I feel like I haven’t blogged here for more than a year - what with the new Metblog look and all! What has been happening lately in tidbits:
and
I’ve been seeing these locksmith/rubberstamp guys all over the place and never really took a closer look at what they do, The detail and precision is absolutly amazing! To be able to do each individual letter and symbol out of a cork piece with an Xacto knife is unbelievable. What does the finished product look like, and what are their capabilities for doing custom work? I may have to hit these guys up for something really cool to take home!
(Let’s hear it for the new & improved MetroBlog design!)
I got a copy of “Ngalang Pinoy: A Pinoy Primer On Filipino Wordplay” from Fully Booked Rockwell last week. It’s a nice compilation of all those funky Filipino names for children, bands, movie titles and so many other interesting signboards on the road. There are pictures aside from the text. I have personally seen several of those signboards and I can’t help but laugh because of the Filipino way of naming places like a bar called “Feel More” on Filmore Street; a goto stall with the name “Angels GOTO heaven” and so on.
There are times when you probably crave for solitude.
Metro Manila is a place where there’s lots of hustle and bustle and yesterday, I asked a friend where is a good place to think - a place of solitude. He recommended that I go to the walls of Intramuros. Climbing up there and feeling the breeze on your skin is something that would comfort you on a lonely afternoon. And he told me that it’s basically free already so that shouldn’t be a problem at all.
Are you one of those people who, when they watch the show Amazing Race, think “I would’ve done better if it were me”? Well, here’s your chance. The Amazing Race Asia will be accepting entries until March 15. Now you, too, can be the star of a reality show (along with everybody and his mother).
Me, I’d give an arm, a leg and both kidneys to experience something like this. Unfortunately, I don’t know how to drive! The first and last time someone attempted to teach me to drive, we almost crashed on a tree and were stopped by the UPPD because practice driving on campus is illegal. It’s a pity driving isn’t a mandatory subject in Philippine schools. Driving schools these days cost a lot of money, and I heard some of these schools make students drive on the major highways like Commonwealth Avenue on the first day.
Sigh.
Oh well, maybe you and a friend/significant other/relative are qualified for the race. Go check.
A follow up entry to my post about the Italian Film Festival.
The Cultural Center of the Philippines website has updated their website to include this year’s film fest schedule.
The festival was launched with the film Roma, citta’ aperta (Rome, Open City) last January 25th, and was followed by Il Postino (The Postman) last Valentine’s day. This coming March, it will be Germania Anno Zero (Germany Year Zero), a film by Roberto Rossellini.
Complete line up and schedule available at: http://www.culturalcenter.gov.ph/events-film-italian.htm.
The usually silent rooftop of a parking garage visible from my apartment window came alive the other day. Couldn’t really tell what was going on until I brought out the camera with the 32x digital zoom. Aha! Of course, where else would you go in this city to race remote-control cars safely? These guys were hardcore- racing from morning to night when the rooftop parking lights came on.
I don’t know if this group is a private club, or if anybody can bring their cars and race. I should run over next time they show up and take some close-ups. It’s a pretty unique gathering.
On a completely different topic, I had heard that this was the text-messaging capital of the world…I believed it without a doubt yesterday when I saw that you could text a trucking company to give feedback on the driving ability of their employees! “How’s my driving? Text @ xxxxx”
That’s just awesome! Never seen that in the States.
I don’t know if it’s because it’s Valentine’s day, because it’s Tuesday or because of the time of the day, but my sister and I were able to:
Of course, we don’t have the clearances or the certificate yet, but NBI and NSO in 3 hours? We commuted the whole time too, save for the ride home from NSO. Wow.
You can trade in your HP printers as well as fax machines from February 17-19 at the HP booth in Cyberzone, Megamall! Of course there’s always a catch. Read the poster for more details. :P
Good Valentines Day to all of you!!
A good day as any to jump in and introduce a new face in your group! My name’s Tim, I’m from Philadelphia, but will be in the Manila area for an indeterminate amount of time (6+ months at least), along with my wife. We’ve really enjoyed keeping up our personal blog for the benefit of friends and family to stay in touch with us, and I hope I can provide a unique voice and perspective to the quality writers already posting on Metroblogging Manila!
Please note that I fully intend to offend no one; I ask your advance forgiveness for any naive and uninformed comments coming from a US expat trying to learn the ropes of this wonderful culture!
I’m looking forward to sharing this experience with all of you, and to learning alot from your comments!!
I’m pretty much surgically attatched to my camera,so I hope you enjoy my attempts at documenting life around the area. (This first shot was a guy waiting for customers in a long line of Jeepneys in Makati this morning)
Here’s to the warm weather of Manila!! (it just snowed a 12 inches in Philly!!)
Tim
