The Disappearing España Boulevard

The annual disappearing act of the great España Boulevard is at its peak again. And I finally had front seat at this momentous event (weh!).

Despite the heavy downpour due to Typhoon Falcon, I put on my rain gear - jacket, sandals and umbrella - and left the office at exactly 5:30pm. I figured that if I waited for the rain to subside (which at that time was rather unlikely), the flood would continue to rise and I won't be able to get home at all. So I resolved that I would rather walk thru flood waters (as long as it is manageable) than get stranded in the office or wherever.

These 2nd hand Havaianas sandals was from my sister's sister-in-law and has been my reliable flood companion in the last two years. It protects my feet from sharp objects and the straps keeps it in place. Slippers are good but they tend to slip away from your feet when in the water.

Fortunately, I did not have a hard time getting a ride home. The first 30mins was slow but moving. Then we got stuck midway the UST area. With the rains still pouring, I highly doubted that we would be zooming along any time soon. So with a bit of urging from a fellow passenger sitting beside me, we decided to just get off the jeepney and start walking. 

I am not actually a newbie with wading thru flood because I grew up in a place where mere high tides can cause floods, even inside the house! But this is the first time that I got stuck in the famous Espana Boulevard. The water was knee-deep and filled with things I don't even want to think about. It was definitely an 'ewww' moment.

My greatest fear though was stepping into a hole as it already happened to me before. About 8 years ago, I was on my way home on a rainy and floody night when my right foot stepped into an open canal and a small protruding metal rammed below my knee. I managed to get home but since there was water everywhere, my Nanay could not get me to the nearest clinic until the next morning when the flood went down. It was an agonizing night as thoughts of infections and leptospirosis that could be festering in my huge wound kept going through my mind. The doctor at the clinic gave me anti-tetanus shots and antibiotics. Except for the huge scar that marked the area where the wound was, I was okay. No infections, no leptospirosis.

My latest bout with the great big flood of Manila got me home wet and itchy an hour and a half after leaving the office which on a normal traffic-filled day would only take 30mins. Well, that's the rainy season for us. Unless we all learn how to dispose our garbage properly, these floods will continue to haunt us. I pray though that no Ondoy-like typhoon will ever cross our paths again. 

Stay safe everybody.