Stop and Smell the Roses

We left the city at the dead of the night and arrived in La Union in the wee hours of the morning. We slept until about ten o'clock. We went to the Marketplace. My aunt is fluent in the local dialect and was able to bargain with the prices.

In the afternoon, we swam at a nearby beach.

I woke up to someone shouting "Taho" outside the window. I shot up, went downstairs, and grabbed two glasses. "Taho" is a typical morning breakfast that consists of semi-sweet tofu with little jello bubbles and liquid caramel on top. After breakfast, we headed to Intramuros, history contained within walls.

For lunch, we drove to Robinson's Mall and ate at Chow King, a popular Chinese restaurant. I bought my birthday present here- Canon 450 EOS DSLR for under $800! This is complete with a 4GB memory card, basic lens, camera strap, and bag.

After shopping, we headed to Cainta for dinner. We love to eat!

Day 3
I was born in Manila. Grew up in the Philippines until I was ten. The last time I visited was before September 11th. Before Dad got laid off working for the Airline industry. Before Lola passed away.

Forward ten years. We find ourselves among 400+ passengers, going through immigration, baggage claim, and customs. Then we're free! My cousins spot us outside the airport. We arrive in Cainta around 3 am. Lights out.

After having breakfast of Jollibee, (comparable to McDonalds) we hit a local mall. The weather is warm and a little humid. The famous Halo-Halo cools us off. We head to Tondo, another town in Manila, to meet my family on my Dad's side. We hit Manila traffic. Picture this. It takes 45 minutes to travel 8 kilometers. You have a road with your usual traffic signs, then throw in cars, trucks, buses, jeepneys, tricycles, motorbikes, bicycles, and pedestrians that jay-walk everywhere! What an experience!

I reunite with my grandmother, lovingly referred to as Mama Sing, and the rest of my relatives. Mama is 4 of 11 children. She is 87 years old. Once inside the house, she shows us around. We see a 37 year old puzzle. A mural that her brother painted in 1982. The wall of fame. An old Syrian coin. Then we eat pancit (noodles with vegetables and meat) and chicken for an afternoon meal.

Later that day, Russ, two of my cousins, and the neighborhood kids play pick-up basketball.

DAY 2
We are on the last leg of this flight to Manila. Unfortunately, the delay in Detroit pushed our Nagoya flight back. We left the U.S. on a Wednesday morning. We will be arriving in Manila on a Friday morning. Long trip. But I'm getting more excited at the thought of seeing family I haven't seen in ten years! Russ is nervous to meet them but he's assured I'll be there with him. It's impossible to get any sleep on these type of flights. We are so ready for some rest and relaxation!

DAY 1
Yay! It's travel time again! What's even better is that I have Russ with me. I'm talking about our Philippines trip. It's been ten years since I've visited. First time for him. Planning takes time but it goes by fast. Seems like yesterday we were talking about going and now the day has finally come. I have butterflies in my stomach. Definitely looking forward to warm sunny days with family. Flight from DC to Detroit was short and sweet. However, leaving Detroit for Nagoya, Japan took longer. The wings had to be de-iced.