Day 2 Manila
I spent the first day doing chores. I was just so happy that I was able to do the POEA stuff at the airport when I arrived and the staff at the airport were very helpful. It was a much better experience than having to spend half a day going to the POEA office in Ortigas. First thing monday morning I went to Caita to visit my bank and when I finished my stuff there, I headed back to Makati to visit my other bank and tried setting up a checking account. It is not an easy process to do this in any bank anywhere. It was good I was able to contact my cousin who also works in the same bank and she helped me get my account set up.

On the way back to Makati, it was much easier to jump into one of the FX's taxis that work more like small buses and takes on as many passengers that the car can stuff into it. Unfortunately in this case the fx was also hot as in the aircon was not working well. Poor kid in front of me was entertaining himself with a toy. The young lady in the second row was very grumpy and I do not blame her because the fx driver tried fitting four people in the second row when it was really built to seat 2 people comfortably and perhaps 3 people would still be okay, but 4 full figured people???

After finishing up my business with my bank in Makati, I had to hurry to meet my friend Portia at the Greenbelt Starbucks. I got there ahead of her but did not wait too long before she arrived. Off we went to lunch and did a lot of catching up with each other. She is almost finished with her Law degree and I am very glad for her. In addition to this she also does Tarot readings which she did for me that afternoon.



I took this photo as we were heading back Ayala before I went to visit my sister's former colleagues in the German bank she used to work with in Manila. It is not easy to take pictures of yourselves. But then it can be fun.

It did not take me long to do my chore at my sister's former office. I then headed to Olympia Tower to have a massage. They offer shiatsu (which is probably very similar to thai). I opted to have a swedish oil massage to see if I can get some relief on the pain on my shoulders and back. It was a good session. But then it just gave me enough time to walk to the MRT station to head towards Megamall and meed my cousin, the banker, Ate Ruth. As this was the rush hour, it took a lot of effort, pushing and squeezing to get into the train. In fact 2 trains went past before I could get into my ride.



It took me a while to get to her because it was a bit of a walk to got to megamall from the station. We both did not realize that it was better to meet at the Shangri-la Edsa because the bank branch she was working in was right at the back of the hotel. Well you learn from experience. I asked about Tatang Jerry, Ate Ruth's father who is also my uncle. She told me that there had been some improvement in his condition. We also talked about her other siblings who I have lost contact with. Then at past 9 we called it a night and bid each other goodbye and back to the hotel I went using the MRT. This time the trains were not as cramped.