picturesque: of glimpses and words: M - A - N - I - L

"Manila, Manila... I keep coming back to Manila..." A certain Filipino song goes this way... True enough although born and raised in Baguio City, I've always been fond of traveling to Manila either through commuting in a bus or joining my friends on a joy ride to the shopping haven.
Yes, Manila has always been a shopping haven for me. From cheap finds to the most luxurious ones, you can find it all in Manila. It's a lively place where you have all the access to transportation, especially when you're destined to travel to other parts of the country or outside the country. Compared to the small city I've grown in, there are more sights and yes shopping venues that you can explore. My first travel to Manila as my mother would say was when I was still four years old tucked in my father's arms going to report at his office. He was a Seaman then. Little did I know, that this traveling perhaps have led me in my later years to find this addiction for traveling and fine dining.
Fine dining is another one you can find in Manila. I used to complain how there are not much restaurants here in Baguio. But now, with the SM malls invading Baguio City. I guess there's plenty of choices to dine around. There are even restaurants you can find only in Baguio City. Take for example, Hotel Veniz which is more than a hotel and function venue but also has their own restaurant. I recently had the experience of going through a function there and mostly going back to their Veniz Grill. It's mostly a combination of American and Italian dishes. The food is priced just right...not too expensive and not too cheap.
Going back to Manila, you might be asking what I did this time there. If you're thinking I went shopping well I did! But I really went there to attend the christening of two beautiful babies who happen to be twins named Zairich and Zurich. The baptism was at the Fort Bonifacio Church and reception followed at the Fort Bonifacio Clubhouse. One thing memorable about Fort Bonifacio was hearing airplanes literally flying over your heads. We even chanced by a helicopter landing at the reception area. Even at night time, the apartment mainly maintained for soldiers and their family were being passed over head by airplanes. The view from the veranda were merely breath-taking. Top it up with warm hospitality and good home-cooked meals by Tita Vic and there's absolutely nothing more to ask for.
I will certainly be back to Manila some time soon. There are a few travels still on my list and surely I'm going to document everything. It's going to be a real fun summer!