“Ukay-Ukay" at the Carbon Market

The Carbon Market

We wanted to take a short walk but we walked far through a labyrinth of wonder filled with different characters. I am referring to the dusk scenario at the famous Carbon Market of Cebu City where you can find almost all stuffs at a huge, huge, huge BARGAIN—native food items, preserved food items, plants, fresh fruits and vegetables, different sizes of fishes, meat, fresh and beautifully picked flowers, plastic wares, hard wares, sets of furniture, live animals, used clothing and shoes, even the apothecaries too and a whole lot more if you have the patience to walk through it, race and compete with other buyers who wanted to get the best bargain ever. And of course, you have to deal with and survive the heat, the thirst, the smell, the smoke and sometimes the snatchers—so better be prepared, vigilant and alert.

Front view of the Carbon Market

The Price is Right

Good for us, we went to Carbon Market at around 6pm so the scorching heat of the sun is eliminated from the challenge. Like all Saturday nights in public markets, you will be greeted with the bellow of sellers advertising their goods and beckoning posts of the low prices they offer. Our target is the “ukay-ukay.” We wanted to buy used shoes but we did not forego the thought of buying other things that we may find interesting…hehehe…so we searched from stall to stall. One stall sells pants of various sizes and prizes, another one sells t-shirts and blouses, others shorts, leggings and jackets all tagged at a range of 10 pesos to 20 pesos and higher. But depending on your convincing power and appeal and of course patience you can really bring the price right to the brink where there becomes a thin demarcation between buying and asking for it.

All displays are worth 10 pesos

The “Ukay-Ukay”

 “Ukay-ukay” or in slang “UK” is derived from the Filipino “halukay” or “ukay” in Visayan which is used to describe the scenario in the market where the used clothing, shoes, apparels and accessories are all mixed up in one big and long display area and the buyers dig and search for the item that they find best. It is comparable to a quest for the best among the thousands of goods on pile. Thus, perseverance, a good eye, a quick hand and a relentless bargaining are some of the must haves if you want to venture into this endeavor. As far as I know, these goods are sent as donations from foreign countries, as a result these goods do not pay the customs duties, thus they sell cheap. However, I wonder if they were really donations they should be distributed to the intended beneficiaries or else it defeats the exemption. Anyway that is beside the point (I will research on that), I am losing track of the fun. “Ukay-ukay” is a good way to find quality and branded clothing, shoes and home items (of course do not forget to wash them well), it can also be a good business opportunity for those who want to engage in business of buying and selling.

Dig up for the treasure

The Precious Find

After a few minutes of arduous search, we found a single stall which at that time sells used shoes. Without any hesitation and delay, we grabbed on the displays as if wild animals protecting their territories. I did not let go of my first find while I was looking for another one, better one, and cheaper one. It’s good to be assured of at least one of your choice before another buyer gets hold of it and pays for it—that is when you lose your lifetime opportunity forever. From an initial price of 350 pesos I was able to bargain 100 pesos and paid 250 pesos for a pair of running shoes. My companion was even luckier because from 180 pesos she paid only 100 pesos for her pair. After paying for them, we still strolled around and eyed for some interesting stuffs. The precious find is worth the hardship, I should say.

Run for the right fit

The Reminder

As a final word, this is what I observed, more valuable finds can be found during the opening of the new arrivals but you can avail of more bargains at the closing time because the vendors will have to give in so they can sell more before they close. You can visit the “ukay-ukay” at Carbon Market at any time of the day, preferably on a Saturday night or on a Sunday early morning because most of the stocks at this time are new but just be wary of the other buyers who might eye the same item as you like. One final reminder, please wear face mask because you will never want to bring home colds and cough. We never did that so now we are developing colds and sneeze once in a while, the price of the bargain. Despite that, the fun and the experience will be priceless.

9:55 am

Adsum

(photo courtesy of fiscaplyder and minglanilla cebu blog site)

The 4-D Experience

Yesterday was a full day for me -- full breakfast courtesy of Bibbo hotdog, full blown written exam in legal forms, full gastronomic satisfaction for lunch at Spice Fusion, a table-full sumptuous dinner at STK (courtesy of Madam, Happy Birthday!) and a full blast of fun watching the 4-D film at Crown Regency.

Dinner courtesy of the birthday girl Jenny

The Best Plan is to Have No Plan At All

Four dimensional or 4-D in short is 3-D with a twist of real life hedonic sensitivity of the scenes. It is an innovation from the 3-D technology which brings movie and entertainment viewing more interesting, fun and worthwhile. As far as I know only Crown Regency and SM offers this technological experience in Cebu so I thought to make most of the opportunity while we are here. It was past 10pm when we left off from dinner and to make most of the time celebrating Madam’s birthday and at the same time to tour her mother (Nanay Zarda) around Cebu, I excitedly suggested that we go see the view of the City from the top of the tallest building in Cebu—Crown Regency.  According to the famous statement of National Geographic, “the best plan is not to have a plan at all.” Indeed, watching the 4-D film was not part of the plan but we had no regret because we were rewarded with yet another memorable experience. The fun it brought is commensurate with its cost. Watching 4-D is best done with a group of friends or with the whole family. A single flick costs 150 pesos, two short films cost 250 pesos and three films costs 350 pesos. There is really no boring moment in the whole fifteen-minute duration of each show, you need not even need a box of popcorn or a can of cola because you will be carried away by each act as if you were present and part of the scene. It is active watching at the least, participatory entertainment at its best.

This way to the mini theater

Museum of Horror

Despite the vehement opposition from the ever afraid Abegail who was trembling even before the show started, the majority prevailed and thus we watched “The Museum of Horror”. We were led into a mini theatre where 4-D glasses were distributed upon entering the wide and colourful door. The room could accommodate 25 people I suppose. I chose to sit on the front row to be close to the screen and satiate my curiousness, Abegail, Elvie and Jovelyn followed while Nay Zarda, Jenny and Felven were seated behind us. The ambiance was similar to the movie theatres that we are familiar of, except for the smaller size. The chairs looked ordinary but then it eventually revealed its mystery. The chairs vibrate and move as the scenes require, so the fun and excitement was brought to a higher level. The plot of the short film was similar to the movie “Night at the Museum.” It was a fifteen-minute animated film about a newly hired security guard whose task is to watch over a Museum which contains various displays such as the military and war, airplanes, dinosaurs, mummies and skeletons as well as ancient warriors and pandas. On his first night of roving, he noticed something weird about his surroundings. The mummies and the skeletons moved and chased the security guard even on the smallest of passageways. Thanks to his former military training he was able to outrun the living dead. He ran into the room with Pandas and so he suffered pain in the hands of the robust bears. And so when he managed to escape, he landed on the gallery of the dinosaurs who again chased him with all their speed and might. There also was war between the military and the ancient warriors, an exhibition of airplane and pterodactyls flying in the air, and a throng of rats ready to attack. It indeed with a twist, he discovered that it was just a dream but not only a simple dream, it was surreal, a fictitious reality.

Inside the theater

Incomparable Experience

Though the story ended with the protagonist’s death, it was effective in its task of entertaining us. I say so because I felt it and it was the same response that was elicited from my companions and the other groups present. We screamed and covered our faces together when the arrows and the bamboo slits filled the air and are about to hit us. We lifted our feet when we felt something beneath moving during the attack made by the throng of rats and we reacted on the splash of water made by the stumping dinosaur. We did not want to rise when the show ended but the curtain has to close and we have to take our well-deserved rest after the long tiring day. We wanted to keep the 4-D glasses as a souvenir but the attendant asked for them. Then we realized that sometimes we do not need physical objects as souvenirs but the time and the experience together is more than enough. Thanks for the fun, thanks for the memory, thanks for the company.

Be captivated by the surreal

4/3/2011

10:56 pm

Adsum

(This happened on March 20, 2011 and was supposed to be posted on the 21^st, however, due to the maniana habit, I completed it just tonight. J)