Around in Circles: Quiapo and Chinatown

- September 1, 2012, Saturday.

- I decided to spend my free day with my friend Kevin, after Kevin asked me the other day if I could show him around Quiapo, where he will be taking his board exam in a few weeks, as well as Chinatown.

- I met Kevin near my house around 1pm, and went to some hotels close to the board-exam venue, and asked for room rates; Kevin and some of his friends from elsewhere might sleep somewhere near the venue for accessibility.

- We walked the whole of Recto until we turned at a corner to go to San Sebastian Church. We visited the church, explained its significance to Kevin, before strolling the whole of Hidalgo Street at the backside of the church. We finally reached Kevin's soon-to-be board-exam venue, and walked on to Muslim Town, turning left at Norzagaray Street.

- I was able to chance upon a store that sold some interesting Muslim/Maranao clothing. I got a shirt-pants set for 400, instead off 450php. I was also able to practice my Arabic, for the first time ever, with the store owner. It was nice to know that my Arabic was "good enough" for someone who didn't learn the language formally. I was even asked if I was a Muslim, or where I came from, since it was unusual for someone who didn't look Muslim, or Arab, to speak in Arabic.

- After going around Muslim Town, and showing the Golden Mosque to Kevin, Kevin remembered that he left his umbrella at KFC Recto. We went around Recto again, and rode a jeep near Chinatown after the umbrella was returned to him, fortunately.

- Kevin and I had a short time in Chinatown, and had some dimsum at Golden Fortune, where I met my friend Anne and her oh-so-international co-workers.

- It was a short afternoon, but definitely a worthwhile one. My legs are tired from all the walking, but moving my butt around seemed to do me well; I had been eating nonstop the past few days. Haha. It was also great to have had a bit of culture this afternoon, something that feeds my soul.