Manila, Manila

Hinahanap-hanap kita (minsan), Manila

Every Filipino’s probably heard this old song about our country’s capital:

The chorus speaks of returning home to Manila from an OFW’s perspective:

Hinahanap-hanap kita, Manila
Ang ingay mong kay sarap sa tenga
Mga jeepney mong nagliliparan
Mga babae mong naggagandahan
Take me back in your arms, Manila
And promise me you'll never let go
Promise me you'll never let go

And while I’m really not considering going back to Manila, there are some things I definitely miss about the city (spoiler alert: it’s not the “ingay na masarap sa tenga” hahaha)

1. My Fitness First Membership!

   There are gyms here in Baguio, but no Fitness First branch. To be fair, I haven’t really gone around looking for a new gym, but I do miss the familiarity of the place and staff of Fitness First Robinsons Manila. Maybe I’ll get around to finding a gym next year, but for now I’m getting my work-outs in at home or at Burnham Park.

My gym keycard. I also miss my favorite locker which has a semi-defective lock.

2. Meet Fresh!

   I am the self-proclaimed number one fan of this food franchise and unfortunately, there is no branch here in Baguio (yet!!!). If only I was rich enough to bring this dessert establishment here, I would! Their Hot Red Bean Soup (at 50% sugar level, with peanuts/barley and sesame mochi as toppings) is my ultimate comfort food!

   

   This isn’t a very good photo. But please taste it and believe it. HAHAHA.

3. My Family

   

   My brother with the tasty food at home! And my mommy on one of our regular coffee dates!

   Okay, this should have been first and a no-brainer. I miss the time I spend with my family eating good food and having good coffee! Default order is the 99 pesos Better Together promo of Krispy Kreme (brewed coffee + classic donut). Food is ALWAYS immaculate at home.

4. My Go-to Snacks: Mang Binatog and Kuya Turon!

   

   These are my pre/post work-out snacks and I buy them for cheap! Mang Binatog is priced at 50 pesos and the turon is 25 pesos from Kuya who sells at a street stall along Padre Faura. Suprisingly, Binatog here in Baguio is more expensive at 70 pesos. The turon here is 15 pesos but is smaller than the one I buy from Manila (and has lesser crisp and poorer taste! Sorry, Baguio).

5. Alfie— the Best Cat!

   

   No explanations needed, just meow.

6. My Boyfriend

   This might just be an excuse to post one of our photos in this space HAHAHA. But I really do miss the constant companionship in Manila. Story times and work dates are definitely always better live!!! Thankfully, “LDR” isn’t really as hard since we started dating via Zoom video calls in the middle of the COVID pandemic. Nonetheless, it’s still sad to have your partner far away.

I realize now that I don’t really miss MANILA. I miss the people and the things I left there but not the place. And definitely not the noise, literally and figuratively!

Mountain living is really the life for me and the cold climate in Baguio is doing wonders for my quality of life HEHEHE. I only have to figure out two things here: 1. how to sustain my lifestyle here (aka building my practice to have financial stability) and 2. how to bring/replace the things I miss in Manila to Baguio.

And once I figure these out, I sing:

Manila, Manila

I won’t keep coming back to Manila.

Do not take me back in your arms, Manila.

Let me go, let me go.