I don’t understand why people insist on going out of Manila at this time…though it is exactly for these same folks going out that I get to enjoy being left here when there’s no traffic,no noisy vendors and no commuters jostling each other. I imagine that Manila during the Holy Week was like the 60s when the city’s population didn’t yet balloon to millions and the local transportation office didn’t yet give permits to every pesky jeepney and tricycle that applied to run the block. This is exactly what I wish the city to be, less of course the dirt, the pollution and the homeless, hungry people.
The only downside is that almost all of the establishments were closed for the most part during Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. I was hankering for a foot spa but which salon would open when you’re supposed to do your visita iglesia? I’d reason that I want a foot spa before I could even start the Stations of the Cross… “cleanliness” after all “is next to godliness.” 😛 Good thing that good ol’ outlets like 7-Eleven, Jollibee and the pares house next door remained open. And they didn’t have so many fish selections to begin with. The internet cafe near my place remained surprisingly open too, and I can only sigh since it’s hard being an “internet squatter.” Can’t wait to have a computer of my own again. Being without it is like having a chair with no legs, or a bed without a mattress… whatever.
Anyway, in the industry that am in, we unfortunately have only two days vacation which made every hour precious. Especially the ones spent with my loved ones… Mr. Game Boy and the twinnies. I still feel guilty that I will not be able to supervise them every step of the way, but (sigh) there is no other way.
Among other accomplishments, I got to:
– putter in the kitchen
– arrange our things
– wash clothes
– house-hunt ( & can’t believe that the ones they’re selling in the millions appear like shoeboxes to me)
– watched movies:
The Devil Wears Prada: I digested both the movie and the book in the light of having assisted a VIP Bitch recently. Liked it since am no whiner, even though the fashions in the film version didn’t totally rock and Meryl Streep’s characterization was in fact sedate compared to some media maven I know in real life.
Scoop : Can’t remember when I last saw a Woody Allen film and am too much of a fan not to like him each time. He appears to have aged so much though, and the situations in this whodunnit of a movie are too incredulous to be true. Still, I can relate since Scarlett Johansson plays a journalism stude (whoa)
Little Miss Sunshine – The ultimate depiction of the lengths individuals would go to to pursue their dream, with a touch of dysfunction along the way. Abigail Breslin was just adorable.
The Wedding Crashers – Can’t believe I wasted my time on this one. But ’twas funny.
Las Vegas (the TV series) – yay! good that my favorite pirate is now selling this, clear as a summer sky. Our boss told us to watch this show on casino life and I am. Josh Duhamel is cute! Presently addicted and determined to watch the entire three seasons.
Advanced Happy Easter everyone 😛
Happy Easter!
hi , and happy easter to you and your family , nice to read your blog , and as an australian casino person its interesting to read that you watch las vegas , those of us in the australian industry consider it a comedy . keep up with your writing as i love to read what you say .
Ajay, lucky you…at least your company gives you two days off for the holy week.
at$t only gives us three hours religious time off and it depends how long you’ve been with the company. the long timers gets it first before the juniors. i hope you and your kids have a very wonderful easter day and also egg haunting :).
Hey, totally agree with you. I can’t understand why people want to go to the provinces during Holy Week when it is so peaceful in Manila.
Yeah, I know we weren’t able to meet. And sorry pala I woke you up… hehe! 🙂
I was hoping pa naman, I’d surprise you at Casino Filipino… ako pala yung na-surprise because you’re in another hotel. 🙂
as in wala kaming bigas at ulam sa bahay. thank God for 7-11 and mini stop. muntik na kaming magutom kahapon haha.
Oooh you’re househunting!! How fun! But it can also be tiring. Good luck with that.
Dennis and I also opted to stay in Manila this week. We too enjoy the empty streets! Better here than in crowded beaches.
Ei Arbet, nice to see you here. Warm Easter greetings too:)
Mark, am so glad to hear from an Australian casino person, and someone who appreciates what I have to say at that (no matter how baloney sometimes), lol.For the record, you’re the first foreign casino person I’ve heard from.
Mandy, I thought I was in a worse situation and then I hear from you. Better to be thankful then. No holidays also for the hotel people here, but at least they can count those for accumulated day-off.
Toe dear, I regretted not meeting you but on second thought, I think there will be other opportunities to meet. I am particularly dreaming of you giving me a tour of the Angkor, haha. Tall order ba? Keep in touch.
haha. I know Rick…nagboycott rin ang mga carinderia. And at the pares house, am sure everybody was careful eating beef in public.On that Good Friday.
Hi Toni, err.. Ms. Home & Living:) ..I wonder how many vacations you got. House-hunting too? Let’s exchange notes.
happy easter to you too! i actually do agree with you when you said that manila sure is different during the holy week. really. i spent holy week once in manila and boy was i able to travel from philcoa to fairview in 15 minutes. that was the fun part.
So very true Atomic. For a few days once a year, we get to sample the utopia that a traffic-less Metro Manila is possible indeed.:P
i don’t know about you but holy week really provides one of the longest breaks you can have in a year– and during summer!
i prefer the provinces than the big city to detoxify and do some soul searching 🙂
i went home to my hometown last week with visits to caliraya and the paete hilltop but yet to blog about it. only posted pictures of the penitents whipping themselves in public
Hi Tutubi..unfortunately, as I said in the post, I didn’t have the long break you’re talking about. Surely, would have wanted to go to the province but time was too short. Would love to check out Caliraya sometime. regards