Strolling along Legaspi Village last week, I came across the Washington Sycip Park in between Gamboa and Legaspi streets. It was the first time that I learned the park's name, but it's not surprising that the park is named after the founder of one of the country's premier audit firms, SGV & Company, given the numerous contributions that he has made to the Philippine business scene since liberation. As you can see in these pictures, it's pretty well kept and nicely manicured.
I love city parks--they induce that feeling of serenity and calm, a brief place for pause and solitude in the middle of the concrete jungle. It's just too bad that we have very little space in Metro Manila dedicated to parks, and if I were a billionaire philanthropist, I'd purchase pockets of land for conversion into city parks. Given the hot humid climate we have, a lot of people prefer to spend time in malls than in parks.
Time moves at a turtle's pace when you are in a rush, but when you are enjoying yourself, time can move as fast as a speeding bullet. I remember I spent hours just strolling around Central Park in New York (yes, hotdogs & souvlaki galore) or Hyde Park in London (overcast and chilly but still a darling), and as the day ended, I'd wonder to myself what I had actually done. Well, the list included sitting down to enjoy the view, walking around to enjoy the pathways, eating ice cream, simply doing nothing except strolling and smiling to strangers. To me, that's the most definitive luxury--spend quality time doing nothing, simply living life and enjoying with family and friends!
The artist Impy Pilapil has conceived of a wishing table in which you can write your wishes using a provided reed and some water (as ink). When the water evaporates, it is assumed that your wish has gone up to the gods for perusal!
This gazebo reminds me of the landmark in Cebu that houses the cross that Magellan brought to the Philippines. Don't you think so?
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