November 2, 2008

Terminal 1

The Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) has four separate terminals located along the border of Pasay and Parañaque cities. One is the Domestic Terminal. Terminal 2, better known as the Centennial Terminal because it was finished during the 100th anniversary of the Philippine declaration of independence, is for the exclusive use of Philippine Airlines. Terminal 3, which just opened this year and is the most controversial because of construction and legal issues which haven't been completely resolved yet, is currently being used by Cebu Pacific, Air Philippines and PAL Express. And this is Terminal 1, which is for all other international carriers. I took this from the air-conditioned upper floor of the waiting area the night that my sister and nieces arrived. The covered pedestrian walk links the waiting area to the arrivals area, which has large signs with the alphabet on them—the idea is, if you're an arriving passenger and someone's picking you up, you wait under the sign with your surname's initial. Duty Free Philippines has a small shop there in case you forgot to buy pasalubong (gifts) for your host, family or friends. Above the shop—where the flags and globes of light are—is the departure area. Unless I'm the one traveling, I absolutely hate going to that level—it means that yet another of the people I love is leaving. My sister and nieces flew out yesterday afternoon. I miss their laughter already.

Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Terminal 1

16 comments:

Layrayski said...

First!

Hi hilda, sorry to hear your sister and nieces have already left. Nice shot of NAIA.

Webradio said...

Hello Hilda !

Your sister and nieces will come again visit You, and it'll be feast...

Nice photo, and Have a good day !

nobu said...

I remenber I visited your countnry to go to muntinlupa city, the air port was neat.
When that time I was smoker, searched some where i could smoke but i could't.
I have alredy quit smoke I'd like to visit your country again.

Hope said...

Hilda...my heart goes out to you to have to say goodbye to your family. It is so difficult.

Tanya Breese said...

Oh that is sad. I know when my mom and brother come out to visit we have such a fun time and when they leave, it seems so lonely for that first day. Hugs to you!

Louis la Vache said...

Seeing this makes "Louis" wish he were heading to SFO for a trip to Paris avec Mme la Vache......

Eki said...

"pasalubong" sounds like what we call "oleh-oleh" in Indonesian. We do share a lot of similarities.

 gmirage said...

ASme sentiments here, I do not want myself going in there...it means I'm leaving my home again...

Great nightshot btw!

Debbie Courson Smith said...

That looks a lot like our airport. I, too, remember some sad airport days...and happy ones, too!

Jill said...

Bless your heart Hilda. You have more good visits to look forward to.

Unknown said...

I'm an exAirline staff now retired.
Visit Manila in 1976 perhap those day we use common terminal.
I guess to-day yr NAIA must be busy wih tourist.

escape said...

i too visit this terminal many times. meeting with friends and above all my brother who works in abu dabi.

i like this shot! not the regular shot of terminal 1.

Unknown said...

That's a fine airport shot and, as the dong says, it doesn't look like a common perspective. Well done.

Bergson said...

I like photo of aiport by night with many diferent ligths

Raquel Sabino Pereira said...

Ahhhh!!! I loooooove airports!!!!!!

MurciaDailyPhoto said...

Hello Hilda, about Floridablanca, this man was like a foreign minister.