Junquera no more

I passed by Junquera Street tonight and was quite amazed that the area is still alive. Although only few wandering souls can be seen compared to the past decades, I can say that the area has seen its days of glory.

Many years back, Junquera was known as the center of Cebu’s flesh market. Every greenhorn coming to Cebu is either fooled by crazy friends or curious enough about the place and willing to try their luck in that side of the world. Almost always, the initiate would come home satisfied bringing with him stories of conquer and STDs.

But not anymore, except that the STD part is now upgraded to HIV, if you are not careful.

Cebu has more sosyal places to visit now when fun, food, booze and great company are required. The Mango area boasts that. I mean I know there is Ayala or IT Park, but I am talking here of masa fun. Call center agents and students now flood at Mango Avenue and paint that portion of Cebu bloody red. Sometimes you do not even have to pay to have fun.

But the notoriety that is Junquera is still stuck in the minds of Filipinos when they come to Cebu. That is why when somebody would start mentioning Junquera as the place to relieve off pent-up desires, what came in my mind is that this person might be away from Cebu for so long or just came in from the provinces.

I know. I was once a lurker in Junquera when I was still hooked up with a bad company.

But right now all you see are seedy bars and restos frequented by very old foreigners baiting their retirement dollars to exotic Filipinos who are willing to be degraded for the sake of money. The girls there, just like the bars they haunt, are only pretty with special lights on. Other than that, you have to be very drunk to see their inner beauty.

Believe me.

In broad daylight, when everything is clear and exposed, these bars and restos need a constant pounding of rain to erase the grime and dirt that stuck on their walls and facades. But constant rain would only flood the area and would show a lot of garbage, adding more problems.

Just like the girls, and, sometimes boys there.