pay day weekend

I deferred going home to the province today. I woke up late and had to do a few errands. Lately, it's been alternating days of waking up early and waking up late. It's been alternating days of being productive and unproductive as well.

I went to Cubao in the afternoon to have some repair work done on my mobile phone. The jeepney from Kalayaan stopped in front of AliMall. I had a late lunch and proceeded to the second level to have my phone fixed. Renovations where still ongoing at AliMall and there really wasn't a lot to see. I walked through, crossed the street and headed to Gateway.

Just like during Halloween Gateway was cashing in on the Holiday spirit. Halloween saw witches and broomsticks and men walking on stilts. This coming season we are to expect a white Christmas. Santa Claus was already there. Interesting enough instead of little kids sitting on his knee, grown-up women were lining up to take pictures with him.

I forgot that it was a pay day weekend. There were so many people milling around Gateway and too many employees in business suits handing out brochures for rent-to-own apartments and newly built houses in subdivisions far, far away.

I checked the cinema at the top floor just in case there was something I wanted to see but there wasn't anything I was remotely interested in. Why is it that there is never something nice on when I have all the time in the world to watch? Stupid question, I know.

No tickets to buy at the cinema: all the time in the world but nothing to see.

I went to FullyBooked instead where I was glad to see so many people for a change. Even though the majority of the book shoppers where reaching for Twilight I was still happy at the thought of so many people reading.

I don't think I have ever bought a book at that FullyBooked branch though. I love going through the new titles there. I enjoy comparing prices and book covers of different editions. I carefully weigh in my hand the hardcovers of my favorite books. But I've never bought a book there before. They do have a good selection but at the moment I really can't afford to buy new books there.

From there I walked to Farmer's Plaza and went straight down to the lower ground to Booksale where I was sure I could afford a couple of used books. After almost an hour of going through the new stocks I did come out happy.

I finally have a copy of The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks. I have been looking for it a long time and at P40 it was definitely a steal. I also finally decided to try reading Kathy Acker. Her novel My Mother: Demonology may not be the best place to start but the chances of coming across a Kathy Acker book at other bookstores is almost close to nil so I got it.

This is becoming more of a book blog than a travel blog, not that it's a bad thing. But it really does seem that I have to put going on the road aside for a while to hit the books instead. In truth, I shouldn't be out buying new books. I should be getting out my medical textbooks and burning the midnight oil again.

I've been on vacation long enough. I need to start working again. I know I've got a long road ahead of me so I better start preparing.


Next time it's a pay day weekend I'm going to have money in my pocket.

walking the backpack

My backpack has been sitting forlornly on the floor. Relatively new at three months old it has been to and from Batangas, gone around Metro Manila, spent a few days at Cebu, got covered in white sand in Bohol and jostled around by Chinese in Hong Kong. But in the last couple of weeks it has only seen the inside of my apartment. Today I decided to take it out for a short walk.

I was on my way to UP Village again. I was broke and was planning to consign a few books to sell at a bookshop there. Walking the backpack came in handy as the books fit snugly inside. Late in the afternoon children were already out in the street playing.


There were toys strewn all over the road in front of a pre-school at Matahimik.


A few steps away a paper cup lay on the gravel. I pondered over whether it was some adult's litter or some little kid's toy.



Walking along I myself felt like a kid curious to learn why someone smashed a hole in the wall


A block away I silently praised the paint job that gave the gates' texture . . .


. . . and wondered why I had never heard mass at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish Church


I marveled at the fresh bright greens at Mahusay . . .


. . . and ended up at the bookshop where a group of artists where having a forum.


After perusing the new titles I went home happy carrying a 1948 edition of The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri, translated by Lawrence Grant White, with engravings by Gustave Dore.

Still a productive afternoon, I'd say.

katipunan

I had nothing to do the whole day. I didn’t want to stay indoors. It wasn’t exactly the best time to be cooped up especially after getting the unfortunate news of non-acceptance in my hospital of choice. So after the midday rain I ventured to my old college grounds in Katipunan.

I started walking at the corner of Rosa Alvero. During my last two years in college I had stayed in an apartment building on the same street. I used to satisfy my sweet tooth with Twix and Coke from the convenience store, had mudpies at DQ and coffee at Mister Donut – all of which have now been replaced by different shops. The McDonald’s at the corner was undergoing renovations and was a very sorry sight to behold. The take out van was deserted and only a young couple was inside the small area for dine-in customers.

I walked past Starbucks, still empty at that time, and went straight to National Bookstore. I had spent many afternoons at that NBS branch but I don’t remember it ever looking as festive as it did today. The Christmas trees were up and the lights gave out an orange glow that warmed my insides. It almost made me feel happy.

Next door the Subway where I used to have a bag of Doritos and Tuna on wheat bread was now replaced by Greenwich. Walking further along I noted that Seattle’s Best Coffee now stood where Burger King used to be. I used to have endless refills of grape juice with my breakfast at BK.

Seven years is a long time. I remember late nights sitting by the fire escape in my old apartment. I could see Katipunan from there. I was a terrible insomniac and would stay up the whole night watching as cars drove by. On weekends I could watch kids play soccer over at Ateneo.

I expected a lot of changes in the area but I had not expected an almost entirely different landscape. The shops are different. The restaurants are different. I didn’t even notice what was standing over the spot where the 24 hour Goodah used to be. At two in the morning I used to swap stories with my sister over a hot bowl there.

A whole strip of shops had been torn down. The Filbar’s where I used to buy comic books and Ken Afford with its orange walls were also gone.

I would’ve continued walking straight on to UP (following my usual route back in college) if the sky didn’t show signs of rain again. With my nostalgic trip cut short I took a cab instead and went straight to a bookshop in UP Village. I'll just have to take a rain check.