The Cultured Clause

On my last trip home to Manila, I promised to make it productive but didn't really get to do anything much. A trip to the National Museum was the only culturally relevant thing I've done then, plus maybe a coffee stop at Cafe Adriatico in Malate. This time however, I wanted to make it more productive. While in China and counting down the days till I get home, I browsed through travel blogs to find cheap stuff to do within the city. Clickthecity fortunately came up with a list of free (or nearly free) things to do in the Metro so I didn't have to exert too much effort. A visit to the Malacanang Palace was on top of my list, until I found out that the CinemalayaX Film Festival coincides with the date of my arrival.So I arranged for my films-in-competition pass after an epic Hangouts convo with my friend where we decided to assert our right to meaningful entertainment. Having gotten everything in order, I realized that for my trip to be officially a vacation, I just have to wing it. What can I say, I love spontaneity!This time, I promised myself to make every day count. My trip to the National Museum last May reminded me of the days when I, as a college student, would hangout with a friend at the museum steps to fly paper airplanes or kites or just simply gush over ancient Filipino artifacts.Somewhere along the way, I grew up and lost that sense of wonder. Now, I am on a mission to reclaim it, and I'm starting in the city that exposed me to the harsh realities of life and the fun that comes with it.Manila, I'm home.