Our neighborhood isn’t exactly what you’d call a tourist hotspot.
No fancy landmarks or insta-worthy spots to make people jealous. But, if you squint a little and look at it the way a local does, there’s a kind of charm to it.
So, hop in! I’m about to take you on the least exciting night drive you’ve ever had. Buckle up… or don’t. It’s that kind of ride. 😄
Before you jump to conclusions and crown me the Worst Parent of the Year for joyriding at midnight with a 10-year-old in tow, let me just say this: we’re partners in crime. Two nocturnals on a mission, driven by a hunger that the Lucky Me Pancit Canton at home just can’t satisfy.
Sure, it's a questionable decision, but when the fridge is empty (or broken, like ours), questionable becomes inevitable.
We're Not Alone!
One of the best things about heading out on a Wednesday at midnight is thinking everyone else is asleep. It feels risky, like stray dogs might chase the bike or a ghost might pop up in the side mirror. But the surprise (and relief!) comes when you see you're not alone. There are others, just as awake, roaming the streets like it's the middle of the day.
Unlike in Cebu City where there are guaranteed places where nocturnal creatures like us could flock, Minglanilla is kind of a sleepy town during the sleepy hours.
A Night Owl's Best Friend: 7-Eleven!
We kept driving, not expecting much, just cruising the same stretch of road. Then, as we pulled up to 7-Eleven, it was packed with people. For night owls like us, it was a surprise to see our "own kind" filling the seats, eating, drinking, and making noise... not on a mid-week midnight!
Our New Favorite Ramen
I was looking for some satisfying ramen when I found this Taiwanese beef noodles-- with beef chunks! Very satisfying. Take my 5 stars! Aaaand, since every 7-Eleven store in Cebu sells boiled eggs, I didn't hesitate to drop one to top it off!
Did We Say We're Starving?
When we finished our bowl, we ventured a bit more to look for another place to eat (hoping to find one that serves rice). I didn't want to miss the chance to snap some photos of the other moonlighting night owls...
We circled back to where we started, near the burger joint. Across from it sat a cozy cafe, the kind that serves milk tea and budget-friendly chicken combos. You sit on the floor at tiny tables. I sometimes bring my laptop there at night, snacking while I try to get some work done.
We hang out for a bit, each of us on our phones. Me reading an ebook, my son creating his next animation. In the silence, chilling, allowing the slow digestion of midnight snacking to do its work.
We headed home around 2:00 AM—because as superstitious as I am, I always make sure to be back before 3:00 AM (the devil's hour they say!)
Staying up until 4AM is nothing new for us, especially on nights like this. It’s not an every day thing but it's still a shared rebellion against the world’s ticking clocks.
In the end, it’s not about the joyride, the midnight snacks, or even the odd sense of comfort seeing other "vampires" still awake...
It’s about carving out those small, fleeting moments of freedom in a life that often feels too confined... while others are asleep and the clock ticks slower.
These are the moments that make the everyday grind a little more bearable.
