This Is Manila!

The Manila City Hall, with LRT-1 tracks to its right (it runs down along Taft Avenue). The former Philippine Congress (the next white building) has been turned into the National Museum. The golf course on the left is adjacent to the Walled City (Fort Santiago).

A panoramic view of the City of Manila.

I know this is part of Luneta (Rizal Park). The two U.S. colonial-era neo-classical buildings facing each other are the Dep’t of Tourism and the Dep’t of Finance buildings. Does anyone remember the circular area between the two buildings? I see a statue in the picture. According to my Internet searches, that is the statue of Lapu-Lapu. I don’t remember seeing that in our childhood.

There’s the walled city, the Old Intramuros. Lyceum and Letran is located inside the reconstructed walls.

The urban jungle we call, Manila.

Roxas Boulevard in the Luneta area. Roads look nice if painted with lanes which show aesthetics of the city. I didn’t realize until I saw these pictures that Roxas Boulevard is a 4-lane road in each direction.

The building on the left is Manila Hotel.

The Baywalk along Roxas Boulevard at night. Aren’t the lantern lights lovely?

Now this is part of our stomping grounds. That’s Morayta Street (going to FEU), then on to Recto. España Boulevard is to the right.

España connects to Quezon Boulevard.

The right lane side of España Boulevard heads towards Quiapo via Quezon Boulevard. Do you notice the anomaly in the traffic? There is counter flow traffic, that turns left to Morayta, on the same side of the street. I don’t remember it being this way in the mid- to late 1980’s during my visits to Manila from Clark Air Base, Pampanga.

Ang gulo ng traffic, as usual. The road is wide enough for 3-lanes, but lack of traffic rules worsens the traffic problem.

Ang gulo ng traffic, as usual. The road is wide enough for 3-lanes, but lack of traffic rules worsens the traffic problem.

View of España from the north end of Morayta Street - looking towards UST area (and all the way to Quezon City).

View from Recto Ave looking north. Like I’ve said in my previous e-mails, Manila’s road networks were fairly advanced for its time. I remember the 1960’s when this area was being dug to create this thoroughfare.

View from Recto Avenue looking towards Quezon Bridge. I don’t remember the mustard colored building on the right. || Notice a 3-lane road turned into a 4-lane thoroughfare.

With the exception of the LRT-2 track, everything looks about the same on Claro M. Recto. This is towards San Sebastian and San Beda on Mendiola Bridge. Ariel, Nestor, myself and other young lads used to go to the Access building area to rent and read “komiks” (comic magazines).

The Odeon Theater on the corner of Recto and Rizal Avenue is still in business....yehey!

Carriedo Street towards Quiapo. I guess the cops stopped chasing the sidewalk vendors who kept blocking the street. I suppose the city mayor realized that it was a futile exercise. Instead of chasing them, stalls were placed in the middle of the street to accommodate the vendors. Make sense to me!

But this is the Manila I remember – the traffic, the heat, the vehicle smoke emissions, the alikabok.

The only way to withstand the inconveniences and hustles of big city living is to travel by air conditioned bus or taxi

The Lacson Underpass in old district of Quiapo, with its many underground-level shops, is still a reminder of the not so distant past when the Philippines was way ahead of its neighbors in 1960’s (next only to Japan). It makes me very angry when I think about how the country blew away such a golden opportunity. But, by golly, the Three Stars Cafe on Claro M. Recto is still in business. Merienda time!

Here’s the kicker. An old photo of a police patrol car on Roxas Boulevard in 1965. Child passenger safety was not a concern. It never was nor it is today. Amazing!

The Manila We Know

( pictures of Manila as we, Manileños, remember the City

) TOUR OF MANILA . . . PRETTY GOOD PICTURES . . . ENJOY . . .