Home sweet home

Here's my fabulous apt in Malate, The Living Room space (see the link at the top of this blog). I went through 4 airports to get here, Geneva London Hong Kong to Manila, all with my roller-skate cases filled with artworks (ref Concha link). The apt in Malate is everything I need, it's actually just perfect, down to the hot pink shower curtain. Anita arrived and we head to Odet's house, a social worker and environmental activist. Activist is really the right way to describe her. She is having her house blessed by a priest as it will be a new training facility. Around 5 women get up to sing Ave Maria one after the other. We also have a Filipino tenor performing everything from the soundtrack to Jekyl and Hyde, to Carmen. People love to sing here. The priest asks us to raise our hands and wave them over the space in blessing and we learn that there are 3000 angels with us in the house at this moment (they literally do cover every surface, figuratively).

The cleaning lady Suzanne makes me home cooked meals. Between Carlos and Anita (Celdran cousins), you can know the whole town. I feel like I have landed in the epicenter of the Manila scene. There are many coincidences, like the Swiss student from Lausanne living in the same 'hood as me. Or Baby and Coco -- Baby is Anita's good friend and hears about me. Coco is Hughes cousin, one of the artists I've brought in my suitcase. They have a gallery here called Lumiere and it turns out they also live just upstairs from my place. All is great. I've started my accupuncture sessions as well.