I knew there would be a time when I wouldn't be able to come.  

I left flowers just a few times since you've been gone.  Even then I knew one day I wouldn't.  Lives change. People go on. But I didn't think it would be so soon. 

I think of you often. Sometimes I'd listen to kpop and think that we could have shared that more.  Then I'd remember you follow boy groups more and I follow girl groups so maybe not, lol. Sometimes I'd wonder what you'd think about something that happened. Sometimes I missed you starting conversations, like clockwork on Viber.  Sometimes I wished I just shared more with you.

Sometimes I'd feel sad that you're missing out on so much, but then I'd remember that you have done so much more than I ever could have. You met friends often, traveled, went to mountains, explored a cave and tried to convince me that it was perfectly safe, lol. You shared you art and shared your joy. You lived life and I could only wish I could say the same.

I will always look up to you in that regard. Even if I don't come back, it doesn't mean that I've forgotten you. I will never forget you.

I could probably stay silent forever.  And it's not even because I won't ever get lonely. 

I sometimes think about the people I know.  I think about them, but I don't drop a line. Not a word, not a peep.  It's not because I don't remember them, or wonder how they are. It just got extremely easy to not say anything at all.

Thoughts are painful. Memories are painful. What I've committed to paper, I've burned. Sometimes I wish I didn't because it just got harder to write anything at all.

Words unheard. You only have to look at the person you're talking to and wonder why you even had to start in the first place. I learned. I learned fast. And my world grew quieter.

Most days it doesn't bother me. But some days I know better. I bought myself a new lease on this blog's life hoping I could finally do something about it. Force myself to say something. Even just for myself. 

National Museum of the Philippines and Getting There by Train

When we first caught wind of the free admission to the National Museum, we made plans to take advantage of this offer before it expires at the end of June.  But like the great procrastinators that we are, we were only able to get there at the very last day of June.  And we were late.  And they were about to close. Hahaha! I had expected to get there earlier but I had an errand to run.  The train did make the trip faster but we hit a snag when it was time to choose what station to get off from.

After writing this post, I checked back on the National Museum's Facebook page and they've made the announcement that admission is now permanently free.

So if you want to see paintings, sculptures, half a fountain, and more paintings from different time periods in Philippine history, the National Museum is the place to go.

Getting to the National Museum by Train:

1.a.  Get on the MRT along EDSA.  If you have a stored value card, load up on credits because you're boarding two trains and it's just much easier to not have to load up on every station.  You may find loading machines that are broken or can only accept coins so when you find a station with plenty of available machines, consider that a manna from heaven and load up.

     1.b. If you're closer to the LRT Line 2 (Purple Line) that plies the Santolan to Recto route, you can get on that instead.
     1.c. If you're closer to the LRT Line 1 (Yellow Line) that goes from Monumento to Baclaran, you can get on that and skip to step 3.

2.a.  Get off at the Taft Station.  Because you should, since it's the last station.  You can pass through the mall or the walkway around the mall to get to the LRT platform.  Oddly, I've been asked a few times by fellow commuters for what direction they should take if they're going so and so.  Well, probably the direction where there isn't a fence blocking the train.

    2.b. If you're on the LRT Line 2, get off the Recto Station. Then walk to the LRT 1 platform. Just be sure you're on the ride side of the platform.

3.  Go to the LRT Station and board the train going to the United Nations Station.  

4. DON'T MIND THE SIGN INSIDE THE TRAIN TELLING YOU THAT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM IS AROUND THE CENTRAL TERMINAL STATION.  Seriously, we tried that.  Getting off there involves getting down the street and being confused over where you are and where you're going.  I think that sign was put up by a troll because I don't see how necessitating people to maneuver through traffic, cross the streets and then doubling back is a better option for the commuting tourist.

5.  Get off on United Nations Station. We didn't try this but I think this would have been a better option because it just seems easier.  You're going to cross a few streets too but it's easier to see where you're going.

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Just to give you a heads up, when we went there the entrance closest to the park was closed due to renovations so we had to go around to the entrance facing Padre Burgos Avenue.