I was thinking of what to do on the following long weekend. Thank God I’m off; it was such a blessing to have a one day off because of the Chinese new year. Thank God, that our president is a Chinese that it became a non-working holiday, hehe ;) I already had a chat with arisse a few days before the coming Sunday. I would be from duty that time, and I was thinking to have at least a social life once a week. We decided to have a long walk at intramuros. I couldn’t remember where that place was because I had been there if I could remember it right, was when I had a field trip in elementary. Whew! I met arisse at SM manila. She had a new haircut, curly no more... been thinking also to have a new one. Maybe next month, and i'm sure of it. We rode a jeepney with a PIER signboard, though we didn't know where we would go down after. We walked a bit and found the manila cathedral. It was a huge church, the last time i went there was when I attended a wedding in highschool. She was my neighbor, happily married with his husband for about 10 years, presently with three kids. We went inside and prayed for a few minutes... I'm not a religious person, maybe i'm more of spiritual. I'm not lucky but I believe that what i have today is because of blessings. What we pray will be given but if is not given, it is because we will be given more than what we pray for. I remember my mom that day, like me she's not also religious, but she likes going to churches in different places.
We took some pictures in front of it, and proceeded our walk. It felt like i was placed on a time machine where i went back to the year 1800's, seen the preserved buildings and even the guardia sibils. It was past lunch time, when we decided to eat at chowking, back to the year 21st century. We talked a lot of things, crushes, the future, people, common friends, being impatient of you know that already... and some more. And after we ate our lunch, we went to St. Agustine church, and we witnessed two weddings. I was amazed that arisse haven't been witnessed a wedding yet, me, i have been to countless weddings already, and all i can say was I've always been a bridesmaid. But I haven't been experienced to witness a wedding to a person whom i never knew. So we went inside the church, the first wedding had a purple and apple green motif. The bride looks like a chinese, with roses fixed on her hair, while the groom looks like an arab. The two were left at the front of the altar still happily taking their moments and pictures while their guests were already outside. The second wedding had a black, white and gray motif, though uncommon, everyone looked elegant in each of their dresses. The participants started to have their own walk when at the end, the huge door of the church opened, where the bride was seen standing and started to have her a walk to remember. The entrance was very dramatic, everyone's eyes were on the bride, and everyone was taking some pictures, including me.
Our next stop was a reception hall beside the church, he he. We just went inside not knowing if it was allowed or not. Then at the top of it, looking downwards, we saw a non-catholic wedding leaded by a pastor. Well, since we're not allowed to go down, i took some pictures from above (yup, it became my background), and also with the guardia sibils. Our long walk did not end at the intramuros, we further went to walk further until we reached the front of The phil. red cross, manila then, at the PLM. I remembered that there's a huge garden of orchids near the Luneta park, the orchidarium. I remembered the last time when I went there was, when I was taking my botany class in my pre-med years. We were required to go there to see the different species of orchids existing. And during that time, I was really mesmerized with that garden. It was like a paradise, with orchids of different colors, and kinds, name it!!! with fountains and falls. I told and described it vividly to arisse, where both of us became excited about going there. So I invited her to go there, we crossed the street, and walked around, and asked some people where to find that big gate. But when i found the place, I was surprised that the gate was opened, and we went inside not knowing if it is allowed or not. It was gloomy, the vines were already dry, and there were no orchids to be found, that the place was already closed for almost a year due to some renovations.
but we continued walking along the Luneta park, i never thought that there were a lot of people just like me, nothing to do that day that they just roamed around. Some placed their own blankets and slept, children were playing, some martial arts buffs were having their practice, some are dancing, and anything else. I thought, for me, I was spending time for myself. Yes... have you ever too done it to yourself? After a whole week of working for other people, taking care of them, giving your time, then you also need to have it some for yourself. A time to reflect, a time to reminisce, that everyday is always a day of learning new things which could also be done by just having a stop, look, and observe the things happening around you. It was already 5pm, it was another day had passed.
" I should be doing this more often!"
