Things I look forward to the most when I visit Manila

In just a few days' time, my family and I will be on our way to Manila. It has been over three years since we were all in the Philippines. It has been much longer than that since all of my immediate family were in the same country.

Early this year, it would have been an impossibility to plan a Manila trip and a big family reunion. But due to some changes in circumstances, we were lucky enough to have this opportunity.

Never mind the traffic, pollution and the humidity. I'd like to think that there's really a lot more to look forward to than to fret about when it comes to visiting the good ol' homeland.

Now, in no particular order, here are some of the things that I am eagerly anticipating on this trip:

A big family get together. Both my kids have never met one of my younger brothers and his family (wife and two kids). My husband has never met his nephew and niece either. My youngest brother last saw my six-year-old boy when my son was only 11 months old, and he has never met my three-year-old girl.

So yes, this trip is really a significant moment for our family.

Food tripping. What can I say? One of the things that I miss most about the country is the food. From chicharon bulaklak and green mangoes with bagoong to lechon kawali and sinigang. I can't wait to indulge my every food whim when I visit Manila. And yes, weird though it may be, I even miss Jollibee and Max's.

Catching up with friends. Other than seeing family, I am also looking forward to meeting some of my friends. I can't wait to see folks that I have known most of my life. School and university friends. Groups. Online buddies. And yes, I am even hoping to finally meet some friends that I made online after I left the country.

Visiting familiar places. There are many places from my growing up years that I really enjoy visiting again and again — and sometimes simply to see if anything has changed. And other times, just to enjoy the fact that nothing much has changed — that everything seems to be exactly the way it was when I first experienced it. 

In a way, showing all these old familiar haunts to my kids and my husband just gives me a different sense of pleasure. It's like being able to connect them to another part of me.

Discovering new wonders. With a place like the Philippines, there's always some place new to discover. Last time we visited, we checked out Mall of Asia for the first time. An old family friend also gave us the great opportunity to experience Punta Fuego for the first time. It was all good fun.

So, whether it be a new shopping centre or a new destination, I would really love to see another part of the country.

Speaking of shopping, it's easily another thing that I look forward to whenever I visit the Philippines. How can I not, when there's so much variety and colour in what the country has to offer?

What about you? Whether you're a balikbayan or a resident, what do you like most about Manila?

If you can recommend at least three "must see" places or "must do" things in Manila, what would they be?