Quality Comforts in Quezon City
I have travelled around the world, seen various landscapes and cityscapes, eaten exotic foods, spent time with people of different cultures and experienced living out of a backpack or suitcase. But still nothing quite compares to the comforts of my home town of Quezon City in the Philippines.
I've lived in Quezon City (QC) for the entire 24 years of my life. I've not known or acknowledged any kind of home other than here. Of course I've felt comfortable in other cities in the world when I spent some time there but nothing gives me more peace of mind that the quality comforts of QC.
From my early childhood playing in the streets of my village with my friends, I knew that I would never what to leave this place for good. I'd always come back no matter how long I have been away. As a young kid I explored the vastness of the campus of the University of the Philippines, always running around playing tag, riding my bike through the narrow backstreets of the university or frolicing the fields while bouncing a football on my feet. Of course what kid can resist a delicious snack of fish balls with some obsure sweet and spicy sauce. As I grew older and went to attend school in another near by university I discovered a whole new place to wander about. The bustling commerical street across my school provided lots of places to eat and hang out. At times some friends and I would go skateboarding along streets with minimal traffic until the sun sets.
But now times are indeed changing and there has been much change to the city of my childhood. More dining areas, more activities to be had and definitely more fun to be experienced. Now there is a growing amount of interest in weekend flea markets that sprout out of nowhere in the middle of the night to cater to foodies or early morning joggers. The now considered "artsy" district of Maginhawa Street provides new dinning options run by small business owners. Mom and Pop style restaurants that serve excellent food, small bars that feature up-and-coming artists, hidden galleries that promotes locally produced artworks are some of the features that the city has recently developed. A plethora of hang out spots are available for yuppies, students or anyone from any walk of life. Most are easily accessible but do watch out for the famous Manila traffic jams that sprout up every rush hour.
Good food, good music and good company is all you want to have a good time anywhere in the world and I believe that QC provides all that and much more. Some say that QC may not exactly be a pretty sight but at least it is much more real. As our Department of Tourism likes to say "It's more fun in the Philippines!" and I definitely agree!
