Journaling & Field Notes
15 Journaling Prompts for a Walk Around Marikina
Take a notebook on a walk through Marikina. These 15 prompts cover the river, the shoe shops, the bakeries, the cafés and the streets in between.
You do not need to leave the city to keep a travel journal. Walk somewhere in Marikina, stop when something catches your eye, and answer one of these.
By the river
- What is the river doing today? Colour, level, speed.
- Who else is here, and what do you think their morning was like?
- What can you hear if you stand still for one minute?
On the street
- Describe one shoe in a shop window as if it had a personality.
- Copy down the best hand-painted sign you pass.
- What smell told you a bakery was near before you saw it?
- Draw the bike lane, the tricycle, or the tree, in ten lines or fewer.
In a café
- Why did you choose this one? Be honest.
- What is the person at the counter proud of on this menu?
- Rate your drink, then explain the rating to someone who disagrees.
About the city
- What is one thing Marikina does better than where you grew up, or worse?
- Which corner of the city do you still not know?
- What would you show a visitor in exactly two hours?
About you
- What did you notice today that you usually miss?
- What will you remember about this walk in a year?
For the café prompts, pick a spot from the Marikina coffee shop directory, or one of the coffee shops near Marikina River Park if you started by the water. These prompts were written with the Marikina Field Notes in mind, but they work in any notebook.
Quick answers
What can I write about in Marikina?
The river, shoe shops, bakeries, cafés, bike lanes, hand-painted signs, and the people you pass. Small details make the best entries.
Do I need to be a good writer to keep a travel journal?
No. Lists, single sentences and rough sketches are enough. The goal is to notice, not to impress.