48-hour trip to MNL

Okay, so I'm about to tell you about my QUICK trip to Manila last month. It was pretty quick considering that I spent only 48 hours there! I really want to tell you a secret. Promise that you'll keep it between the both of us but, it's my first time to step on the island of Luzon. Hahaha! Parang achievement unlocked lang ang peg! Anyway I went there to attend the 27th Annual Convention of the Psychological Association of the Philippines Junior Affiliates. Pretty long, but let's just refer to it as PAPJA. We could've stayed longer in Manila if only our trip wasn't on the same weekend as Sinulog -- and you know how Cebuanos are with their well-loved festival! 48 hours it is. It was a very tiring trip, I tell you. Our flight was at four in the morning so we had to be at the airport at around 2. You could have imagined how groggy I was. Good thing I got to sleep on the plane.

Upon arriving in Manila, NAIA was not as bad as I thought it would be. It looked really nice contrary to what they call NAIA as one of the "worst airport terminals in the world". I beg to differ. The place looks quiet neat compared to all the other local airports I have been to.

Okay I would not want to bore you with my words, so here is just a photodump of some of the pictures I think describes my manila trip, with some captions on the side. Enjoy!

Taxis outside NAIA

5000 students attended the convention (not seen in photo cause we were a bit early)

What do you see?

So instead of listening...

View from our balcony

MNLBAY Sunset -- No filter

Wait!!! For our first night, we availed of a promo from MetroDeal which was a cruise around Manila Bay. It promised of a buffet and it was about 50% off so we grabbed it right away (since the original plans we made in Cebu were scrapped). I really did not expect the boat itself to be as grand as a yacht so when we aboard the vessel, wala naman masyadong broken expectations. Also, I read in different blog reviews that the food they served were not delicious at all -- and it's true. I think our cruise would not be worth it if were in the original price (600php), but sige nalang, nakadiscount eh. Isipin nalang namin na gasolina aming binayaran. :-) Other than that, it was a relaxing cruise and we had pictures to at least capture the good parts of the trip.

Cruise around Manila Bay

Day 2

Day 2 was for our chosen workshops. Each workshop composed of around 40 students, but some were specifically limited to 25. The ones Clang, Ana, and I originally wanted were already full so we settled with another topic we liked: Creative Therapies. The workshop was pretty fun, and I got to learn at least a few things more about art therapy.

The Speaker

Star City

Last dinner in Manila

We got to NAIA around 11pm even though our flight was on the next day. It was there that I realized why they could have labeled NAIA as it is. It didn't provide the necessary services or just even chairs to seat the bulk of passengers waiting for their flights. Instead, we chose to sleep on the floor and wait for our call to check-in. We lay down just outside the check-in counter lane for domestic flights. Patay na patay tulog ko! What a sight would we have been to all the fleeting passengers. Hehe

From the floor near the check-in counter to the floor near the lounge entrance, on the lounge chairs, and from the time I sat on the airplane seat, I was asleep. Of course I woke up everytime we had to move, but other than that, I can only vividly remember that I woke up when the plane landed back in Cebu. I don't even know what made me so tired from that trip! I was really really so exhausted! When I got back home, I slept STRAIGHT from 5 am to 4 pm. IMAGINE.

From my 48 hour experience in Manila, all I can say is, so far as to what I've seen, it's not the place for me. The trip was great and it had a lot of memories to treasure, but there was not enough time to really see what the capital city of the Philippines has to offer. I honestly have a moderately bad impression of the place from some of my first-hand experiences there. Maybe if I visit again someday my impression of it will change, but as of now, I'm just really glad I'm home.

As always...
Thank you Lord for the experience. :-)