(The House Along the Railroad Tracks)
I recently transferred to a new home here in Hong Kong. My wife and I were so excited to move because this is our first house as a couple. I did not mind doing some wall repainting by myself. In fact, I enjoyed it. This is me happily painting a portion of our kitchen wall.
With two rooms, a large living room, a spacious toilet, and a comfortable tub, the flat is perfect for us. Even better, I get to see the Westrail train pass by every 15 minutes or so. I developed this habit of staring at the speeding coaches with the trademark red and blue colors of the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) Corporation. Can’t explain why, but it relaxes me the way fishes calmly swimming in a glass aquarium do. My wife agrees 100%. I could stare all day and not get bored. It gets even better at night when the coaches are fully lighted.
Here is the view of the tracks from my kitchen window.
This makes me wonder about fellow Filipinos who squat near railroad tracks.
Do they also like seeing PNR trains go by?
What is our government doing to help them?
…we need long-term solutions, not quick fixes! Current government relocation efforts are superficial.
…more photos and insights by Sidney Snoeck at My Sarisari Store
...sapagkat ang gobyerno natin ay may "cash cow mentality" pagdating sa mga Overseas Filipino Workers.
...sapagkat ako ay isa ring OFW; may mithiin, marunong magisip at nagnanais marinig... Makabagong bayani daw... Sa totoo'y tampok na gatasan ng pamahalaan.
These people who squat along the riles perhaps found their piece of heaven like you did. As long as they live with their families, they do not seem to mind that they have tarpaulins as roof and their lives are at stake residing along the tracks. So sad though that their version of heaven is the purgatory of society.
Your wife is lucky that you gave her your MTR heaven.
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Joe: We are both lucky.
Hi, looks like you have nice home over there….BTW thanks for visiting my blog
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Joe: Hi! Thanks for visiting my site as well.
congrats on your lovely new crib by the train! i’m sure it’s a cozy place for you both!
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Joe: Thanks! Hope you can visit us sometime here
Congratulations on your new home! new life!
It was not too long ago (more than a 100 years actually) that in this rails of ours, beautiful coaches once past. The railroad system that brought Rizal from Manila to Bulacan to Tarlac and so on, is no longer with us. We could only read this in books this days. The ‘riles’ of today is a representation of how we have become as a nation. The story of our country (our life).
I just recently stumbled upon your site and let me tell you that, yours is an informative one with some good historical entries, me being what you may call an ‘amateur’ historian, its good to know, in the words of ‘86 EDSA ‘di nagiisa’ – are people like me.
I’ll link up with your site and if you find mine worthy please link up too!
thank you.
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Joe: Hi there! All history buffs are welcome of course hehe. Lalo na kung tungkol sa Pilipinas. I’ll link you up. Thanks!