Me at Panagbenga Weekend: You're Reading that Right!

 I have always wondered how it feels to be a tourist in my home City. I guess I would never know but this recent episode is probably as close as I can get.

I found a great opportunity to get home during the long weekend at the end of January. The weather was still unusually cool and it was before the crazy festivities of February. So I made my plans for a laid back weekend with lots of quiet contemplation, some running and quality time with some friends and maybe my mom. This was a no-brainer of a trip so I did not have to consult any outside help (i.e. Google, travel blogs). I was just coming home for the weekend, after all. Which was too bad, as it turned out (initially, that is). The unnatural amount of people at the bus stations should have warned me that something was up. As it was, I only learned as I was disappearing into my thick blankets at home on Friday morning: my mom said it was Panagbenga weekend! Yikes.

I was there! In the midst of it all.

The City that is One Ride Away from Everywhere Else | What I love about living in Manila

Two years ago I could go on and on about what I missed about Baguio which, obviously, are the things I couldn't have in this city. At the head of that list are strawberry-scented cold morning air, wearing hoodies and starry, starry nights. Ah, but that is not what this post is about.

Amidst flooded streets and videoke-loving neighborhoods, I did find something I particularly like about this city. At least in the locale where I live. It is literally one commute ride away from a good many list of destinations.