It's really cool being pedestrian.

I'm enjoying my stay in Manila although it's quite different this time. No grand places to visit, no nightly night-outs, unlike previous vacations. The circumstances of this visit are quite different, you see.

The ordinariness and plain-ness of it is really quite...cool.

I get to go to places where people actually go. The mall, for instance. I've been to several already, and marvelled at the size of the mall population, and how it spends time at the food court.

I've heard Christmas carols earlier; in TO, I only hear them about fifteen days before Dec. 25th.

I've seen LOTS of cell phone bazaars peddling (stolen?) wares and accessories and cell phones. I have three cell phones with me now; my regular cell phone which I used in Toronto, a spare one which I intended to use in Manila but which could not be unlocked, and the third one which I bought and using now. Without a cell phone, you cannot function in Manila and in the Philippines.

I've visited internet cafes; I've listened to people talking, getting mad while talking - all of which I didn't want to hear, but if you're seated beside one who yaks and yaps - there's nothing I can do. Why do I go to these internet joints, when I have my laptop? I just want to get the feel of the folks - nothing snotty in this statement; I just want to experience it.

I went to have my nails done - OFTEN. In TO, I clean my own hands and feet. But I couldn't bear going to the foot spa; I don't want my feet soaked where other feet where soaked. I actually don't want the instruments used in others' nails used in my nails.

I had a flat several days ago when it was raining and I had to call a tricycle boy, a cab driver and two other boys to help me change tire. I had my sister and friends in tow and thank God we had umbrellas in the car. We were in the area of the Trinoma in Q.C. To my horror, there was no jack in the car but I had a small flashlight and a cellphone. Again, I became a true Pinoy private car owner - relying on others to change tires.  In TO, I can call CAA and they'd fix it, as part of my membership privileges.

I am also snacking when I really am not hungry - another true Pinoy fixation.

More people call me "kuya" and sir than in the previous lives I've lived.

And I have my clothes laundered either in the mall or by my sister's alalay. I also have my breakfast, lunch and dinner prepared by others when I got so used to eating the food prepared by my own hands.

I've sung more karaoke than I did before.

And most of all, I see beautiful Pinays, plain Janes everywhere I go and I think they're all wonderful. The craze about getting whitier skin and spending time at spas and clinics are all unnecessary.

So you see, I'm having quite a time  just doing ordinary things - someone called me having pedestrian tastes, so maybe she was right.

I'm starting to enjoy myself despite a very big disappointment. But life could have been more wonderful... you know that.