Independence Day Photo-Jogging

I finally convinced my husband to jog with me last Saturday, and he suggested that we should do it at Luneta Park, commonly known now as Rizal Park.

Since there will be tons of people on Independence Day itself on the 12th, we decided to jog the day before, so that there won't be any bumpings or circling along the ones who were strolling or enjoying their day in the park.

It was a beautiful day, and it's been awhile since I last visited this area. There were a lot of good changes - during college days, there were tons of garbage and homeless people in the area - now it was clean, and stricter rules were implemented like no picnic blankets (probably because of previous lover scandals or people sleeping in the park), but the grass was clean to sit on. And yes, you have to clean as you go, and there were tons of security everywhere inside the park.

Job Fair wasn't the only one that was setting up their booths that day, as the Philippine Navy, Marines and Army were there - complete with the respective soldiers on duty, memorabilia and huge tanks and trucks nearby not only to provide photo-op, but also to provide awareness and to tell everyone to enlist now!

And even with their thick & heavy armor in the heat of the sun, this soldier manage to give me a peace sign - and I smiled. I'm hoping that everyone gets the meaning of this shot. ;)

I love these lamp posts. They give out these melancholic aura that set you back into the past. Although I'm not that sure if these are still the original ones during the Spanish Colonization, but they're the right ones that adds up to the ambiance of the park.

We also jogged around the Memorial Stadium, but it seems that it's now under renovation of some sort. But at least the pavement was okay for everyone to walk, run and jog around.

I encountered a couple - both seemed attractive and very rich - and they asked me from the bunch of photographers around to take a picture of them using their own camera. When I saw them, I told my husband that it was rare to see that kind of people strolling and taking pictures of themselves in Rizal Park. Not to be stereotyping of any sort, but this actually provided me a new perspective on youth today - there may be actually hope for everyone if Filipinos were like this everyday. :)

Taking a rest on the grass along with other couples, friends, and families - picnic, flying kites, and some doing volleyball. The sun was setting, but the energy around us were still very much alive.

So the next time you want to hangout with your friends or family, and you can't decide, re-visit public parks today - and take a break from partying or the busy hustle of the cities and even beaches. :D

You can check out the rest of my shots by clicking here to my Multiply site. :)