A City Dreaming Of Unobstructed Roads And Sidewalks

 

     Went on an errand this morning to Binondo (we live in Tondo) and since I couldn’t bike (I have a painful trigger finger on my right thumb), I decided to just walk (safer than riding public vehicles this pandemic) and absorb the environment (which I couldn’t do when biking since I have to focus on the road ahead), and I noticed that the relentless clearing operations being done by Manila City Hall (they clear streets and sidewalks of obstructions like street dwellers, vendors, illegally-parked vehicles and illegal structures almost every day; truly a commendable effort) had sort of failed in our neighborhood as there were still vendors and vehicles and other obstructions on the sidewalks and the streets. I voted for Yorme Isko, incidentally.

     But it was a different thing altogether when it came to Divisoria. You could walk unobstructed through previously-vendors' paradise Ylaya (though sidewalks are still occupied by vendors) and through the previously-vendors' shangri-la sidewalks of Juan Luna. But there were many street dwellers in Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz in front of Binondo Church (see photo above). I took some photos there and noticed one male street (or plaza) dweller looking daggers at me so I pocketed my smartphone and left immediately. Lol. He probably thought I was there to report them.

     Anyway, clearing operations are still ongoing, I think, so these obstructions (living and non-living) could still be cleared.

     I got home and checked my step counter on my phone: 8,045 steps in 5.39 kilometers. Adults need to make at least 10,000 steps for their day to be considered real active and healthy, so I still need 1,055 steps to do (I hope my math here is accurate), but I could do it inside the house.

     And I bought some (processed) plums.

     And (spicy) Hopia Mahu from Polland. But I don’t think this food is healthy.