Gilbert The Explorert's Toes Are Itchy Again: My Own Little Adventure :D:D:D:D

- July 3, 2009, Friday -> I don't have Friday classes this sem....maybe that's why I feel a bit sad, knowing that today is also a school holiday (Faculty Day + Late Freshmen Orientation)

- I longed to go for an adventure on my own, especially when I was ill the past 2 weeks (making this week the first ill-free week). Luckily, I had a chance to have a little adventure with me myself and I. :D:D:D:D



PART 1: CKSC (Chiang Kai Shek College)

- I picked up the pictures plus the CD (of the pictures) Uncle Ben, the auditorium guy, took during my recital last Sunday. I waited for Ke Sien around half an hour in the music room, since she was elsewhere eating her lunch. I would be picking up the pictures from her :D:D:D: I was also lucky to see a few friends while waiting for Ke Sien. :D:D:D:D

- I realized that I was late for an appointment with a friend in DLSU after I picked the pictures up. I rode a trike in front of the elementary building of St. Stephen's High School (SSHS) to the Doroteo Jose Station.



PART 2: DLSU (De La Salle University)

- I went to DLSU to deliver Margarette's Living Language In-Flight Korean (CD + booklet). Haha. I sold my copy of it to Marga a few days ago, and we had the transaction today. Haha. I wasn't using the CD/booklet anyway, since I didn't have time to use them. Oh well....they're in better hands right now. :D:D:D:D

- I waited a bit for Marga in front of McDonald's Taft. We met up shortly after a phonecall with each other and did the transaction. Out of nowhere, Lady appeared right before my eyes and 3 more people including my neighbor Russell. YEY!!!!

- I rode the LRT to Carriedo to start the "real" part of my adventure. :D:D:D:D

- Marga!!!! I'm sorry if I arrived uber uber late!! Hahahaha. I hope your meeting went welllllllllllllllllllllll. :D:D:D:D I also hope you're enjoying the CD/Booklet I sold you. :D:D:D:D



PART 3: QUIAPO

- Upong reaching Carriedo, I noticed that the wholeeee road was either playing religious music (as always) or Michael Jackson music. Sigh....

- I went to check out the music store in Quiapo, just in case they had stocks of the music piece my piano teacher told me to buy for my first ever piano lesson after my recital. Hahahaha. The store is called Rhapsody, and it's found in Platerias Street (it's a very very small street). It's a musician's haven....though unfortunately, they didn't have any stocks of the pieces my piano teacher asked my to buy.

- After going back to the main Carriedo road after visiting Rhapsody, I went straight ahead to the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene (a.k.a. Quiapo Church). Outside the church, I saw the usual stalls selling anting-antings and colorful wishing candles. I took one quick snap before going inside the church.

- Inside the church, I prayed a bit and observed the ocean of people inside the church. I also saw a replica of the black Nazarene on the other opening of the Quiapo Church.

- After "people watching", I went straight ahead to Hidalgo Street to visit our Muslim friends.

- I always wanted to discover more the customs and traditions of our Muslims friends. Since I was all alone, I was able to move around leisurely around the Muslim enclave found near the Golden Mosque (a.k.a. Globo de Oro).

- As I was roaming around like a tourist who has never gone to Quiapo before, I came a cross a simple Filipino-Muslim "restaurant" that I've been eyeing the past times I've been to Hidalgo. For some unknown reason, I forgot to see the name of the restaurant :| :| :| :|

- The nice "ate" introduced me to some Muslim dishes that were displayed in the glass case. I chose to eat Beef Rendang just for the sake of tasting authentic Southeast Asian Muslim food.

- After the nice ate seated me, I fancied the authentic Middle Eastern steel pitchers found on every table. I later found out that the pitchers were filled with drinking water, instead of the usual Middle-Eastern tea. :D:D:D:D

- Comment: THE BEEF RENDANG WAS VERY VERY SPICY. Gladly, the handy Blueberry-Grape Fit n' right bottle was always within my reach. Hahahaha. *Dear ate, salamat sa babala mo....kahit na naanghangan pa rin ang dila ko sa beef rendang.*

- After the ate's excellent service, I gave her a tip after paying for my food. :D:D:D:D

- Next on the agenda....MY SARONG HUNT :D:D:D:D

- I found a nice store nearby that displayed a lot of sarongs. I looked through the displays and immediately found an orange sarong that I instantly fell in love with. I asked the kind Muslim lady how to put on a sarong for men. She asked her male companion. The nice man taught me different ways of how to wrap a sarong on men. Sulit!! Not only did I get a generous discount from the lady, but I also had a Sarong 101 lesson from the nice man.

- After a few circles aroudn the Muslim enclave, I finally went back to the main Carriedo Road to walk towards Chinatown.



DETOUR 1: FENG SHUI STORE

- I went to this Feng Shui store with my mom the last time. I was amused by the "artifacts" as well as the usual Buddhist amulets and Buddha statues sold there.

- Some of the things sold there came from Nepal (uii....Nepal play memories). I almost bought a Garuda magnet "for good luck"....but I didn't (aww.)



DETOUR 2: STA. CRUZ CHURCH

- I passed by the Sta. Cruz Church on the way to Chinatown. The Sta. Cruz Church is just a stone-throw away from the Feng Shui store. Haha.

- I realized that I never gone inside the Sta. Cruz Church. Again, with time at my side, my little itchy toes dragged me inside the white church. I was fascinated at the solemn ambience of the church as opposed to the solemn-yet-a-bit-noisy-because-it's-crowded Quiapo Church.

- I was a bit shocked also to see some tombs inside the church. Oh well. They add to the solemness of the Church :D:D:D:D

- I also saw another replica of the Black Nazarene near the tombs.



PART 4: CHINATOWN

- As always, this town is very very close to my heart....and my home!! Hahahaha.

- I luckily found the little grocery Marc introduced to me a few months ago during my Ferry-Little India-Quiapo-Chinatown escapade with Tina and Mac. I ordered a glass of cold cold sugarcane juice and yes, I felt that it was heaven in juice form. :D:D:D:D

- I walked around Chinatown, hoping to find a male cheongsam, but unfortunately, non of the stores had a male cheongsam. *pouts*



DETOUR 3: MEISIC MALL - 168

- Since none of the stores in Chinatown had a male Cheongsam, I hoped that the tiny stall in Meisic Mall selling Chinese garments had one. I walked from Chinatown to Meisic and looked around like Chinatown was all new to me. Hahahaha.

- SADLYYYYY....the tiny stall in Meisic didn't have a male cheongsam....just the polo-type Chinese garments.

- Obviously, anyone could tell that I am starting to be depressed from "shopping". I went to the nearby 168 Mall to look around just in case I can find anything plaid or exotic.

- Gladly, 168 was not as crowded as it was "supposed to be"....since it was a weekday, and everyone else was either in school or at work.

- To add to my "shopper's depression", I couldn't find anything plaid or exotic that suited my taste....or my size (because the ones that were supposedly nice were TOO LARGE for me....talk about shirt sizes like XXXL or XXL).



DETOUR 4: SENG GUAN SI (The Buddhist Temple in Narra Street)

- While I was resting my tired legs in 168, I remembered the last time I went to Seng Guan Si with my mom. I didn't bring my camera then, so I was unable to take snaps of the marvelous Buddhist Temple.

- I took a long walk from 168 to Seng Guan Si.

- I went inside and was greeted by the security guard in a Buddhist way- with the usual "namaste" mudra. The namaste mudra is sort of similar to how a person would do to his hands when praying, or like how the Thai Ronald McDonald's would look like.

- I took snaps of some parts of the ground floor, including the "infinite" golden tombstone relics/representations (?? sorry, hard to explain....) of all the dead people.

- I went to the second floor to take snaps of Guan Yin (Avalokiteshvara), and the life of Buddha carved on the temple walls (sort of similar to the Borobudur Temple in Indonesia....but in a much smaller scale)

- I was also honored to visit the hall of the large large Buddha on my own....only the statue and I....There was a sort of "telepathic" connection between the LARGE golden Buddha statue and me. Maybe it's a result of too much talk about "how to be a human" in philo class with Doc Garcia. Hahahaha. By the way....I tried to find ways of showing how large the Buddha statue is. :D:D:D:D



PART 5: MCDONALD'S MASANGKAY

- After marvelling the size and goldness of the Big Big Buddha, it was time for me to head back to Masangkay to meet up with my usual McDo Buddies.

- I arrived in McDonald's a bit too early....I waited for a round an hour before my companions joined me.

- During that one hour wait, I saw some people I knew. I guess it was sort of a "Ramayana" reunion. I saw Alex (Manthara), some of my former dancers (KD and Kimberly), and Angelee (a former singer). I also saw Janessa, a MASCKS member, but wasn't a part of Yah Dharma Ke Pyaar.

- I also saw a few batchmates - Moises, Simon (na minamani lang ang Rubik's Cube) and Jacq Uy. :D:D:D:D

- Thankfully, after a looooooooooooong wait, Joanna came. We killed each other (like we always do), ordered food, and waited for everyone else. Soon, we were joined by Thea, Marnie and Nicollette. Too bad Ellaine wasn't able to come today.

- At one point, I also saw my friend Herly behind the counter in McDonald's. Boy is she working hard!! :D:D:D:D





Realizations:

1. This was a great but very very sabaw trip.

2. Sarongs can be pretty handy.

3. I visited (almost) DLSU for the first time. The last time I went to DLSU was when I took the entrace test there last 2006. Hahahaha. I didn't reallllllllllly visit DLSU since I didn't go in the school.

4. I like Southeast Asian Muslim food.

5. Sugarcane Juice is really like heaven in juice form.

6. I now appreciate Catholic/Spanish architecture.

7. I can go shopping WITHOUT SPENDING. (168....haha)

8. Trips with myself can be fun, but it's always fun to do it with at least 1 friend. Haha.

9. I can walk great distances (with a few short rests of course). I only commuted when I rode a trike to the LRT station, and of course the LRT trips to DLSU and to Carriedo.

10. I should sell my Living Language In-Flight Spanish (CD+booklet) as well. Hahahaha. Anyone wanna buy?? I gave a nice discount, since it's second hand. :D:D:D:D