Manila would be my childhood sweetheart -- the one I grew up with and knows me inside out, the one with whom I am most comfortable, the one I would always come home to.
And Seoul? Ah. Seoul plays the role of my ideal man -- the barometer of all things magical, the one who holds my hand in a constant discovery of common interests and passions, the one that always takes my breath away.
In other words: If cities were boys (and if my love life ever comes to existence), Manila would be The Boyfriend, and Seoul would be Ryan Gosling/Jake Gyllenhaal. Which means I love both but...
So in this two-part series, I compiled a wish list of things that I absolutely loved about Seoul that I hope and pray we can also have in Manila soon. In this first installment, I'll first talk about urbanities.
(I got help from Dae Lee, an artist/photographer/performer/Korean-by-citizenship-but-Filipino-at-heart -- who gave me some Seoul travel tips and provided most of the amazing photos below. Hope you like our collaboration!)
Tough love, but: next to Seoul's transport system, Manila's MRT, LRT and bus lines seems like it was planned out by a student. In second grade.
(But mad, mad love to the forward-thinking guys over at MMDA -- the MMDA app and Twitter have become two very indispensable things in many Manila urbanites' lives!)
Another thing about Seoul that completely won me over is the smattering of outdoor public parks throughout the entire city.
(Check out some of the Philippines' most unique parks!)
You can go to Gyeongbok Palace for a peaceful refuge amidst the bustling city, best for long walks and quiet afternoons. Or people-watch along Cheonggye Stream, a long stretch of water in the middle of a highway, flocked to by families on weekends, and couples in the evening of any given day. You can climb a mountain in the center of Seoul to get to Namsan tower, where you can declare your love (or lack thereof) through love locks. Or enjoy late-night picnics at the Han River with your friends, with takeout boxes of fried chicken and cans of beer. And all are easily accessible via train/bus.
Power Plant, Glorietta, Greenbelt, Eastwood, Trinoma: The average urban Filipino will always be magnetized to malls, but don't you ever wish we had more pockets of urban oases in Manila? Outdoor places where you can walk, bike, people-watch, think. (And for the cheapskates - where you can take your date for free.)
I cannot wrap my mind around the idea that there is a place in this world where 'waiting for YouTube videos to load' is a concept that does not exist.
Meanwhile, back in Manila, on a particularly bad night (when it rains, for example), downloading a 350MB TV show can take up to six hours. And you know how many hours a flight takes to get from Manila to Korea? Five.
Stay tuned for From Seoul to Manila, with love and hope: Part 2!
Photos by Dae Lee, Arriane Serafico
Layout by Arriane Serafico
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(December 01, 2011 04:16:01 PM)