A Walk Around Old Manila

My friends and I decided to go to Old Manila last Sunday.

I say Old Manila because this area was once the place to be, where all the businesses were at, and where colonialism was at its peak. This is evident through the architecture that is seen and is still alive today, although we fear these old buildings may soon be demolished and replaced for high-rise condominiums and malls. It's a sad reality, but if that's what being a progressive nation means for the government, then they'd do everything in their power to make it happen.

We have been influenced by so many other cultures, considering that we've been colonized for 300+ years; it's hard to tell what's truly ours because we've adopted many practices from others. Even until now I can say that we are now very much Westernized. Whenever I go outside to eat with friends, the question asked is always: which cuisine are you craving for at the moment? It's because these are now what's most accessible to us. Japanese, Mexican, Chinese, American, Italian, etc. Filipino food is there, but most of the time you'll find it on the streets or in karinderyas (canteens). No one really goes for it unless you're with family on a Sunday.

This walk has made me think about such things. But anyway, on to what went down last Sunday!

We first had lunch in Binondo Chinatown. Then we met up with the guide for our Art Deco tour. Art Deco refers to a movement and style of design and architecture characterized by geometric lines and symmetry. There were lots of Art Deco buildings scattered around Binondo, and we were basically hunting for them the whole day and understanding the history of each one. We also went to Escolta, an old street in Manila with a lot of old historic buildings. All throughout this walk I could clearly see the strong influence of both the Chinese and Spanish in our culture.

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Hope you're having a wonderful weekend so far, dear reader.

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