It’s one of those events you look forward to every year, especially if you’re a bibliophile like me or is someone who has some interest in the printed material (whether fiction or non-fiction types)
Last weekend I visited the 2009 Manila International Book Fair, an event I religiously attend each year ever since I was exposed to it during my high school days when it was still held at the Megatrade Hall of SM Megamall.
I followed the fair’s “evolution” of sorts, as it moved to a bigger venue back then at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, (which I didn’t approve back then since it was not as accessible for me as it was when it was then at SM Megamall) then moving beginning last year to the “newer” and larger venue which is the SMX Convention Center near the SM Mall of Asia.
SMX Convention Center at the right
Naturally, the highlights of the show are the books. The printed matter. Lots of them at book fair (AKA limited time low price offer) prices…
Since the book fair has an “academic” feel to it, it would not be a surprise to see booths that offer educational materials and toys as well: educational videos, pens, puzzles, globes, toy robots, and interactive boards to name a few:
various hydrogen and battery-powered robots
watching an education video
some interactive touch-based interface board
The last one somehow caught my attention and made me think: could this be the future of classroom teaching? While the answer may seem to be obvious, as far as our educational system is concerned in general, we still have a long way to go if we would want to realize such an interactive environment on our classrooms.
But going back to the fair, I spent more than half a day browsing through different books and magazines on different subjects courtesy of the different exhibitors with their offerings for this year’s event. Some, even offering more than just books.
Diwa Publishing, the folks behind the Diwa and Bato Balani magazines that we read in elementary and high school, have some science-related exhibits that were quite popular. If you have been a regular Book Fair attendee, you should know the guys at Diwa often puts out a great exhibit booth. This year’s no exception:
a "laser" harp which actually plays like a real one, without the strings
a metal ball giving out static electricity...the proof is in the hair!
The booth of the Ayala Foundation (which runs the Filipinas Heritage Library and the Ayala Museum) shows the different (revolutionary you might say) way of thinking as to how to promote art. What better way to do it than to sell items like pencil cases, notebooks, coloring books, and children’s story books on Filipino art and artists like Fernando Amorsolo, Damian Domingo, and Fernando Zobel.
pencil cases, notebooks, and pencils adorned with works of Filipino artists
And some other interesting highlight of the fair which are worth noting:
a piano with an LCD screen...now you can play the piano while doing a videoke! haha!
coffee table book on Fernando Amorsolo
Michael Jackson madness at the book fair
"Indio," a landmark work by komiks legend Francisco Coching, restored and released in graphic book form with the help of Gerry Alanguilan
some of the historical publications released by Bookmark
But perhaps the main highlight of this year’s book fair, which is celebrating its 30th year is a special exhibit honoring the legacy of the man known as the “Prince of Filipino Printers:” Tomas Pinpin. This was to commemorate his achievement that was made almost 400 years ago, when he became the first Filipino who printed two landmark books, “Arte y Reglas de la Lengua Tagala” (Art and Rules of the Tagalog Language) written by the Dominican priest Fr. Francisco Blancas de San Jose, and the “Librong Pagaaralan nang manga Tagalog nang Uicang Castilla” which Pinpin himself wrote.
Tomas Pinpin
If the number of people who attended this year’s book fair is any indication, it’s the fact that books are not as dead as they say they are. Rather, they will continue to evolve in this changing world. And as long as there are people who still appreciate reading and there are still people who have the passion to share this love for reading, then we can at least expect more book fairs like this one to come in the future.
bonding moment over books
See on next year’s book fair!
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Truth be told, my high school years were one of the most memorable years in life. In spite of some embarrassing and humiliating moments I went through during that time, I would not have grown and developed into the person I am today if not for those moments that defined during that period, whether it is by choice or just by sheer luck.
Despite my close affections to my high school alma mater, I have not gotten the chance to visit it again for almost 10 years. College, then work took up much of my time. And, to be honest, I did not feel like going back to high school, for reasons I now could not understand why.
Eventually, I warmed up to the prospect of visiting the high school grounds again, especially after our high school batch’s little “get-together.” Prior to that I have heard so many things with regards to the latest developments in the alma mater, which only served to arouse my curiosity and interest to visit the school again.
I then decided to visit the school myself recently after much thought. Soon enough, my mind went on a reminiscing mode as I walking the same road I took when I went to high school. Food stalls and Internet cafes now abound the area more than when I last passed by this street. The shanties and other houses near the railroad tracks have now disappeared, replaced by a view of some wild grass growing beside an expanded train station.
Inside the campus, I was surprised to see the old oval grounds shrunk considerably in size as it gave up its space for a new landmark.
While I was a bit sad to see old landmarks of the campus disappear, I was also glad to see new landmarks, like the campus linear park.
It was also nice to enjoy cheap food again that I’ve come to love there, with more choices to offer than before when I was still there…
And of course, it was to see the old sights of the campus once more.
Like the lagoon below, still “green” as before…
Finally, the high school grounds…
I was able to get a chat with my old English and History teacher, who now serves as the High School principal, who told me a lot of things going on lately in the school, like the preparations for the upcoming National Career Assessment Exams. She is gunning to improve on their performance last year, No. 2 behind Manila Science High School among the top-ranking public schools in the City of Manila and No. 6 if including private schools in the said city.
Then there was the recent competion that the high school chorale joined in Malaysia in which they were able the silver prizes. Hearing the stories of how much the team went through (budgetary restraints and all) it was nice to see that they got to bring home the secondary bacon, if not the big one.
She gave me a little tour of the high school grounds. Seeing the brown-coated metal doors of the classrooms where my classes are held are still there, making me go on a reminiscing mode once more. The typing room, in the midst of today’s technology, is still there too.
Then there are the changes. The restrooms (at least the ones I saw) now have wheelchair-friendly ramps. The back of the campus is now more greener thanks to the linear park that was developed there by the banks of the Pasig River. The high school library which was once on the basement of the adjacent learning center had to move back to a smaller space in the high school grounds due to expansion of the offices located in the learning center. Then there’s the new audiovisual room which was put up thanks to the efforts of the high school alumni coming from an older batch, right where the old CAT headquarters used to be located.
As it was before, as is the case of many state-run educational institutions even today, funding is probably one of the most pressing problems of the school right now. But for now, the pressing need is the funding to expand the audiovisual room since its current capacity would not be able to handle all of the 130 or more students in a given batch. The principal and the teachers I’ve talked to are hoping that my batch would be able to lend a “helping hand” in fulfilling that project. With a planned reunion and fundraiser by my batch this October (details of which I do not have..yet) the principal is offering the high school grounds as a venue and hopes whatever funds we raise for the event can be used for that project.
Overall, it was quite an experience for me to step on the high school grounds again, marveling at the things that have changed and those that remained the same all these years. You could say it was surreal as a little part of me wants to go back in time and experience those days once again. But the world that I am currently living in beckons me back to reality. So I stepped out of the campus gates with this renewed sense of appreciation for a school that helped me become in what I am who hopes to return some time and perhaps be able to give back in some way to the alma mater.
It was nice to return to those hallowed grounds of high school
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A Reflection On Two “Deaths”
Who would have thought that in a span of one week, when we transitioned to yet another month in our calendar, there would be two deaths that would take us by surprise at the very least.
One was a death in the literal sense with the passing of a national icon in the person of Corazon Aquino.
The other was a figurative one, but a death nonetheless of what was considered a national honor that is of being a National Artist.
The literal one gave us a reason to grieve but feel thankful for the contributions that person gave in her effort to serve our country in her lifetime.
The figurative one gave us a reason to grieve and feel outraged over what seems to be an outright disregard to the honor and prestige to the ideal of what the honor originally stood for. More than the outrage of many over some of the names who were given the honor, it is also an outpour of outrage over disrespect to the
But if there’s something that makes our culture unique in some way, it’s the fact that death, regardless of the form it takes, at times can reignite this nation’s consciousness. This despite of the fact that we generally think of death as a morbid topic that some opt not to discuss.
There are a lot of examples in our history that proves just that. From the time of Diego Silang’s death to the figurative death of the impeachment process that lead to EDSA People Power 2, I believe it just goes to show that we are a great people always wanting the best for our country and our fellow men. And as such, we are capable of accomplishing great things, even the impossible, for our country, especially given the push or “trigger” for us to act.
I remember a quote once which rings true in light of these events. “in death there is life.” Both these deaths have succeeded in bringing to life once more a renewed sense of patriotism for the country and heed the call to act once more for the good of the country and brush aside the feelings of disillusionment and apathy that have accumulated over the years.
It seems fate has a way of making these things happen in a time like this as the election season has already heated up our landscape, when we need the Filipino spirit alive once again in discerning who’s best to be our next leader. May these events inspire to put our renewed sense of love for our country into action by choosing the next best leader who will have the courage and wisdom to take our country to the figurative promised land of progress.
Our renewed Filipino spirit has already done much in honoring Cory in her passing. Let this spirit continue to burn in our hearts. For people like me who have been outraged for the lack of respect and perceived politicism given in the selection process of some of this year’s National Artists, you can start by letting the government know of your indignation over the disrespect they seemed to have made in their selection, even just by writing a simple online post or sign the online petition expressing your voice of protest.
It’s not much, I know. But it’s a start for us to be involved in our little way to make our voices heard and make democracy truly work as Cory and many other noble Filipinos then and now are hoping that our country would achieve.
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my little rail affair
I can attribute my fascination with the railways as far back as my childhood. I spent my younger years just near the Philippine National Railways tracks. No, my home is not one of the “home along da riles” types. But it was close enough for me to hear the siren of the train especially when it approaches the Sta. Mesa station nearby. While my family took residence farther from the railways, I found myself acquainted with the railways once again when I entered high school in PUP. I found myself every school day crossing the railroad tracks, sometimes hurrying to cross when the trains approaches nearby.
Despite my affair with the railway all those years, the last time I rode a PNR train was more than 10 years ago, which also happens to be the first time I took the commuter train. I remember I took it to get to Alabang for the first time so I can get to go to the Festival Mall. At that time, both sides of the railway was populated heavily by informal settlers (aka squatters) who fortunately didn’t throw stones at the train as we were passing along. Overall, while the trip was a quick one, I just couldn’t help but feel sorry for the state of the PNR rail system at that time with the deteriorating condition of the locomotives and the depressing view of squatter colonies along the way.
My place of study, then of work, as well as the places I frequent to for leisure made it impossible for me to take the PNR train as I found myself using the LRT and MRT lines even more. Line 2 holds closest to my heart not only because it’s the more modern of the current mass transit lines here in the metro, but it’s also more accessible for me since one of the stations lies near my home, nearer than the PNR station even though they’re in the same vicinity of sorts.
In recent years though, something akin to a miracle was happening to the PNR rail system. I found myself surprised to see the “homes along da riles” gradually disappearing and work was actually being done as the wooden rail platforms were being replaced with concrete ones.
Then I heard the good news: the Philippine National Railways is reborn: with a new logo and new airconditioned trains to boot. I just had to express the new PNR.
As fate would have it, I found out that the train schedule fit well with my work schedule that time. I took the opportunity to take the train again, after so many years. That day, I’m taking the train from Sta. Mesa to Buendia (Gil Puyat today) which is the nearest station to my work place.
The train now arrives the station. The locomotive’s design reminds me of the trains plying my beloved MRT Line 2. Spacious, clean, and most especially, airconditioned. I just couldn’t help notice the iron grills placed on the closed windows. Maybe they’re still taking precautions against some people who throw things at the trains.
It is also heartening to see many people who are patronizing the PNR trains, most especially students, faculty, and other employees from nearby PUP. Now with news of a PNR reborn, I’m sure more will now take notice and patronize the PNR trains once again.
The ride itself was surprisingly quick and smooth, as the train ran a non-stop service with its first stop at Buendia. The squatter colonies along the tracks have now disappeared, though you can still see some shanties not a few meters away from the tracks.
As I disembarked the train at Buendia, I felt a renewed sense of hope, feeling proud of the accomplishments the Philippine National Railways has made so far in turning its image around from a symbol of despair to one of hope. While the work is still not finished, I’m glad to know the PNR has remained on track (pun intended) in improving the state of rail transportation in the country. I hope the story of the PNR will serve as an inspiration to many that there is still hope and we can achieve it if we all come together to work on making it happen.
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the legend of Michael Jackson
The news did not escape me. How could I, when it has been the talk of the whole world since June 25.
I am not referring to anything else but the death of the one the world has known as the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.
Like many, I was shocked to hear the news. To think that he was in the middle of a comeback he’s been preparing, albeit for a final curtain call which he has stressed out months before. It was unfortunate that the curtain went down earlier than we expected.
As one of the many kids who were born and grew up during the 80’s, I literally grew listening to Michael Jackson as his music was sweeping the airwaves, making and breaking records in the music industry. Even though I have been more of an alternative rock/blues music listener these days, you can say it’s a form of guilty pleasure for me enjoying the music he has made for more than 30 years, especially when I feel like dancing to beat even if just by myself.
His life has been a subject of amazement and puzzlement at the same time, as fiction and fact have interwoven themselves in his life so much that we don’t know what to believe anymore. Whether it was his own doing or not, it has only helped propagate further the legend that is Michael Jackson. No doubt his Death will only help make the legend grow even more, just as what Death has done to the legends of Elvis Presley, Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, and James Dean to name a few.
Like all legends, the legend of Michael Jackson has reached to the levels of madness upon his death as his old records were selling like hotcakes again, media devoting so much time on MJ-related news and information, flurry of tributes online, (such as in Twitter and Facebook) you name it. To me, it has become so hyped up, it’s now become maddening. (or some may consider a form of pornography of grief)
All of the sudden, his life which has been constantly identified with controversies over his appearance, child abuse allegations, and mental health now has taken a new meaning in accordance to his status now as a legend. All of the sudden, we now have begun to take a second look at the man, being hailed now as a musical genius, a father, an individual who has long been seeking peace and love all his life. At the moment, some of us are now beginning to wonder: who is the real MJ?
Whatever the truth is as to who Michael Jackson really was, perhaps time will provide us some answers, as soon as the euphoria dies down and we can do a more honest assessment of the man. Regardless of the outcome, we should at least be thankful that Michael Jackson has given us a lot for the music we listen to today, something that we will surely miss for some time to come.
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my Singapore story (Part 4)
I made my way to what is known as the Civic District, where a number of old and current government buildings can be found. I passed by the Treasury Building, Parliament House, The Old Supreme Court and Old City Hall buildings. Another building, the Old Parliament House has been converted into an art museum called The Arts House.
Just behind The Arts House and alongside Singapore River is one of Singapore’s landmarks you need to check out, the Raffles Landing Site. As the name implies, it marks the spot where Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, “the father of Singapore” supposedly landed when he first came to Singapore in 1819. Also found on the same northern bank of the Singapore River is the North Boat Quay where a number of restaurants, bars, and sculptures adorn the river banks.
Funny thing is that the picture above was taken at almost 7 PM. So while the Philippines and Singapore share the same timezone, they don’t necessarily share the same sunset (as well as sunrise) time. It’s not just a discrepancy of a few minutes but of around 30-almost an hour difference. But before I get distracted on this matter, let’s move on.
A little walk to the east and you will see the Asian Civilizations Museum. (too bad I didn’t get to visit the place since museum hours were over by the time I went there) I manage cross the river through a preserved pedestrian bridge called the Cavenagh Bridge with the historic Fullerton Hotel imposing its grandeur at the southern bank of Singapore River.
From Fullerton Hotel, I walked farther east to visit the most famous landmark of Singapore one should not miss.
Yes, I’m talking about the famous Singapore Merlion at Merlion Park along Singapore River
Right across the Merlion Park on the northern bank of the river is Marina Bay, with the durian-looking Esplanade-Theatres By The Bay
As night falls over Singapore, I had room for one more stop before calling it a day. I could have went to more spots but time was not on my side. I was to leave Singapore the next day at almost 6 AM. I took the MRT to go to Bugis, one of Singapore’s famous shopping hotspots. There are a number of shopping centers found there like the Bugis Junction where you can find the original Bugis Street now enclosed as part of the mall.
Nearby is the classy Bugis Village Mall and the New Bugis Street Market. The latter may be of more interest for shoppers since there are a lot of affordable goods you can find there like electronics and souvenir items as well.
GOING HOME
I woke up early morning at 3 AM for early check-in at the Budget Terminal of Singapore’s Changi Airport. As with my departing flight, my return flight is via Tiger Airways as well. I would have preferred to take the MRT but since it’s closed at that time of day, I took the cab instead. It was a long drive from Orchard Road to Changi Airport, not to mention more expensive because of some government surcharges taxis charge when you travel between midnight to 5 or 6 AM.
Early check-in gave me a chance to explore the Budget Terminal a bit more, I was surprised to see a lot of amenities even for a terminal of that size and class. There are Internet kiosks, some food stores like McDonald’s, duty-free and souvenir shops, and even a multi-faith prayer room. I took the time to say a little prayer in the prayer room, thanking God for keeping me safe and flu-free throughout my trip.
As I boarded my plane at around 5 AM, I look back at the memories of my trip and hoping to come back again while I doze off throughout my flight.
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my Singapore story (Part 3)
THE ITINERARY
Come to think of it, I am amazed at myself to be able to see much of Singapore even on such a short stay. If I had a longer stay, I would have loved to visit Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, MINT Museum of Toys, Sentosa’s beaches, and Little India to name a few, not to mention do more shopping at the other malls in Orchard. But for now, I guess that would do. So here goes my Singapore itinerary.
I spent half a day (almost) exploring Orchard Road. It has a whole stretch of classy hotels, malls, and department stores found throughout the road’s entire stretch. Definitely one of the busiest areas in Singapore, especialy on weekends and events like the Great Singapore Sale. If you’re the shopaholic type, this is the place for you; you can spend the whole day or beyond that to explore what Orchard’s malls and stores have to offer. One interesting mall I got to visit is Lucky Plaza. While this mall does not look as classy as the others in the area, this place is a well-known hangout for Filipinos who work/live there, a little piece of home especially for those who feel the homesick blues.
My uncle invited me for some videoke sessions that night over some beer. Now I am not much of a videoke lover nor a beer drinker, but being the good sport that I am, I obliged.
The next day I spent almost the entire morning at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. I for one would recommend this place if you would like to see the greener side of Singapore, or if you would just like to unwind from the frentic activity that Singapore experiences each day. I had no idea the area of the botanic gardens is larger than I thought. But the views being offered are very nice even for a humble botanical garden. The best thing about it is that you view nature in all its splendor in the gardens for free…for the most part that is. The sight of people holding picnics, taking morning walks or jogs, feeding the birds and fishes, and doing tai chi reminds me of sights I see in Manila Zoo and Luneta Park.
Relaxation’s over. It was time to do my Singapore sightseeing express tour.
I took the MRT at Orchard Station, dropped at the Dhoby Ghaut MRT interchange to take a long walk to the train that will take me to HarbourFront Station, the entry point going to Sentosa Island. The train actually stops underground at VivoCity, Singapore’s largest mall. At the 3rd floor mall is the Sentosa monorail station, where you can ride the monorail going to Sentosa. You pay a SG$ 3 admission fee to Sentosa and you get a pass which works like an ezLink, I mean a “Tap-and-Ride” card.
There’s not much to see on the Monorail’s window other the activity on the Port of Singapore and the constructions of some entertainment complex/casino on Sentosa at the time I went there. I disembark at the Imbiah Station, one of the 2 monorail stations in Sentosa, where you will be greeted by the Sentosa Merlion. From there you take the escalators or the stairs to go to Imbiah Lookout where much of the activity in Imbiah can be found.
I checked out the Images of Singapore museum there; reminded me of the dioramas of Ayala Museum, albeit the figures are less life-like compared to Images museum. I didn’t get to ride the Tiger Sky Tower or visit the Butterfly Park. I did however take my time to stroll around Imbiah, going all the way to the other end of Sentosa. Going down, there’s actually some fountains and a man-made stream of sorts which lets you frolic around, relax and get your feet wet at the same time.
I went all the way down to the Beach Station, where you can take the tram or bus to go to the beaches there. I didn’t realize there were beaches in Sentosa, one of the is even named Palawan. (with the stress on the first syllable though) Nearby is the theatre where the famed Songs Of The Sea show is being held nightly. I just had to content myself with visiting the store and take a few shots before going back to the main island. Still have a lot of sights to visit that day.
I did a quick tour of the VivoCity mall before riding the MRT, getting off eventually at the City Hall interchange. I did a quick tour of the CityLink Mall and Suntec City. Apart from the electronics shops there which offer cheap prices on gadgets (too bad I didn’t have much time and money to splurge, huhu) One attraction of the mall is the so-called “Fountain of Wealth” which is like a wishing fountain, only you get your lower right arm wet in the process.
Armed with my travel guide and map, I took a long leisurely walk throughout the heart of Singapore, making visits to the Civilian War Memorial, (dedicated to the civilian casualties of World War 2) Raffles Hotel, The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, (Singapore’s oldest Catholic church) the Armenian Church, (an Eastern Orthodox church) and Fort Canning Park. Being tech lover that I am, I couldn’t resist doing another quick stop at Funan DigitaLife Mall, another haven for cheap electronics and gadgets in Singapore.
to be continued…
for more pictures, go to my Facebook profile
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my Singapore story (part 2)
THE ARRIVAL
It was around 1:30 PM when our flight landed in Singapore’s Changi Airport at the Budget Terminal. Compared to the cloudy weather with heavy rains pouring in Manila, the weather in Singapore has been sunny with occasional cloudiness. Too bad the terminal didn’t seem to have those tubes that connect the plane to the airport. (then again, it wasn’t called the Budget Terminal for nothing)
After making my way to the long queue to immigration and passing through a security check and thermal scan, I decided that instead of taking the taxi, I would take the MRT to the city center and save on travel expenses. The Changi MRT terminal is at Terminal 2, which is why I rode the free shuttle service to Terminal 2 of Changi Airport.
Terminal 2 (perhaps Terminals 1 and 3 as well) shows the classier side of Changi Airport: a monorail-type Skytrain connecting the main 3 terminals, impressive architecture and walkalators for long walks in the airport, I had to wonder what went in the minds of the people behind Changi Airport that the Budget Terminal is not on the same standards as the other Terminals and why it’s located far from the main terminals.
Going back to the story, I managed to find my way to the MRT Changi Station. I decided to buy one of those ez-Link cards which is a stored value card that you can use not only on the MRTs and LRTs but also on buses. You also can reload the card if the value of the card has been used up. And when you ride the bus or train with the ez-Link card, you just tap the card onto the read and you get to ride. Tap and ride, tap and ride. Hmmm…I think I found a new term for the ez-Link card: the “tap and ride” card, hahaha.
The train from Changi does not go directly to the city center however. You have to stop at the Tanah Merah MRT interchange; from there you just cross the platform to the other end where the train going to the city center passes by. Despite the volume of people riding the MRT, it was a comfortable ride going to the city center. Did I even mention that security in the stations is quite lax that my baggage has not been subject to inspection throughout the ride. Quite amazing to think that country has been a safe place for a long time despite the ease in security.
I stayed at my uncle’s place throughout my trip, thus saving money on lodging, hehehe. He works in the Saudi Arabian embassy there.
THE FOOD
Food choices are a plenty in Singapore, though my only beef is that food is expensive compared to what I was used to here in the Philippines. For instance, a Big Mac meal in McDonald’s there cost almost SG$6. Taking into account the exchange rate at this time of posting (around PhP31=SG$1) I can hear my wallet complain already. In all fairness though, the regular size of their Big Mac meal is equivalent already to our large sized Big Mac meal.
Self-service is the way to go here in Singapore fastfood chains. (at least the ones I’ve visited so far) You have to get the tissues and condiments on your own. And I don’t know if it’s the actual case there, but I don’t seem to find people asking for and/or being provided free water in fastfoods there.
I was also able to try some delicacies here: Thai Tom Yum noodles, the Roti Prata (which looks and tastes like crepe or plain pancake) and the Ayam Goreng. (Indonesian fried chicken) I also realized how much I hate food with curry. I don’t know but my taste buds cannot appreciate the taste of it. I feel bad that I didn’t get to taste much Singaporean food because of my short stay. I never even got to visit a single hawker center to try their recommended delicacies. (sorry Joy)
On a personal, I apologize if I wasn’t able to inform or visit the people there in Singapore that I know. I didn’t have much time and my itinerary could only fit so much in my schedule.
to be continued…
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my Singapore story (part 1)
I have always considered myself as someone who enjoys traveling. While I have not gotten around different parts of the country and the world that much as the others who are lucky to have the time and money, I’ve managed to have made some memorable trips to different parts of the country.
But I’ve always dreamt of going on a trip abroad. I have to admit, I have been kinda planning, bit by bit, hopefully get to fulfill my little dream and be able to enjoy the thrills of going to another country.
Now, after years of planning and close calls, that plan went through. Although I had to make some adjustments on the travel dates.
Nevertheless, I was finally going to Singapore as a sort of a post-birthday gift to myself.
DEPARTURE
I bought tickets online for a MNL-SIN roundtrip flight with Tiger Airways, which offered the lowest fare available. Yes, it was a hassle to spend 2 hours traveling all the way north to Clark Airport (AKA Diosdado Macapagal International Airport or DMIA) but being the traveler that I am, I’m a good sport to take the ride. Besides, I enjoy watching sights along the way in the trip.
I’ve prepared myself with the trip reading stuff online about Singapore: the sights, what-to-do, and everything else that needs to be known. I even bought a little travel book on Singapore and borrowed maps and guides from someone I knew who went there.
Yes, I have prepared myself for the “battle.”
My flight was leaving Clark at 10 AM. So I had to wake up early to catch the bus for the 2-hour trip from Manila to Clark. I took a Philtranco bus that left its Pasay terminal at 6 AM. Surprisingly for me, the trip was a smooth trip that exactly lasted 2 hours, despite of some heavy traffic along EDSA going to the North Luzon Expressway.
Arriving at the airport, I paid the travel tax (at P1650) and made my way to the queue to check in.
I had to fill up an Immigration form and pay the terminal and security fees then submitted to a more thorough security check. So thorough, I had to remove my shoes, which to me was no big deal.
The airport itself is nice, though the size was not as big as I thought it was. But I heard there are plans to expand the airport. The airport has the potential to be a nice alternative to Ninoy Aquino International Airport, especially if transportation is improved from the airport to the city.
But going back to the trip. Our flight left at exactly 10 AM, which took 3 1/2 hours travel time to Singapore. Despite few turbulences, our flight managed to arrive safely in Singapore’s Changi Airport.
to be continued…
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viral season
If you have been living under a rock for some time now, these days it can both be a good and bad thing. Bad because you are not informed of the danger poised by this new virus Influenza A, (H1N1) the virus formerly known as the swine flu. On the other hand, it is a good thing since the chances of you being infected by this virus is virtually low.
As I post this entry, tens of thousands of people worldwide have been afflicted with this virus, which in some cases has lead to the death of hundreds. What we know so far about this virus has been very much documented, so I won’t have to delve into much details. I would agree with what the health experts are saying that there’s nothing to be alarmed of at this point yet. (research about the 1918-20 flu epidemic and you’ll know what I mean) What is important is to take the necessary precautions to prevent flu of any kind as well as any other disease from affecting our bodies.
While there’s no vaccine developed yet for this strain of influenza, it won’t hurt to take an extra dose of vitamins, herbal meds, or whatever medication you take to prevent or treat ailments. It never hurts to always make sure you’re protected
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Speaking of viruses, there’s another virus that has put the country into a fever of sorts. This one I’m not sure if everyone seems to be concerned about it, especially the pirates of Quiapo and the perverts and maniacs of varying degrees.
I’m talking about the now (in)famous sex video tapes of the country’s now most famous doctor and sex icon Hayden Kho, whose some of his “caught on tape” exploits found their way to the outside world, a blessing for a lot of men who are dying to get their hands on the tape, wanting to know how he did “it.”
Or they’re just plain horny that they’ll take anything being offered to them.
And if the figures are to believed, for a so-called Christian nation, there sure are a lot of guys who don’t seem to mind breaking the Bible laws.
Now the country has its own version of Edison Chen and the scandal that surrounded him. And our politicians are happy to steal the spotlight just to air their sentiments on the issue. It’s moralizing with a bit of subtle campaigning for the election’s next year, hoping to add the title “defender of women’s and children’s rights” in their posters, flyers, and streamers for the campaign.
While I admonish Hayden Kho for being such a pervert in filming all his exploits, I also feel that this scandal has gotten far enough to the level of ridiculousness. From the politicians calling for a full investigation or Hayden’s mother who is spewing silly statements, I’ve realized I already have seen and heard enough of this story that I don’t even want to know further any latest news on this issue.
It’s enough for me to have seen the Hayden Kho videos and got my curiosity satisfied.
So like a patient having the H1N1 virus, I am now putting myself under quarantine until this whole issue mellows down.
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