cruising the marikina riverbanks

rr and i agreed to cruise marikina not for anything else but to meet ma'am aileen, our erstwhile math major colleague, who is now affiliated to a computer university somewhere in the metro east. we scoured the bookstores first in the neighboring mall before proceeding to the newly opened sm marikina, which rr claims as "pang-mayaman." when ma'am ai encountered us, she brought us to the ihawan overlooking the river. the place was abuzz with people of sorts and service was deplorable for its slowness, but the food comprising barbecued chops, roasted milkfish, skewered squid, hot bulalo soup and fried eggplant with bagoong condiment lifted our spirits. stories, too, were endless. not bad despite the relative absence of eye candies.:)