Making Each Day Count

Now that the monsoon season is in full swing in the Philippines, I don’t have any vacation days booked. They’re all saved up for quarter 4, when it’s a tad bit cooler and chances of typhoons (which might potentially mean cancelled flights) are lower. One weekend, however, D and I thought of a staycation at Binondo, Manila. The last time we went there was last year, when we had a food tour and visited the Chinatown Museum. This time, D and I checked in at the Ramada by Wyndham Manila Central hotel. Luckily, I found a good deal at Agoda. When I saw Agoda’s discounted rates, I booked it in a heartbeat. The hotel, after all, is conveniently located along Ongpin Street, one of the most well-known streets of Binondo. This narrow street is frequented by local and foreign visitors as it’s lined up with restaurants and food stalls.

The main reason I was eager to stay in Binondo was because I learned from a friend, and later on through watching reels on social media, that there is an area close by, Carriedo Street, where people go to get their eyeglasses done. There are loads of optical shops along that street, and eyeglasses are sold at a much lower cost compared to the shops in the malls. The last time I had my glasses done cost me a lot, so I thought it was worth checking the optical shops at Carriedo.

Carriedo Street was just a few minutes’ walk from Ongpin Street. We passed by the jewelry strip of Ongpin Street and then the streets became busier and more packed with cars, people, and street vendors. The walk in itself felt like an adventure. Finally we saw the optical shops located under the LRT station and found that the side streets around it are also filled with more shops. It was an optical shop heaven! After some window shopping, I found a shop that sold the cats eye frame that I liked. I had progressive eyeglasses with blue light lenses, while D got his transition glasses. The shop owner threw in a sweet deal and I got a pair of graded sunglasses. We paid a total of US$120 for the three eyeglasses. The only limitation is that most of the shops only accept cash or e-wallet payment.

Because the wait time for the eyeglasses was an hour, D and I walked to the Pasig River nearby to take some pictures at the Pasig River Esplanade. It was interesting to see the sculptures at the esplanade, and we admired the flower bearing trees at the opposite bank.

This was the first time I’ve had a staycation in Binondo. I enjoyed getting to know the City of Manila more. It’s interesting it’s just next to the city I live in, but I rarely get the chance to explore Manila. Now that I discovered the optical shops strip of this part of the city, I now know where I will go back to get my glasses regularly done.