Remembering Manila Day…
I was going to buy a DSLR camera at Hidalgo. My sister joined me since she did not have work that day as well. Her office is located at UN Avenue.
My extremely bad sense of direction gave us an early adventure. (I can be smart in many other things but I can be really stupid in geography) I was so confident that Hidalgo is actually a station of LRT 2 so I got a bit of a shock when we got to Recto station and realized that I was thinking of the Gilmore station the whole time. Since I am used to getting lost, I knew what to do – ask a guard.
The lady guard was very polite in giving me directions on how to get to Hidalgo but she did give me a big questioning look when I asked her.
It was a long but interesting walk from Recto station to Hidalgo. We even passed by a film shoot with Jodi Sta. Maria-Lacson on it. As we got nearer the Quiapo church area. The whole ambience changed – my sister and I felt like we were tourists.
I’ve been living in Metro Manila since 1998 but it was actually my first time to go to Quiapo. Contrary to what I thought, the place is actually peaceful. There were street stalls selling food and refreshments but the interesting ones are those selling clothes with intricate designs for religious images, colored candles with orasyons, herbal remedies and agimats among others. Weird as it may seem, but there was really a harmonious blend between Catholic religion and Filipino pagan traditions.
As we proceeded to Hidalgo St, there were fresh produces and knick-knacks being sold in the middle of the street where the camera shops are. We went from one store to another canvassing for the best deal. Then, we were down to two stores to choose from. One of the stores actually had a better deal in terms of price and add ons but we opted to buy from Jess Jingco of Unsman instead. The moment we came in his store, he accomodated us immediately. We asked for recommendations and he gave us practical ones. He did not insist that we buy the more expensive model but provided us the model that suits my requirements. He also gave us a hefty discount on the tripod and recommended a camera filter to protect the lens. We even had basic orientation on how to operate the camera. And for after-sales support, he has a facebook account where clients can ask for troubleshooting tips, even appropriate lens for different photo genre.
Indeed, Mr. Jingco was not merely selling the camera but photography itself. He may not have provided the best price deal but he did provide us with the best package.
I emailed Sir Lito of FPPF this morning. I hope to get a slot for the saturday session that is starting on 03 July.
And so, my journey through the lens has begun..
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