4 Minicountries In ONE DAY: (Short Visit To) Instituto and Little India, Koreatown and Chinatown with Margarette

- April 26, 2010, Monday

- I visited Instituto around 10 something in the morning to pick up my evaluations from my Spanish boss. Everyone was surprised to see me there because they thought they had seen the last of me in Dia del Libro. I stayed there and helped a bit while my boss filled up my evaluation form.

- After my almost-an-hour visit to Instituto, I had a side trip to Little India to buy myself a pack of red chili flakes, since the one at home will run out soon. Sadly, I wasn't able to find a pack, though the sticky and ubiquitous smell of Indian spices, and the sight of Indian people speaking in Punjabi, Hindi, or Sindhi brought back good memories from my first real adventure with Tina in 2008. I never realized how long ago that was.

- I rode the train to Vito Cruz, since I'd be meeting with Marga for my first adventure after my epic OJT. As always, I waited at McDonald's, ate a bit, and studied a bit of Spanish.

- My panic senses tingled when I realized that today was a Monday. I remembered the time when Nellie and I attempted to eat at Korean Village during a Monday, after we toured the big pack of Singaporeans around Manila. Sadly, Korean Village was closed then, and we ate at the nearby Robinson's Place Ermita.

- Marga and I were supposed to eat at Masan in Makati. Though a different Korean restaurant, I thought that we might have the same fate as my experience with Nellie.

- I calmed myself constantly and texted my friend Michael Sang Weon Lee and asked if he knew if Masan was opened today. He replied promptly and told me that it was. Just to be sure, he also sent me Masan's phone number, so I can verify for myself. He's such a great friend. :D:D:D:D

- I called Masan immediately and was relieved to know that they were indeed opened. Just as I pressed the "end call" button, Marga arrived at McDonald's. It was around 12:20 in the afternoon.

- As usual, we rode the LRT to EDSA, and the MRT to Guadalupe, and rode the L. Guinto jeep to Rockwell. From Rockwell, we had a long long walk to Masan in the far end of Polaris Street.

- We were happy to see Ms. Lee in a hanbok again; we last saw her during our first visit to Masan last July. Since we arrived later than usual, it was our first time to see Masan with a lot of people in it. We weren't able to take a picture with Ms. Lee in her blue hanbok since they were about to close in around 3 in the afternoon.

- As always, we were served with full excellence, not to mention Ms. Lee's hospitality and warmth to all her guests. She even cut cellphone conversation just so she could thank us when we were about to leave.

- We went to Wang Mart to grab myself a chocolate Korean ice cream, and buy the noodle-cracker with SHINee members on the package for Kaye. Coincidentally, Marga also gave me something like that with Onew and Key on the cover. Hahahaha.

- We rushed to the Guadalupe Pasig River ferry station, just in case we'd be able to catch the 3pm ferry. Since we arrived a bit late, we missed the 3pm ferry by around 20 minutes, and had to wait for the 4pm ferry instead. Cool. At least we could rest our super duper full stomachs, as well as our legs that made a big effort to walk faster than usual.

- The beaming sun and the awkward warmth of the station made us sluggish. Margarette had a light nap, and I brought out my Spanish book again to study.

- The ferry came during it's expected time of arrival, and we hopped on it excitedly. We rode the ferry, and went out the deck once in a while. Like all the people I tagged along with me to ride the ferry, I showed Marga the Malacanang Palace. Haha.

- After arriving at the Escolta ferry station, we walked towards our favorite dimsum place, Golden Fortune (Soler Branch.) Good thing we still made it in time for their afternoon dimsum promo. (From 2:30-5:30pm and 9-1am, a lot of their dimsum dishes are priced almost half the original.) If Marga and I had arrived around 10 minutes later, we would have missed the afternoon dimsum promo. Haha.

- We ate again, and talked again, not to mention drank to much water and iced tea from all the summer heat. I guess the afternoon was a bit stressful and short since we started our adventure late. Then again, I'm still thankful that I can now be officially reunited with my social life since my OJT has finished. I do miss my OJT, but I also miss my social life. Haha. Kudos to the last "real summer" of my life. Hahahaha.