DANGWA!

This is Dangwa, ladies and gentlemen! This is in Sampaloc, Manila and can be accessed from all points of the metro. For those coming from the South, all you need to do is take a jeep that says DAPITAN and asked to be let off at Dangwa. From the North, just follow the Bonifacio Avenue and turn towards North Cemetery and onwards to the University of Santo Tomas (Dapitan is behind the University).

Many of you probably may have not had the chance to visit the "bagsakan" or flower center of the entire Metro Manila. Flowers of all kinds, from Baguio, Cebu and Laguna are all brought here (hence "bagsakan") and displayed in over a hundred stalls, which in turn sell these to florists and passersby.

To see the most incredible blooms before the florists arrive, visit the area around 2-3 in the morning. Yes, AT DAWN. By 7 or 8AM, you'd be left with nothing to gape at but leaves and some red and yellow Caribbeans.

Tip: Ready-made bouquets are cheaper - and fresher - at dawn. I don't know why. Nevertheless, it's so difficult to choose from so many you'd end up going around first before finally settling on one choice.

There are three divisions in this particular area, by the way. It's a long street transected by two other streets (Dapitan and I-forgot-the-street-name) at 90 degrees.

And please remember this for good measure. The area near Dapitan Street sells at TWICE the price than those found on the other end. Be forewarned.

Price range: Php 250 - 300 per bouquet.

Even the street lamps are flower-shaped! Manila Mayor Lito Atienza had this area paved and lighted only early this year.

Irises (yes, they look different from those abroad but I must admit nomenclature is severly mistaken in these parts. Botanists should be called in to identify flowers properly)

Corcuma (large)

Assorted Mums (Malaysian and local)

This visit was made because of the on-line flower gallery I had to make for a business. Please visit it here and click on Our Flower Gallery. Thanks!

VIEW FROM THE MUELLE DEL BANCO NACIONAL

This entry is related to the entry in my main blog. We visited this area three nights after Araw ng Maynila. The Muelle, I was told, was full of barbecue stalls serving beer and stuff until midnight! Must have been so much fun. Here's a post-party tour.

Buhayin ang Maynila Poster along T. Pinpin Street featuring Manila Mayor Lito Atienza (LA) wearing his signature floral polos. Tomas Pinpin St (below) is accessible via Escolta. This leads you to the Muelle del Banco Nacional, which in turn is beside the Pasig River.


That one's the bridge that brings you from Lawton to Sta Cruz. Beside it and behind it is the Light Rail Transit 1


The new Muelle del Banco Nacional, with Jones Bridge all lighted up. It brings you from Lawton into the heart of Chinatown - Binondo.


The busy Jones Bridge (10PM)


The underside of Jones Bridge; Blue lights reflect on the river below while lamps on the bridge and the lovely stairs leading to it reminds one of similar bridges in Europe.

There are some really nice buildings along the Muelle (1 or 2). I hope to provide you some photos of these soon. At any rate, the street lights were off during our visit, which made it scary. However, there were a lot of students enjoying the wind and the view. The place could be nice if there were stalls to liven it up. In fact, I was thinking of an underground bar in one of the buildings, if only it was possible.

Overall, a nice visit. Please keep the lights on to prevent vagrants from coming back. And someone please fix those benches on the ground as people keep on moving them closer to the edge. Someone might fall asleep and roll onto the river. You can never tell. Manila, after all is the city of possibilities. *wink*

IMAGES

Six kinds of tiles or floor materials (7 if you include the steel bar) for this one simple entrance step.

Leads in or out of DELICIOUS Restaurant, Ongpin Street.

This will start my series of photos on stairs so watch your step!

IMAGES

You know you are in Chinatown when even the graffiti on the men's comfort room wall is in Chinese!

Taken in DELICIOUS Restaurant, Ongpin St.

BINONDO REDUX

Discovering new places does not mean just visiting those advertised in the papers. To truly know what it means to experience a place, Binondo or Sta Cruz for example, one has to go where a lot of people go.

One such place is DELICIOUS. Although very ordinary compared to more-known establishments surrounding the area, I am amazed by the fact that this small two-storey affair is jampacked with people, enough to make me curious as to what brings them here.

Tagging a friend along, I was told it's the pansit (noodles). So pansit it is (Php 160).



For the first time, I also ordered Hototay (Php 150). Now, this particular soup is a conondrum exemplified. It is a confusing melange of fish, squid, pork and chicken liver, sea cucumber and veggies, and then topped with one raw egg. If this is really Chinese in origin, I really wish to know. It reminds me so much of Bacolod's batchoy sans the seafood.



We also ordered stuffed shrimps (Php 25/each) but it came too dark. Must be the oil (reuse of oil is really bad like what happens in tapsilogans).



I wanted to take a closer photo of this one but I wasn't allowed to. This is where the raw ingredients are displayed. The catch is, everything is mixed by hand in full view of everyone. For the finicky, this is reason enough to make a quick dash back to the streets but heck, food in fine dining restos are manhandled too (pun not intended for the lack of a better word) so this really isn't something surprising.



All in all, i'd give this place a 5/10. Food is fine but not as good as Estero's. To spare yourself of the humidity (and the baby roaches on the wall) on the first floor and thick cigarette smoke on the second, just order take-out.

JEEP! JEEP! JEEP!

They don't make them as colorful anymore.

CARLOS CELDRAN

Manila's Pied Piper and Tour Guide Extraordinaire. Manila is so much better with him around. Here touring guests at the "new" Avenida Rizal.

Visit his blogsite here. Tarush!

WINDING DOWN (3/3)

Owing to the terrible humidity, I searched for the Starbucks shop lest I drop to the ground in sheer exhaustion. I know it is hidden somewhere along Calle Muralla, hmmmm...


There it is! Starbucks mirage.


Wonderful blend of the old and new


Looking relieved after a loooong day; Onib's paintings behind me


Such a lovely spot!


One last shot before I go


The former Intendencia building glows eerily in the cold, windy night. Future home of the National Archives.

Goodnight everyone! Until next time!

PLAZA DE ROMA (2/3)

After attending the Mass 6.30 service at the UP Chapel, I went straight to the Walled City, Intramuros, to make a quick visit to His Eminence, the late Jaime Cardinal Sin. This would be my first time to see him!

From UP, I took a jeep to Philcoa where, lucky enough, I was able to get a half-filled FX to Quiapo. Got off at T.M. Kalaw and took a cab to the Manila Cathedral.

A long line was already forming around the Plaza de Roma.

Formerly the site of the Palacio del Gobernador, it now houses the offices of the Intramuros Administration






Details of the main entrance of the Cathedral

The cupola of the Cathedral

The nave and main altar bearing the image of the Immaculada Concepcion, after Miguel Lopez de Legaspi dedicated the city to that title of the Virgin

Why they called it Plaze de Roma is beyond me. I only see the monument to King Carlos IV here.

"Al Rey de Carlos IV en gratito al non beneficio de la vacuna los habitantes de Filipinas."

The Cathedral as seen from Plaza de Roma

CHOCOLATE KISS (1/3)

I always look forward to visiting the Diliman campus of the University of the Philippines. I was supposed to enroll here in 1992 after I passed the UPCAT exam for Political Science but Mom didn't want me to go. Sayang...

At any rate, i'm visiting to discuss matters with Chef Carlo at the nice and cozy Chocolate Kiss. Forgot to take a photo of the place though. Silly me. Next time na po!


The UP main entrance as taken from the cab

Chocolate Kiss, a restaurant located at the First and Second floors of the Bahay Alumni, boasts of a wonderful list of new and familiar culinary creations at very, very reasonable prices. It is said that UP students treat their friends here when they pass their exams or something. Sorry for the photos; taken with a Nokia 6260 (Thanks, CC!).

At the Chocolate Kiss. I love this "wall lamp" behind me! (literally covering an entire wall)

Yummy pizza: Kiss Supreme (Php 160)


Yummy pasta: Hungarian sausages with fresh tomato sauce on penne (Php 160)

It's always a delight to dine here. Looking forward to coming back.

LRT REDUX

As promised, here's Part Two of my photo shoots of my trip from Antipolo back to Manila. Since I'd be on my way to Manila to meet up with a friend, Chef Carlo Cruz of UP Diliman, I had to connect from LRT 2 to the MRT 3 via a long, long walk from Gatewall Mall to Farmer's Plaza.


The Santolan Station of LRT 2. The train parks on that ledge (yikes!)



Exit from Gateway Mall towards Farmer's Plaza via the Coliseum (Sorry, I can't take photos inside the mall)



From Araneta Coliseum to Farmer's Plaza


The famous dome, then the largest in the world when it was completed in 1959. It held that title until 1963 but remains to be the largest covered indoor facility in Southeast ASia; taken from the Cubao Station of the MRT 3


Leaving Cubao now on the Blue Line; railway above is that of LRT 2's; Below, a sample of MMDA's version of the pedestrian overpass


Squatter colonies as train approaches North Avenue Station


Oh wow! Orderly cabs! Impossible! *rubs eyes*


FXs have terminals now?! Galing talaga ni Bayani.


The environs of North EDSA Station. Amzingly clean and orderly but hey! It's a Sunday!