Manila, being the entry or transit point for most flights, is visited by most tourists coming to the Philippines. While it does not boast a beach or beautiful mountains of which the country is known for, there are a number of places and things to do here that teach us about Filipino culture and heritage. Whether you are a foreign tourist or a Filipino who wants to explore Manila, here are activities you should include in your itinerary. 1. Enter the Walled City. Intramuros, the old center of Manila, is a must-see. Make sure to enter the San Agustin Church, Casa Manila, Manila Cathedral, Fort Santiago and Rizal Museum. You can go around by foot, in a kalesa (a horse-drawn calash typical during the Spanish colonial times; look for a Samahan ng Magkakalesa sa Intramuros member: a 30-minute ride for three people costs PhP350) or by bicycle (bamboo bikes are available for rental: PhP300/hr; check their Intramuros itinerary at: http://bambike.com/itinerary). A major rehabilitation plan is said to be in the works for Intramuros. 2. Admire the only church built like the Eiffel Tower. The church was designed by Spanish architect Genaro Palacios who was said to be inspired by the gothic cathedral of Burgos, Spain. The prefabricated steel sections that compose the church were shipped all the way from Belgium, a construction method of which is similar to that when the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty were built. It is the only steel church in Asia. 3. Explore the rich neighborhood of Quiapo. This area is very rich in terms of Philippine heritage. Aside from the Quiapo Church with the famous Black Nazarene believed to be miraculous among devotees, the adjacent market with everything from amulets to Filipino native products under the Quezon Bridge, and the Muslim mosque, it is also home for several Filipino colonial houses. Some are well-preserved, such as the Bahay Nakpil-Bautista which is open for visits (http://bahaynakpil.org). 4. Learn about Filipino contemporary art. Located at the Bangko Central ng Pilipinas, it is the Philippine's premier museum of modern and contemporary art including works by Felix Resurreccion-Hidalgo (1855-1913), one of the great Filipino painters of the late 19th century, and portraits and landscape paintings by Fernando Amorsolo. 5. Relax at the Paco Park. Built by the Dominicans and inagurated in 1822, it used to be Manila's municipal cemetery during the Spanish colonial period. The remains of Jose Rizal (the Philippines' National Hero) used to rest prior to its transfer to the Rizal Park. At present, it is a quaint recreational garden worth visiting, and is also a favorite venue for concerts, weddings, etc. 6. Eat at Dampa Seafood Paluto in Macapagal Road If you like seafood and you are with a group (as minimum that the y cook per dish is 1/2 kilo) then this is the place for you. This is already in Pasay City, though very close to Manila so it is recommended that you go here if you are in the area. Dampa is a wet seafood market where you will first have to buy raw seafood. Make sure to put your negotiation skills into use. (*Tip: Haggle 50% of their original price as a starting point. If you are foreign, say anyway that you have live in Manila and you know the prices - this work in other situations too. Shrimps and prawns areat around Php400-450 per kilo, clams around Php120. Buy crabs claws only for more meat.) Once you are done shopping, go to a restaurant where they can cook what you bought for you. If you don' like doing the shopping yourself, they can do it for you. My favorite is Lola Ina's at the far end of road and seafood market. Try having the abs cooked in sweet chili sauce, clams in oyster sauce and garlic, steamed lapu-lapu (a type of fish) in soy sauce, shrimps in chili butter or singang (a typical Filipino soup similar to Tom yum but not spicy), and grilled tuna or blue marlin. Depends how big your group, how much food and how many types of dishes you want, price can start at $10 per head but that already means at least 3 types of food. 7. Buy yourself a book in Solidaridad. Owned by National Artist for Literature F. Sionil Jose, this 50-year-old quaint bookstore has the widest selection of Filipiniana in the country, including hard-to-find titles, aside from their Western and Eastern nonfiction books and documentaries personally hand-picked by the proprietor himself. For those who are looking for their first Philippine studies and Filipino literature acquisition, check out William Henry-Scott's Philippine history books, Jose Rizal's Noli Me Tangere, or any of the bookshop owner's or Nick Joaquin's works. It can found along Padre Faura Street in Ermita near the University of the Philippines Manila (open from Mondays to Saturdays, 9am - 6pm.) 8. Contemplate the Manila Bay sunset. This is the best taste of nature one can get out of Manila and there is no discussion on how beautiful the sunset gets here. Try to catch it with ice-cold beer or cocktails from the Bayleaf Hotel's roof deck cafe in Intramuros. White Moon Bar's lounge in Manila Ocean Park also has a picturesque view. 9. Experience night life in Malate. An evening walk around Malate opens one’s eyes when it comes to realities in the metro. A red-light district, families living in the streets, food vendors, high-rise condominiums and restaurants of different cuisines all in one neighborhood. Try Filipino dishes at Cafe Adriatico or Bistro Remediosin Adriatico Street. If yo want to witness a different kind of atmosphere that is only in Malate and have cheap beer, sit for a short while in Erras also in Adriatico Street. Finish the night with a massage at Lucky Massage (starts at PhP300) in Bocobo Street near Robinson's Ermita in Pedro Gil. 10. Discover Chinatown and Binondo.
The Philippines has a long history with he Chinese, one proof of which is Chinatown in the district of Binondo "created by the Spanish Governor Luis Perez Dasmariñas as a permanent settlement for Chinese immigrants who converted to Catholicism during the Spanish colonial times". The area is currently most popular for its old restaurants such as Toho Antigua Panciteria (since 1888) and dumpling hubs as well as several cultural buildings along Escolta Street like the El Hogar which is currently under controversy.
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The Philippines7107 islands. Deserves to be in your bucket list. About the AuthorAlways in search for vitamin D. Archives
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