justwandering.org » Manila

A walk down Main Avenue

nina — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 21:47:39 +0000

It was a chance to go back to the Manila North Cemetery. After getting reprimanded for taking pictures without getting a permit last time, I was eager to have not just a reason to go back, but to take photos as well. We were there for the 110th anniversary of the arrival of the Thomasites in the Philippines.

US Ambassador Harry J. Thomas and Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim in front of the Thomasite’s plot

Named after the USS Thomas, the vessel which took them to Manila, 530 American teachers were stationed in the Philippines to “establish a new public school system, to teach basic education and to train Filipino teachers, with English as the medium of instruction.” [Source: Wikipedia]

Hosted by the City of Manila, the ceremony was a solemn affair headed by the men and women of the Philippine Navy. Flowers were offered on the graves by students of the Ramon Magsaysay College, members of the National Historical Commission, Manila Historial and Heritage Commission and Department of Education, as well as Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim and US Ambassador to the Philippines, Harry J.Thomas. The commemoration was capped with a three volley salute, which took everybody by surprise.

The Thomasites Plot on Main Avenue

Event details aside, it was great to be back in the North Cemetery. As the taxi was making its way to the Thomasite’s plot, my eyes were hungrily taking in all the details of the mausoleums we pass by, mentally noting their location for future visits. The Manila North Cemetery is the final resting place of many notable Filipinos. Not only that, many of the tombs and mausoleums have very interesting architecture and detail. While these are scattered all over the sprawling 54 hectare land, a walk down Main Avenue is enough to whet your curiosity if you’re pressed for time.

Mousoleo de los Veteranos de la Revolución

The first to catch your notice would be the Roxas family plot, which is in the rotunda. Buried here are Former President Manuel A. Roxas, his son Gerardo Roxas, Sr. and grandson Gerardo Roxas, Jr. Boxing champion Pancho Villa and composer Manuel Velarde, Jr. are also buried in Main Avenue. Aside from the Thomasites, there are other group plots on Main Avenue like the Armed Forces of the Philippines cemetery and the Masonic burial grounds. The big find for us that morning though was the Mousoleo de los Veteranos de la Revolución (Mausoleum for the Revolution Veterans), which we stumbled upon by accident. It was in an alley off Main Avenue, an imposing structure that rises up above the other graves. Here lies the remains of the men who fought during the Philippine revolution in 1896 to 1901.

That was as far as we were able to explore since we had to rush off. I’m itching to go back (yet again) to take my time exploring the cemetery.

Map of Little Tokyo

nina — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 22:44:59 +0000

I haven’t been traveling lately and won’t be traveling anytime soon. I’m at my wit’s end, counting down the months until the next trip. The self-imposed travel ban was due to me trying my hand at being responsible, putting my money into grown up expenses like insurance, business registrations and an accountant, instead of squandering it on impulsively ~~planned~~ booked trips. The farthest I’ve been traveling lately is to Makati, where I get to experience the closest I’ll probably ever get to Japan: Little Tokyo.

Amazing map by the designer/photographer/calligrapher extraordinaire, Cla
(Click on the image to see the bigger version)

Little Tokyo is actually a compound where you can eat the best and most authentic Japanese meals in Manila. Many of these restaurants are own by Japanese, with a Japanese chef manning the kitchen, preparing and cooking ingredients imported from Japan and served to Japanese nationals.

Though I’ve been hearing about this place for years, it wasn’t until 2007 that I finally tried eating there. Thanks to my dolly obsession, I’ve gotten to know and became great friends with a crazy bunch of people who are as passionate about food as they are about the toys they collect. Aside from the toys and food, we all have a common interest in Japan. And so Little Tokyo became our unofficial meeting place.

Since then, I’ve taken friends to this little slice of Japan in Makati, pointing out which restaurant serves the best value lunch sets, telling them about the special deals of each, and treating them to a medley of flavors. Now, it’s your turn to take the tour.

Hana’s mix fry bento

Here’s a run down of the restaurants and shops in Little Tokyo, with a short description and recommendations for each. I’ve enlisted the help of some friends who’ve tried more restaurants than I have and have more discerning tastes to share their favorites with you.

Hana
Our favorite restaurant in LT. Khursten describes Hana as having the best “Japanese comfort food.”
Specialties: Takoyaki
Order: Hana maki, pork senbei (BACON!), cubic steak, tofu steak
Average cost: Php 200
Related reads:
Hana: Authentic Takoyaki in the heart of Makati
Hana scores a homerun with their new menu options
Like Hana on Facebook

Kagura
If you’ve read Ranma 1/2 manga or watched the anime, you’ve probably wondered how okonomiyaki tastes like. Wonder no more and try this hearty Japanese pancake here.
Specialties: Okonomiyaki
Order: Modern-yaki with everything on it
Average cost: Php 250
Related read:
What to Eat Where: The Quick and Dirty Japanese Resto Guide for Manila

Okonomiyaki from Kagura

Seryna
A popular lunch place for employees and executives working in the area. Open for dinner too.
Specialties: Sushi, sashimi
Order: Kaizengozen (chirashi-don), kami nabe
Average cost: Php 350
Related reads:
A box of treasured from the sea
Little Tokyo’s Seryna: Best. Chirasizushi. Ever.

Kikufuji
Izakaya style dining
Specialties: Sushi and anything seafood
Order: Seafood salad, Salmon ikura bowl, maguro-don, shake ikura-don, nasu tempura
Related reads:
Unforgettable Sushi at Kikufuji
Discovering umami in Kikufuji

Kaizengozen from Seryna

Urameshiya
Love meat? Grill ‘em here!
Specialties: Yakiniku
Special: Gorge on all the meat and seafood you can grill and eat every Tuesday for Php 500.
Note: This is not like the other yakiniku places in Manila that feature smokeless grills. They use the traditional grills that leaves you smelling like meat. If you have pets, expect a very amorous welcome when you get home.

Yamazaki
A Japanese grocery with a small restaurant off the side
Order: Cha-han (fried rice)
Average cost (restaurant): Php 140

Chotto stop
Convenience store selling various Japanese food products for Php 80. Has a small restaurant serving bento on the side.
Average cost (bento): Php 250
Related read:
Co-op finds a new home

Shinjuku Ramen
A favorite among Filipinos
Specialties: Ramen

Grilling meat at Urameshiya

Sekitori
A small restaurant serving sumo-sized meals
Specialities: nabe (hotpot)
Order: Chanko nabe

Oishinbo
Filipino-owned Japanese restaurant

Riozen
Another Izakaya serving the usual Japanese favorites
Order: Tonkotsu ramen, ikura-don, yakitori

Nodasho
A Japanese chef mans their kitchen
Specialties: Sukiyaki and sushi

Bunchum
An old coffee shop that also doubles a bar and stays open until late.
Order: Crispy pata

There you go! I do hope you find it useful, and I hope I bump into you at Little Tokyo one of these days!

Little Tokyo
Chino Roces corner Fernando Street
Makati City, Philippines
View on Google Maps

Food discoveries that are Sooo Pinoy

nina — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 21:48:01 +0000

What is Filipino cuisine? The people behind the movement Sooo Pinoy took us to around Metro Manila to taste the best of Pinoy food.

Adarna’s Bicol Express

Sooo Pinoy feeds your national pride through the appreciation of Filipino cuisine. Thru Sooo Pinoy, you will learn more about the history of Pinoy food and discover where to find the best Filipino restaurants for these dishes. Ang sarap maging Pinoy!

Sooo Pinoy’s purpose is to feed every Pinoy’s love for Filipino food by providing information about the most popular Pinoy dishes and helping diners identify the top Filipino restaurants in the country.

Source: Sooo Pinoy Facebook page

Adarna Food and Culture
119 Kalayaan Avenue, Quezon City
View on Google Maps

Don’t leave Adarna without trying the kesong puti and langka fry

The best place to start any Pinoy food tripping. Showcasing Filipino heirloom recipes, Adarna prepares Filipino food as it was traditionally made, using ingredients that you probably won’t think to use.

Must try: Seafood special, Bicol Express (caution: spicy!), Adobong Batangas ala Adarna and Keson puti and langka fry for dessert

FNC-Nathaniel’s Bakeshop
ITC Commercial Bldg, Timog Avenue, Quezon City
View on Google Maps

Nathaniel’s Buko Pandan Salad

Known for its Buko pandan salad that’s served like ice cream, Nathaniel’s of Pampanga also makes the best Puto pao I’ve ever tasted (none of that bitter aftertaste that other puto paos has).

Must try: Buko pandan salad, Puto pao

Kabigting’s Halo-halo
592 N.S. Amoranto (near Banawe), Quezon City
View on Google Maps

Kabigting’s sinful halo-halo

While other shops boasts of a long list of ingredients in their halo-halo, Kabigting’s version keeps it simple: creamed corn, halayang white beans and carabao milk pastillas topped with evaporated milk and finely shaved ice. The result is a thick mixture reminiscent of a cold guinataan. It tastes incredibly rich and very very yummy.

Must try: Halo-halo and palabok

Nihaya Halal Fastfood
Norzagaray Street, Quiapo, Manila
View on Google Maps

Ayam Papag with niyog

Looking to try something different? Head to Quiapo’s Muslim district and have a meal at Nihaya Halal Fast Food. With prices ranging from Php 25 to Php 70, this is a great place to get acquainted with Maranao cuisine.

Must try: Ayam papag with niyog (chicken liver stew with grated coconut), beef rendang (spicy beef stew), Yellow fin kinilaw (kinilaw with coconut milk)

Master Hopia
206 Villalobos St, Quiapo, Manila
View on Google Maps

What’s your hopia?

Looking for a snack you can munch on while walking through Quiapo? Stop by Master Hopia and try one (or 6) of their several varieties of hopia.

Must try: Monggo, macapuno, pineapple

Excelente Ham
155-157 Palanca St, Quiapo, Manila
View on Google Maps

Bacon!

One bite of Excelente’s bone-in ham and I am overwhelmed with visions of holly, poinsettias and mistletoe. This is the ham we all grew up gobbling on Christmas morning after opening all our presents. Excelente has always been a favorite among Filipinos, with lines spilling out to the street during the holidays. Their hams are available year-round so you can experience Christmas anytime of the year.

Must try: Bone-in ham, bacon

Cafe Adriatico
1790 M. Adriatico St., Remedios Circle, Malate, Manila
View on Google Maps

You’re guaranteed to be knocked out by Cafe Adriatico’s crispy pata

Traditional Filipino food at the fine dining restaurant Cafe Adriatico in Malate is a lovely way to cap the day. We were welcomed with a hearty bowl of Sinigang na Bangus belly sa bayabas. It was my first time to try sinigang cooked this way and I must say, I’ve been missing a lot in my life. Cafe Adriatico is open 22 hours a day (closing only between 5am to 7am), so you know where to go if you’re having some late night cravings for crispy pata.

Must try: Sinigang na Bangus Belly sa Bayabas, Lola Ising’s Adobo, Knockout Knuckle

Sooo Pinoy is an initiative of Unilever Foodsolutions, in cooperation with the Department of Tourism and the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Varekai in Manila

nina — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 20:40:17 +0000

It was an invite that was very hard to turn down. Nevermind that there was a typhoon, nevermind that it would make me late for work, I will not pass up the chance to watch Varekai. Of course, getting to watch it for free, bring along two friends and get to take pictures of the performers (a big no-no in any Cirque du Soleil show), sealed the deal.

Fall of Icarus

Varekai is just one of 19 Cirque du Soleil shows in 2011. Premiered in 2002, it has since toured around the world to more than 15 different countries and 60 cities to an audience of over 6 million. The show is currently touring Asia, with Manila as one of its stop.

Icarian Games

With Varekai comes the Cirque du Soleil’s mobile village comprising of the Grand Chapiteau (Big Top) where performances are held, the ticket tent where the refreshments and souvenir shops are, the Tapis Rouge where VIP ticket holders can enjoy cocktails and lounge before and in between performances and the artistic tent where the dressing rooms, wardrobe, training area and physiotherapy rooms are. Seeing the yellow and blue tent rising up in the field across the Quirino Grandstand is enough to make one giddy with excitement for the spectacular show.

Triple Trapeze

The show focuses on the story of Icarus, who falls from the sky into the mysterious forest of Varekai. It takes us through 13 different acts, with the creatures of the forest teaching Icarus to live, love, walk and fly again. I’m not going to tell you what happens in the show, because it’s best to experience it for yourself. If you haven’t seen a Cirque du Soleil show yet, get ready to pick your jaw up from the floor. If you have, then you know you won’t be disappointed.

Handbalancing on canes

Let’s just say it was a night filled with awe (at the entire production – costumes, set, original music, performances), wonder (at how the artists are able to do all those things with their bodies) and laughter (at the not-so-typical clowns).

View more photos of Varekai in Manila in the Just Wandering Facebook Page.

Manila performances will have a limited run until July 24. For tickets, visit the on-site box office at the blue-and-yellow Grand Chapiteau across the Quirino Grandstand or check out www.hoopla.ph. For more information, contact 775-0939, 881-0947, 0919-4508125 and 0917-4436463.

UST and Lumina Pandit

nina — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 20:04:37 +0000

I can count the number of times I went to UST. My first memory of UST was of one of my brothers studying there. It was followed by a sadder one — an uncle confined for several months, and eventually dying in the university hospital. There was also the memory of me taking the college entrance exam, then later on chickening out of the interview. Though I have these memories of UST, I never really explored the campus nor delved into the university’s history.

Through the Arch of the Centuries

The University of Santo Tomas is one of the oldest universities in the Philippines, turning 400 years on April 28 next year. The sprawling campus located in España Blvd is not the original campus; the university was established within the walls of Intramuros. All that remains of the former campus was the Arch of the Centuries, which was a part of the original facade. This arch is very symbolic to the UST students: they walk through the arch as freshmen, signifying their entrance into the university. Once they graduate, they walk through the arch once more, signifying the completion of their education. Our student guides didn’t dare walk though the arch, as superstition goes that they will not graduate if they do so while they are still undergraduates.

UST Main Building

UST has changed a lot since my previous visits. Buildings have sprung up everywhere. Surprisingly, even with the continuous development, the campus was very green. There were plenty of trees that shade you from the sun as you walk from building to building and wide expanses of grass that just begs you to roll around with wild abandon.

One of the major stop in our tour of the campus was the Main building. Built in 1927, the building is earthquake-resitant: built in segments so that it sways with the earth. Housed within the building is the UST Museum of Arts and Sciences, which is filled with stuffed specimens of various animals and cultural artifacts of the ancient Filipinos.

Very detailed illustrations. No Photoshops here!

The highlight of the tour was the Lumina Pandit Exhibit, which showcases historical treasures of the UST Library. Among the treasures inside was a book from 1492 that shows a very impressive justified text alignment. Other books in the collection include a tome penned by astronomer Nicholaus Copernicus and Opera Omnia by Coi Hippocratis. Also on exhibit are the original academic records of Dr. Jose P. Rizal, and a printing press that lets you experience the effort made into publishing books in the old days.

Putting the press in printing press

The Lumina Pandit Exhibit will be open until January 30, 2011 at the ground floor of the Miguel de Benavides Library. Admission is free for UST students, while non-UST students pay Php 50 each. Discounted price of Php 25 apply to groups of 10 non-UST students or students of Dominican network schools. The exhibit is open from Tuesdays to Saturday, 8am – 12noon and 1pm to 5pm. It is closed during University holidays. For inquiries, call the UST library at (02) 731-3034 or e-mail them at library@mnl.ust.edu.ph.

Pasalubong shopping: Kape de Mutit and Bench Pinoy Labs

nina — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 23:28:03 +0000

I’m flying out to visit family, so that means buying gifts and Pinoy stuff they can’t easily get overseas. One of my brother’s bilin is cafe Alamid. Cafe Alamid, also known as kopi luwak in Indonesia is one of the most expensive coffee in the world, also said to be the best.

Kape de Mutit from Kalinga Brew

So what makes Café Alamid so special? “It starts off with the alamids picking the ripest and finest berries to eat, by smell. The animals stuff themselves with it and excrete them all in the morning as the beans cannot be digested.”

It is in their digestive tract that miracles happen. “The stomach acids and enzymes affect the chemical structure of the beans.

Source: Inquirer.net

I didn’t know where I can buy this strange brew, so I ventured out to Kultura to check if they have it. They don’t have Cafe Alamid, but they do stock Kape de Mutit. It’s the same civet-harvested coffee, but this one was harvested from the Kalinga and Ifugao provinces. Aside from the word “civet,” I knew this is the same coffee because of the price tag: Php 499.75 for a mere 70 grams, whereas the other coffee are selling for only Php 99.75.

The coffee is branded as Philippine Coffees (fair trade coffee), which comes from small farms around the country. The inscription on the side of the box reads, “they benefit micro entrepreneurs engaged in natural coffee farming practices and are paid fairly to ensure their sustainability.” I don’t know where else in Metro Manila you can buy this coffee, but I’ve seen a couple online stores selling them for the astonishing price of $50 for 100 grams.

On the gift front, I found these cute shirts for kids and palengkera bag at Bench. I love how Pinoy-pride themed items are now in vogue. Gone were the days of tacky souvenirs — now you can get these awesomely designed stuff in most local boutiques, not just the Filipiniana stores.

Pinoy themed shirts from Bench

The shirts are from Bench’s Pinoy Lab line, which features apparel for kids, tweens and adults. The straw bag was designed by Rey Anthony Villanueva for the Adobo Design Competition. So cute no? The bag was priced at Php 279.00, while the shirts were around Php 300.

Ang Pambansang T-shirt Launch

nina — Mon, 03 May 2010 12:37:20 +0000

It’s been around since 2006, but it was only last April 30 that Ang Pambansang T-shirt was formally launched. Brought to us by Team Manila, you can expect the same funky and quirky feel that made Team Manila a big success.

Carlos Celdran in a colorful barong with a green (of course) Ang Pambansang T-shirt inside. That’s Ferdz and Oggie in the background.

So how do you launch a t-shirt that aims to bring awareness about the beautiful places of the Philippines? With a Carlos Celdran tour, of course! Like Carlo’s regular tour of Intramuros, we met outside the Manila Cathedral. And like his other tours, we started with a singing of the National Anthem. He then proceeded to take us through Manila’s history, from before we were colonized, to the time of Spain’s rule, to the time we were Americanized, and to the time when the Japanese came and went.

Act 2 requires a costume change…

Carlos on more than one occasion referred to the tour as a performance. And it was. His antic made us laugh and chuckle, but it also captured our interests. He made learning about Manila’s history and the Filipino’s culture fun. More importantly, it made us think, specially for us Filipinos who’s been living in Manila and taking it for granted.

Carlos speaking in front of a rapt audience inside the San Agustin crypt.

We capped the tour with halo-halo at Plaza San Luis. It was a fitting end, since the Filipino culture is just like that: a mix of everything that the Philippines have gone through for centuries. Along with the halo-halo were other Pinoy favorites: okoy (fritters), turon (with cheese!) and pritchon (yummmmmy!). New designs of the Ang Pambansa T-shirt line are also on display, with a huge tarpaulin of their iconic Rizal in aviators in the background.

Personalized Chocnut wrapper FTW!

Ang Pambansang T-shirts are available in all Team Manila Lifestyle stores at the Powerplant Mall (Makati City), Trinoma (Quezon City) and the Mall of Asia (Pasay City). Visit www.angpambansa.com to view their other designs.

Binondo Food Wok Map

nina — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 09:07:33 +0000

Finally, a comprehensive map of Manila’s Chinatown! I remember my first trip to Binondo (the one that I can remember anyway). It was late at night and we were driving around this strange new place, guided by friend’s boyfriend who live in the neighborhood. I have absolutely no idea where we are, except that we were in Chinatown. The second time I went to Chinatown was when I joined Ivan Man Dy’s Big Binondo Food Wok tour.

The Big Binondo Food Wok Map and Ang Tunay Beefhouse’s mixed beef soup

He led us through Ongpin, Binondo’s main street, and down other smaller streets like Nueva and Salazar. He took us to the best places to dine in Chinatown, but I wasn’t really familiar enough with the place to remember where most of the places are.

A couple more trips to Binondo helped. Without Ivan to guide us through, I explored Chinatown with friends and family, discovering new restaurants and getting a hang of the street’s orientation. Of course, the problem with getting familiar with one place, it gets hard to give directions to those who haven’t been there before. Well, not anymore.

Ivan has recently come out with his Big Binondo Food Wok Map, a beautifully made guide through Manila’s Chinatown. It features Binondo’s interesting buildings, temples and of course, food places!

The corner right across #67 is where you buy kiamoy

I love how the streets are marked with big bold letters, attractions with cute illustrations and establishments with a star, a colored circle or a square so you can easily distinguish between different kinds of restaurants. The map is certainly not to scale, but it’s still a great companion when exploring Chinatown. Of course, this means that the cafe you’re looking for might be a lot farther than you think.

The map is given free to joiners of Ivan Man Dy’s Big Binondo Food Wok tour or you can buy the map at Bahay Tsinoy Museum (Intramuros), La Monja Loca Store (Intramuros) and Silahis Arts and Crafts (Intramuros) in Manila, the Libros Filipinos Bookshop (Filipinas Heritage Library) in Makati and Popular Bookstore in Quezon City. Or you can get one for free here!

Tell us what your favorite restaurant is in Binondo (and what you always order!) and you get a chance to win one of three Big Binondo Food Wok map! Contest runs from January 24 until January 31, 2010. Winners will be the top 3, as listed by Random.org and will be announced on February 1.

Contest Mechanics

Contest is open to Philippine residents only.
Contestants can join the contest by posting a comment stating their favorite restaurant and favorite dish in that particular restaurant in Binondo.
One comment is equivalent to one entry. Multiple comments from one user only counts as one entry. I know your IP, don’t try to cheat.
Contest duration is from January 24 to 11:59pm, January 31, 2010.
Names of contestants will be listed and randomized using Random.org. Numbers 1, 2 and 3 will be the winners.
Winners will get one copy of Ivan Man Dy’s Big Binondo Food Wok Map.

My Manila

nina — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:31:44 +0000

I’ve just left the CCP Complex, after Carlos Celdran‘s Livin’ la vida Imelda walking tour.

I’ve been meaning to take his tour for the longest time, and it’s only now that I finally decided to go for it. All it took is to NOT plan for it at all.

It couldn’t be at a better time, too. Since I’ve started traveling out of the country again, I’ve been neglecting Manila. While I go off to explore other cities, I’ve forgotten to explore my own turf.

I’ll blog about the tour in detail later, but I’ll say this: it was a great start to re-acquainting myself with this lovely city I call home.

* This was supposed to be a mobile-blog, but for some reason, the photo only made it to flickr and not this blog. Hmp.

One on one with Mother Ricky

nina — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 22:07:53 +0000

Warning: Girly post ahead.

One of the things I’m kinda regretting not doing while overseas is to get a haircut. To be honest, I’m wary of getting my hair cut by someone who can’t understand English. Then I realize, that’s the novelty; you either walk away with a fabulous new ‘do or sporting a hairstyle you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy. Besides, it’s just hair, and up until a couple of days ago, I have more than enough that if one hair-dresser botch up my hair cut, there would still be enough for another.

I was set to get a haircut in Bangkok, upon seeing the GayCut Salon along Silom Road, but never got around to actually getting my hair cut. Well, things do happen for a reason, and last Tuesday found me sitting in the hairdresser’s chair with none other than THE Ricky Reyes cutting my hair!

Gail couldn’t believe that it’s Ricky Reyes styling her hair

Upon Mother Ricky’s invitation, me and several other bloggers were treated to the salon’s trademark treatments at the Ricky Reyes One-on-One at the Transcom building in Libis. The Ricky Reyes One-on-One is ideal for spa parties, makeovers, and spa-themed bachelorette parties where girl friends may pamper themselves in luxurious beauty and wellness treatments.

“Stress draws out a lot of negative energy, and it manifests itself physically,” says Ricky Reyes. “I want more Filipinas to leave their stress behind and maintain a good disposition, so we’ve created a soothing atmosphere that draws the beauty from within, so they can be beautiful from the inside out.”

With Mother Ricky

After a day of pampering and chitchatting with friends, how can you be stressed? Gail, Marc, Eric and I walked out of the salon in good spirits.

Ricky Reyes One-on-One is located on the ground floor of Transcom Bldg, beside Fun Ranch and Tiendesitas, Libis, Quezon City. A variety of beauty and spa treatments such as rebond, hair reborn, hair cut, professional massages, facials, hair spa, foot spa, manicure, and pedicure in the comfort of a private venue is offered. For inquiries and reservations, call the Ricky Reyes hotline at 7217705 or 7235440.

Power, palace, a shot of beer and Ivan Man Dy

nina — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 18:46:47 +0000

On a sunny Saturday afternoon, I, along with Eric, Ferdz, Oggie, Dong and Omar found ourselves inside La Cocina de Tita Moning. We were there upon Ivan Man Dy’s invitation to get a taste of his relaunched Palace, Power and a shot of beer walking tour of the Malacañang Palace.

The Philippine flag in the palace grounds

The relaunched tour takes us inside the Palace grounds and inside the newly restored rooms of the Malacañang Palace Museum. It was largely a tour of the museum, unlike the previous tour that takes you all around the San Miguel district.

Kalayaan Hall

It was just a five-minute walk from the Legarda mansion to the Palace gates, where we were informed that Madame was inside — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. There was a wave of excitement in the group. There wasn’t any certainty that we’d see her, but the knowledge that the president was in the premises was enough to get us anticipating what’s to come.

Listening with rapt attention

Security was obviously strict. There wasn’t any frisking involved, but our bags had to go through the x-ray machine, and our cameras tagged with a PSG sticker, to indicate that we’re allowed to take photos. Ivan has toured San Miguel and the Palace grounds several times through the years that he’s now a familiar face among the security and palace staff. One of the president’s aides saw Ivan and our group approaching the entrance of the Kalayaan Hall, and motioned for us to wait at the entryway, as the president will be passing through in a couple of minutes.

The Story of the Philippines and Our New Possessions

Within minutes, she was standing in front of us, making small talk. She was on her way to another hall, where she’s going to practice her State of the Nation Address, which she will give this afternoon (July 27) at the Batasan Hall. When the door to the hall where she will practice has closed, we all looked at each other and started talking at once. Like her or not, it’s not everyday that you get to meet the head of state. Unfortunately, we don’t have any photo of this momentous event — according to protocol, we must ask the president if it’s okay to take a photo with her. If she says yes, that’s the only time you can snap away. When you’re in a place where you’re surrounded by the Presidential Security Guards, you behave.

Imelda doll

When we’ve finally settled down, Ivan ushered us inside the museum to start the tour. It was a trip down the Philippines’ history, leading up to the history of the Malacañan Palace. Ivan shared stories of the palace’s original owner and its succeeding occupants. It was a great refresher history course for us Filipinos, and an entertaining way to learn about the Philippine history for foreign visitors.

Philippine historical flags inside the Gallery of Presidents

After a tour of the museum, we went out of the palace grounds towards Plaza Aviles, where Ivan told us about the presidential palace’s famous next door neighbor: the original site of the San Miguel Brewery, where the San Miguel Beer was born. We walked back to La Cocina de Tita Moning (Legarda Mansion) for a fine-dine merienda. We had our fill of their specialties: paella, chicken galantina, kangkong salad with their homemade vinaigrette and the best bread pudding I’ve ever had. We washed it down with ice cold water, fresh tanglad (lemongrass) tea and yes, a shot of San Miguel Beer.

Yummy, if heavy, merienda at La Cocina de Tita Moning

While we thoroughly enjoyed our merienda, the tour wasn’t over yet. The last stop was the Legarda Mansion itself. The 1930′s building was home to one of the prominent families during the time, and it was filled with the family’s own memorabilia from years past. There were shelves filled with books from various eras and countries, several kinds of radio transmitters, old school cameras and lenses, and even a full skeleton from the patriarch’s clinic. One area of the second storey was converted into a dining area, where you can enjoy the finest home-grown recipes of the family in the most elegant setting with the family’s antique china and polished silverware.

Ivan Man Dy taking it easy after another day of walking in Manila

The tour officially ended there, but we stayed behind at the mansion’s living room, exchanging travel stories and making travel plans. Definitely a Saturday well spent.

Ivan Man Dy is the man behind Old Manila Walks, a tour guide service that aims to have you experience the best of historic Manila – one step at a time. Aside from touring the presidential palace, Old Manila Walks also offer tours of Intramuros, the Chinese Cemetery, Far Eastern University, and the wildly popular Big Binondo Food Wok. The Power, Palace and a SHOT of Beer! tour costs P950.00/head (inclusive of tour and fine dine merienda), and takes about 3.5 hours. The next tour is scheduled on August 25, 2009. For more information about the Old Manila Walks tours and schedules, visit oldmanilawalks.com.

iBlog5: The 5th Philippine Blogging Summit

nina — Fri, 08 May 2009 23:42:57 +0000

Though iBlog is at its 5th year, this is actually just my 2nd time to attend. Started in 2005, iBlog is a whole-day affair of talks about what else? Blogging. Through the years, iBlog has covered a wide spectrum of topics, from personal blogging to blogging professionally. This year’s blogging summit still covers varied topics, but with the addition of blogging about the upcoming 2010 presidential elections and blog advertising in the Philippines.

So what does the iBlog blogging summit have to do with travel? Nothing really, except that the idea of starting Justwandering.org was formulated while I was right smack in the middle of the Professional Blogging Panel during iBlog2. (Yes, I just had to say that.)

Touring Intramuros with the Mabuhay Guides

nina — Wed, 06 May 2009 00:18:10 +0000

Mabuhay Guides is another one of Tourism Secretary Ace Durano’s project to “produce young men and women who will guide DOT visitors to the Philippines, presenting the country in the best possible light in an interesting, intelligent & engaging manner, even as they represent the best the Philippines has to offer.” (from the Mabuhay Guides website)

Not the best thing to wear that Sunday. It was one of the hottest days of summer!

The training of the first batch is already over, and we now have 23 very qualified guides who are always on call when there’s a need for a guide around the Philippines. Luckily, one of the guides was an avid Couch Surfer, and he offered to members of the Manila group a free walking tour of Intramuros one weekend. It was such a big hit that he offered it again a couple of weekends after, and lucky for me, I had nothing to do that weekend.

Mabuhay Guide Bryan (right) answering Eran’s question

Arnold brought his fellow Mabuhay Guide, Bryan for the tour. Though there was a number of confirmations in the group discussion, there were only four of us in the tour group. The meeting place was outside Fort Santiago’s gates, where the tour starts. Fort Santiago is my favorite place in Intramuros, and I was quite happy to visit it again. I’ve been to Fort Santiago several times last year, so I was able to notice changes made throughout the park. It was great to learn things about Fort Santiago that I never knew before.

Calesa inside Fort Santiago

From Fort Santiago, we walked towards Plaza Roma, the park across the Manila Cathedral and the Palacio del Gobernador. There was a short history lesson under the shade, before we walked down the street to Casa Manila. Casa Manila is a living museum, built to re-create what the house of a wealthy landowner is like during the 1800′s. Picture taking isn’t allowed inside, and they’re very strict about keeping to the carpets while inside the “house.” The museum reminds me of the Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit, Cavite.

Casa Manila’s courtyard

Arnold and Bryan were both very knowledgeable about the Philippine’s history, thanks to their intensive training program. Aside from learning about the different facets of the Philippines, they were also trained on being a guide. They were very mindful of their guests, taking careful note to learn everybody’s name and addressing everyone personally. They encourage people to ask questions, and when they don’t know the answer to a particular question, they make sure they get your e-mail address so they can send you the answer once they have it.

The Mabuhay Guides can be booked through the Department of Tourism, under Ms. Susan Calo Medina at 8965523.

The Aliwan Fiesta is here again!

nina — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 14:20:39 +0000

This coming Friday and Saturday, the Aliwan Fiesta is in town once again, featuring the festivals from around the Philippines. What can you expect from this festival? Colorful costumes, heart-thumping beats and performances fueled by passion and Lipovitan.

Aliwan Fiesta 2008

Festivities start on April 23rd, but the highlight of the festival, the Grand Street Parade will be on April 25th. The parade will start at the Aliw Theatre at the CCP complex and will wind its way down Roxas Boulvard to the Quirino Grandstand where all contingents will perform.

Photos from the Aliwan Fiesta 2008

Some tips if you’re watching the Aliwan Fiesta streetdance and performance on Saturday:

Go early. Lots of people will also be watching, so be sure to be there early to get good seats.
Dress for the weather. It’s been really hot lately, yet it would still rain occasionally. Wear clothes that are comfortable during the intense heat, but be prepared in case it rains.
Bring your camera. Lots of photographers will be coming early to take photos of the participants as they assemble before the street parade. If you want to do this too, head early at the Aliw Theatre.
Have fun. This festival is all about coming together to showcase the best of the Philippines. Sit back and enjoy the show!

Touring Manila’s Cemeteries

nina — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 10:31:37 +0000

While everyone went out of town for Lent, I opted to stay in Manila for Holy Week. Unlike most, I don’t have Thursday and Friday off, so I really had to stay in the city to work. Besides, the usual places will be full of people, so I thought it’s better to stay in Manila and just go out of town on another weekend.

Manila Chinese Cemetery

I didn’t really have plans how I’m going to spend my afternoons, considering I still have work. I was antsy to go out and explore the city though, specially since there would be no traffic. I went out with friends in Quezon City on Thursday, and blogger friends in Manila Bay on Friday. Saturday found me at the Chinese Cemetery with Couch Surfers.

Manila Chinese Cemetery

Lucas, a traveler from Vienna is visiting the Philippines for the third time. He usually explore the different parts of the country, but this time, he thought to ask Manila-based couch surfers if they would like to join him in exploring the Chinese Cemetery. I’ve nothing planned for Saturday, and I haven’t been inside the cemetery before, so I thought this is my chance to finally do this tour.

Manila Chinese Cemetery

Eric, who’s been to the cemetery before said that it’s best to go there with a guide because if you’re doing it on your own, you wouldn’t find the interesting mausoleums. We hired a guide, Mang Rodolfo (contact number 0929-4374620). For a one-hour tour, he charged us Php 500. Since there were five of us, that comes out to only Php 100 per person.

Manila Chinese Cemetery

The great thing about having a guide is that not only you get to see the interesting mausoleums, you also get an explanation of the layout of the cemetery, the intricate designs, and the traditions and superstitions of the Chinese. We found ourselves amazed at how glitzy some of the mausoleums were, and we were taking pictures like there’s no tomorrow. Mang Rodolfo has been touring people for a long time inside the cemetery, so he knows most of the caretakers inside. Thanks to him, we were able to go inside some of the mausoleums, including the 3-storey mausoleum of Regal Film’s Mother Lily Monteverde’s family. This was certainly the tallest in the cemetery, and from the top floor, you get a sweeping view of the entire cemetery, and you can even see Eastwood, Quezon City, Ortigas, Makati, Malate, Caloocan and even the hills of Bulacan in the distance.

Manila Chinese Cemetery

After the tour, we headed to Jollibee for some airconditioning and a Chicken Joy lunch. Refreshed and energized, we rode a trike to the North Cemetery. The tricycle drivers are very familiar with the place already and took us directly to one of North Cemetery’s famous resident: Fernando Poe, Jr. Actually his tomb says Ronald Allan Kelley Poe. Right beside his family’s plot, we were surprised to see this pseudo mausoleum that looks like a house and even have a sari-sari store!

Manila North Cemetery

Whereas the Chinese Cemetery was almost deserted save for the caretakers, the North Cemetery looks like a small barangay. There were plenty of people around, playing cards or bingo, sleeping in hammocks or atop tombs, kids playing on the streets.

Manila North Cemetery

There were several interesting mausoleums and tombs in the North Cemetery as well. There are the tombs of former Philippine presidents like Manuel Roxas and Ramon Magsaysay. There’s this mausoleum shaped like a pyramid, complete with sphinxes at the front.

Manila North Cemetery

While we were walking around taking photos of the people living in the cemetery, the head of the cemetery admin arrived and told us that we were forbidden to take photos. Tricycles suddenly arrived to take us to the main entrance, where we had to wait for the head. Then it got interesting. Some of the people hanging out at the office said we weren’t supposed to take photos because we might use it in a way to shed a bad light on the Philippines. Uh, what? However, when the head came back, he told us that if we want to take photos, we have to go to the city hall to get permission from the Mayor’s office. We assured them that we were only tourists and the photos will just be for personal use. With that, he said that it’s okay and let us go and even hailed a jeep to take us to Sta. Cruz.

Manila North Cemetery

The chief advised us that next time we’re going back to the North Cemetery, we should register at the office and tell them of our intentions so he can have a guard escort us around the cemetery. We didn’t bother asking if we would still be allowed to take photos with the guard in tow, but this is just a precaution as there have been cases of robbery within the cemetery, even in the mausoleums, that’s why they were very concern about us going around with our cameras on our own.

Manila North Cemetery

Both the Chinese Cemetery and North Cemetery are huge and definitely a place I can see myself visiting again. If you’re doing a similar tour, I suggest you wear comfortable shoes and clothes, a hat or umbrella, sunglasses, sunblock and water. There’s a sari sari store called Jolly Bina inside the Chinese cemetery selling cold drinks and some snaks. If you’re taking a tour with Mang Rodolfo, he’d surely bring you there.