Good morning from Manila! Today is a very important day for our family—it’s Embassy day. We were up early and ready to go by 8:00 AM. Liam was especially excited, though I think he was mostly interested in playing with the phone while we waited for our taxi.
Our first mission was heading to the Norwegian Embassy. Everyone always talks about how horrible the traffic is here in Manila, but honestly, it wasn’t that bad today. We’re staying in Taguig, which feels a bit more like a suburban area, similar to how Consolacion is to Cebu City. The drive was smooth, and we made it to the law center where the embassy is located with time to spare.
The visit to the embassy was a huge success. We had an appointment at 9:00 AM, but they actually let us in early at 8:30 AM. The staff there was incredibly professional and efficient—we were finished and back outside by 9:20 AM! The main goal was getting Liam’s paperwork started so he can eventually get his Norwegian passport. We also started the process of registering our marriage in Norway. It’s a great feeling to know that everything is being made official back in my home country. Once we get back to Cebu, we just have to ship some final documents via LBC, and then it’s just a waiting game.
To celebrate our successful morning, we decided to find a nice spot for a "celebration breakfast." We found a beautiful coffee shop nearby that had a fantastic selection of pastries. Even though I’m supposed to be watching my diet, I couldn't resist a blueberry Danish and a black Americano. Jessa went for some buffalo wings—a bit early for me, but she enjoyed them! Liam was mostly interested in the jam inside the Danish, which I can't blame him for. It was a really relaxing environment, the kind of place where you can just sit back and enjoy the day.
After our break, we headed over to a place with a very unique name: Market Market. It’s a massive shopping area, and I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. We spent some time walking around and taking in the sights. One of the highlights for me was watching a street food vendor prepare a meal. The way he was mixing everything together on a large flat grill was pure artistry—he’s clearly a pro who’s been doing this for hours every night.
We had seen a huge line at a specific food stand the day before—people were waiting 45 minutes for a seat! Since it was quieter today, we decided to give it a try. We ordered beef and chicken wings with rice for about 163 pesos. While the cooking process was fascinating to watch, I have to be honest: the food was a bit of a "meh" for me. It wasn't bad, but the soup we had yesterday was much better and even cheaper. Jessa, on the other hand, absolutely loved it. That's the beauty of street food—sometimes you find a hidden gem, and sometimes it's just okay.
We’re heading back to the hotel now to plan the next few days. Tomorrow will be a "do nothing" day where we just change hotels and relax. We’re looking for a place that’s more central to the other spots we want to visit, like the zoo and the factory-direct markets.
Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you in the next one!
