Tren at nilagang itlog

Trains and boiled eggs
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For me, the best way to Bicol from Manila is still by train.

I have fond memories of riding PNR trains. We usually visit the province every summer and in the 1980s, people still prefer riding trains. Province-bound buses then were only ordinary or deluxe (the difference is that ceilings have fans and seats can be reclined!*) and there were horror stories of buses falling ravines. Air travel was then only for the rich, or so I was told (I was little, I believed everything I was told).

As I can remember, PNR Bicol-bound trains had 3 types of coaches. First-class was air-conditioned and were for the elite (I don't remember riding first class often). Deluxe had reclining seats like first class but minus the air-conditioning. Ordinary was well, ordinary. Sometimes, there were "sleepers" - coaches that had beds instead of seats. I guess I had a lot of experience riding the "ordinary" hehe.

Travel time was looooong from Tutuban station (now a shopping mall) to Naga. I think it was about 11-14hrs then. But when you are a kid and Lola and Papa and Mama are with you (plus your toys and a promise of nice things to do with cousins when you arrive at your destination), that is all you ever care about - time stops. Lola also preferred riding the train as she doesn't get motion sickness and can get adequate sleep. Baon was boiled eggs.

Come to think of it, to this day I still don't understand - baon was boiled eggs - every single time we traveled to Bicol. Oh and yeah, I think the fare included breakfast of skyflakes and zesto and a wet towel.

It is definitely good news hearing that the government plans to revive the PNR southrail (Manila to Bicol). The news says provincial trains could be running again before this year ends. It would be nice to ride a province-bound train again, on the first class coach *wink*, and this time with my son. Baon will have to be egg sandwich for a change.

/pnt
*reserved for another story