Manila Things to Do Tips by machomikemd

Fort Santiago-Seat of Old Spanish Power Intramuros Review

Fort Santiago (Fuerza de Santiago) is a defense fortress built for Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi. The fort is part of the structures of the walled city of Intramuros, in Manila, Philippines. The location of Fort Santiago was also once the site of the palace and kingdom of Rajah Suliman, chieftain of Manila of pre-Spanish era. It was destroyed by the conquistadors upon arriving in 1570, encountering several bloody battles with the Muslims and native Tagalogs. The Spaniards destroyed the native settlements and erected Fuerza de Santiago in 1571.

Marking its entrance at the northwestern tip to Intramuros, Fort Santiago is one of the oldest fortifications of Intramuros. Its construction started in 1571 and it was completed nearly 150 years later by Filipino forced labor. The pre-Spanish settlement of Rajah Sulayman, the last Filipino ruler before the coming of the Spaniards, was a wooden fort, on the ashes of which was built the Spanish fortress which was Spain's major defense position in the islands. It looked out on the sea, towards which its canons were trained to ward off pirates and invaders. It is also known as the "Shrine of Freedom," in memory of the heroic Filipinos imprisoned and killed here during the Spanish and Japanese eras. Partly rebuilt from the ruins of World War II, it is now a park and promenade housing a resident theater company, PETA, which used ramparts, an old garrison, and a small chapel as theaters for both traditional and modern plays.

Today the fort serves as a museum which houses well-preserved legacies of the Spanish Government, Jose Rizal (which is called the Plaza de Armas), Rizal Shrine, and the prison dungeons for criminals used by the Spanish Officials. José Rizal, the country's national hero, was imprisoned here before his execution in 1896. A visit to Manila is not complete until you make you last respects to this great man.

Address: Roxas Blvd., Manila

Directions: Roxas Blvd., Manila

Manila Ocean park Manila Bay Review

this is one of the newest destinations in the Manila Bay Area. It is owned by the Owners of Singapore's Ocean World in Sentosa Island and also has a mini shopping mall and a boutique Hotel inside the Ocean park.

Operating Hours
Manila Ocean Park is open from 10am – 9pm, Mondays through Sundays.

Entrance Fee
The Entrance Fee for adults is PHP400 (approximately US$10) and PHP350 (approximately US$9) for children.

Address: Roxas Blvd., Manila

Directions: Quirino Grandstand, in Luneta, Manila

Phone: (02)567-7777 loc. 118, 119 & 123

Website: http://www.manilaoceanpark.com/

Food Hopping in Binondo Chinatown Chinatown Review

Ok, Here is my Separate Things to do tip for the Binondo Chinatown and eating along the Chinatown Area is one big adventure and also one filling for your tummy hehhehe. You can find almost all the Cuisines of china here in chinatown like the Shanghai Cuisine, Beijing Cuisine, Cantonese Cuisine, Fujian Cuisine and more plus an amalgalm of Chinese and filipino offerings. Prices range from the very cheap from the holes in the wall up to the fit for the emperor type at the fine dining restaurants and example of the food are: steaming hot congee, dimsum and assorted dumplings may be found at either the more upscale restaurants or at the quaint sidewalk teahouses similar to those found in Chinese market places. Chinese cuisine cooked the Fukienese, Macanese, and Cantonese styles may also be found in restaurant menus. Pastries and sweet meats like the hopia (a flaky pastry with purple yam or mung bean stuffing,) machang (rolled up sticky rice with meat filling wrapped in banana leaf) may be bought at the bakeries and food stalls scattered around the Binondo Area so what are you waiting?

Address: Binondo District, Manila, Philippines

Directions: Ride a Jeepney from taft avenue to Binondo or hail a taxi cab or even ride the LRT line 1 and go down at Carriedo Station.

A Treasure Trove of Chinese History in the Phil. Chinatown Review

I will do a separate tip for the Food Tripping in Manila Chinatown.

Like in other places in the globe, Manila has it's own Chinatown but unlike in other Chinatowns in Other Countries, The Chinatown in the Philippines is not that big since the chinese are well assimilated in Philippine Society. The Manila Chinatown is a treasure trove of Chinese History in the Philippines. The Chinatown was called the "Isla De Binondo" in the Spanish Times and they say that during the trading galleon centuries, the mercantile town of Binondo served as the center of trading post between Asia and the New World.

Certain streets became known for the types of establishments found there. The 393-meter long Calle Escolta, made of imported stones from Hong Kong, was the place where one could find newly arrived European and American products. Calle Rosario and Calle San Fernando, on the other hand, served as the marketplace for Chinese products. Chinese artisans resided along Calle Anloague, while stores and panciteries were centralized in Calle Nueva. Calle Santo Cristo housed apothecaries, opium headquarters and gambling houses. The famous Teatro de Binondo was located at Calle San Jacinto. Calle Jaboneros was named as such because it was then the center of the soap-making industry, and Calle Fundidor was the perfect place to find statues and statuettes, and metalworks.

Address: Binondo District, Manila, Philippines

Directions: Binondo District, Manila, Philippines

Dangwa Flower Market City Scene Review

The Dangwa Flower Market in Santa Cruz District of the City of Manila is the Main Trading and Buying station for Flowers and plants of the Metro Manila Area. This is where the flower central of the Metro Manila Area is located and various kinds of flowers and blooms like roses, santans, mumps, orchids and more can be bought here wholesale or for retail. the area can be quite jammed with people and buyers during busy days like All Saints Day, holy week, Valentine's Day, etc. The flowers originate from various locations all over the country and imported flowers from other countries too. You Can Haggle for nice prices if you have good haggling skills here in this flower market.

The Flower Market of Dangwa is open 24 hours a day and can be accesible by jeepney or taxi ride from the Manila Bay Area.

Address: Dos Castillas Street & Laong-Laan Street Sampaloc

Directions: Dos Castillas Street and Laong-Laan Street Sampaloc, Manila

Halo-Halo, a famous Philippine Dessert

yum yum!

Halo Halo is the quintissential Filiino Cold Dessert and is the philippine version of the Singaporean Ais Kacang, the Indonesian Chendol and is the favorite dessert and snack during summer time.

Address: available everywhere

Manila Pavilion Casino City Scene Review

A Great Place to Gamble! (Yes I'm a Gambler!)

PAGCOR-PAVILION BINGO SCHEDULE:

a. 5:00 to 9:00 pm (M T W Th)
b. 2:00 to 6:00 pm (Sat & Sun)

SLOT MACHINE REGULAR PROMOTIONS:

a. Lucky Pick Promotion (Main)
12nn-4pm (Tuesdays & Sundays)
b. Payday Raffle Promo (Main)
6pm-12mn (15th & 30th)
c. Mucho Papremyo Raffle Promo (Ronquillo)
12mn (Thursdays & Sundays)
d. First Five at Four Early Bird Promo (Mabini)
4pm (Daily)
e. Raffle Mania (Mabini)
8pm-12mn every 2nd & 4th Sunday of the Month
f. Winner on Wheels (WOW) Car Raffle Promo
g. Jackpot To Joyride SM Promo

TABLE GAME REGULAR PROMOTION:

a. Araw-Araw Instant Papremyo (Main), 6pm-10pm (Daily)
b. Winner on Wheels (WOW) Car Raffle Promo

NIGHTLY ENTERTAINMENT

Mondays Sabor Latino (10pm-2am)
Tuesdays IAXE Band (9pm-2am)
Wednesdays Beat (9pm-2am)
Thursdays MixMatch Band (9pm-2am)
Fridays Joey Mulatto Band (9pm-2am)
Saturdays Moranos w/ Ledge Dancers (9pm-2am)
Sundays Silk (9pm-2am)

PAGCOR Club-Ronquillo

Mondays Tom Cat (9pm-1am)
Tuesdays Two Notes (9pm-1am)
Wednesdays Palito & D'Gang (9pm-1am)
Thursdays Henry Madrid (9pm-1am)
Fridays Black & White (9pm-1am)
Saturdays Quarter Notes (9pm-1am)
Sundays Elvis (9pm-1am)

Address: Manila Pavilion Hotel, United Nations Ave, Manila

Directions: 2nd Floor Manila Pavilion Hotel, United Nations Avenue cor. Ma. Orosa Street, Manila 1000 Philippines

Phone: (632) 523-8691 to 97

San Agustin Church-Unesco Heritage Site!

Constructed in 1587-1604, San Agustin Church is the oldest surviving church in the Philippines. It was the only building left intact when Intramuros was reduced to rubble during the Liberation of Manila in 1945. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is a mandatory destination for any Manila visitor interested in history and culture. Concealed behind the imposing facade is an elaborately decorated Baroque-style interior.

The San Agustín Church lies inside the walled city of Intramuros located in the capital city Manila, Philippines. It is the first European stone church to be built in the Philippines designed in Spanish architectural structure. The church also houses the legacies of the Spanish conquistadors, Miguel López de Legazpi, Juan de Salcedo and Martín de Goiti who are buried and laid to rest in a tomb, underneath the church. The church has 14 side chapels and a trompe-l'oeil ceiling. Up in the choir loft are the hand-carved 17th-century seats of molave, a beautiful tropical hardwood. Adjacent to the church is a small museum run by the Augustinian order, featuring antique vestments, colonial furniture, and religious paintings and icons. Together with three other ancient churches in the country, it was designated as part of the World Heritage Site "Baroque Churches of the Philippines" in 1993. I'm sort of biased also since I am a product of an Agustinian Education.

Address: Calles Gen Luna and Real Manila 1002

Directions: Opening hours: Daily 0900-1200 and 1300-1700. No Admission charge.

Phone: (632) 527 4061, (632) 527 4060

Coconut Sport (Macapuno)-The Next Nata de Coco!

The "sport fruit" of the coconut is the makapuno. It is a form of mutant coconut developed by the Philippine Coconut Authority. It has has developed macapuno trees that yield 80 per cent macapuno fruits. The trees grow in abundance in Albay where the Authority's research center is and its popularity to the other islands of the philippines. It will reach the popularity of Nata De Coco in a few years that other Asians will copy it like what they did to the Nata De Coco. Considered a delightful delicacy and largely used for making preserves and ice-cream, it cannot be kept in storage and will not germinate. It has three layers: semi-acid, soft and hard meat.

The macapuno fruit looks like the regular coconut except that it is bigger and when you open it, it has very little or absent coconut juice. Farmers have a way of knocking on the nut to determine if they have macapuno or coconut. The macapuno meat is as thick as the coconut but softer, making it easy to grate. Macapuno is cooked with sugar, sometimes with dayap for flavor, and served as a dessert. Local ice cream makers also have macapuno flavors which they sometimes add with ube (purple yam) and Pie Makers also Make Macapuno Pie!

Address: 84 Ramon Delfin Street, Marulas Valenzuela City

Directions: 84 Ramon Delfin St., Marulas Valenzuela City Metro Manila Philippines 1405

Phone: (632)2916793; 2916795

Lumpia (philippine spring rolls)

the local version of an asian favorite, it has both fresh and fried types.