Yesterday, I invited my mother to the market to pay our bills for December. The due date of our electric bill fell exactly on the day I invited her, so there was no option to postpone it. It had been a long time since I last went to the town market because I finished my OJT a month ago. I felt excited to see what had changed in town proper as it also reminded me that Christmas was approaching fast.

Went to Robinson Easymart

While filming my TikTok affiliate content for the next day, my mom told me to bathe fast. I only wore a casual outfit, specifically a T-shirt and shorts. I did not even wear my good slippers because my sibling used them again. We used our tricycle as our transportation and went straight to Robinson Easymart. This is our go-to place when we deposit money because it has no charge compared to 7-11. I discovered this three years ago when I needed to pay my tuition and most 7-11 kiosks across Nueva Ecija were offline. Paying my tuition online helped me save time and avoid long lines.

Went to Barber Shop

While walking to the barber shop, I captured these photos. I could not take many shots because I stayed cautious of possible snatchers. By looking at these scenes, you can already feel the Christmas atmosphere. There are many Christmas lights everywhere, from the decorated trees to the traffic median. Their glow becomes more appealing when viewed at night. I have seen this effort from the municipality many times, and they always try to make the holidays feel wholesome. If you compare San Jose’s lighting to this, this one looks better.

If you walk a little farther from the first photo and turn right, you will see Wagwag. It is a spot where many vendors sell food and ukay-ukay items. That is my go-to place when I buy iced coffee, proben, or a Milo float. Since it is Christmas season, more sellers set up stalls and occupied the area. This made it more congested, almost similar to Divisoria. Some of them sold pre-loved clothes, trousers, slippers, and other items.

On the right side, vendors also sold ukay-ukay and other goods near the municipality. I still do not understand why crocodiles place their names on the tents as if they funded them. Sad to sya that I didn't get a chance to picture the giant Christmas tree at the municipality. It looks better at night, and there are many decorations for photos. Because the place appears livelier at night, many visitors gather there during this season.

After five minutes of walking, I finally reached the barber shop. This is where I usually go even though the haircut costs almost $2. There is a cheaper option, but I still choose this shop. My sibling and father had a bad experience at the cheaper shop, and I remember how awful their cuts looked. My main reason for getting a haircut was the Thanksgiving event in two weeks. It was also my only chance to visit the market because I knew it would take me another month to go out again.

After that, I went to 7-11 to buy ice cream. I bought a Cornetto with chocolate flavor. It served as my snack for that day since I missed it already.

Went to Pay Internet Bill

Before leaving the town proper, my mom told me to pay the internet bill. That is why I walked again and took this photo while heading to their department. It is on the second floor, so my mom always asks me to handle the payment. She is turning fifty next year, and she gets tired more easily now. After climbing upstairs, I took an aerial photo of the vendors selling jeans. As you can see, many customers were already checking the items. The crowd becomes even larger when night arrives. The only downside is the heavy traffic caused by sellers along the narrow one-way street. When I arrived, the staff said the office was closed because of the holiday. Better luck next time!