First, we’ll ride a jeepney and go to Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center (for only 10php). Its a nice place to see Philippine Biodiversity. For brunch, we’ll have a picnic near the man-made lake and enjoy the relaxing view of nature.
Next, we’ll head to La Mesa Eco Park and spend the whole afternoon doing different activities like riding a paddle boat, fishing, swimming, trekking and biking. Not only that we’ll enjoy, we’ll also help save La Mesa Watershed.
After that, we’ll go to Marikina wet market which has generally cheaper prices and at the same time, clean establishments. We’ll buy food like kakanin, fresh fruits and seafood. We’ll also check the biggest shoes at the nearby mall. This is a good opportunity for my friend to practice his haggling techniques.
During the evening, we’ll have a walk at Marikina River Park which is open 24 hours. There we’ll find restaurants, bars and grills; even simple eateries and carinderias. I really hope we go there Christmas season beacause it will become livelier with the entire stretch of the river transformed into a bargain tiangge full of vendors, carnival rides, shows and lantern parades.
]]>I will take him to these five places:
1) Binondo – for a food trip. I intend to show him our own Chinatown and we can then discuss the similarities and differences of the Chinatown in KL and here in Manila. I will make him eat the Eng Bee Tin tikoy (all variants) and hopia. When I visited his place in My, he took me hawker food-tripping, so it will be my turn to give him a treat.
2) UP Diliman campus grounds. I will take him strolling and jogging around the UP Oval, watch some students play soccer in the Sunken Garden while eating taho, and then take him to Rodic’s to sample the Tapsilog.
3) Legaspi and Salcedo weekend markets to shop around for…more food!
4) Fort Santiago and Intramuros for a more “historical and cultural treat”
5) Rizal Park – to pay homage to our National Hero.
]]>After the historical feats, I’ll take them to the south to enjoy nature and fresh fruits at its finest. Our first stop would be Tagaytay Picnic Groove. I want them to see the famous Taal Volcano/lake. We will tour Palace in the Sky, Paradizoo and Rodeo Inn/Zoo.
The next day, we’ll take the route to Nasugbu, Batangas where a lot of beach abound. I would love to bring them to Punta Fuego for a round golf and then a banca tour.
On weekends, I’ll take them to Puerto Galera in Mindoro for snorkeling and scuba diving fun.
]]>Oh well, I know Im disqualified. Hihi
]]>Next is the shrine of Dr. Jose Rizal or the Luneta Park. I’ll bring my old paper money and several coins which portrays our National Hero. And I’ll tell him some of his contributions for our independence. He is my idol and role model, for the love of our country after God. A small meal from the local “Mang Inasal,” the most famous marinated chicken. I’ll also explain how to eat it using hands and dipping it to “toyo-mansi”.
The next pit stop is the EDSA Shrine. We will ride the MRT from Taft to Ortigas. Displaying the unity of the people for the past decades. The shrine itself, the Ortigas Ilalim route of bus and the People Power Monument for the few to be proud of. A small snack from the “Mamang Sorbetero” will be special. A bun filled with ice cream is very excellent after walking a half kilometer long journey.
Then, we will use the mass transport system of bus from Ortigas to Cubao. A stroll from AliMALL will shaken up the hot senses from the sun.
After that, we will ride the jeepney routing Cubao and Montalban. “Patok” jeepney is the name of those who have loud music, colorful interiors, overspeeding and very fast jeepney. I’ll explain to him that it serve us by transporting merchant and goods from provinces to rural or urban areas and now, even passengers. We will alight at the Shoe Capital of the Philippines, Marikina. For me, it is our symbol of cleanliness and development. The Marikina River is a great facade for a small talk. And I’ll bring him to our house to accommodate and take care of him. Rest assured, he’ll enjoy the hospitality of us.
]]>We should have pandesal and kape for breakfast. As soon as we leave the house, we will shout “TAHO!” and “PUTO!” outside. We’ll take the jeep, tricycle, bus, train and MRT in all the places we’ll be going.
Manila Zoo, Fort Bonifacio, Intramuros, Rizal Park, Quirino Grandstand and Divisoria are to be visited. I will tell her every little piece of information and history of those places and why those are significant to every Filipinos’ lives. The longest running TV show in the country Eat Bulaga located in QC is a must see as well. I will tell her the show being true to its tagline “Hangga’t may bata, may Eat Bulaga”. Again, part and parcel of every Filipino’s everyday lives;)
Then we’ll go to Manila Cathedral, to show the religious side of us and its history having been built since the 6th century. Oh, she must make a wish because like what my parents tell me, if it is your first time to go to a church, pray and it will be granted.
Last is at Roxas Boulevard Bay Walk to see a fine view of the legendary Manila Bay sunset 🙂 What a great scene to end the day.
(Next day, early in the morning, go to palengke; let her experience “makipagtawaran”; after shopping we’ll eat palabok, lugaw and puto. Solved.)
]]>i will take my guest in an ilog pasig ferry ride, can definitely see the whole metro. and maybe we’ll take a peek in smokey mountain, that way i can let my guest see the real face of manila. maybe in that way my guest will no longer go abroad and will just stay here and help filipinos and make the philippines a better place.
]]>Answer..: Will hear mass first at Baclaran church then will take them to Carlos Celdran tour the Intramuros tour ( visiting Fort Santiago, the Manila Cathedral and San Agustin Church, riding a Calesa etc.) coz I have joined that tour last May and that was really a fun learning experience, sir Carlos is the man..he is awesome and is so kind..I’m sure they will appreciate Manila more once they experience the tour. I will also include taking them to attend Imelda tour coz I i know my tita and cousins are such an imeldific person too, im sure they will like it too.. will also reserve slot for ivan mandy’s old manila walk on the next day to taste what food has Binondo or the little China has to offer. I will also take them to the Manila Ocean Park then Mall of Asia afterwards. Then for pasalubongs will also visit Divisoria and 168mall but will not forget to visit Quiapo before day ends..
]]>My trip would start like this. First, I will bring my guest to Quiapo Church because I believe that the Quiapo Church and the nearby Plaza Miranda is significant to us Filipinos. I will give a brief history of our culture and the relationship of the Filipinos with religion. After that we will go outside the Church and I will point out the big oxymoron in Quiapo. Doesn’t anybody find it a big oxymoron that inside the Church, everybody professes to be a Catholic but literally a stone’s throw away from the wall of the Church, there are lots of fortune tellers? So if ever, I would give my friend the choice if he or she would like to experience having a fortune telling session. This is just for the experience and just for my friend to have a clearer picture of the irony of Filipino culture. After that, I will bring my friend to Plaza Miranda and explain the significance of that small plaza: that a lot of revolutions and prayer rallies during the Marcos and pre-Marcos regime happened there. After that, I would try to feed my friend Balot or Isaw which is readily available there. If she or he refuses since Balot and Isaw is taboo in some cultures and it’s a Filipino delicacy then I’ll just suggest the Penoy, Taho or fishball. After that I would suggest shopping for about 2 hours for my friend to find bargain goods.
After shopping, I would then hail a pedicab so my friend could experience a different kind of transportation which is not easily seen abroad. I would then bring us to Chinatown where I would then explain the important relationship of our country with our Asian neighbors during the pre-colonial era. I would point out the culture, arts, trade and economic ties we had with them. During our trip to Chinatown, we will use the calesa since this form of transport is still used in Chinatown and Ongpin.
Afterwards, still using the calesa, I would ask us to be dropped in Intramuros where I will explain the 333 year colonial era of the Spaniards in our country and how it affects the Filipinos even now. I will then explain the importance of the walled city and the reason for its location. And I will end my explanation with the Mock Battle in Intramuros and the start of American colonization in our country. By this time it will already be lunch time so for lunch, I will treat my friend in Intramuros where an authentic Spanish dish will be our meal.
After lunch, we would get a taxi going to Rizal Park. However, I will request that the driver to drive by the Manila Central Post Office then pass by the Manila City Hall and the National Museum and then he will drop us off to Rizal Park. My reason is simple. This is to continue explanation of the Philippine history and culture to my friend. Since I stopped with the start of American Colonization in Intramuros, I will then explain to my friend the significance of Rizal Park or Bagumbayan. Also, I would explain the significance of Manila Central Post Office, Manila City Hall, the National Museum and the various offices near Rizal Park. This is all part of the plan of the Americans to pattern Taft Avenue like that of Washington wherein government offices are centralized. However, with the war interrupting American Occupation all these plans did not come into fruition.
After we have walked around Rizal Park, I would then bring my friend to CCP. But this time, we will use the Jeepney. When we arrive at CCP, I would point out the ferry going to Corregidor and the significance of this tiny island as well as Bataan in World War 2. Then my friend and I would roam around CCP and I would then explain post war Philippines until the Marcos era to my friend. I will show the good parts as well as the not so good parts of the Marcos regime.
By this time it will already be about 6 or 7 so for our last stop, we will now use a taxi and we will go to MOA. This is to show my friend the modern Philippines and to also show my friend the 3rd largest mall in the world. For dinner, we will go to Kamayan so he or she can experience authentic Filipino food with various choices. For the rest of the night, my friend and I can go shopping. ;>
]]>A: We will go to 168 Mall at Divisoria. It’s one of a kind experience for them just be careful with *you-know* snatchers and all. Tour them to China Town then to the famous places here in Manila like Intramuros, Post Office, Raja Sulayman Park, Manila Cathedral, and Manila Zoo. Lastly, I’ll definitely drop him/her to MOA. It’s now a tourist destination and a must for overseas to go there. Then, go to the church nearby and I’ll let them experience the sunset at Manila Bay since there’s a mini-cruise there.
]]>QUIAPO! ah, the land that i love. I dont think that this will be the “most unique” because surely everyone has done this before.
we live in Quezon City going to Quiapo, we’ll take a jeepney from commonwealth avenue to Quiapo. jeepney because what could be more filipino than jeepneys with horns blaring, toothless barkers, stickers of “barya lang sa Umaga” and the quintessential “ma., bayad po” making each passenger pass your fare and announcing to everyone how many are you, where you are going and where you came from. of course i’ll make the guest do the talking.
once we get there, ill take the guest to Quiapo Church, i may not know the full histrory of Quiapo church, but i do know the basics: its history, when it was built, what got it destroyed and the architect of its restoration, just to have a historical perspective. the church itself is already a siight and site to see. I’ll show how many people would come to see the balck Nazarene, and in case its open, we’ll fall in line to touch the Nazarene. Light different colored candles, (my favorite is for the one for the appliances.) Ill also show the guest the ladies you “:make donations” to to pray for you, all the astrologers and fortune tellers, we’ll try it too. Also we will visit the herb vendors, the anting-anting vendors we will even buy Sto. Niño de Titi. We ill try to visit the SM in Quiapo, just to show the progress SM had. In Hidalgo, Ill show the diffrent stores. then we will proceed to Quiapo Ilalim, and show the different native products,. in case we get hungry there is always the most delicious Hopia in Manila.
then to Manila’s Videotheque. where the world cinema is at your finger tips.
i do this alot, just going around quiapo looking at old houses destroyed by time and mostly neglect, and imagine it during the hey days.
I love quiapo because there is where i meet different people, all sorts of people. and evferyone is just interesting from the sampaguita to sidewalk vendors, the muslim businessmen, the religious, (who buys anting-anting and consult fortune tellers) even to the mendicant who litter the streets of quiapo.
but what i do love most about Quiapo, is that it is easy access to just about everywhere in Metro Manila.
so after quiapo we could go and walk in Avenida and Rizal Avenue, visit Intramuros, watch a play in CCP, watch a movie in SM manila, see the sun set in Roxas Boulevard. In Quiapo, the adventure is just beginning.
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