As I was standing idly at the corner of the LRT train from Quirino station to Doroteo Jose station the hapless scenery of Manila was been laid out in front of me like a cheap magazine which brought some flashes of memories when I was still living in this busy capital after I graduated college.
Seeing the vast sceneries of adjacent and neighboring tall buildings and commercial establishments along Taft Avenue brought me back those bittersweet memories I've had when I was still a struggling nurse in this fast-paced city. It molded me to be independent and taught me how to survive life like a double-edged sword which made me cut corners in order to survive life in this pathetic city.
The length of the trip from Quirino station to Pedro Gil, Vito Cruz, United Nations Avenue, and the sprawling Rizal Park at the heart of the city all brought some nostalgic and poignant flashbacks at the back of my subconscious mind.
When I spotted the Philippine General Hospital along the length of Taft Avenue it reminded me of my first on-the-job training at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit after I graduated college, and also reminded me of the friends I had met when I was still in training there. I was wondering where they are now.
The nearby National Bureau of Investigation reminded me of the endless queue of applicants from the different regions of the country speaking different dialects, with the only goal of getting criminal clearance for their applications abroad. It was a tough moment when I had queued myself for my own criminal clearance. I still remember the happy and excited face I wore after I got my documents.
The nearby Luneta a.k.a. Rizal Park looked more contemporary now compared to what I had known it during the times of my stay here. Now it looked more sophisticated and very captivating to the tourists and the locals alike. There were even more dancing fountains adorned with colorful lights swaying to the beat of classical music. It was very captivating to look at especially at night. They were meant to be placed there to lure more audiences and passersby.
The old clock of the Manila City Hall was still standing tall at the building's tower working excellently well, defying the curse of time. The historic Intramuros was still spotted well with it's well-manicured green lawns and it's strong and molded concrete walls along the Pasig River and the Lawton area.
The nearby Lawton and Binondo as we entered the Quiapo area was been stripped off of it's Hispanic era appearance and were changed with all these ultra modern neon lights and commercial business signs that had made it more crowded and unpleasant to look at.
Even the Pasig River, which divided the central part of the city from the commercial district of Binondo, couldn't escape the wrath of the pollution which wrap the whole city with a thick smog and added to the murky and filthy appearance of the water. Even the rubbish, trashes, and dirts where been spotted floating in decomposing and decaying state on the dirty water. It was a hapless and icky sight to see.
Crossing the Binondo Bridge going to Avenida and Recto Blvd, and the nearby Carriedo Station near Quiapo was still teeming with illegal vendors selling cheap immitations on the streets luring some customers to buy their stuff in bulk for less. This was still the same sight I've known and seen when I was still living here 20 years ago, albeit it was even more crowded and the traffic was even worst.
I never imagined I would be back here in the Quiapo-Recto area to reminisce my sordid and bitter past. I still feel at home despite of the nagging humidity and the thick pollution as well as the annoying traffic.
When I alighted at the Doroteo Jose station all my memories kept flashing back nonstop like a vacuum in my memory bank. I walked about a half mile along Recto Blvd towards Isetan Mall in Quiapo and walked inside the mall as if looking for the lost pieces of my old past.
The Mall was not the same anymore just like before. There were stalls and kiosks of various gadgetry and it was too crowded already. The elevator is not even working unlike before where it showcased the plushed glass elevator. Now, no more!
Still flashbacks of memories kept coming back and sucking in me. I couldn't help closing my eyes and shudder impishly for the nostalgia it brought back to me. The effect was electrifying! I felt I am whole again and the void that's been there for the past 20 years was been eased down. I can't help crying and trembling inside.
I came out of the mall after a thirty minute stroll and exited towards the Quiapo exit door and started walking towards the Quiapo Church passing the famous Plaza Miranda. Apparently the church was close but I still paid homage outside the well-known edifice.
The streets of Quiapo were still the same, overly crowded, filthy and polluted. The streets were loaded with a lot of muggers and fixers and it still depicted the same picture as what I have known it in the past. It never changed at all!
I went back at the Isetan Mall and went on the third floor playing video games and I meet a cute guy there where we exchange stories and conversations. I invited him for a snack at the nearby Goldilocks restaurant where we kept yacking and telling funny stories for another hour. He was a gullible storyteller.
I left Quaipo at 6:30 pm and took the opposite route of the LRT that I took earlier and I felt that I was sucked up again back to all the memory flashbacks I was doing earlier while I am on my way there.
Now I am back again in my own reality world and it was quite a good feeling to have stand idle in that corner of the LRT train back to where I stayed in Malate in Singalong. The reminiscence of my past twenty years ago was just a good escape of my boring life in Los Angeles. It was totally void and now I felt complete.
I can't believe that my vacation will be over in six days and I just wanted to stop counting the days before it ended because I know my life will not be the same again. How I wish I was just dreaming! How I wish this will not end!
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