Travel: Manila: ugly on the outside, lovely on the inside

It's a disgrace that the number of blog entries about Manila's downside is arising but we cannot blame these bloggers (especially foreigners) because sometimes what they say is true and I guess there's no point in lying for this matter. Undoubtedly, it is a dismay for a person who has lived all his life in a clean city with unpolluted air and controlled population to see the typical crowded streets of Manila, more so if he finds out about the ever-increasing crime rate in Metro Manila. Even I have never dreamt of living at the heart of Manila (I come from the eastern side of the metro), and I never will. But the challenge arises from here. In a place of black smoke and poverty, where do we find hidden treasures?

Roland and I had our first encounter of Manila during our trip to Intramuros. On that occasion, we visited the famous Fort Santiago, Casa Manila, Manila Cathedral and the church of San Agustin. We liked the place because the feel it gives us is new to us. That is when we decided to discover more about Manila. We agreed to check in at a hotel for a couple of days so that we may explore the vicinity and see for ourselves what it's like to walk at the Luneta Park.

Here are a few of the many photos we have of Manila:

Intramuros is also called "the walled city"

the well-known gate to Fort Santiago leads to the Rizal shrine and museum


the Manila Cathedral is famous for its Pipe Organ

horse-drawn carriages are a normal everyday sight in the old towns of Manila

the ceiling of the San Agustin Church


the Casa Manila Museum is one of the many projects of Imelda Marcos during the 80s period

Museo Pambata

Ermita

Paco Park

“Maraming beses na kitang nilayasan (so many times i’ve left you)

Iniwanan at iba’ang pinuntahan (left [you] behind, and went elsewhere)

Parang bababeng ang hirap talagang malimutan (like a girl that’s so hard to forget)

Ikaw lamang ang aking laging binabalikan.. (you’re the only one I keep coming back to..)

Manila!

-by A Side

Travel: the Pasig River Water Ferry

Roland and I wanted to try something different and decided to go on a tour of Manila. At first, we planned to visit Intramuros and nearby places such as the old churches and the museum Casa Manila. Since the area is a bit far from our place, we wanted to maximize our trip and go see other interesting sites so we searched the web.

Through research, we chanced upon articles about the Pasig River water taxi. This is the first instance I've ever learned about this mode of transportation which is a good alternative for metro travelers because it is more spacious than transit trains, cooler than jeepneys, and probably safer amongst all other for coast guards spearhead the ferry operations.

Our final plan? To find the nearest ferry terminal and ride our way to Intramuros and walk the streets of Manila wherever destiny would lead us. Exciting ;p

The ferries have a television and are air-conditioned. Each vessel has its own toilet too.

yes, the river looks stinky. but nope, it doesn't smell!

the Manila Post Office.

Use of cameras are strictly prohibited within the Malacanang vicinity "for security purposes" the guards have said.

our final destinations on ISHI: Travel: Manila: ugly on the outside, lovely on the inside