Incidental Traffic Victim

You're right. I've been missing in action for about a week. Ever since I got back from the Banaue Rice Terraces, I've been experiencing writer's block aside from the fact that I've been busy and I really haven't had much time for anything else.

I was also in sudden tour assignments. Sudden, I say, because these two tours were spur of the moment and were not the usual tours that were channeled through the Mabuhay Guides coordinator. I can't complain... I was considered for the tours.

Rajah Travel called me for guiding duties for three American ladies who were in town. They are executives from a BPO based in Mandaluyong and they were in town recently as part of their assignment. The ladies came from Los Angeles, Michigan and Illinois and our tour covered the walled city of Intramuros. These ladies were so much fun to show around however, since the tour was on a Friday afternoon in 40 degree heat, I wasn't surprised  that they were about to give up in the middle of the site-seeing of the Rizal Shrine.

*photo courtesy of VisitPinas.com

Today, as I was getting ready to go to the gym, I got a call from Ms Goya who gave me a number to call. I spoke to a certain Ms Kat and instantly I was saying yes to a tour of Intramuros at 9:30 in the morning. I had to text her back because I had remembered that today was the big rally of Iglesia ni Cristo at the Quirino Grandstand. I was grateful for the tour but was constantly praying I got to Intramuros on time. I did! Yeeeyyy!

* photo from etravelpilipinas.com

My guest turned out to be a young lovely lady from Toronto who was in Manila. I instantly struck a great rapport with her since we had similarly lived in Toronto. It was fun showing her around Intramuros but they had to be in Alabang by half past noon. So as I bid them goodbye, I gave them my business cards. What's timely was that there was a Mass at San Agustin Church at 12:15 ( which I attended, of course).

*photo from kristinemaedominiquecopeng.blogspot

I was famished so I had lunch at Ristorante del mitre to sate my hunger. Glad I did! I had a plate of Salpicao with mushroom and a soda with it aside from the iced tea that came with the meal. This unpretentious restaurant is gradually being discovered... as well it should be... I always recommend it to my guests who want to eat after a long tour. It's reasonable and the food is great.

*photo from inquirer news

I made my way to Taft Avenue on foot. There was no way I could get home if I took a cab. At the foot of Jones Bridge I clambered onto a jeepney. I was so terribly wrong!!! At 8:30 a.m. the build up was beginning and I got through it... by afternoon... only a single lane was open on Taft Avenue... Two lanes had been used as parking space for hired buses and jeepneys. I had regretted my decision and wished I had taken the LRT instead. I actually reached home at half past three. That's how my day went...