Philippine Travel Notes

After office evening walk, sosy ako this evening, Ortigas Center eh! Not that I crave to live anywhere in Metro Manila again.., but at times I feel this little 'kick' at being back and walking around like a tourist! So there I went, strolling along a pre-determined route: from Holiday Inn, walk eastwards along Garnet Road, turn right at Emerald Ave., right again at Ortigas Park straight to Opal Road, another right turn at ADB Ave., and back to Holiday Inn Manila Galleria! That's only about 1km, but a pleasing enough stroll. But.., the only thing constant in this world is change, right? Indeed it is. And it happened tonight! As I stood at the sidewalk of Citiland Grand Emerald Tower (Emerald cor Garnet), I looked diagonally across to that fairly new Eton Emerald Lofts (I often passed here when it was still being constructed) and wondered how their condo units looked like (I like lofts). So I crossed perchance get information! Eto na.., at ground-level corner of the ...

Just saw this today. Kinda new to me since I am seldom in the metropolis these days. And yes, I am again staying at, ah don't mention it anymore! I was walking to the Army Navy Branch at Strata 2000 when I passed by this corner. I got curious, so I entered! Corner Emerald Avenue (left edge of that photo above) and Garnet Road (front and to the right), yes, ground floor. I think this is the Grand Emerald Tower Condominiums. When I entered, this is what I saw... and in my mind I said, abaaaa pwedeee! Yeah, me "ambulance" (ambiance) enough, and not crowded! So I looked for a seat... And, I chose this corner for two... comfy and cozy enough, right? Where I sat is about the very middle of the restaurant. Behind me is that "brick wall" in the second picture above (near the bird cage). And to the left of that bird cage is entrance. To my left is a glass wall facing Garnet Road, and, that other glass wall at far end, is Emerald Avenue. Why am I telling you this? ...

Just to say really that "I have been there" hehe! Sorry na, pag-bigyan ang probinsyano! As said in previous stories, I have ceased being a Metro Manila 'citizen' since 2009 started. There are places sprouting around that I'm not even aware of (any longer)! And this was a grueling adventure - to Metrowalk! Sige tawanan mo ako! The story... I was in the metropolis, Ortigas Center to be exact, for meetings and briefings. Friends were busy on FB Chat talking about a 'dinner tonight' - alangan namang lunch tonight, ano? I butted-in to their kuro-kuro, telling them 'sali ako', which surprised everyone, as I forgot to tell that I was 'in town'. Long story short, unanimous decision was "7PM, dating gawi, Metrowalk" - which made me all the more excited! Why "excited"? Because I was staying at the %@#$ GoHotels Ortigas, which, I was sure was just near! In my mind, I even immediately drew a map: walk eastward on Garnet or ...

Am back in the metro for 3 days of successive meetings! No worries on traffic. Am staying at this hotel near clients' offices... This hotel is fairly new. The latest addition on what seems to be a growing chain of budget hotels strategically positioned all over the country. Well, if 'just rooms' will be the basis, since they are immaculate clean (bago kasi), though rather small, I think, (for now) this can be a good alternative in the Ortigas area. I needed to be in the Ortigas Center for a succession of business meetings, and a colleague told me she saw a new hotel just recently inaugurated behind Robinson's Galleria. So I searched for it via google maps, and long story short here I am! This is some kind of a 'budget hotel' venture by the owners of, yes you guessed it, Robinson Land - y'know, the owners of Robinson's Galleria, Cebu Pacific etc., etc. But...There are weird things! Like: 'no food or drinks in the rooms' - you can do it th...

Despite the odds, I did it anyway, and I just did it today! Yeah! Am happy I did! I swear I will do this again in the nearest future with friends and/or family. This all started with my curiosity about those good-looking white boats plying the murky Pasig River. Every time I pass by the Guadalupe bridge in Makati (ok Mandaluyong is the other side), I always chance upon a quick glance of those white boats. Many times it made me feel nostalgic remembering those days when I would ride the CityCats of Brisbane from Hamilton down to Southbanks or even further to the UQ. Those boats are similar to what Pasig River now has! I did hear some years ago about Piso-Para-Sa-Pasig (a rehab program) and I did hear that some commuters use the Pasig River instead of the dizzying traffic on city streets. Sometime ago, there was even news of a motorized outrigger banca (full with students) that sunk in this murky river. But I have not heard (yet) of good-looking and seemingly clean (at least from afar) c...

Metro Manila is awash with all kinds of malls and shopping districts. These establishments are sprouting by the day. And just about a few rainy seasons ago, there rose Tiendesitas – an affluent kind of tiangge or a permanent bazaar for the well-to-dos! It’s a wide expanse of a tent-like roofing with hundreds of little stores (stalls) in it – tastefully and orderly arranged – therefore expensive hehe! From the outside, the place looks like a Mindanao-inspired thing. Even the decors at the eating areas have those colorful vintas of Zamboanga. So what really is there at Tiendesitas? Ah… well… food, fun and shopping for expensive things that you can otherwise have at very low prices elsewhere. But let’s give you a tour of this “hip” place as many a middle-class family would call it. Where is it? Tiendesitas sits in a sprawling field near to (not along) Ortigas Avenue in Pasig . It is also near to (not along) Julia Vargas Avenue still in Pasig . Its frontage faces east and right in front...