Places of Interest in Manila

RIZAL PARK

A swathe of green cuts through the traffic of Taft Avenue all the way to Roxas Boulevard by Manila Bay, and forms an oval, more commonly known as Luneta (from lunette, small moon). Mornings find joggers and talchi exercisers catching a bit of fresh air under the trees. In the afternoons, spectators sit by the breakwater to await the best sunset in the world. Evenings are for lovers. On weekends, families picnic on the grass by the fountains, flock to the amphitheatc entertainment, stroll Japanese and Ch gardens, and frolic a: the skating ring and children's playground park is dedicated t national hero, Jot Rizal, and his s stands watch over M Bay. On the same where Rizal was exe by firing squad in If light and sound table; enacts the event witl sized statues and a rec narrative, accompani light and sound effects.

INTRAMUROS

Within the 16th century walls of Intramuros, the old Spanish enclave of Manila, horse-drawn carruajes (carriages) take visitors through streets lined with Spanish colonial style houses, past old church plazas, gardens and walkways between restored puertas (gates) and baluartes (battlements). Fort Santiago, once the headquarters of the spanish forces and prison to Filipinos charged with sedition and rebellion, is now a peaceful green quadrangle with a shrine to the national here. The Manila Cathedral has been rebuilt six times since the first structure rose on that same spot in 1581. The present church retains its magnificence with the original stone carvings, rosette windows and stained glass mosaics decorating its nave and several smaller chapels. San Agustin Church, the oldest structure in the country, inspires awe with its trompe I'oeil murals, ornately carved choir loft, Baroque interiors and collection of valuable ecclesiastical art pieces. The Casa Manila, a fully-furnished turn of the century model house, depicts how a Spanish nobleman might have lived. The maze of antique and ethnic craft shops and galleries at the Plaza San Luis Complex carry items worthy of any collector's attention.

FORT SANTIAGO

The most important defence location of the Intramuros fortress city was Fort-Santiago. From this strategic location, at the mouth of the Pasig River, all activity in Manila Bay could be observed. During the Japanese occupation in World War II, innumerable Filipino prisoners lost their lives in the infamous dungeon cells which lay below sea level. At high tide there was no escape. Dr Jose Rizal also spent his last days in a narrow cell at this fort before his execution by the Spaniards in 1896.

Today Fort Santiago is a memorial. There is an open-air theatre, the Rizal Shrine and a display of old cars which used to belong to important Filipino personalities.

In early 1988, Fort Santiago was turned inside out, with government permission, by US gold-seekers who, by excavating, hoped to uncover the legendary war treasure of the Japanese genera,! Yamashita, which was rumoured to have been hidden in the Philippines. All excavations were in vain, of course. The fort is open daily between 8 am and 10 pm

SAN AGUSTIN CHURCH

The first constructions of the San Agustin Church were destroyed by fires in 1574 and 1583. In 1599 the foundation stone for the present construction was laid. The massive church was not damaged by the earthquakes of 1645, 1754, 1852,1863,1880, 1968 and 1970, nor by the bombardment in the fighting around Manila in February 1945. San Agustin is the oldest existing stone church in the Philippines. From JL879 to 1880, the crystal chandeliers came from Paris, the walls and roofs were masterfully painted by two Italian artists, and the choir stalls were carved_by the Agustinian monks themselves. In a small chapel to the left of the high altar lie the mortal remains of Legaspi. There is a museum and a contemplative inner courtyard adjoining the church.

MANILA CATHEDRAL

This cathedral, with its great cupola, is the Philippines' most significant Catholic church. It is located in the Plaza Roma at Intramuros. With the help of the Vatican, the building, which was destroyed in World War II, was rebuilt from 1954 to 1958; some old walls were restored and integrated into the new construction. The large organ with its 4500 pipes came from Netherlands and is the largest in Asia. Some old walls were restored and integrated into the new construction. The large organ with its 4500 pipes came from Netherlands and is the largest in Asia.

NAYONG PILIPPINO

For an overview of what this 7,107 island archipelago has to offer without travelling outside of Metro Manila, nothing beats this 32-acre 'nayong' (village) located just 10 minutes away from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. Here explore Bohol's Chocolate Hills, Cebu's historic Magellans Cross, Bicol's Mayon Volcano, Banaue's Rice Terraces, as well as the many villages, which really are a cluster of houses architecturally representative of each culturally distinctive region in the country. Museums showcase ethnological finds and local handicrafts.

Refreshment kiosks are scattered throughout the park. Around the lagoon, weekenders cast their fishing lines to try their luck with the tilapia (local trout) and couples row their boats into the sunset.

CHINATOWN

Manila's enclave of traditional Chinese shophouses and narrow streets bustles with commercial activity on and around Ongpin Street in Santa Cruz district. Jewellery stores a-glitter with yellow and gold watches; groceries brimming with fruit preserves and exotic delicacies; apothecaries with their multipaneled cabinets filled with pungent
herbs; Chinese delicatessens and restaurants with pork leg, Peking duck and oiled chicken hanging in the windows; curio shops redolent with incense; Buddhist temples and roadside shrines with their tilted red-tile roofs; and always that strain of Chinese music floating in the air, all combine to lend an air of oriental mystique to this thriving, clannish community.

QUIAPO

This small district of craftsmen, buyers and sellers swells and swelters with the crush of humanity who carry on their trade on the perimetres of the pilgrimage shrine of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo Church. Sidewalk her-balists vie with amulet and charm purveyors to cure every ailment from the common cold to arthritis to diabetes. Fruits, vegetables and flowers, clothes and houseware erupt in a riot of colour. Under the Quezon Bridge (Ilalim ng Tulay), hawkers call your attention to the many capiz shell lamps, rattan bags, and other inexpensive handicrafts hanging from the ceilings of makeshift stalls.