Manila Impressions: My First Adventure in the Philippines Capital!

Hey there fellow hivers!

I'm back for another round of adventures, and let me tell you, what I'm about to share is like a dream come true, one that's been brewing since my high school days.

But before diving into that, let's rewind a bit. Picture me back in the day, lounging on our bamboo bed in the province, tuning in to the local radio one moonlit night around 2004-2005. Radios were the rage back then, and I distinctly remember a listener requesting "Yellow" by Coldplay. That's where it all began. I fell head over heels for that song, even scribbling down its lyrics in a dedicated notebook—yes, I was that dedicated!

From that moment on, Coldplay became my jam. Fast forward to a few years back when they announced their first concert in the Philippines. I was gutted to miss out, and watching clips on YouTube only added salt to the wound. So, fast forward to last year, when they announced in 2023 that they were coming back to the Philippines, I started worrying because I still could not afford their tickets (at least those tickets that are near the stage). BUT, when there's a will, there's a way. HAHA

Took this on our way to Coldplay Concert.
Insert me as the one who took the picture. 😅

Cut to the day before the big event, and we're boarding our flight to Manila with @iamcjestrada and Wilfred in tow.

It's not just any trip—it's my first time setting foot in the capital, and Wilfred's too. We couldn't help but crack jokes about what to expect, especially given Manila's notorious reputation for traffic and pollution.

Touching down at Ninoy Aquino Intl. Airport, the city greeted us with its hustle and bustle, towering buildings, and endless flyovers. Hello, Manila!

We promptly booked a Grab taxi to take us to our accommodation at SMDC Sea Residences in Pasay.

Arriving around 2 PM, we realized we hadn't eaten lunch yet. After settling in, we decided to explore the area, with Mall of Asia being the nearest. Since I was also curious about what the biggest mall in the Philippines looked like in person, we headed there.

As we approached, the iconic MOA Globe came into view, though the daylight didn't do it justice. Inside, we marveled at the sprawling skywalks and eventually found ourselves inside Decathlon, then Ikea.

My craving for Ikea meatballs was real, but with it being neither lunch nor dinner time, we settled for a quick snack at a café at Ikea's entrance.

I can't recall the specific pastries (I can't even pronounce some of them correctly) we ordered alongside our coffee. Haha! It was around 5 PM when we stepped into the store. We ventured so deep inside that we lost our way back. Haha! The items inside were like a fancier and more aesthetically pleasing version of Mr. DIY (or even Kaking) that we have in Cebu. HAHA! Peace out!

And then we arrived at this section where they put together different furniture pieces and items from their store to create a model of what your room could look like.

As night fell, we ventured outside to explore the bay area, where food stalls and rides awaited.

For dinner, we opted to try something we couldn't get back home, and Popeyes chicken came to mind.

I heard a lot of positive reviews on social media about their chicken, so I thought I might as well check if it's legit. I ordered their 2-piece Spicy Chicken with Cajun fries on the side. Upon tasting it, I found it juicy and substantial, but it didn't have a unique flavor to me. We even compared it to Kara's Chicken or even Carlito's Fried Chicken in Downtown Cebu (cover mouth emoji), but I must say, I liked the Cajun fries though.

Heading back to our accommodation, we opted for a leisurely stroll, taking in the sights along the way. Manila's dustiness left an impression, and navigating the city proved to be no small feat. Yet, ticking off each destination on our list made it all worthwhile.

With our first day in Manila coming to a close, we turned in early, eagerly anticipating the concert of a lifetime come morning. Stay tuned for my next post detailing our Coldplay: Music of the Spheres concert experience. 😍