Mabuhay Pope Francis

Welcome to the Philippines Pope Francis. Hello 5-day weekend. Since we are just outside of the downtown area, it seems like traffic and congestion are actually down a bit since the pope's visit has been declared a national holiday. Most people are probably staying home from work and school. We are definitely avoiding the areas of the city where the pope is scheduled to make his appearances. Especially Rizal Park which is just north of the city where 6 million are expected to attend an outdoor mass. I didn't realize that the last two times the pope has come to the Philippines, there were assassination attempts that were unsuccessful. Hoping for a safe and successful visit this time around.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/01/15/377401087/tens-of-thousands-welcome-pope-francis-in-the-philippines