Manila, Philippines

Friday, March 15, 2019      Manila, Philippines

Larry and I were excited to be visiting the Philippines today.  While at JMU we had an old college psychology professor from the Philippines who told us tales of his country and we have always wanted to go. We had made friends with many Filipinos when we were in East Timor and they furthered our curiosity. Miss Esther, our music teacher, sent a detailed plan of what we needed to see in the historic Old Town of Manila. It is so nice to still be in contact with old Timor Leste friends. 

                                                          We head off the ship into mass chaos.

Taxis, bicycle taxis, jeep taxis, buses and a swarm of people wanting us to take their tour. It was crazy and exciting all rolled into one. We had decided to walk until it got too hot to continue….but about a hundred drivers asked for us to ride with them.

This young man is the security guard for the neighborhood.

We went to Intramuros, the original walled city founded in 1590. This is the oldest neighborhood in the city. It reminded us of Cuba and East Timor all rolled into one. 

                                                      Outside the wall...a golf course.

We stopped at the Manila Metropolitan Cathedral…first constructed in 1581. 

Eight times this building has been rebuilt. It suffered through fire, many earthquakes, a couple of typhoons, and World War II… here it stands again…rebuilt in 1959. 

                                                     Can you guess what he was selling?

The Philippines has a rich Catholic Heritage from the Spanish who first colonized here. Magellan was the first European to stop in here….and unfortunately died here trying to settle a dispute  on one of the 7107 islands. 

We walked through the walls around the Fort Santiago built on the site of an old Muslim fort by the Spanish conquistadors beginning in 1590.

 We enjoyed the old San Augustin Church founded in 1581, Manila’s oldest church. It reminded us of the old churches in South America.

We enjoyed visiting the Cultural Center of the Philippines. I fell in love with some of the old antique pieces and enjoyed the art on display.

This poor bird was tied up on the sidewalk...guess it won't be escaping.

We walked by the Bauarte de San Diego, an old Spanish battlement, built in 1586 and still intact.

We walked through Rizal Park and had fun talking with the local police. They shared their motorbikes with Larry. 

We enjoyed talking with two boys selling guava. Our Taiwan friends, Eagle and Joyce, introduced us to this new tasting kind of fruit. I wonder how much longer it will before we actually get it in the USA. 

                  We dodged the heat by stopping off along the way in some cool spots. The coolest spot was the Manila Hotel, built in 1910. 

Gorgeous chandeliers, fantastic piano music, vaulted mahogany ceilings, and cool air….what an oasis in the middle of the day! 

Celebrities frequented here Sammy Davis, Jr, John Wayne, the Beatles, Michael Jackson, Liza Minelli to name a few. A great way to end our afternoon before heading back through the chaos to get to the ship….ahhhh!