"Your Wish Is My Command": Soraya's Birthday in Binondo Chinatown

- May 14, 2014, Wednesday.

- My grad-school classmate and friend Soraya had been asking me time and time again in the last two years when I could give her my "famous Binondo tour." Time and time again, I have regretfully declined due to schedule conflicts. This time, we were finally able to make it happen, and to make it more special, I realized that today was Soraya's birthday - and what better present to give her than my "famous Binondo tour."

- I met Soraya in Carriedo around 1pm, and journeyed the sun-raped Ongpin to Cafe Mezzanine, where we had a light lunch. Of course I had to catch up with Soraya because I haven't seen her in a long time. Soraya also felt very excited for the afternoon, because other than finally being able to "show her my Chinese backyard," she was doing something special (and very Asian) for her birthday.

Yes, the lampin is there because I was sweating like crazy.

- After lunch we went to the Binondo church to light a candle and pray, a practice Soraya has inherited from her grandmother. We walked inside the solemn church, and told Soraya about my frustrations about the Binondo Church renovation. I seriously do not like how it is being restored, and the church doesn't have that classic and "historic" look anymore. I not looks like a cemented and unfinished church. I dread that it will look so modern and unauthentic like the recently-restored Sta. Cruz Church.

Puke-worthy renovated Binondo Church. I cringe. I cry. The smile, is obviously, fake.

- Soraya and I passed by the plaza on the way to Lucky Chinatown Mall, where we had some temporary relief from the angry sun. To our surprise, the central area of the mall had Buddha statues and costumed women in celebration of Vesak Day, or Buddha's birthday. I knew that there were Buddha-bathing events going on last weekend and probably this next weekend, but I did not receive word that there would be some activities within the week. Soraya and I were also able to get free beaded bracelets after visiting the golden Buddha statues.

Whoops, covered the third Buddha.

- I accompanied Soraya to 168 to hunt for her cellphone case, to no avail, but I urged her to buy a nice, elegant, and ridiculously inexpensive dress; she didn't want to at first, but I knew she wanted it and I also knew that she'd regret not buying it if ever we left.

An odd kiddie costume from City Square.

- We found our way back in Lucky Chinatown, just in time for some Buddhist presentations from the central area. People just had to stop and see their cultural performances. Soraya and I would have wanted to stay more, but we could not miss our most important thing on the list - dimsum afternoon in my favorite dimsum place.  

Bodhi tree dance.

Another mandatory shot.

With the free Buddha bracelets.

Very fond of dimsum lah.

- Golden Fortune has always been my ideal dimsum place. Other than being in a more secluded part of Chinatown, it is quiet every afternoon during its dimsum-promo time (from 2-5:30pm in the afternoon, and 9pm-1am at night,) and of course, its dimsum is always fresh, moist, and a little treat for the heart (like what "dimsum" really means in Cantonese.) Aside from that, we also had our bowls of mango sago; they're as yellow as the sun, but as cool as the winter snow - a perfect treat for the summer, no?

- I walked with Soraya to the LRT station on the way home. Soraya felt that we did not have enough time to explore and chat, but I told Soraya that she could just inform me if she plans to come back (and way in advance due to my jigsaw-puzzle and ever-changing-like-the-wind-and-water schedule.) As early as now, I'm excited to meet Soraya again for another Binondo explorin', and probably with a few more friends from the UP Asian Center.