Trip to The Mall - Understanding the Purpose

For many years here I have had the opportunity to go to most of the major malls in Manila and also here in Cebu and Mactan Island. While I was at SM Mall yesterday with my wife, we were going to the bank to check on some issues. Very simple task, not complicated, and I assumed we would get it done rather quickly. We went to the bank, stood in the normal long line and finished our business and we were done. Four hours later we exited the mall...... We bought nothing, was looking for nothing, so I said to myself, what the hell are we doing. I found myself caught up in the culture of what I would call " Malling "...

I noticed as we walked around, lots and lots of young people, and many others. 90% of them carried no bags, had no merchandise with them. As I followed my wife, we would walk down this way, then into this shop for a few moments, then out, up the escalators and again another shop. I found myself looking at items that I had no interest in or cared the least thing about. We would sit down a while, then off again. Walking, up, down, pass the same place three or four times. It actually took me a while to realize, when I finally stopped and said, what the hell are we doing??

We had no extra money to spend, we was looking for nothing special. Then as I looked around and watched others, I could see that most all were doing the same thing. At that moment I knew I had been here a long time. I would have never done that in the States. Just another wonderful Culture Experience to visit the malls with no money, and nothing to go for except just going.

Oh and by the way, walking in the malls in PI, are a lot like the traffic on the roads. No organization, no yielding, it a who ever gets there first. Lot of chicken playing, if you know what I mean.. One person walking towards you, on the same direct path as you, then its like ok, which one will get out of the way first. How close can you get, will he move, then at the last moment, someone will give way, or its very possible you can end up face to face in a stand off, looking at each other, and saying nothing. lol ha ha ha ha... I notice this with the Filipino's very much. Of course as a foreigner they tend to give way at the last moment for me... My wife, well lets just say if you are in the mall with her, look out. She walks through middle of groups, straight forward, backwards, cuts lines, she does not move for no one. lol ha ha ha.. I am constantly pulling her from side to side, tapping her on the shoulder to tell her watch out someone is trying to get through.. Its just really a completely different way than I am used to.

Getting on the escalator sometimes she will be already to the top, while I am still trying to get on and be proper with yielding and trying orderly to get on. I find when i hesitate to let someone who arrives at the same time as me, then 10 others will start right in behind them, and I am left standing there still trying to get on... Not to mention riding multi cabs, V Hires....

Once I was waiting for a V Hire. I thought I would be smart, so I stood at the edge of the road. I kept looking around, seen no one much. A few behind me sitting down on a bench. I thought to myself, dam I got this one. So I patiently waited and here the V Hire come. I said to myself, I was smart and will get a good seat.. I looked around again, very stealthily, like a secret agent.. No one much in sight, no movement around me, I got it. The V Hire stopped and opened the door, before I could make one step...... Dam, it was full. Coming past me on all sides like bullets, from out of the bushes, and just from no where. They had to see me standing there so long in the front. They had to know I paid my dues waiting in the hot sun. Honorably I should have got on first... Did not happen... It was like a swarm of killer bees, and I was in their way.. lol ha ha ha.
The funniest part was the driver was standing there waving me with a very fast hand motion like, hurry, hurry they are coming..... lol ha ha ha... What a life.....