On September 25, 2015, we had a tour in
Parañaque City, Philippines together with my cousin Rose Ann Zapanta,
and her friends Ronald Castro and Ronald Castro. The two Ronald Castro
are best friends and they are not related to each other.
From
Baliuag, Bulacan, we traveled to Baclaran Area in Parañaque City to have
our lunch at Dampa or Seaside Seafood. Seaside Seafood is located
besides Baclaran Church or Redeptorist Church. Thanks God it's Friday
because the area is not very crowded. The novena of Baclaran Church is
scheduled anytime on Wednesdays and the area is so crowded during the
novena. Also, the sidewalk vendors of Baclaran Church make the area
crowded.
Anyway, the Seaside Seafood sells all kinds of seafood
at anytime. It is also one of the tourists spot in Philippines
especially to foreign visitors. It is established in 1974. Until now,
Seaside Seafood is still in the business and it is already featured in
magazines and tv shows.
We bought two crabs and one kilo of
fresh squid. The price of two crabs is PHP 580 and the price of one kilo
of squid is PHP 320. Not bad for 4 people. After this, we went to 2nd
floor to ask to cook our seafood. They cooked the crabs in chili garlic
sauce while the squid into fried calamari and sizzling spicy. The total
cost for cooking the seafood including rice and soft drinks is PHP
1,080. Not bad also for 4 people. This is cheaper compared with Chinese
Restaurant and Seafood Restaurant. Everyone was so full because we ate
many rice. If you eat seafood especially with the spicy sauce, then you
will eat many rice also.
After this, we walk along Baclaran
Church to have a short tour there. The Seaside Seafood is located along
Roxas Boulevard corner Redemptorist Road in Parañaque City. You really
need to find a better parking spot because the area is crowded
especially during lunch time and dinner time.
#SeasideSeafood #Baclaran #Parañaque #Rizal
After we arrived at Ninoy Aquino
International Airport (MNL) on September 23, 2015 at 4:00am, my
relatives like my aunts Leonila Magtalas and Estelita Zapanta and my
cousin Rodelio Magtalas gave us a tour ride after they picked up us from
the airport. Thanks God that our flight was good although there's a
rain with thunderstorms during our landing. The rain finally stopped
when we arrived at NAIA. Thanks God also that my luggage and my mom's
luggage are passed the X-ray inspection after we gave the Declaration
Form at the Immigration Department.
Well, from NAIA airport,
the traffic begins at Airport Avenue, Domestic Avenue, Tramo Avenue, and
then Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA). After 6 years since my last
visit in 2009, the traffic conditions are worse than before and there
are more vehicles as well. While driving along EDSA, there are more
buildings, malls, and new establishments. There are many billboards
along EDSA also.
When we reached to Balintawak Cloverleaf, the
area is also congested in traffic especially along A. Bonifacio Avenue,
Quirino Hi-way, and North Luzon Expressway (NLEX). The NLEX is better
now than before because the highways are repaired and the systems of
paying at the toll gates are now different also. The traffic there is
lesser and faster.
When we exit at Santa Rita exit in
Guiguinto, Bulacan, the roads are now crowded with many vehicles like
jeepneys and trycycles. The province of Bulacan is now crowded also
because there are many factories, industries, subdivisions, and shopping
malls. It is also close to Manila.
Once we reached to
Baliuag, Bulacan, we went first to Baliuag Memorial Park to visit the
grave of my grandparents and my uncles at their mausoleum. My mother
didn't see the grave of her parents and her brothers for 12 years. The
memorial park is expensive and most of the graves there are came from
the rich and business families. We made a promise that we will improve
the mausoleum of my grandparents and my uncles later.
Our
hometown in Baliuag, Bulacan is also crowded. There are many
subdivisions as well as shopping malls like SM Baliuag. The traffic is
also congested especially during rush hours and raining. I almost got
lost there in finding my grandparents' residence because the
surrounding is now different than the last time that I visited in 2009.
They put blue gates at my grandparents' residence. The caimito trees
that we planted since 1975 are still there at the backyard.
After this, we sleep for few hours because we have jet lag. The time in
Philippines is 15 hours ahead from California. The weather here in
Philippines is warm right now like 95*F during daylight and 85*F during
nighttime. We experienced sweating all the time because it is humid.
#MNL #Parañaque #Rizal #EDSA #NLEX #Baliuag #Bulacan
On September 21, 2015, I went to
Philippines with my mother, Rosario Magtalas Balajadia to have a
vacation there and to visit our relatives and friends.
My
younger brother, Addison Magtalas Balajadia gave us a ride and dropped
off at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in Millbrae,
California.
Later, my other brother, Alfredo Magtalas
Balajadia, Jr. and his family as well as his mother in law visited us at
the lobby of SFO before we checked in at the Departure Area.
Thanks God that everything was alright and no problems with the weight of our baggage as well as our hand carry bags.
The plane, Philippine Airlines FL 105 departed on September 21, 2015 at
11:30pm. The flight stewards and stewardess are very friendly and
approachable. Our flight took about 14 hours and no stop over.
Finally, we arrived on September 23, 2015 at 4:00am at Terminal 2 of
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) in Parañaque City, Philippines.
Thanks God that the rain and thunderstorms are stopped during the
landing at MNL.
Thanks God also that we don't have problems
also with our baggage and hand carry bags at the immigration officers
after we gave our declaration forms.
My aunts, Leonila Magtalas
and Estelita Zapanta as well as my cousin, Rodelio Magtalas picked up
us at the Arrival Area of MNL. After this, we went straight to our
hometown in Baliuag, Bulacan to have our rest because of jet lag.
Philippines is 15 hours ahead from California.
#SFO #Millbrae #California #MNL #Parañaque #Rizal
