Passenger Talesstories about my experiences as a traveler and passenger

Today is Ash Wednesday, the start of the Lenten Season, so after work I hurried to Megamall to attend the 6pm mass at the chapel. When I got there, the chapel was already closed and there was a long line already. The line was already in front of that Vietnamese resto and still many people were falling in line. There was a somewhat brisk movement but when I was already near the entrance of the chapel, the guards stopped letting people. However, there were few people who did not stay to hear the entire mass so I was able to go in. It was already in the middle of the Psalms. The chapel was so crowded that some commented, “Box office ba to? (Is this a box office movie?)” or “Parang MRT lang. (It’s just like the Metro Rail Transit)”. I even heard a girl tell her friend that she was not sure if she could stay in the very crowded room. I think she was claustrophobic. While listening to the readings and the homily, my mind can’t help thinking that if there was an earthquake at that time, stampede would very likely happen.

Anyway, despite the very crowded Eucharistic Celebration, the communion and putting of ashes were fast. There were a lot of ministers there to assist. When I got out people started pouring in for the 7:15 schedule. I could see a long line that started moving. I don’t know how long the line was but when I reached the first escalotor from the atrium of the fifth floor I could not see the its end. During Ash Wednesdays, churches are really packed like during Christmas and New Year. Even though extra church services were held, it was still not enough to comfortably accommodate the church goers. Well, Lent is season for sacrifice and Ash Wednesday is the start of the season, so might as well start sacrificing.

Earlier, I texted my brother to fetch me in front of my office building so that I won’t have to climb the stairs of the overpass to the intersection where I usually wait. Since he did not answer my messages, I called him up. It turned out that they just finished their training for the day. Then he asked me a favor. He wanted me to could go to Megamall to get the pictures and DVD copy of his baby’s 4D scan so that he won’t have to park. That’s where he will just fetch me. So instead of having it easy, I had to walk for about 500 hundred meters from our office to the mall, climb two overpasses and ride escalators to the 5th floor. I tried the elevator on my way up but somebody spilled something on the elevator floor so the elevator attendant called for a mop. Since it would take some time, I decided to use the escalators instead. It was really not a day for me to take the easy way.

A couple of weekends ago, my friends and I decided to go to Tagaytay for some bonding time. Three of us left Manila early in the morning to explore Tagaytay while waiting for the fourth friend to arrive in the afternoon. She had to go to the office for some overtime work. When we got to Tagaytay, we decided to visit People’s Park in the Sky since I have never been there. Droves of people were already there. Some came in buses and private jeepneys while others came in cars and vans. There was an entrance fee of P30. When you entered the gate, it was still an uphill climb for about 50 meters. I heard that People’s Park is the highest point in Tagaytay. When we got there, it was quite disappointing to see that the place was not maintained. There was really nothing to see except for the view, which could also be seen in lower areas. Sol said that it was really popular for its sunrise. It’s such a shame that the local government or whoever owns the park was not able to maintain it. The big steel letters spelling out the phrase “People’s Park in the Sky” have missing letters and the facilties are rusty and dilapidated.

Sol was telling me I should blog about it and ask where the money earned from the entrance fees went. Aside from the entrance fees, there must be money made from the rent of stalls because there were souvenirs, plant and food sellers there. The park should be developed like Picnic Grove because thousands of tourists go to Tagaytay so there is really a market for parks. Even in its dilapidated state, tourists still come in droves, how much more if the park is developed? It could provide income and livelihood to the communities in the nearby areas.

People nowadays are always on the lookout for something new and different. Products that used to have only one flavor now have several. Before, ice cream was vanilla or chocolate. Now there are hundreds of flavors available. The same goes for candies, cakes, chewing gums and other consumer products. What is surprising is that cigars also have flavors. Aside from the regular and menthol, swisher sweet cigars have a variety of other flavors including peach, strawberry, chocolate, cherry, grape, white grape, and wine. I guess smokers also appreciate different taste to the smoke they inhale.

It is surprising to note that collecting old money is a very lucrative business. Very old coins could be sold for thousands of dollars. It would have been great if your ancestors stored these coins and you managed to find it a century after. If you are a serious collector but your ancestors were not able to set aside coins for you to inherit, then you can just buy morgan silver dollars from sellers online. Just a click and you’ll find certified silver dollars for sale. It could also be the other way around. You could also go online to sell some of your collections.

For the past month our housecleaner has made herself scarce. She has not been by to clean the house and has not responded to our messages. I am not really fond of cleaning the house. My allergies act up when I sweep floors or wipe dust. I can clean the bathroom or wipe the sink. I am glad for undermount stainless steel sinks because they are very easy to clean. There are no food particles getting in between the bowl of the sink and the counterpane. As for the floors, my brother must have gotten tired of the dirty floor that he volunteered to mop it. It was a good thing my mom arrived. Now she keeps the house clean for us.

There are people who are gifted with the sense of style. You can see that from the way they dress to the way they decorate their living space, not just their homes but also their offices. However, my aunt said that a sense of style need not be inborn. It could be learned by looking at magazines, TV shows, window shopping and other media. It is surprising how even little details like the design of a switchplate and handles of cabinets are not overlooked. These could be coordinated or serve as accents to the rest of the décor. I just wish I have this sense of style or the energy to learn it.

When I went home to the province last year, I had the realization that it would be great if I could spend more time there just to rest. I long for the time when I was a student and long summer breaks were the norm. Now that I am working, usually leaving for five days is the longest you can have without feeling guilty. Sometimes when the hustle and bustle of the city gets too much, it would be nice to go somewhere quiet, like a house in the woods, complete with wooden furniture like log beds, rocking chairs and wooden trestle. There is something soothing about a rustic setting. Maybe it is because it brings back memories of a more relaxed and less stressful past.

The advent of the global positioning system has provided vital capabilities to military, civil and commercial users. GPS provides location and time information with the use of GPS satellites. Because it provides accurate time, it is useful in activities like banking and cellular phone operations. In businesses like courier and freight services, they use gps vehicle tracking in order to keep track of the movement of cargo from their depot, while in transit until it gets delivered.

Pillows have many uses. These can be used for decorations, for exercising, as boundaries, support for body while sitting down in a chair or a couch, and of course, as support for your head while sleeping. Pillows come in various sizes, texture, stuffing and shapes. Some people prefer big pillows like body pillows they can hug or many smaller pillows scattered around the bed. However, for some people, pillows are more than just support or comfort for the body. These cushions have also become comfort for their minds and souls because pillows are witnesses to their secret joys and tears. If pillows could talk, then you can just imagine the secrets that they’ll reveal.