One Day at the Post Office

I had to make a quick trip to the Post Office to claim a registered mail. Everytime I visit the place, I pass by the e-Post Shop or the Philatelic Division  to buy stamps. I’m a newbie philatelic. My interest in it is quite accidental.

In 2006, the apartment where we used to live caught fire, due to a neighbor’s electric fan that overheated. We were miraculously spared from the fire, but not spared from the smoke and water damage. For short, we had to move out and find another place to live. Among my father in law’s rubles was a collection of stamps, which I saved and decided to keep for myself. He has forgotten all about them anyway.

I used to do volunteer works at the Archdiocese of Manila. My priest boss, the late Fr. Gabriel Casal, requested me to find stamp albums, where he could  keep and organize his stamp collections. I suddenly remembered the stamps that I saved from the fire and decided to get a stamp album for myself.

And that my friends started my interest in collecting stamps. Stamps remind me of my high school teacher -- Ms. Bartolome. She was an avid collector, who’d often asked for stamps before starting our class, “Any stamps girls?” One gets a “Thank you” and “Very good remark” for a stamp.

 Beyond the Pasig river view of the Post Office. I took this photo while standing at the Jones  Bridge.

Viewed from the Jones Bridge is the Escolta Ferry Station. Sigh! I miss my ferry boat rides.  They stopped operation this year.

 

The Jones bridge. I often take leisurely walks along this bridge to enjoy the view. 

View at the left side of the bridge is equally interesting.

Taken from the steps at the entrance of the Post Office. 

The fountain area is a favorite venue for prenuptial pictorials of couples about to tie the knot.

I had to get my mail from the same window where that man is standing.

These writing tables must be older than you and me.

The Post Office Lobby – Oh there are people after all!

The e-Post shop, where mailing boxes of various sizes, stamps, greeting cards, and some grocery items are sold.

An unusual find. Nope, these are not unclaimed postal notices. 

They are pledges of students about saving the environment.

A view of Post Office frontage. 

If Samson were alive, he’d be in a frenzy choosing which pillar to topple. 

Or has the internet eaten away through these pillars?

Hidden behind the pillars is a taho vendor. The view is especially enjoyable with a glass of taho, which costs Php 20.

At the left is a blurred photo of fire trucks -- fire fighters to the rescue. We chanced upon a fire at the Post Office area one evening. Alas, the Phil Post Regional Office Bldg was on fire. To the right is a view of what is left of the building days after the disaster.

Back door view of the Post Office. 

The Philatelic Museum and Library is just across.

I'll give you a tour for the museum in my next post.