Baguio has long been considered and is still without a doubt this country's summer capital. There is no denying it's cool weather, lush pine trees and wonderful views of the surrounding mountains. With the Panagbenga Festival fast approaching, the drove of tourists would no doubt be trekking up the mountains to partake in the annual flower festival. But more than just enjoying the flower festival and enjoying the breathtaking views of the mountain city, why not take a trek down another cultural road and visit the BenCab Museum. The museum is home to our national artist more formally known as Benedicto Cabrera, an artist of the visual and the fine arts.
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To start of, I am not a coffee person, never have been one to enjoy a shot of caffeine in my system. Coffee for me is just another way to socialize with other people and spend countless hours in a good conversation with a good friend. On the other hand, coffee shops and cafes are a different matter, the atmosphere is conducive for relaxing and people watching and most of the time I enjoy every visit there. Who wouldn't? with its cozy chairs, great lighting and quiet atmosphere there really are so little reasons why I wouldn't mind staying there. Food Trucks in the Philippines aren't really common here in Manila, oftentimes we Filipinos tend to go for the tried and tested; and faithfully local carinderia. In fact, in many parts of the city, the carinderia, is an essential part of any neighborhood. Your go-to lunch and dining place after a hard day's work, your quick bite just before a meeting; or if you're especially feeling the taxes and expenses on that day, your cheapest alternative to fast food. Here in Manila, carinderias can be found in every busy street corner, they are there and will stay there til the end of time. The food they offer will remain the same and no amount of haute/fusion cuisine you do, the standard food combination of rice, viand, and soup is here to stay.
In some places in Manila, a group known as Food Truck Park PH, are trying to captivate us into trying an alternative to dining out in a carinderia. They've brought with them a very fancy truck, an interesting menu, a team of great chefs/cooks, and a passion for making an ordinary evening in the Metro interesting. During my vacation in Baguio, I happened to bump into this most interesting independent bookshop. It is known as the Mt. Cloud Bookshop, situated right beside the swanky hotel-restaurant Casa Vallejo/Hill Station in Baguio. Seeing it's all too interesting sign and with my ever fondness for bookshops and books, there was no denying myself to venture inside.The bookshop is really small, its walls are lined with shelves stuffed with all manner of books and items of interest.
As seen in the last few posts, I've been enjoying my visits to the old part of Manila. During these moments and my sporadic visits, I always make it a point to reflect on these places, especially those places that have played a significant part in our history. For those who don't know, Intramuros used to be the walled city/enclave of the Spanish colonial government back in the 1500's all the way up to 1898. During those years it was the seat of Spanish colonial power and the Roman Catholic church, hence the architecture and the prevalence of churches in the walled city. But more than that, Intramuros became the focal point of the entire archipelago; trade, commerce, culture all flourished in the walled city. Thanks to Manila Bay and the Pasig River, there was an influx of both foreign and local influences that helped shaped the lives of the people residing in Manila. After 1898 and with the arrival of the Americans, the walled city started expanding outwards and thus we have the birth of a modern Manila. A Manila fashioned in the image of an American city, no thanks to a very brilliant American urban planner by the name of Daniel Burnham.
Souvenir shops in Manila are usually devoid of fanfare. These shops are boring, sedate and sell expensive items that rarely have any novelty value. Oftentimes we ultimately just skip the whole souvenir shop and just take whatever we can from the environment, not a very sustainable way for a very nature-loving country. Last Valentines weekend, Tricia and I got to explore Intramuros. We did so to kill time while waiting for our walking tour to start. We were able to visit two interesting and I think the go-to shops in Intramuros. The second the "Silahis Center" also found along General Luna street (You may check my entry on the Papier Tole Shop here). Souvenir shops in Manila are usually devoid of fanfare. These shops are boring, sedate and sell expensive items that rarely have any novelty value. Oftentimes we ultimately just skip the whole souvenir shop and just take whatever we can from the environment, not a very sustainable way for a very nature-loving country.
Last Valentines weekend, Tricia and I got to explore Intramuros. We did so to kill time while waiting for our walking tour to start. We were able to visit two interesting and I think the go-to shops in Intramuros. The first being "The Papier Tole Shop" found along General Luna street in Intramuros. Many of us have spent countless years dreading and maybe avoiding Philippine history as a subject. One big factor is that we know the story like the palm of our hand, the misconceptions that have been brutally hammered into our heads for many years. We know the whole timeline and the important people turned into streets and avenues; we know the whole betrayal, martyrdom, liberation, revelation, vindication, rape and whatever verb, adverb and adjective that would describe our history.
I had heard of Wicked thanks to my sister who left Gregory Maguire's book on my bed many years ago. But I never had the chance to read about. My knowledge of the musical's songs were limited to Glee's overplayed rendition, but other than that the whole musical escaped me. It was that time of the year where people from all walks of life converge upon the little street known as Binondo. Chinese New Year in this part of Manila becomes a Mecca of all things chinese. The entire stretch of Ongpin and its adjacent streets are flooded with dragon dances and fireworks. |
AuthorMy name is Alfonso your nerdy history teacher, bookworm and lover of all things cultural and exciting. You can find me in a weekend market, in a bookshop, or eating in Japanese restos during the weekends. Archives
September 2015
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