Manila CPO Tour

Yesterday, I joined the Postal Heritage Operational Tour organized by the Royal Postal Heritage Guided Tour Group. I am a philatelist, and I am fond of activities organized by Pilipinas Philately, such as the stamp forum that I attended last year. This was why it’s not a struggle for me to wake up early on a Saturday morning to join a tour in Manila. 

I started my day by having taho for brekkie.  

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I rode the LRT, and in half an hour, I was greeted by old school downtown Manila.  

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It was my first time to cross the famous Jones Bridge on foot. I was so giddy during this moment as this was a focal point in the movie Last Night starring Toni Gonzaga and Piolo Pascual.  

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After literally crossing the bridge, I reached the beautiful Manila Central Post Office.

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There were stamps for sale at the lobby during the event.  

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Again, I was delighted to be there because the central post office building was featured in the film Hintayan ng Langit starring Gina Pareño and Eddie Garcia.  

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Naturally, I gravitated towards Rizal stamps.  

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I crocheted while waiting for the lecture to begin. 

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We all received a welcome packet with some stamps! 

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And I was happy to see a model of the Murillo Velarde Map, whose original I saw in person last year. 

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I was especially drawn to the P.O. boxes as they had a classic vibe.  

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Look at these doors!

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This staircase is gorgeous. 

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After the lecture, we got to tour the post office and learn about the operations of the government agency. 

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It was lovely to be in the company of fellow philatelists.  

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Our last stop was the postshop, where we all got to purchase current stamps in circulation. 

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This is my haul. I got stamps that make me smile, such as valentine symbols and year of the pig stamps.  

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I had the time of my life at the tour and I am looking forward to more philatelic geekery in the future! I hope you can also join a post office tour in the future. Just look them up on Facebook for more details. It’s free, and I’m sure that you will also have a good time!

Remembering My Name

The past month has been incredibly challenging. My schedule has been hectic, so I tended to forget myself when I’m busy with errands or tasks. It was a good thing that I finally received my order for this bespoke necklace with my blog name on it. 

I have coined up “speakoutsam” back in uni. I needed a new gmail address, so I came up with it, and the rest is history.  

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I’ve always received compliments for my email address, and it eventually became my Instagram handle and blog url. I’ve embraced it through the years, and I took it to heart too- as I do so here on my blog, where I can speakoutsam everyday!

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Remembering my name has enabled me to be strong amidst trials, to walk tall even when I’m scared, and to care for myself even when I’m exhausted.  

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Eating right is indeed a form of self-care, and this plate of chicken chelo kabab from Mister Kabab has perked me up.

So friends, whenever you are down, a personalized item and a hearty meal always does the trick! Try it and see the difference this combo can make.