picture of) Xiao long bao

All in all the bill was around P1116.  It was satisfying and was enough for the 4 of us.

sister and boyfie

We also bought ube tikoy in this stall, and ate some yogurt before heading home.

To finally cap this Chinese New Year celebration, we ate fried tikoy with kiat kiat (orange) for dessert.

Happy Chinese New Year Everyone!

May this be a year of prosperous beginnings for you.

Publisher: Shy - Friday, January 31, 2014

Scrumptuous Sundays in Legaspi Market

Ok.  What to do on a Sunday morning after church or a long sleep?  Why visit Legaspi Market of course.  Not so many people know this but if you have done a bit of traveling yourself, you know that in most Asian countries, tourists and local people alike hit the hawkers for some good, quality breakfast or dinner. 

Now it just so happened that Makati, baby, is the place to be.  For Saturdays, it's Salcedo market, and for Sundays, it's Legaspi.  Both markets are located in the heart of Makati, finding a home in  metropolitan parking lots.

Like Salcedo market, Legaspi market boasts of food from varied countries -  Persian, Moroccan, Japanese, Thai, Australian, are amongst others.  It doesn't have all the cuisines of course, but it has enough to make your palettes sing for joy.

Enough with the talk and on with the pictures.

For bohemian aficionados out there, this stall in particular is a real treat!




Pad thai anyone?




That's me getting curious and spying on a stall.

My sister's Belgian waffle.

My sister, and her waffle... and her other "waffle".

Awwww waffle love. <3

I did notice some sellers from Salcedo are participating here.  One difference I've spotted though is that this market also sells bohemian items, and a number of organic beauty products. 

If you're a fan of food, health, variety, and well, adventure, then Legaspi market is the place to be!

Publisher: Shy - Sunday, January 26, 2014

Making a Name.

Few days ago before leaving for my Bangkok trip, I was lucky enough to reunite with my college friends.  Two of which I haven't seen for 5 long years.  And as expected, when I met them, it was as if that 5 year gap has closed down in an instant.  

There was so much stories to share, and so much questions to ask.  

Time may have mold us, but our friendship remains the same.

Publisher: Shy - Saturday, November 03, 2012

When I Spent a Night in a Motel with my Girlfriend.

After getting booted out of my sister's apartment, I needed to find me and my friend some place to stay for the night.  We were trying to save as much money as we can for the trip to Bangkok and Cambodia which was then, scheduled tomorrow.  Eight days in our yet most expensive trip to date, two independent girls with limited budget, with no exact place to stay for one awkward night- 

we had to settle in a motel. 

Publisher: Shy - Friday, October 12, 2012

Salesladies are Crazy.

Being in the city makes malls the only place to go to find happiness.  Well of course that's not true, but at some point it is.

I don't know with you, but I go straight to the department store.  Why? well one, they sell cheaper items.   Oh well, actually that's the only reason I could think of right now.  With the trip fast approaching, I really don't have any budget to splurge.

Besides, department store salesladies are less aggressive than the ones in stores.  But anyways all sales ladies are alike.  They could get pretty pushy.  I especially don't like it when they start to follow you like they become your "shadow".

Publisher: Shy - Sunday, September 09, 2012

Baby I Know.

Have you ever had the time that you lost your way in the city and the only recourse you have to get to your destination is to ask?  Plenty of times, I suppose.

Publisher: Shy - Sunday, September 09, 2012

Adventure turned to Misadventure

They say that adventures should be found in really small, trivial things. Doesn't have to cost you money, doesn't need for you to hop in the plane, train, boat, and what not.  No.  Adventure could be in the form of eating food you haven't tasted for quite some time, taking on a different route going to work; banal stuff like that is already an adventure, and the only reason that we don't notice it is that we have already a definition of what an "adventure" is.  

Publisher: Shy - Saturday, September 01, 2012

Today. I Ate. A Lot.

Why Hello There!

My bulging tummy!  

Publisher: Shy - Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Today, I'll Eat. A Lot.

Sticky face. Cloudy weather.  No air.  Manila hasn't gone much more humid than this.  As much as I would want to have my ideas and thoughts flowing on one topic, I couldn't.  A lot of buggers flying in my mind and out of it.  Like for example, the fact that I haven't been eating much for a few days now.  People in the apartment, have decided to put a stop on the not-so-distant-possibility of bulging bellies, cheeks... everything.  Although my sister had already gone past that mark, she knew she needed to put a tab on the bulging trend and get herself to be in her normal size again.

Publisher: Shy - Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Binondo Girl for a Day.

Binondo - where Chinatown in Manila is located.

Girl - Me? Well not exactly. A woman, yes. :)

Binondo girl came from a drama series here in the Philippines and this is about a Chinese girl whom I'm not really certain what exactly happened to her, but since a damn good portion of filipinos watching it, whatever happened to her must be really really interesting.  I don't really watch tv these days and I just heard about the drama series from people who follow it.  And since it kinda fits my experience,  I used it! HAHA to that!

Publisher: Shy - Monday, August 27, 2012

Yesterday was the Day I Wanted to Get Lost. But thought of Eating Instead.

With only a pocket full of coins and handful of nerves, I decided that it wasn't a wise time for me to do this.  But it was definitely time for me to eat!  So yesterday, I visited Razon, a popular Pampanga food chain, to try their famous dishes.  It had made good in business, thus finding its way into Manila food scene and in different parts of Luzon and probably Visayas.  First time I went past it, I figured hey I saw that on tv before.  I should try it before I'll go home to Davao.  

And so I did.

I went in to try their most note-worthy dishes: pancit luglog and halo halo.   I took a photo of these with my phone but I had some trouble uploading it.  That's not going to stop me from posting this.  

Everyone! Meet the special pancit luglog of Razon.

Pancit luglog (Php95).Picture was taken from Senyorita lakwatsera's blog. 

Publisher: Shy - Thursday, August 23, 2012

Saturdays at Salcedo Market

Right at the time that I got in Manila, my sister and her boyfriend had kept on raving about going to Salcedo Market on Saturday.  They said it has stalls serving food from different countries.  And when I heard them said the words food and cheap. 

That was it.  

They got me! 

Publisher: Shy - Sunday, August 19, 2012

Manila Fever

Almost a week here, and I've never felt happier after several months now.  This was what I've been wanting all along -- Variety, and Manila has heaps of it.  Skyscrapers, traffic on the street, in the mall, sale everywhere, nice tops and accessories, good looking guys, nice skin, a lot of beautiful women, not that I fancy them.  Don't get me wrong.  It's nice to look at women and get some inspiration on how to dress and to do their make up.

Waiting for my sister in the mall.

Publisher: Shy - Friday, August 17, 2012

How a Rubber band Could Save Me.

"Don't get too excited! No rubber won't suck your negative vibes.  If that holds true, then I should consider adding spandex in my wardrobe." 

The sun was shining brightly as I stepped out of the plane.  What an awesome day.  It's funny how not long ago, the news reporter announced that it was raining here in Manila for days on end.  Nonstop.  There was flooding in most parts of the city.  Water rose up to the knee, at some places, it had gone up to the second floor of several houses.  A familiar sight.  We've seen worse though.  But yes, there was a flood and,   casualties too.  But today, Mr. sun decided to show up on my day of arrival. I want to believe that it was God's on way of telling me, "Welcome!".

And I sure did feel like so.  

Hello Manila!

Publisher: Shy - Monday, August 13, 2012

So Where am I Heading Next?

I have exactly 7 days left before I'll leave for Manila.  Had a feeling that I had to do a lot of things, but here I am, finding myself doing what I want to do which is blogging, hahaha.  I spoiled myself that way. My bag is partially packed and I've got my docs ready.  I wonder if I have missed out on anything.  

It would be definitely an adventure itself living again in Manila.  Although deep down, I knew I don't wish to live there permanently but since it's different then it should be fun.  Oh that phrase pops out time and again.  Hmm it's slowly starting to be my motto in life.  Well that will do for now. 

To give you an update, I'll be flying to Manila in less than a week now to work for my father.  Save money for my Indochina trip.  I'm very determined to make this trip very memorable.   Will not give much details on this but will let you know after the trip which is by the end of September. Hopefully everything will turn out just as I want it to be.  Although I haven't really gone much on the nitty-gritty of things, I have a general plan.  Thinking of it now, just makes me grin, on the outside and in the innermost part of my soul! hahaha  Cheesy much?!

Clue?

Ok.

Publisher: Shy - Monday, August 06, 2012