Tale of the Tingi

I was told that selling things by "tingi" was a phenomenon seen only in the Philippines. Here, we can buy cigarrettes by the stick, shampoo by the single-serve sachet, toothpaste by sachet, laundry detergent by sachet, facial wash by sachet, even perfume by mL...you get the picture.

So in a country dominated by smaller servings, there I was one afternoon, craving for a pizza. Mozarella cheese melting over the thin crispy crust, smattered with juicy toppings, piping hot, the smell of melted cheese oozing through the air, enticing one to take one big bite.

We went to the Yellow Cab store beside our building. Surely, in this third world country mired in debt and fiscal deficits, they would be selling pizza by the slice. But no! They only sell pizza by 10 inches, 12 inches, or 14 inches. Great. We were really craving for a good pizza, and too bad they lost three customers that day.

We ate at the nearby Filipino grill, where they served merienda meals from 2-6pm. We ate the ever present sisig, rice, some baked mussels, and washed it all down with a quick round of cold San Miguel beer. In the end I think we spent more than if we just bundled our money to buy one big pizza. But I guess sometimes, it really is just a matter of perception and illusion.