Exploring Your Hometown

It's a great wonder what you can discover when you do decide to look deeper into what your hometown can offer. It's quite a treat on how it can tug the inner patriot in you. In my case, it's Manila, Philippines.

The image of a kalesa or a horse-drawn carriage, is one of the classic sights in Manila. It lives and breathes the history of Manila, and it somehow tells the story of how things were back in the old days.

Also, Manila isn't what she is without the heavy traffic and the sight of the common mode of transport, which is the Philippine Jeepney. All I know about the origins of this mechanical beast is that it was taken from an old military jeep used during World War II.

Now, Manila is also filled with lights and towering skyscrapers, which signifies that she welcomed the onslaught of western commercialism and capitalism. Yea, she's keeping abreast with the current globalization.

It's sad how some of Old Manila's charms are being over-shadowed by the increasing modernization of the country. Though, I am glad about the fact that her own children yearn for her even if they are scattered and found in different parts of the world and locals have opened their minds and hearts to her beauty and are starting to get to know her more. Now I can really say that no matter what, she still holds a part of their hearts and will forever be treasured despite of.

*Thanks to Mr. Poe for the featured images. Editing by sasha.

Cards, anyone?

It is quite interesting to play cards, isn't it? There are different kinds of games being played around the world, I gather. Some play for the money but some play for the sheer fun of it. Honestly, I do play with some money involved on certain occasions, just to make things a little interesting, but gambling isn't really my cup of tea.

It's great even if you're alone, since you can play a game of Solitaire, which actually explains why it's named that way. Hehe. But my favorite game is a game I learned in the Philippines that's called Tong-Its. Please don't ask why it's named that way because I honestly don't know!

Anyway, it's a relatively fast game and it's best played with 3 players. While drinking beer and vodka cruisers, I tried to teach my brother-in-law how to play the game, I reckon I did alright in explaining it and together with my sister, we played one round. I beat them, of course, being a good player that I am. Ha! Oh, I'm sure they'd trash me given the opportunity to play again.

It's a time well spent indoors if everyone's too tired to go out or has run out of places to go to. It'll be filled with spirits, conversations, laughter and music. What more can you ask for?