“There is no better friend or balm than a stranger who restores a moment of faith in humanity.” – Old Sean
Fogs of the Mind
After a brief layover vacation in Japan, I’ve arrived in Manila. I’ll be staying in the Philippines for the next few weeks and Manila is the most natural point of entry. This is my second time visiting the sprawling complex. My previous visit was somewhat odd, since I had an enforced layover due to a volcanic eruption that grounded my flights for a stint.
This time, I intended to spend more time exploring. However, it’s worth noting that Manila isn’t…the best tourism city out there. In fact, it’s downright confusing, chaotic and famed for pickpockets. A visitor can still have a pretty amazing experience here, but it takes a lot of extra precautions and planning.
So I planned and planned some more. I bought a hideaway money belt and mini-locks for my backpack and zip-up pockets, a safety investment costing me around $20 USD back in the states. I dressed down, scruffed up and applied for an emergency credit card. I loaded up my phone with an Airalo ESIM so I wouldn’t be reliant on Manila’s infamously rare WIFI. I hid cash in a couple of extra pockets sew into the inside of my boots and pocketed a throwaway wallet with a sacrificial twenty dollars within.
Overkill? Absolutely. But I intended on doing A LOT of walking through Manila and stereotypes which stem from reputation are always worth an extra dose of weariness.
Finally, I caught a Grab Cab to my hotel, chatting with my driver the entire way. It was an entertaining experience, since the driver tried his best to make recommendations around the city. Naturally, he fell into the hyper-local trope, recommending that I try Jollibee for cuisine. Since Jollibee is the Philippine’s most famed fast-food chain, that’s a bit like recommending McDonald’s to first time visitors of NYC. Otherwise, however, he pointed out some good places to find kare-kare (ox tail) before dropping me off.
Twitchy
I dropped off my supplies at my hotel, which was a straightforward, no-nonsense place. From there, I was able to plan out a short route through the city, planning to spend most of my time in the so-called “Old Town” of Intramuros, the site of the Spanish-era landmarks.
I caught another Grab Cab to an early morning Denny’s for breakfast, which is a fairly central site at the edge of the Robinsons Place Mall.
The contrast of flying from quiet, carefully planned, clean skyscraper-style Tokyo to bustling Manila was like night and day. Everywhere I walked, there was traffic bearing down on me. Concrete dominated every horizon and scooters zoomed like characters in video games. I quickly became battered by sensory overload, especially once I started walking around more frequently.
That being said, Manila really knows how to highlight its Christmas culture. Vast trees rose in malls and there were manger Nativity scenes everywhere. I was pleased to walk along the Manila Bay Beach area (though that water is concerningly hued) on my way to Old Town.
To offset my jet-lag, I loaded myself up on caffeine until I was a vibrating humanoid. It certainly sped my steps somewhat.
The Adventures of Aussies
My first major stop was Rizal Park, a major historical site in Manila. The park’s cultural importance is quite nearly venerated in local history books. It was the site of the execution for the Filipino patriot Jose Rizal in December of 1896. This fanned the flames of the Philippine Revolution against the colonial Kingdom of Spain, beginning a guerilla campaign which would last for decades. When Spain finally lost the Spanish-American War, the Philippines were granted to the Americans as an overseas territorial holding. It was one of the first and most influential non-state territories the US gained and flew in the face of American isolationism tendencies. While the move was initially seen as a victory, it essentially turned the United States of America into a full-blown, recently elevated colonial nation. They inherited the war the Spanish had been fighting for years, resulting in a fraught colonization period. The American Colonization Period lasted until 1946, when the US officially recognized Philippine independence.
Despite the gravity of the site, Rizal Park is a peaceful place to wander. A chemically blue pool sits in the center, waiting to toss up fountains and lights for a nightly water show. There are plenty of other zones, though most are under construction. The Chinese Gardens are a quaint place to read and the Martyrdom of Dr. Jose P Rizal is an impressive monument.
I ran into a group of three Aussies while walking around the park and we chatted for a while. I told them the best route leading into Old Town and chatted idly for a bit. We walked our separate ways, but I would end up running into them again throughout the day.
Incessant Insolence
I started my own journey to Old Town through the south, making a point of stopping to see Baluarte de San Diego. Unfortunately, this resulted in my first run-in with the local tricycles. These are covered cargo sidecars outfitted to the side of a motorbike and they are awful. Drivers constantly harass people walking through Old Town offering tours of the local sites, lying blatantly and demanding extreme prices. It doesn’t matter how often a person says no or walks away, the driver will park and walk alongside, waving a laminated paper showcasing the local tourism attractions, offering a tour.
The tricycles (also called traysikel and traysikol) are just a part of life. If one intends to visit Old Town Intramuros, that’s going to be a leading aspect. It merits a lot of patience and repeated “nos.”
There are some more interesting and reliable vehicles in the area as well, which aren’t nearly as annoying. Locals use a brightly-colored mini-bus system known as Jeepneys. These have bright pain jobs, pop cultural drawings and kitsch decorations. The mini busses, better known as share taxis or auto calesas are pretty cool to watch as they rotate through the city.
I finally arrived in Old Town, briefly stopping at Puerta Real Gardens for a nice overlook of the nearby golf course. Then I started touring town.
It’s worth mentioning that the tricycle drivers insist that it takes a whopping eight hours to visit all of Old Town. That’s a blatant lie. A person can walk across the entire town in under and hour and most of the attractions are within five minutes of one another. There are pickpockets, but the streets themselves are very safe and easy to navigate. Those old Spanish architects had a clear idea of what they were doing.
Old Town Tourism
No matter the part of the world, Spanish colonial architecture has its own flavor. Since I was recently in the Old Town of Cartagena, Colombia, I was quietly amused at how familiar everything felt. I passed under the Old Town Gate, strolled past the Flame of Excellent Monument and browsed the Silahis Center, a very well-done Philippine Cultural Antique Store. It’s actually one of my favorite little places to visit in Old Town, with lots of handmade clothing and artwork.
From here, I continued to several of the churches in the area, most notably the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception and the San Agustin Church. However, I was more interested in the complex across the street: Casa Manila and Casa Vera.
These two places are actually a combined series of houses connected by a center plaza. They’re filled with unique little shops and eateries. There’s the Barbara’s Heritage Restaurant for local cultural cuisine, the surprisingly upscale Royal Cafe, an upstairs Spanish Colonial Life Museum and my personal favorite, the Batala Bar. This is a local brewery with affordable, truly excellent craft beer. The Mango IPA, Golden Ale and dark-hued beverages are exquisite, worthy of plenty of attention.
Mildly buzzed, I continued on my walking tour.
Return of the Tourists
I eventually arrived at the Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. While this was an amazingly cool visit, thanks to the numerous Naples-style Neapolitan Nativity Scenes, I’m a little tapped out on churches. Thor and I got to visit plenty while in Europe and, to be frank, the European cathedrals are in a class of there own.
However, while browsing the church, I ran into the Aussie group once more. We ended up walking together for a fair distance, eventually arriving at Fort Santiago.
Sadly, I couldn’t get in. I didn’t have any cash on my and the site doesn’t allow for credit cards (this would prove to be a regular problem in Manila. However, happily, my new Aussie friends stepped up and footed the bill (which was around 3 USD for entry). Pleasantly surprised, I joined them on a walking tour of the old Spanish fortress.
We quickly moved through Almacenes Reales, the nearby Tesoros Souvenir Store, and underground pathway, some of the Japanese-era fortification additions, the Reducto de San Francisco Javier mini church, the Ruins of the American Barracks and the entry gate of Fort Santiago itself.
Within, we talked about mantis shrimps, dolphins, life in Australia, road trips and the cloying humidity of the day (though I didn’t think it was too bad, personally). In the Plaza de Armas, we got to see the Jose Rizal Monument, the Spanish Barracks Ruins, the Rizal Shrine, the White Cross Memorial and the Dungeons of Fort Santiago. We also overlooked the rather toxic-looking Pasig River. The river is a sickly-looking brown with unrooted water plants of spring-green floating past. Ironically, if one takes a photo over the river, the sky reflects very well, giving the photos a bright, rapturous blue color, making the skyline look divine and clean.
So little of this world can be recorded with the certainty of realism.
Sated, my small group exited the fort. The Aussies summoned a Grab Cab while I made an additional walk through the Old Town district. I eventually walked through the Lagusnilad Underpass and returned to the Malate area on the other side of Rizal Park.
Finally, feet aching, I stopped for a massage to offset the two days of long flights and extended treks.
Muddled to the Malls
Finally, it was getting dark. To be frank, Manila isn’t a good place to be walking around at night. I ordered a Grab Cab to wander back to my area, hoping to get dinner at the Greenbelt Mall District in Makati. Also known as Ayala Malls Greenbelt, this is one of the upscale flagship operations in Manila, with huge investments building skyscrapers and high-end retail shops. It’s one of the nicest and safest areas in the city for night entertainment with the surrounding districts pleasant to walk around.
However, I drastically underestimated Manila traffic. It was stop and go for a full hour and forty minutes. IT wasn’t long before my jet lag, held at bay through walking and will, overwhelmed me. I quickly began snoozing, unable to keep my consciousness functional.
When I finally got dropped off at the mall, I was bleary. It’s a wonderful area in December with plenty of restaurants, Christmas lights, a pretty skyline and Zen pool areas. But I had hit my upper limits. After stopping for a bowl of Udon noodles and a Banh Mi Vietnamese cuisine sandwich, I caught a ride back to my hotel.
There, I promptly passed out, effectively ending my day in the Manila.
Hurry Up and Wait
The following day, I decided to take it easy and catch up on my blog posts and work emails. The day had drained me dramatically and I was pleased to simply sip coffee and work for a time.
My flight to Cebu (as I’m not interested in staying in Manila for too long) heads out at 6 PM today. So this effectively concludes my first day in the Philippines. I’m eager to seek beaches instead of skyscrapers, with Buhol being high on my exploration list.
So on that note, I’ll surely write again soon.
Best regards and excellent trails,
Old Sean
Written December 13th, 2024
Unique Things To Do In Manila
