Category Archives: life

wishing for a better taxi service in Manila

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It has been a very tiring day; a humid 32degC is not really the ideal weather that you’d like when you need to walk around doing some errands and going to government offices. Despite this however, there were a lot of things to be thankful for – catching the train right on time (and catching the right train for that matter), getting inside an office a minute just before they closed and really helpful taxi drivers.

Now, for someone who has been a victim with a lot of opportunity-nabbing taxi drivers, the drivers I met earlier were really quite a blessing for me.

Name it, I experienced it, with Metro Manila taxi drivers – dropping me and my humongous luggage off in the middle of the highway because my destination has too much traffic along its route (he couldn’t refuse me while I was in the airport cause then they’ll be ticketed by the airport guard; charging me with a fee that’s almost close to extortion; going around in circles just so I’ll have a bigger tab; Fixing their meters in such a way that you’ll be charged much higher than the legal rate; keeping your change and assuming your change is your tip to them (which sometimes is actually 30% or more than the bill); and if you try to haggle with their excessive proposed fee, you’ll get an earful of his woes and laments with how hard life is; und so weiter.

In fairness not all Metro Manila drivers do that. We went to San Juan before and both to and fro our destinations, we had no complaints whatsoever with the taxi drivers. So naturally we give them a tip. And the smile on their faces was just so genuine and beaming with unexpected treat that your instinct would be to want to give him more tip.

My experiences with Manila taxi drivers were more than enough for me to be wary of them. However, albeit I’ve complained a lot about them to friends, I never really had the heart to report them to the authorities, especially those who cheat on the meter. I know I am not fulfilling my duty as a responsible citizen but if you think about the possible consequences it’ll bring them, the most extreme of which is for them to loose their jobs, you would just prefer to fume in the corner and let your anger subside after an hour or so. So, what happened today then that made me go wishing for better service in Manila?

Back in Manila, I rode a taxi once wherein the driver had to make a stopover by the side of the road ( I was really stressed at that time because I was on my way to the airport and I didn’t have much free time anymore) so that he can pee. I also road a taxi once wherein we had to make a stopover in the gasoline station for the driver to refuel. On both times, the driver had the meter running. I didn’t mind really. Even when they were charging me on something that I shouldn’t shoulder anymore.

But what happened this morning then? The taxi driver wasn’t sure of the address I gave him. So what he did was park the car on the side of the road, stop the meter, and checked his navi for directions. Technically, he was still doing the job since he was really searching for the destination’s address yet he still didn’t charge me for it.

Second taxi then. I was in Makati once and I wasn’t really familiar with the place so I asked a group of taxi drivers for directions. One of them said it’s really far and I had to take the taxi. I was really fuming mad when I discovered later that my destination was just a block away from my initial location. To the curious, there were no phones with GPS then.

Fast forward to this afternoon. When I got out of the train station, I asked the guard for directions. He told me my destination was two blocks away. It was only six minutes to my destination’s closing time and what with the heat, I really was too weak already to run. So I haled a cab. The driver almost didn’t allow me to get in because, he reasons, my destination is just less than two blocks away. But in my kindergarten Japanese I explained to him that the office was about to close so I was in hurry and it was only then that he relented.

A world of difference right? Ahhh, if only the smattering of good taxi drivers in Manila can multiply and influence their fellow drivers Manila then would be much much tourist friendly.

Ice Sculpture Festival

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There just are times when you unexpectedly walk into something beautiful.

The first thing we saw when we entered Isezaki Mall in Kannai were two huge blocks of ice facing each other across the street, both positioned upright unlike the one below. This one’s a bit melted already since I took it much later so yeah, the blocks of ice were initially really big.

A few steps farther, we saw this. What with the midsummer heat scorching us, I sort of envy the flowers. But husband pointed out I wouldn’t be able to move. Yeah. Right.

A few steps farther and we discovered there were several big blocks of ice spread out on the street mall. We did some purchases (more books for Atsushi and wooden clips for me for a wedding e-group friend) and when we went out the shopping store, we saw that each big block of ice was already manned; each person manning the ice blocks were already busy chiselling ice, with sharp-looking tools right beside them.

She’s the only woman among the 21 sculptors but she’s handling the big ice saw (?) quite efficiently.

Was sitting just right in front of her hence it was colder in the area near my seat; the chipped-off ice released its cold as it took in heat.

An ice sculpture in progress.

Turned out it was a couple of dolphins. Featuring Atsushi.

A mermaid.

A cockfight. We saw this much later and hence was probably already past its glory as we can’t make out the two cocks fighting anymore. The other sculptors were luckier they had a tree nearby to protect their work. No tree for this one though.

I found this one beautiful.

It was called, in Japanese, “Something to be Protected”. This beautiful bird’s eggs are indeed something to be protected.

Apparently, it was a contest. These two men were among a number of people walking around with checkboards with them, marking their grades for each sculptor on a sheet of paper.

A Kanagawa Ice Sculpture Committee member tallying scores.

Trophies!

Hubby with the trophies.

A woman committee member was writing the participant sculptors’ certificates, shodo-style. Shodo is the Japanese calligraphy or the traditional artistic writing of the Japanese characters. Her penmanship is beautiful and amazing. Such control!

We didn’t wait for the official tally results to be announced but based on the initial results, the winner was “Tama, abunai!” which literally means “cat, dangerous!”.

A photo with the winning sculpture.

The ice sculptors were amazing, making something artistic and beautiful out of something that would just eventually melt. And they have to race with time and the sweltering heat which threatens to melt their masterpiece no sooner than they were finished.

Witnessing the ice sculpture festival reminds me of a loooong-time dream to witness the Snow Festival in Hokkaido. Hopefully someday.

Frûche

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Frûche is a soft and creamy traditional European style fromage frais that is really much less viscous than fromage frais which has the consistency of cream cheese. As one would surmise from the name, it does have real bits of fruits mixed in with the cream, reminding you of flavored yogurt that’s popular nowadays.

This dessert is much loved in that a ready-to-make one is available in any supermarket, convenience store (konbini) and even in some 100 yen stores. And it comes with many other flavors besides.

This 150g needs only to be mixed with 150ml of milk and with a few stirs, you already have your frûche that’s good for 2~3 persons.

When I showed husband I bought frûche for dessert, his eyes grew big and exclaimed how he loved it when he was a kid. He then went on sharing his childhood stories with frûche. Listening to him, I was thankful for giving in to my whim to buy this pack even when I initially had no idea what it was nor how to prepare it. Love.

world map

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Atsushi was attending their department’s party hence I was left to my own devices for the night. Alone at home, I was searching frantically for the world map book that Atsushi has. Not able to find it, I waited for Atsushi.

No sooner than 2 minutes after he got back, I asked him for the world map.

M: Atsushi, do you know where the world map book is?

A: It’s here

He then hurried to the bedroom, with me following closely behind him, and retrieved the book.

A: Why were you looking for it?

M: I’m looking for a place where we can go tomorrow to get some exercise and possibly invite our officemates to.

A: The world map book? tomorrow? Which country do you want to go?

There was actually a detailed map of Japan in it with some tourist sites. But yeah, he does make some sense. No wonder he was very surprised. Why the world map indeed. 😀

chimes

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The Yuasas and Pepitos had some sightseeing for two days after the wedding. Dropped by People’s Palace in the Sky (the name of this place is too long for me I always seem to call it as “People in the Sky” LOL). The Yuasas and Hamakawa and Akiko-san all bought windchimes to bring back to Japan.

And finally, I was able to hang ours this afternoon. Perfect timing for hanging it what with the summer breeze playing with it, hence creating beautiful chime that makes our home more….homey.

Summer so far has been really breezy. Deep blue skies it looked like a tropical country sky, blue skies that’s reminiscent of autumn or winter. Balmy and cool evenings. And the wind! And brilliant sunsets that looked almost like sunsets during autumn and spring. Hubby and I both agree it is a beautiful summer, sooo different from the previous ones. Wonder why so? We hope though this keeps up till end of August.

teeth check!

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I know I had a number of posts already on how expensive it is here in Japan. Trust that there’d be more every now and then.

So yep, it’s about teeth this time. Dental services has got to be among the most expensive here in Japan. I had my wisdom tooth extracted late last year and it just cost 500pesos in the Philippines. Okay it was discounted as it was done by my ortho and yes it was braces related. But still, I think the most you’d pay for teeth extraction (save for root canal; and well, that’s not really extraction per se) in the Philippines is 1000pesos. But. I had my other wisdom tooth extracted here in Japan back in 2007 and it cost me 10,000yen (roughly 5,000pesos). Needless to say, having your teeth corrected by braces and retainers here would cost you millions of yen.

Given that, dental services is honestly one of my worries whenever I’m here in Japan. Thankfully, dental services are included in our company health insurance and up to 70% of what we pay, including medicines, is covered by insurance.

What’s even better is that the company holds periodical health and dental checks in the office for their employees; probably because they know how their employees are such workaholics that they might not have time to have their regular checkups. Hence the health and dental check venue.

Had my first dental check earlier in the office. Yey! Teeth were declared all healthy and well taken cared for. We were also given a loot for takeaway.

And look how fast time flies! It’s been exactly one month since I joined the workforce again! Thankful for the blessing.