Like me, you think you are used to malls, indulging in therapy window shopping and even more shocking actual shopping for hours. Or maybe you just detest shopping, and unfortunately I cannot relate. Whether a destination or a living hell, a mall tests your surviving skills.
When someone at work suggested I visit this landmark of consumerism,
SM Mall of Asia , in the promise of great food and
halo halo, I easily got honey trapped. Here are the lessons learned from that Sunday casual 3h visit.
1-It is always useful to find something to get, to pretext a visit to the mall and justify your guilty conscience. For example, I had to get gifts for
family and friends, and wanted to taste the famous halo halo from
Razon's.
2-Get an idea of the mall layout to get a vague sense of direction and size. When it is famous for being one of the 10 biggest malls in the world, it is best to prepare mentally.
3-Schedule your visit wisely. It may be to avoid traffic, rush hours at the food court, or to grab special sales, or to catch the sunset on the bay. Arriving the mall at noon like me was useful in finding shops empty and getting to browse without a crowd. However it was impossible to grab a drink or a bite until 3PM.
4-Find an information booth to grab a map of the
amusement park facilities. If you are a planner, you can print it home and even mark down the shops you need to visit. If you are like me, you end up queuing for the fancy touchscreen maps and wandering thrice though the same places.
5-Localize the bathrooms. They are a good source of tissue and a venue for interesting happenings. I saw 2 ladies completely soaping up their faces to have a proper face wash in the bathroom, no doubt after participating in a costumed parade, monopolizing the sink, while dozens of women were queuing for the toilet and waiting to wash their hands.
6-Don't forget to indulge in pampering. Every mall I visited so far in Manila (
Greenbelt, Glorietta,
The Landmark) actually had their layout smartly organized by activity: shopping for clothes, books, shoes, luggage, electronics; food courts; pampering (massage, nails, cosmetics); cinemas;ice rinks; There is also always an area to drop the kids off before doing errands.
Bonus - Stop for a drink and watch the show. There is always some entertainment in malls: fashion shows, product placements, etc...It is a good opportunity to people watch and gossip, or try to learn the local body language and customs. Besides, one needs to hydrate and rest, while missing the comfort of your own bed.
Before you add up your bills* and face the harsh reality, there is always a poolside doze
 |
| Poolside | |
*if you had a shopping list, good for you. You probably bought more than expected anyway. It is not on the survival guide because it never worked on me.
With that, it felt like a painting, and rather peaceful to look at.
