Intramuros: Filled with Beauty and History

A day to spend in a place where everything started, is a place where you need to have a good memory and sight in order to recollect the things that you do not want to forget, specially a historic area like Intramuros or “Walled City” in Spanish. It is settled at the mouth and on the south bank of the Pasig River, Manila. The Walled City highlighted many striking examples of late 16^th- and 17^th- century Spanish architecture and landmarks which over the centuries remain standing despite of many calamities that visited the country.

            Some of the Intramuros’s oldest buildings is the San Agustin Church, The Manila Cathedral that has been rebuilt several times as a result of earthquakes, it is the most significant Roman Catholic building in the Philippines and it also include the most famous Fort Santiago, at the mouth of the Pasig River, which houses a shrine to the Filipino patriot Jose Rizal, who was taken from the Fort for his execution.

the side of the Great Manila Cathedral

            Most of the old city was destroyed during the World War II, but the gates, walls, and small plazas that characterize the area have since been restored. But time has challenged these wall so often in the past that it is highly surprising Intramuros still stands today. Intramuros’s walls filled in and has been used as a golf course, some part of the plaza was open to the public for family bonding were tour guides introducing the history in every corners to the foreigners and the most famous Philippine’s “kalisa” is crossing the streets of the Intramuros.

the remnants of some old buildings

               Some of the tourists usually use the famous kalisa, tricycle and bicycle to wander around the walls of Intramuros but you need to pay it after you enjoy the ride. Walking with friends is also the best way for young travelers to appreciate the corners of Intramuros, it is tiring but good for your health.

wandering the Intramuros while riding the kalisa

biking around the walls is fun and good for stretching our body

              Rediscovering the history of your own country is such a big achievement that most people in this generation would feel. The beauty and the historical values that lies in our own homeland which is molded by our forefathers is a place we should be proud to share to the world.

Makati City a Victim of Kindness

   Philippines is blessed of many treasurable things, one of it is the weather that most equatorial countries experienced. Each weather conditions has its own advantages and disadvantages that most people may prefer it or not. In urban areas farmers and other agricultural constituent part may take their opportunities to harvest their planted crops during sunny days and wait for another rain to fall to water their newly planted seeds while in rural areas such as Makati City it would be a great disaster to those people working in any establishments. A few drops of rain would create a big mess that would ruin all government and public workers not only in Makati but also in some rural places.

   Commuting to a floating Styrofoam is one way of traveling going to your place in Makati during rainy days and the fare is kind of expensive, it triples the ordinary fare of any public vehicles but if you are lucky to have an inflated lifeboat then you are save. If you do not want to spend some money or you do not have an inflated lifeboat then you have no choice but to walk in the 3-4 feet of waste water that contains all kind of waste from bio degradable, non-biodegradable and including animals and human wastes. 

   This is just one of the day to day problem of all people living in this place and it should be address to all the concern persons to establish a solution, because everyone is affected to this kind of circumstances. It needs an action to be done as fast as they can to minimize its great effects.

   This kindness that is spared to us should also be treasured, it maybe a tragic or not it is still a blessings. We may consider it as a problem but we all know that we are just being tested and every problem there is always a solution, you just have to think and act for it.

                

                

Discovering the Unseen Magnificence of Quiapo: The Unforgettable Experience

I set my phone to alarm at exactly 4:00 in the morning because I will meet my friends at exactly 5:00 am to attend the photo walk at Quiapo. Suddenly, I did not notice any vibration or noise that would wake me up because of being drunk last night with my friends celebrating his farewell party. So when I saw the sunlight that stricken in my window makes my whole nerves startled, it jolted my whole body to wake up and my hand was like crawling its own to look for my phone. I was shocked when I opened my phone and saw the time and it is already 5:00 in the morning. I was planning to cancel it, but I do not want to miss the opportunity and what would my friends think of about me. I bolted to stood up, went to the bathroom and do the 2 minutes shower. With my reddish and sleepy eyes I arrived at the meeting place 20 minutes late.

Quiapo, Manila is 9 kilometers far from Makati City and 18 minutes travel within current traffic. We rode a jeepney to Taft Avenue and transfer to another jeepney going to Quiapo. We arrived in the place earlier that we thought because it is still early in Saturday morning and the traffic is not yet heavy.

When we set our foot at the tinted cement in front of the famous Quiapo Church, the journey as a street photographer begun. Luckily, even without enough sleep, I manage to capture the beauty of Quiapo.