{ SENSATION }

+ finally!

Thank you for sticking with me to the end. :) Let's recap our journey and have the parting words.

+ encore, encore

I took the MRT for the third time in my life on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2006.from 10:30am to 1:30 pm. I took along my camera for the ride. I have a tendency to get into trouble when I'm alone, so my mom came along too. It was fun, uncomfortable, exciting and tiring, but most of all, it was eye-opening. I understand much better now how the places in Manila are connected to each other, whereas I used to think of Greenhills or SM North or Taft as familiar islands in an unfamiliar sea of buildings and roads. This study of the landscapes I live, breathe, work and play in made me rethink the way I see space. It's made me look at my environment with an observant and analytical mind. The world of Manila opened up to me. It's like I'm in a whole new world, only I'm not. Through geography, I've just learned to understand it better.

+ i, manila

Manila is a place of extremes, of curiosities, of injustices, of pleasures, of ironies. And in spite of all my complaining about all its problems, I still can't help but think of it as a beautiful place. I don't really know why. Maybe because it's my place. It's my city. It's my country I'm talking about. And I don't want to give up on it, because it would be like giving up on myself. I'm not what people would call nationalistic. Sure, I study at UP, and I've lived here all my life, but I don't involve myself in any kind of civic action, and I'm much, much better in English than in Filipino. But still, there's something about this place that makes me call it home.