Pool party

A new discovery that I have made about Metro Manila is the presence of small private party venues within residential subdivisions. Shanghai Garden Resort (named such because of the street it is in and not because of its design) in Better Living Subdivision in Parañaque City is really nothing more than a swimming pool surrounded by patios with pretty plants and a small koi pond. There are bathrooms, of course, a preparing room for the caterer, a concrete area for shooting hoops, a small private room, and that's it. It's actually a pretty good option for those who want to avoid the formal stiffness and possible boredom of having a party in a hotel or a restaurant, and for those who live in communities that don't have its own clubhouse. Swimming, eating, playing board games, chatting and napping made for one very relaxed and relaxing party. I hear there's a similar place for rent near our own house, but I have yet to find out where it is.

Waiting to leave

Back in November, I mentioned in a post about its arrivals waiting area that only passengers are allowed inside the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). This means that everyone with international flights have to show their tickets and passports before they can even enter the building. Despite having a separate entrance for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), on very busy days the line of passengers snaking its way towards the entrance can be so long it spills over onto the driveway.