The wedding party started assembling at Paco Park, and Eric and I took that as our cue to leave. It wasn’t long since my last visit to Luneta, but I wanted to visit again to see the gardens that were closed during Good Friday. Eric wanted to see the new Kilometer Zero marker, and we made that our first stop.

Having too much fun with the ball

Similar to our previous visit, Jose Rizal’s Monument was the highlight and starting point of most visitors. Along with the handful of Filipino families having their pictures taken with this famous landmark are the busloads of Korean and Japanese tourists. After a quick photo session, we walked away from where the tour groups are headed. The Artist’s Haven, which I was most looking forward to was still closed, so we went to check out the Chinese Garden instead.

Chinese Garden at the Rizal Park

I know I should’nt compare, but it’s hard not to. The only Chinese Garden I’ve been to was the one in Sydney. I loved it tremendously; it was very tranquil inside. The Chinese Garden in Manila tried very hard to have all the elements of a Chinese Garden. However, probably due to our climate, some of the flora wouldn’t thrive in Manila. Also, its location prety much kills the mood. The Manila Chinese Garden in Luneta was almost next to the busy roads so you can hear the traffic. It was also situated right next to the Open Air Auditorium. Just as we were about to leave, the crew next door (for there was going to be a function of some sort) decided to test out their sound system, and Shaggy’s raggae beat filled the air. Then again, for only Php 5.00, I really shouldn’t complain and compare. It turns out that the Chinese Garden wasn’t so bad; the Japanese Garden was worse. Now, I haven’t been to Japan or to any Japanese garden, but I’m pretty sure they don’t include a yellow pond/lagoon. Like the Chinese Garden, the Japanese Garden was right next to the street, so good luck finding Zen there.

Lapu-Lapu at the Agrifina Circle

It was getting pretty late and we were both getting hungry. We decided to check out Agrifina Circle, where the Orchidarium, Lapu-Lapu’s statue and the Department of Tourism was. Agrifina Circle has a special place in my memories. When I was still working for the travel magazine, I would always go to the DOT office to attend Press Conferences and other DOT events. Agrifina Circle and Orchidarium was also featured in one of my unforgettable trips for work.

Unfortunately, the Orchidarium was closed, for an indefinite period of time (a shame, really). Lapu-Lapu was there, as usual. But I tell you, there was this one time that he wasn’t! And that was just a couple of months after I took a photo of him standing in that very spot.

Dong Bei’s Handiwork Noodles

Eric and I made our way to Taft Avenue to catch a jeep going to Divisoria. Alighting in front of the Binondo Church, we made a beeline for Dong Bei Restaurant on Nueva Street (Yuchengco was the name in the street sign). Sharing a plate of fresh dumplings and a bowl of “handiwork” noodles, it was a perfect end to a great afternoon spent in Manila.

Of course, that didn’t end there. We continued walking along Ongpin street to Sta. Cruz, then walked on to Quiapo where we went our seperate ways — Eric to the LRT station, and me to ride the jeep bound for Proj. 8.

Popularity: 17% [?]

I can easily count the number of times I have been to Paco Park: three times. And that already includes the time I went there two weeks ago with Eric, the blogger behind Byahilo.com. The first one was for a cousin’s wedding. It was held at night and I think I was just starting high school then. The second one was two years ago, when my sister and I were doing rounds of churches in Manila for a wedding we were supposed to plan. I never really got to explore the grounds, so when Eric asked for a good place to go on a Saturday, the first thing that rolled off my tongue was Paco Park.

Inside Paco Park

Neither one of us knows how to go there, though. The last time I went there with my sister, I vaguely remembered that we took a cab from SM Manila, and in less than 5 minutes we were there. The cab merely drove straight for a couple of blocks; the fare never even went past Php 40. When Eric and I took the same route, however, the taxi driver suddenly turned left at the first corner. He must know of an alternative route, I thought. Five minutes later, we were still on the road and though I’m not that familiar with Manila, I know we were driving away from where Paco Park is. When I reminded the driver for the second time that we wanted to go to Paco Park, he mutters, “Oh, I thought you wanted to go to…” Yeah, right. The Php 40 cab fare became Php 90, including a mini tour of Manila.

St. Pancratius Chapel

Excitement quickly overshadowed all traces of annoyance towards our driver. Just the sight of Paco Park’s walls was enough to dispel any negative vibes. We paid the Php 5.00 entrance fee to the park and wandered in. St. Pancratius Chapel inside Paco Park is one of the favorite choice for weddings in Manila. Last time I went to Paco Park, there were tables set up for a wedding reception in the grounds. This time, there weren’t any tables, but the old couple decked out in their finest piña tells us there’s going to be a ceremony in the chapel that afternoon.

Chapel interiors

The chapel is usually padlocked. There’s no way to see its interiors unless there’s a wedding. We got there just as the organizers were setting up. Sneaking inside the now opened chapel doors, we see a small but elegant chapel. It may not be as fancy as the Manila Cathedral or the San Agustin Church; its simplicity is its main attraction. Not to mention the fantastic park.

Crypts along the inner wall

If you think about it, the park is pretty creepy. The inner walls are actually crypts, and some have been cracked open (though empty). Paco Park was a former cemetery, and it used to be the resting place of four notable figures in Philippine history: the three martyred priests, Mariano Gomez, Jose Apolonio Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora; and our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal.

Moe and Rui bringing flowers to Jose Rizal’s grave

Similar to Fort Santiago, there are steps going up the thick stone walls. Walking around the perimeter gives you a different perspective on the park grounds. It also shows you the nooks and crannies where couples go to for some semblance of privacy.

Walking the walls

Paco Park ranks high in my list of places to visit in Manila. This recent visit re-affirms that. Though it’s a great place to chill with friends, you have to remember that there is a chapel and it was a former cemetery.

How to get there: Flyphilippines.info shares this intruction on how to go to Paco Park by public transport: “from Taft Avenue corner Padre Faura Sts., hail a PUJ ato Paco and get off along Padre Faura, and take a 7-minute walk to the park.”

Popularity: 14% [?]

I joined fellow bloggers and members of traditional media for an art tour of Angono, Rizal, courtesy of Havila. Before I get to the artsy post, here’s some teaser photos, which shows the humor of Angono’s residents.

A big thanks to Havila and Geiser Maclang for inviting me to discover this fantastic place, which I never would have thought to explore on my own.

Popularity: 25% [?]

While everybody headed out of Manila to spend Holy Week at the beach or shopping overseas, I stayed in Manila. Hardly anyone I know (well, the partyphiles anyway) wanted to stay in Manila during Lent because they all know Manila would be dead and deserted. And that’s why I wanted to stay in Manila.

Luneta

 
Manila without traffic is heaven. It’s so great to drive around — my friends picked me up at 3:00 pm, and we were at Quiapo by 3:20. That’s where we encountered the traffic, Quiapo Church. There were too many jeepneys and all of them waiting for passengers. Once we got past the traffic, the roads were virtually empty again.

Nazuna and Jose

 
The destination was Luneta, but we decided to check if Fort Santiago was open. We entered Intramuros and we were able to have a running tour of the walled city as the road between San Agustin Church and the Manila Cathedral was closed to vehicular traffic. To our disappointment, Fort Santiago was closed. We drove on to Rizal Park.

Err, hero’s walk? This pathway was lined by busts notable people in the Philippine’s history.

 
We parked at the Quirino Grandstand, right in front of the entrance to the Manila Ocean Park. We would’ve gone inside (and escaped the sun and the heat), but we decided to put off the visit until the entire complex is finished. The field across the grandstand was filled with people flying kites. The kites made me remember the times we went to the cemetery during All Saint’s Day. We made our way to Kilometer 0, the starting point for all kilometer markers around the Philippines.

Avril at the entrance to the Chinese Garden

 
I was instantly reminded of the first time I encountered this marker. It was the starting and end point of this race I unwittingly signed up for almost four years ago. That was also the last time I remembered being, rather, passing through Rizal Park.

Bananacue!

 
I’ve always thought that Luneta was just that strip of land between Roxas Boulevard and Mabini. It turns out that Rizal Park starts from Taft Avenue (where that bas relief map of the Philippines is) up to the Quirino Grandstand. Not only that, there’s also several gardens within the complex: the Chinese Garden, the Japanese Garden, the Manila Orchidarium, and the Artist’s Haven. Unfortunately, they were all closed, so we just walked around Luneta, enjoying our bananacue, green mangoes with bagoong and C2 iced tea.

The Rizal Monument

 
When we got tired, we made our way back to the car and decided to check if the Paco Park was open. It wasn’t, so we decided to go to the CCP complex instead. If it was a regular day, we woulnd’t even thought to go to Paco park or even go near Taft Avenue. Because there weren’t many cars on the road, it was joy to drive around Manila. We also realized that in between us three, we can manage to navigate around this city.

The Cultural Center of the Philippines

 
Tired from our walk around Luneta and not wanting to brave the heat again, we just drove around the CCP complex, then headed home. This trip made me realize that though I can find my way around Manila, I never really stopped to see what this city has to offer. I have been to most malls in Metro Manila, but I haven’t really gone beyond that. Well, that’s going to change. I promised myself that I will explore Manila more this year, and I’m making sure I would. Now, where should I go next week?

Want to go around Manila but don’t have a car? Or do you want to live on the edge and brave Manila’s transport system? I found a nifty guide on getting around Manila by public transport. This guide lists various tourist attractions around Manila and would definitely would be useful even to locals like me.

Popularity: 26% [?]

So far, 2008 has been off to a very hectic start. I guess partying to usher in the new year is an indication of how the year would be like. To top it off, two months into 2008 and I’ve already consumed more alcohol than I ever did the whole of 2007. I’m so looking forward to the coming months. Adding fuel (or alcohol) to this streak is Delifrance’s latest line of “naughty” drinks: spiked coffee!

Getting sloshed is a nice way to start an event.

There are three spiked coffee variants: Irish Kiss Baileys, a heady mix of rich espresso with Irish cream, served in a wine glass with lemon sugar lining the rim; Mayan Passion Kahlua, an exotic mix of espresso, Kahlua and whipped cream served either hot or iced, and; Sputnik Vodka Espresso, a drink, according to Delifrance President Mr. William Tan Unitong, that will send you to the skies with its intense combination of espresso and vodka.

Mmmmmmm, shrimp.

 
Spikedafter5.com recommends some of Delifrance’s bestsellers to go with the spiked coffee of your choice. If you’re looking for a hearty meal after a long day at the office, they recommend the Seafood Marinara Pasta with its juicy shrimp, rich marinara sauce over linguine pasta. As a light snack, the Half Premiere Clubhouse is the perfect mix of meat, veggies and freshly baked bread. The Baguette Chips and Dip would do well for sharing with friends; golden brown baguette chips served with egg mayo, tuna onion or pimiento cheese dip. As a treat after a long day (or week), indulge yourself with the Flaming Choco Lava Cake, a very rich absolutely heavenly dessert.

Irish Kiss Bailey’s with Delifrance President William Tan Untiong

 
The food was good and the coffee, even better. I really loved the Oriental Shrimp Salad: fresh greens tossed with mixed seafood and yummy vinaigrette. The Flaming Choco Lava Cake was the crowd favorite, not just because of its rich flavor but also because of the flame. Everytime a waiter comes to deliver a cake, everyone would gather around him to take a photo. As for the spiked coffee… well, I liked them all! Kahlua: Yum. Bailey’s: Yumm. Vodka: Yummmmmmmmm. Oh, and the espresso’s good, too.

Paparazzi.

 
Get a taste of Delifrance’s naughty coffee from March 3 - 7 between 5 - 7 pm at participating Delifrance branches. When asked by a Delifrance barista for the password, say “naughty with my coffee” and get a cup of spiked coffee for free!

Participating braches includes Greenbelt 1, ZETA, RCBC Plaza, Valero, Insular Life, Towe 1, AIM and SM Makati in Makati city; Robinson’s Place Manila and UN Avenue in Manila city; Alabang Town Center and Festival Supermall in Muntinlupa city; Roosevelt and Greenhills Theater Mall in San Juan; Libis, St. Lukes and Philippine Heart Centre in Quezon city; The Podium in Pasig city, and; Mall of Asia in Pasay city.

Popularity: 26% [?]