"take a deep breath, open your eyes " a City of Manila Travel Page by zephyrgurl108

Manila is the capital of the Philippines. Also known as the Pearl of the Orient, this city is a bustling metropolitan area with 1.5 million inhabitants. From a small fishing village on the banks of the Pasig River, Manila became the seat of the Spanish government during colonial times. Other nations such as Britain, US and Japan also captured Manila as they conquered the Philippines. During WWII, the city was virtually destroyed but was eventually rebuilt. Today, Manila stands as the central hub of the Metro Manila area, which consists of 17 other municipalities and cities.

With two international airports located in neighboring city Pasay, Manila is the obvious gateway and starting point of most travelers. One might find it relaxing to find open spaces in such a densely populated - and hot - city. There's the Rizal Park, Paco Park and the Baywalk, a strip of al fresco diners and cafes overlooking the Manila Bay. Shopaholics will like the numerous malls dotting the city - from the posh Robinsons Ermita to the more mass oriented malls like SM City near the Manila City Hall and to the rock bottom finds in Tutuban Mall as well as Divisoria and Quiapo markets. The city also has an abundance of centuries old churches. Don't forget to drop by the famous walled city of Intramuros, a former Spanish settlement with very thick walls and a moat surrounding it. Party goers will also love the Malate district with its array of various bars and restaurants featuring all kinds of music and food. Last but not the least, for culture vultures, Manila offers a lot of museums from the National Museum to small museums like the Casa Manila in Intramuros to Bahay Tsinoy in Quiapo.

I was born here but when I reached kindergarten, my family moved to another city in Metro Manila. It wasn't until I was fresh out of college and working for a major newspaper that I got the chance to reunite with my birth place. Before a year passed, however, the family moved again to Auckland, New Zealand. We went back to the Philippines a year later but it took me another four years before Manila took me in her arms once again. This time, I decided to become a full fledged Manila girl, rented a flat and enjoyed smelling the polluted breeze from the Manila Bay. Little did I know that six months later in 2005, I'd be swept away to an obscure city in China called Dongguan. Now, everytime I go to the Philippines, I stay in Manila. It's when I'm here that I consider I'm really home.