Manila Adventure (Re posted from my Multiply account March 11, 2008)

           

           I took a leave from work to accompany my wife to a Food Exhibit at my former school the Centro Escolar University. The exhibit entitled: “Food of the Famous Women and the Culinary Legacy of the Women of Malolos” is part of the Centennial Celebration Symposium Series: BIOLOGY AND CULTURE IN THE 21^St CENTURY. We arrived there at 9 am and we set up the materials and the food to be exhibited. The ribbon cutting was led by my wife’s Auntie, Milagros Enriquez who is a food historian and was the one who researched the materials on display.

             It was a whole day affair, and to make the most on my vacation leave, I asked my wife if I could go walking on what used to be the everyday sight of my college days: RECTO.

            I started my trip at CEU’s south gate. I walked towards Mendiola bridge and with my celphone cam on hand (I have to leave my DSLR with my wife, She’s using it at the exhibit, and besides, it might get nabbed along the way.) Don Chino was not there when I was studying and I thought I should take a snap shot him.

            The burger stand across San Beda which has a very good burger is no longer there. Cleared by the management and is replaced by a couple of portalets. I remember the burger was generous in size with an all beef patty; it let you survive lunch when you already spend your lunch money for the movies. I’ll smother it with lots of catsup, lots of mustard and a good spurt of mayonnaise which makes a farting noise when squeezed. Finish it off with black Gulaman. “Ayos, hapunan na lang ang problema.” As I always say afterwards.

            I crossed Legarda and was on the right side of Recto going Rizal Ave. when I noticed the LRT. Huge pillars and columns create a shade against the not so hot afternoon sun. So much has changed since 1993 I thought to my self. Walking forward, I was looking for the eatery my college buddies used to eat in. It was no longer there and was replaced by a computer shop. It began to drizzle and a cold breeze blew at my face smelling the long missed aroma of Recto.

            The movie houses along the avenue made an “important” part of our college life. It was our “refuge”. When I am alone with no one to talk to, Mel Gibson talked back to us. When in between subjects the gap was too long, Johnny Depp kept us company. In subjects when the professor was not able to make it to class, Robin Padilla was our teacher, teaching us to hold a gun while munching on Marlboro. When the weather turns cold, Pricilla Almeda kept us warm. I know the character of each movie houses. I know who stinks, I know who has good and bad air conditioning, I know which one is the darkest, the one with love seats. The one you can go to the KKK (Kataas-taasan, Kasulok-sulukan, Kadilim-diliman.) It’s a pity that along the way I could no longer see any of those establishments operational. They closed in the event metropolis was invaded by Sy and Gokongwei establishments.

             It was confirmed that Luciano and Glenmore Shoes was no longer in Recto. The former transferred to Malolos, Bulacan and the latter’s whereabouts is a mystery. Creepers were the fad in my secondary days and I had one custom made at Luciano.

            Across the avenue I saw Cartimar Recto. It was the place to buy cassette tapes of punk bands of the late 80’ and early 90’s, much like the early pirated haven at the time, in analog form. Punks scattered all over the place in those days.

            I turned left to Quezon Ave. going to Quiapo. Walk past the stalls selling used CD’s, cassette tapes and vinyl records, I was thinking of hitting jackpot by looking for titles I like, but like having a writer’s block, I had “music title block”. I went on and observe the area stopping from time to time at stalls selling Film SLR cameras.

I went down the underpass and was like a portal to another world. It was a good thing that it was air conditioned erasing the memory of it as a big stinking toilet bowl with all sort of characters looming around. I went up at Hidalgo and was welcomed by a cacophony of sound from several sound systems playing CD’s of different kind…the pirated kind. So this was the fountain of youth, the Holy Grail of the Pirated CDs. Every where you look, a flood of CD, VCD, and DVD seems to lambaste you with its waves. Wholesale or retail, this is the place!

I went back to the portal and went up to the Villalobos side. It was different from the other side. 

 Fronting the Quiapo church was throngs of vendors selling vegetables and flowers..

This was the place I score some flowers to give to my parents, teachers, friends and….cge na nga waswit!

Another section was the dry goods section. Quiapo it dawned to me is a big open air mall with different sections. In the dry goods, you can buy anything from blouse, skirts. pants, kamison, puruntong,  panty, bra, brief etc.

I went back to Quiapo church and near it was a candle vendor. Selling different colored candles representing what mood you wish for. You will pay and light it and say a little prayer including your wishes.

Beside it was yet another vendor. The one that made the place famous with the herbal medicine it is selling, not to mention some other “important” remedies.Across the obelisk are lines of “manghuhula“ reading palms or cards to tell your future. Someone called me to “know my luck” but I begged off, I’ll take life as it comes I said to myself.

A street near the church leads me to a line of camera shops, which indirectly was the target of this trip. I went from store to store inquiring about lenses to replace my kit lens. I was considering buying Sigma 18-200 OS.But alas, I only have money to buy strawberries.It can wait. I just let myself wallow in pain looking at those nice lenses and let my drool flood the street so that when someone with a sigma 18-200 wade through it will slip and I’ll snatch it from their hands before it hits the ground.

I started my interest in photography when my father taught me how to use his SLR, Canon A-1 film camera.I learned some basic stuffs about photography on that camera. I saw one and thought of buying one, well actually planning on saving for it. The price is not cheap, P6,500. “Manong” demonstrated me and had a feel of it again after a long time. Well, the demo did not go well. The cam won’t work. Pity.. it will be returned to the owner.

It was nearing 4 pm and it was time to go back to CEU. Passed through Raon going back I was not able to stop for I was out of time and my leg hurts for walking all afternoon. I was on the right side going to Mendiola and even feeling tired, I managed to stop at stalls that sells magazines. Passed by Kentucky Fried Chicken were we used to eat when we have extra money. San Sebastian stood silently at the side with some of its students makingtusok-tusok the fishballs.

I arrived at Mendiola Bridge with some of the students about to go home. I ended my trip with a bottle of Coke Zero, washing away my thirst. (naks! Nag plug pa)

Well, it may be a long time after I return to my Alma Mater but I am looking forward coming again in the Pink University and its environ to reminisce the past.

Note:

All pictures except for Don Chino were taken with my SonyEricsson K850i Cybershot Phone. Don Chino was taken with my Canon 400D.