I can’t quite explain how fantastic Easter Sunday was. Three things I enjoy most in life are exploring a new city on foot, a British Sunday roast dinner and having a few beers on a balcony on a sunny afternoon. I was so fortunate to get all three on this year’s Easter Sunday.

I set out early with a loose plan of where I was heading, I did have navigation, but I didn’t much care for it on this Easter Sunday. The Beatles wrote a song called ‘A Day in the Life’ and it mentions 4000 holes in Blackburn (my home town), well in Manila, it’s 4000 7Elven stores, they are literally on every corner. I guess no one goes thirsty or hungry in Manila. If that’s not your thing there is always the brilliantly named Hungree Burgers that I saw on the way- had it not been closed I might have gone in to how giant their GIANT burgers were.

As I continued my morning stroll I see a big truck with the words ‘Ice Dealer’ on the back, with it being 95 degrees I thought that was not a bad occupation to be in, but it did get me wondering, does the driver change that to ‘Drug Dealer’ in the evening? Around this time, I should have taken a left, or maybe it was a right, whatever, I ended up Zobel Roxas Street, and despite not knowing I was going the wrong way I kept on going. Zobel Roxas Street is one interesting street to see – it’s one of those ‘see local life’ streets that I found so interesting with Manila. I kept on walking, until I realized I was over a mile in the wrong direction. I saw side car taxis, jeepney buses and an abundance of people going about there every day. It was interesting to watch and see.

Moving further on my steps brought me across the San Antonio De Padua Church, being Easter Sunday the priest was in full swing. I stopped to listen, he was fabulous, and it seemed likely to me that it wasn’t only Easter Sunday that his church was packed as it was on this day. As he spoke the I love you ending – the congregation speak ‘I Love You’ and his reply ‘I Love You More’ I thought was more genuine than I have heard from any voice before. What a joy that priest was, I was so happy to be wondering on by.

As I rounded the corner I saw five boys swimming in the dirty river. I thought, in England there would be ‘no swimming’ warning signs all over the place, but these kids were just laughing and having fun. I waved and they waved back.

Having got back to my wrong turn I got back on track. Oh, yes, I remember I am meandering to Rizal Park.

Through Rizal Park after a brief stop to enjoy the music and warm Sunday sunshine. I got thinking of food as I ventured right on, but there was one more port of call – to Chinatown, or Binondo as it is known. It’s huge, busy and lots of sights, sounds and smells.

What a glorious way to spend a bunch of hours… doing all those things so enjoyable in travel exploring, wandering and having an adventure. I called a Grab taxis to take me to the Union Jack Tavern in Makati where I was reliably informed that they would be doing a British Sunday roast.

The rumors were not false, a Sunday roast dinner and a couple of pints of San Miguel beer. What a class find.

I do like to enjoy the food of the countries I visit, and I always to find time to do just that, but on odd occasions something familiar seems nice. Easter Sunday was just one of those days.

I head back to the hotel just after 4pm and on the way bought a few bottles of beers to go relax on the balcony in the wonderful afternoon heat and sunny blue skies. Life is pretty darn good!