Nostalgia Manila

Nostalgia Manila (http://nostalgiamanila.blogspot.com) has a Nostalgia Bloggista section where they feature several Filipino bloggers and their answers to the following questions:

1. Where did you grow up, and what made that place special?

2. What was your favorite tv show, cartoon, or children's show growing up? What did you like about these shows that made them your favorite?

3. Favorite music group or artist? Most memorable song?

4. Share with our readers one of your fondest memories of growing up.

5. What do you miss from back then that's not available today?

It was fun reading the answers of Annalyn "Ajay" Jusay and J. Wendell Capili.

Thanks to them, I got to remember several things about growing up in Manila. For example, do you remember that cartoon show called The Herculoids? Most of my peers don't remember it anymore. All they recall are the Wacky Races, Josie and the Pussy Cats, Justice League of America, Scooby Doo, Sigmund the Seamonster.

But what about the Bugaloos? Gigantor? Mightor? Doctor Shrinker? Or even "heavens to mergatroid" Funky Phantom?

And there were the robot shows: Voltes V, Mazinger Z, Grendizer, Daimos, Mekanda Robot... But do you still remember Balatak?

For the songs, it looks like we tend to remember those we heard during our high school years, and even during the early part of college. "King and Queen of Hearts," anyone? ;-)

I miss eating Selecta ice cream near Manila Bay. And getting trumpo (spinning top) and tirador (slingshot) from the palengke (public market). Or playing Sasaw Sa Suka, Patintero (while arguing with the patotot), and basketball on the street.

Or learning how to walk along a dog-filled road without getting bitten, ah... I wonder if today's Xbox-crazed Filipinos realize what they're missing.