87- Malaysia Memories: Cendol and Malaysia

Ah yes, Cendol. Ah yes, Malacca. Such wonderful memories from years past. 

In 2013, I was fortunate enough to have been able to go with my Malaysian friends to Malacca, a well known tourist/cultural destination and UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Malacca is located 148 kilometers away from Kuala Lumpur. I rode with my friends Sharon and Chak there. There's nothing like a trip with friends that promises good dialogue and good food. 

Cendol is a lot like my country's Halo Halo (in the Philippines). Condensed milk, sweet beans, flan, fruit, ice cream, and other wonderful bits of sweetness that complete an all in all amazing experience for your tastebuds. 

A return to Cendol-land is due. 

I'll be on my way back sooner rather than later. 

MC

86- Singapore Memories: Lost

The year is 2009. I was in Singapore with my dad, and youngest sister. 

Dad says,

"You guys have been out all day. That's alright. Just be careful, and meet me in Chinatown at 5pm."

Simple enough, or so my sister and I thought. 

This trip was my mine and my sister's first time in the Lion City. Needless to say, we were in awe at how organized everything was. We were used to dirty MRT stations and overspeeding jeepneys killing it on the roads. Here, things were neat, and in order, and yet, still teeming with life. All in all, everything was beautiful. 

So sister and I made it to Chinatown MRT by around 430pm. At this point, I really was not very well versed yet on so Singapore hawker food culture nor was I all too aware of how it was to be anything more than a lemming-ish tourist. I went with the flow. I followed along- for better or worse. 

This little tryst with my sister and my farher, though, was a deviation from the norm. In all honestly, all this was fun, despite the fact that my sister and I had gotten scolded in the end for "not paying attention to instructions". 

"Meet me by the pagoda in 20 minutes."

Sister and I looked around, and discovered that there were probably 5-10 pagodas in the district we were in. Dad was starting to panic like parents often do. Panic, panic, panic, then, boom! Sister and I finally find where we need to go. Enter a walkway, a mall, then, an escalator. Oh look, there's the pagoda!

Wait, where's dad? 

Wrong spot. Uh oh. 

Look around again, kids. 

We keep scrounging around for answers. I am of the belief that finding the actual meeting spot got harder because of the fact that we knew dad was in panic mode already. After 15 minutes, a period of time that seemed more like light years, we finally found dad. 

"Where've you been?" dad said. 

"Sorry we got lost." I said. 

What followed after this conversation was a great dinner at a restaurant called Yamcha and a lot of laughs.

You've got to love family, family trips, and good food. And oh, Teresa Teng music was playing in my head during the whole thing. 

All in all, a great day in 2009 Singapore.

MC

85- Fondest Memories

My fondest travel memories have been those that have involved a backpack, a bottle of Gatorade, a sandwich, and whole lot of walking. The splendor of the open road is one that knows no bounds. 

To run, to ride, to fly, to be part of the journey- such defines a full life. Sunrise and sunset- these beginnings and endings speak of true cyclical beauty. 

My next adventure awaits. 

MC

84- The Run.

                                     

     

I've come to learn that running is my thing.

Race after race, after race, I go.

I am thrilled that I will be running my first international race this year. Malaysia, I am delighted by the prospect of seeing you again. 

This is going to be fun. 

Photo from the Unilab Active Health Run United Marathon 2, 2015. 

MC

83- Absolute Value

You know, it's funny. 

You run, and you run, and you run. 

Then you fall. 

And you start from the very beginning. 

What then? 

You get up and keep going. 

I'm in Forest Gump mode now. 

Run, run, run, until you can't take another step. 

MC

82- Harbourfront

Harbourfront, Singapore, April 2015

There's nothing like a beautiful afternoon spent by a large body of water. 

I got to spend time in Singapore with my cousin, whom I hadn't seen in years, and my girlfriend, whom, by the time we had arrived in the Lion City, I had not seen for a couple of days. Relationships tend to magnify the length of time between meetings. That's just the way things go. 

Situated within the Bukit Merah area, Harbourfront has undergone a lot of development over the years. Outdoor mechanical walkway? Check. Ample lighting? Check. Shopping mall? Check. Cable cars zipping through the sky? Check, check. Eating places? Check. To the uninitiated tourist, the place can seem like a cornucopia of shops and eating places. What you get is the byproduct of industrial progress. 

We have similar places in Manila, but none seem to be as clean as Harbourfront, or, as clean as Singapore in general, for that matter. I am sure Singapore has its share of problems, but hey, they make it work. They seem to make it work due to diligence and political will.

Until there is concrete evidence of progress, I suppose that we'll have to keep dreaming of having Singapore-level progress. Am I anti-Philippines? Not at all. I am just speaking candidly. Things are the way they are.

MC

81-Perspective

Half full or half empty? Thirst quenching drink, or boring and tasteless liquid?

It's all a matter of perspective.

(Plaza Del Norte Hotel, Laoag, Ilocos Norte, Philippines)