Philippines: Manila Bay and Ermita "Tourists" 😆

Spending a day in Manila wasn't something I'd blog about in the past few years but since this was after more than half a year of home quarantine - this deserves a post. 


Let Your plans be my plans even especially when I don't understand.
Thank You. 💖


This was a day before the Feast of the Black Nazarine that's why Plaza Miranda and the Quiapo Church has a crowd.


I longed for this afternoon.
Even if we didn't stay until sunset.
I longed for a walk near a body of water. 


This is the feeling of having the whole baywalk to ourselves for several minutes. HAHA! Good for mental health ba dyan, Sis? 😜

While it felt weird since the baywalk I know has always been crowded, not having other people around was appreciated 'cause it felt safer. As I was looking at the picture, someone was there with us pala. Nasa right most ng photo. 



#kulotnotsalot.
HAHAHA.



There are some parking spaces in front of bay walk.

We looked for an empty slot and paid 50.00. I don't know if that was a flat rate since Ate asked us where we were going before telling us the parking fee. She handed us a receipt from the local government anyway so parking there was legal. lol


 I've gone back here a few years ago when the Planetarium opened and was actually planning to visit the new museum too but never had the chance yet. I'm pretty sure museums are not operating up to this day so a trip would have to wait for until no one knows when. 😟

I'm just happy I get to go out these days even if I get paranoid at the sight of people without adequate social distance between them.


Only few parking slots in front of SSC so I think it's better to go there during off peak hours. We were lucky that the guard from a nearby building allowed us to park.

This cuisine is something I can't recreate at home because I don't have the spices but also something that I've been craving for the past months eversince I watched that video of Mark making kebab sticks at his house in Bangkok.

The price point is on the affordable side. The serving is huge and the taste is authentic. If we would ever find ourselves going back there, we would make sure we're hungry enough so we can try a rice meal such as shawarma rice, biryani, or kabsa. My order was beef kebab with hummus and my companion's was beef kebab with fries. 


Kebab was juicy and was perfectly charred. Pita bread was not sweet, soft but a bit crunchy on the outside. I looooove their hummus too. I would've ordered a take-out (of the hummus) if we were heading straight home but we still had to go somewhere after this meal. The white sauce wasn't too garlicky. I kept putting the sauce at every bite since it wasn't overpowering and not nakakaumay. I couldn't pinpoint if it was yogurt, mayo, or sour cream but the combination of those made this wrap a lot more delicious that it already is considering that the hummus already "binded" the taste of the different spices. 

 My companion pointed out that to some people who are used to the adjusted-to-Filipino-palate-kebab-and-shawarma, this is a hit or miss. I understand where he's coming from because there were some spices that you can't taste in most of the shawarmas we have here and they can be an acquired taste. But for someone who's looking for an Authentic Mediterranean Restaurant? Shawarma Snack Center would definitely not disappoint. 


We were going down the escalator when I heard, "Bhie, si bb." I was like, "Huh?" I looked around and then I saw that familiar face sending a finger heart my way... Gosh! Hello, bb!!! Lagi na lang kita nakikita kapag lumalabas kami. HAHAHA! 

I looked at the different make-up products but I didn't purchase any since I don't wear make-up. Even lipstick nga, wala na. 




Sorry, Seo Joon but I can't support you this time. HAHAHA!

Just a photo of me looking at the Seo Joon freebies that come with the make-up set of BYS. 😂 


This day brought me back to the those simple times when a free day is synonymous to a 500-peso challenge day trip. Good times. Good times. I've been going away for too long and too far that I forgot a simple walk like this along Manila Bay is enough to keep me happy and to satisfy my wanderlust.

During trying times like this, I'm very thankful that I still get to breathe and relax somehow. Life is already difficult and the pandemic has made it even more difficult for the most of us.


Hang in there, buddy.
For the meantime, let's try to find those simple happiness that will make us want to continue.


Wishing you enough. 

 
Everything, in time. 💖

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