Philippine Travel Notes

Well, look at the things I find when I roam hehe. Here is another one you might call really really lost in translation! It is probably a typo that did not get noticed by the whole company. Its a big factory by the way! Maybe their English teacher did not emphasize enough that ‘wrong spelling is wrong’ hehehe! Especially funny since the first 3 letters of that misspelled word means something really dirty for Filipinos Whatever they mean by ‘clear taest’ or ‘clear taste’, if you haven’t yet, you should try Soju sometimes. Its good! But wait, refreshing as it may look with the "fresh morning" sign, it is not a morning drink nor a softdrink! The "fresh morning" is probably meant to tell that you won't have a heavy head or hangover when you wake up. I can tell its way stronger than Red Horse! So its probably a gin or a vodka or something like that! Ah, the imported signs of our times!

What is this place? Wheh, don’t panic, it’s just another restaurant block – this place is composed of two 2-level square buildings. Where is it? Now that makes the place a bit of a “must note”! It sits by the water’s edge beside the CCP. Yep, the Cultural Center of the Philippines over at Roxas Boulevard by the picturesque side of Manila Bay. That makes Harbour Square a convenient stop while waiting for the evening traffic rush hour to ease up! But if you are the imaginative type, Harbour Square is worth a visit or two. Or three or more – especially during the afternoons until dusk and darkness! A nice breezy place to while time away when, waiting for a show or event at CCP. Nice too for a nightcap after attending events at venues like PICC, Coconut Palace, Aliwan Theater and of course CCP! Restaurants and/or restobars in the area are generally branches of popular establishments commonly seen around the metropolis – and it looks like they come and go! One time you go dine at a plac...

For wartime history, and American era fortifications, this island is a must-tour for both the Filipino and the foreign visitor. It played a significant role in the liberation of this country from Japanese occupation. So, worth the visit, if only for a closer look at the realities of yesteryears. Yes, even also worth a visit あなたは日本国民であっても。 There are many available references about this island and how it has been used since the 1500s where it fared historical prominence in various attempts to seize control of the country by Spanish, Dutch, British, American and Japanese colonizers. But most historic was yes, the final Japanese-American war of 1945. Everything about these are however better heard as you tour around the island – and this place has one of the best tour guides the country has ever produced! Anyway… How to go there? There is only one “real” operator that does this tour, Sun Cruises. I mean they are the company that owns the fastcraft and the Corregidor Inn, but as it is ...

Fantastic sunset as we landed in Manila from Naga City. But I was not home yet! Home isn't Quezon City anymore. I was just passing by NAIA 3 on my way to Cebu since there are no direct Naga-Cebu flights. In fact I was already holding my MNL-CEB boarding pass issued at naga when I checked-in for this WNP-MNL flight. And I did not want to reverse my Cebu-Legaspi-Naga-Caramoan route because I had the luxury of zero-fares! I do not get to land in Manila at such a time of day since we all avoid it, right? Yeah, the excruciating afternoon traffic. But since I was just in transit to Cebu, I liked it that this flight was arriving MNL at about 4PM. Here’s part of that story… Turboprops (propeller airplanes) do not use any of the gates at Terminal 3. And I know that. Its useless for an airline to use them anyway. Why? Because these planes are too small, they cannot be reached by the aerobridge (air tube) for a more comfortable disembarkation of passengers. And my flight from Naga was using...

I saw this reminder last night posted on a wall at Maria De Leon Bus Station in Manila near UST. I think "baggage" is a collective noun so there is no need to add "s" to pluralize it. Anyway, more important for us travelers is to heed what it is trying to tell us! A Tagalog version (below) of the same reminder is also posted, though it is not a direct translation - it says more! Mag-ingat na lang lagi!

I call this place DVD Country just because that is what came to mind when I first tried describing this sea of pirated discs for sale. Others call it a DVD hub, mecca, bazaar, bagsakan, central, arcade and whatever else. But that is one and the same place famous (or infamous) for the proliferation of illegal copies of virtually anything that can be put to disc. Yes, most of them are DVD movies and audio CDs, though not to be outshone are the various installer-discs for just about anything you could think of feeding unto a computer. Let’s go! We went there after the San Sebastian Church accidental visit. But, this time, we took a jeep ride instead of continuing our leisurely walk. After having walked about 2.5 kms from Carriedo, to Quiapo Church, Hidalgo, Raon, MLQU and San Sebastian, somewhere in our muscles and bones started complaining hehe. The mind cannot always prevail when the body is tired. Tao lang hehe. Mind you, we still had the energy to roam around DVD country, so once we a...

Alright… we accidentally walked all the way from Quiapo church to reach this place WHICH we did not even know was doable. None of us expected to see this and none of us even thought it is still in Quiapo. Yeah, we all know and knew that there is a San Sebastian Church and all of us in this stroll pack have been there one time or another during our lives. But by chance we had this unanimous misconception that this church is only approached from the Legarda-Recto area, since that is how we have seen and passed-by in previous situations. Call it “dayuhan sa sariling bayan” haha, one of us in the group even spent college life at a nearby university and she was as surprised when we spotted the spires while still at Hidalgo St. Ah we did not stay long and were not able to ‘explore’ this edifice lengthily. Thanks to a wedding ceremony of a whoever and whoever where every nook of the church compound seemed to have been installed two or three policemen. They did not bother us though. We just ga...

The Raon overpass was bustling with people and it was rather not easy to move. When we thought we’ve had enough and decided to go back down, we found it difficult. As some of you may know, that overpass has an ‘island’ at center, a concrete barrier about chest-high (that becomes a convenient display shelf for the vendors). And ‘traffic flow’ of all humanity who pass there is ‘one-way’. To backtrack means you have to go cross this overpass to the end and transfer to the ‘opposite lane’ to return. And we did just that. However, upon reaching the other end, we instead decided to go down and explore this other side of Quiapo, instead of treading our way back in that congested overpass. And the story begins… One companion asked “what is there to see in this area?”. We all looked at each other seemingly asking the same question. But I suddenly remembered that nearby (almost directly across Plaza Miranda) is the ‘famed’ hub of pirated DVDs in this country. So, I suggested we go see the place,...

Walking two blocks of the little narrow street beside the church (Paterno?), we emerged on another famous narrow strip called ‘Raon’. That is pronounced “ruh-on” in the accent as you would say the name Ramon - just remove the "m", silly! This street is famous for electronics and similar gadgets. But OMG we salivated at the sight of many stores also selling sports things esp the hit of the season (or should we call it the fad of today?), yes, badminton. Too many stores selling too many things badminton that the choices are endless. Tubes of shuttlecocks of every kind are available and very cheap. There are even stores that have string services for a personalized tautness of your badminton or tennis racket. Whew! And the many sports bags on sale were attractively cheap, though you’d instantly know they were mostly ‘copies’ hehe – what with a bright blue and green tennis bag just worth P300? We examined some of those and some did look and feel like they were sturdy enough. Hmmm!...

Across the church entrance and the parking area called Plaza Miranda, there is a Mercury Drugstore in one corner and itself is a landmark known to most Filipinos. This time, it has a bigger digital ad signage above it that will surely catch the attention of many a first time visitor. It’s like a gigantic TV. Beside this drugstore is one of the entry/exit ways to a well-known (or shouldn’t I say ‘notorious’?) old infrastructures of Manila City – ‘the underpass’. Going beyond it and away from the parking lot (okay, Plaza Miranda) is going towards “Ils Da Tuls” – yeah “ilalim of the tulay” or “under the bridge” (Quezon Bridge) which is known for cheap native handicrafts and souvenirs but similarly known too, as still part of the domain of snatchers and pickpockets. Let’s not go there for I did not, okay? I may go back there sometime soon. We headed right instead towards Hidalgo St. This Hidalgo St., is very popular to older photography folks. I hear that in the past, the stores that line ...

Yes, Quiapo in Manila, and this is such a realization. Having lived most of my life in the metropolis, I had this assumption that everyone may/should have already seen Quiapo. But with many folks I encounter/ed especially on other islands, I learned that they have only heard about this notorious place and the generally bad stories about Quiapo. Thinking about those views, I realized, I too had similar bad thoughts about the place. Still have sometimes, and no one can blame anyone for thinking so. There is probably never a day that no petty crime would happen in that place. So I don’t consider going there ‘fun’ but sometimes ‘very’ necessary. Like when? Like this time that I have to tell you something about Quiapo… so I had to go there again – with some friends of ocurse. And come to think of it. I liked it. Don’t’ worry, I emerged safe and still whole after this visit! Let’s make the rounds? Church. Ah that is the most common landmark in the area, right? Yes, commonly called the ‘Quiap...

Yes, that’s plural! Funny how two churches could sit almost right beside each other. Well, not literally side by side as they seem to have been built at an angle from each other. Though their entrances converge on one street. Gosh, I thought the St. Joseph Parish and the Metropolitan Cathedral of Immaculate Concepcion in Zamboanga City were too near each other. I also thought it was weird for Cebu’s Metropolitan Cathedral to be just a short block away from the Basilica Minore Del Sto Nino. So there I was, wondering all the more, how come churches big as these are beside each other? Am not sure what brought me to this area in Sta. Mesa. Probably this was the time I accompanied a friend to have his license renewed at the Professional Regulation Commission’s offices in Manila. I have been to Bustillos years ago when I was just a boy who would jump out to tag along when mom would go anywhere. And I think she had friends who lived in this area. I think I may have even entered one or both...

Its been there for a long time, I have lived in the metropolis for also a long time, and I have never actually seen this street where the lechon houses are lined up! Well I went there and OMG, lechon there are and salivate you will! If all the ‘whole’ cooked lechon I saw could have been gathered together, they’d easily be a platoon! Well, if I include those whole pigs waiting to be cooked, those that were already packed for delivery and those that were already being chopped in the many lechon stores… all the lechon I saw could probably be a battalion hehe. Yeah am exaggerating… But this was the first time I got to see so many whole cooked and uncooked lechon. Wow. Where is it? At the famous La Loma district of Quezon City. Or is it Manila? Or both? I think it’s the border of the two cities, whatever! Driver just asked around and voila we were there! The district though is more famous for something else far from lechon hehe. It is where the La Loma Cemetery (north cemetery?) is located ...

Alright, once and for all, I will say my piece. Hate it or like it, take it or leave it! To those of you asking me about details of the incident: What you saw on TV is what I also did see. There’s no need to tell anything more. I don’t know much as I am busier (and I prefer to be) roaming the beautiful islands. I don’t give any more effort to find out about things I don’t like. I think that’s human nature, right? To those asking about the “thorough investigation” and/or the “good outcome”: They’re still at it (investigating). I saw it on local news noontime, am sure there will be more tonight and I read a lot of tweets from the local newscasters and local news bureaus. You can follow those that I follow on twitter and chances are you’ll get a per minute snippet about it. I wonder, what is a “good outcome” anyway? Isn’t it a preconceived notion in your brains awaiting to be matched if head-on smack or juxtaposed with what the investigators will ultimately say? I think that’s dangerous h...

Many of you probably know what it is. If you don’t, I wouldn’t be sure which corner on earth you have been hibernating the past years. Yes, it is the ship that carries books of a myriad kinds (plus toys and other thingys) circling the globe to reach the unreachable stars – that’s all of us hehe! And yes, part of its crews are always a scattering of people from many nationalities. It was many years ago when this ship came to my consciousness and oh how I wanted to see it and check out what it had. For whatever reason or reasons, I hadn’t got a chance the 6 times that it docked in Manila. Yesterday, I accidentally peeped on a news-daily that a woman was reading beside me on the LRT. I saw an article with a picture of that ship. Aw, as the woman flipped the page too soon, I wasn’t able to read at least a phrase at what might have been the topic. I just surmised, if that ship was not anywhere in one of the Philippine ports again, it could probably have burned or sank or whatever else. In a...