Today I went for a walk around my neighborhood — barangay South Triangle — in Quezon City. Each city in Manila is divided up into multiple “barangays” — which act as small, local government units. The other barangays have cool, Filipino sounding names, but of course I have to live in the one called “South Triangle.” What a boring name.

Not only does my neighborhood hold the headquarters of the two major broadcasters in the Philippines — ABS-CBN and GMA7 — but it also boasts plenty of high-end condominium buildings and over-priced restaurants. My goal today was to take a few streets I hadn’t yet explored.

And I was quite happy I did. I ended up wandering down a street lined with shanties and possibly a hundred children running around, and roosters in cages sitting near the roadside. It was the most colorful place I’ve been in Manila so far. I had my camera with me and wanted so bad to take some photos, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I didn’t feel comfortable pulling out a camera that costs more than many of the people in that neighborhood make in a year. It’s hard not to feel like the rich foreigner in those situations. I know this is a common feeling traveling and living in developing countries — and probably by the end of the year I’ll be snapping pictures of any and everything — but for now I’m happy to just observe.

Although I didn’t get photos of what I wanted to, I did get some of other parts of my ‘hood — places I walk on a regular basis. I’ll post those photos as soon as I have a little more time.