Intramuros and the Ramparts of a Walled City (Manila, Philippines)

The day before a foreign guest comes for a visit, I decided to check out Intramuros, Old Manila's famed wall city. I've been to Intramuros several times before, but only to Manila Cathedral and San Agustin Church to attend weddings and to sing songs for a couple of friends and a relative. I haven't done anything touristy, thus most of what the Lonely Planet mentions, I am a blank. This was why I decided to see the area. Otherwise, how can I be a guide if I haven't partaken the role of a tourist myself.

My destination wasn't the cathedral so I had to take the entrance that leads to the walls of Intramuros; the one near Manila City Hall. I of course was clueless. I didn't read up or google away. I decided I could wing it, like I sometimes do on a foreign land. I walked through one of the entrances near the golf course and found my way to a bevy of esquinitas. There was a school, Lyceum, then the walkways that lead to several ramparts (broad elevations serving as bulwark or defense) on top of the walls.

These ramparts weren't narrow crests but wide open spaces that mainly function these days as a park or a square with nothing  else but cannons and cobbled open spaces. The gates and walls span 4.5 kilometers so there's a lot to cover all the way to Fort Santiago.

Lonely Planet describes thee ramparts as "weedy and seedy". I am not exactly sure for the latter description. The area is after all part of old Manila and thus must cover a bit of urban decay. There are schools nearby. Young people - and lovers - populate the surroundings. There are guards that roam the towers, all decked in katipunero garbs which reminds one that this is still considered a tourist area, though most of the tourists concentrate their meanderings from the side of Fort Santiago. This area is mostly ignored by them.

Elsewhere, there are derelict buildings and horse-drawn carts. There are heritage restaurants and shops near San Agustin Church along General Luna and well preserved establishments along Anda Street. Likewise, there are several museums in the vicinity.

Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi chose to build this fortress where remnants of an Islamic settlement was - by the banks of the Pasig River. It was 1571. Can you imagine what life was like in those incipient epochal years of colonization? Intramuros' cloistered sprawled on an area of 64 hectares. There must have been thousands of untold, albeit colorful tales from hundreds of years spanning its history. The area itself was constantly invaded by Chinese pirates, Dutch forces, British troops, American regimen, Japanese colonizers, etc. Intramuros stood strong and proud until the Battle of Manila.

I was glad to have given this area a visit. Intramuros includes Fort Santiago, Manila Cathedral, Chinese Filipino Museum (Bahay Tsinoy), the shops along the streets of Anda and General Luna, and San Agustin Church. Do they even constitute half of the 64 hectares?

This is the Eye in the Sky!

The way to one of the ramparts.

This is what's above those walls - the ramparts.

Cannons surround the ramparts.

National Hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal

Manila City Hall

A kalesa, horse-drawn cart.

San Agustin Church - Philippines' Oldest Church (Intramuros, Manila)

Situated in the heart of walled Intramuros is the Philippines' oldest church, the only building left intact in Intramuros after the destruction caused by World War II. Construction began 1587 and took 19 years to complete (Manila Cathedral was erected in 1951). The church is run by the Augustinian friars and the present structure is the 3rd to rise on the same site after it has weathered several earthquakes and wars. It has also been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.

This photo only courtesy of wikipedia.

The church is home to the remains of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi (the first governor-general of the Spanish regime in the Philippines), Juan de Salcedo and Martin de Goiti (both were Spanish conquistadors who in 1567 led an army of 900 to conquer then-Islamic Manila, under the occupation of the Sultanate of Brunei).

At the contiguous building to its left is a museum which houses fascinating ecclesiastical and historical relics, as well as devotional images that underline the devout religiosity of the Filipinos.

Another note-worthy feature of the church is the intricate trompe l'oueil frescoes on the vaulted ceilings. Trompe L'Oueil is an art technique that uses realistic imagery to create the optical illusion that the depicted objects exist in three dimensions. Photography isn't allowed inside the church, and one can enter the church when there's mass. The museum, on the other hand, has an entry fee of PhP100 per person. Photos from this post were mostly taken from the museum, though the heart of the whole complex is the grandiose church. The museum is open daily between 8AM to 12 noon and 1PM to 6PM. 

If you're baffled to find "fu dragons" or Buddhist/Taoist figures on display at the gates of the surroundings, these are relics influenced by the Chinese artistry of the masons and artisans who helped build Intramuros and the colonial establishments of Manila during those bygone days of strife.

These days, the church is busy hosting weddings. In fact it prides itself as the "Wedding Capital of the Philippines", and for a good reason. After all, it is already 428 years old, and much of its old world grandeur is preserved within its walls. Wouldn't it be such a romantic idea to become a part of its 428 year legacy?

This is the Eye in the Sky!

Trompe l'oueil frescoes at the church's ceiling.

For more information, visit their website @ http://sanagustinchurch.org/. The church is located a couple of blocks at the back of Manila Cathedral, along General Luna Street in Intramuros. Call them at  +632-527-2746 or +632-5274052.

Colon Street - Philippines' Oldest Street & Shortest National Road

Sometimes, the past doesn't serve us eye candies. Colon Street is not pretty nor is it the safest. In fact, my mother warned me against seeing the area after 5 in the afternoon. Thus I visited Colon with a bit of trepidation. But surprisingly, Colon was far from this notorious impression. It enjoys a vibrant old city bustle though it isn't not meant for tourist consumption just yet.

On the whole, Colon is the poster child of urban decay. It is also Cebu's version of Quiapo, Sta. Cruz or Baclaran. People are supposed to stay away after sun down - the way we're warned against New York's the Bronx, Hamburg's Reeperbahn or London's Brixton area. It also reminded me of Delhi's Chandni Chowk. But Colon has an enthralling hum, and though congested, didn't really intimidate me. One could turn to a smaller street and find shops that have seen better days; or end up in a small store for a delicious meal at just P30.

FOUNDATION OF FIRST STREET

It was the urban center back in the 16th century. Colon Street, also known as Parian Street (the barangay or administrative borough is also called Parian), is the Philippines' oldest street. Upon the Spaniard's return to the Cebu islands in 1565 (where they found the preserved image of the Holy Child), they inaugurated this street. Their fleet was composed of sea vessels named San Pedro, San Pablo and San Juan. They were under the leadership of conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. Aside from the aforementioned description, Colon is also the shortest national road in the country, named after Christopher Columbus.

In the 60's and 70's, Colon was the site of fashionable shops, offices and movie houses. But fast times have meandered away from the area. The corridors turned shabby; the corners awash with crumbling pieces. Everywhere you look, there's a sense of bedraggled history, a spirit of a past in desperate need of resuscitation. The theaters that used to underline the throb of activity now stand decrepit, seedy and slovenly. In fact, these cinema houses are what my mother remembers about the area - huge marquees bathed in kleiglights. These days, Colon is run-down and the structures are mostly dilapidated. It still has shopping malls like Gaisano and 138 Mall; Cebu Business Hotel (Colon corner Junquera), and the University of the Visayas which was founded in 1919 (University of Santo Tomas - my alma mater - in Manila was founded in 1611). This university's six-storey main campus is scholastic home of some 20,000 students. As of this update (May 2014), more run-down shops have been taken down and turned into Metro Supermarkets and Gaisano Department Stores. There should be almost half a dozen (of Gaisano centers) already in the area. 

MOVIE HOUSES

The movie houses that we've mentioned earlier still stand in varying states of neglect, except for the Oriente which, when we visited, was simultaneously showing the latest Hollywood and first-run Tagalog movies ("The Rise of the Planet of the Apes" and "Captain America"). At past 1 in the afternoon, these streets teem with manual and vehicular traffic, and the sidewalk gets filled with hookers; some of them openly ply their trade inside the movie houses, but they're quite conspicuous in broad daylight.

While the Oriente is being refurbished and repainted, Cinema Theatre has closed shop. New Eden Cinema, one of the better maintained theaters, was showing Seiko Films' exploitation flick "Sabik sa Halik" (P80 entrance). (As of this update, May 2014, Eden has been closed.) The same cinema, which opened in the late 50's, is notorious for blatant sexual cruising by its mostly male clientele. Just across Oriente is Vistarama showing Vince Tan's "Lamog". These movie houses are huge, compared to their modern day counterparts in Manila, but the seats are infested with parasites, bugs and roaches. They are also poorly ventilated. Elsewhere, restless souls wander away with the hopes of finding tricks for their daily survival.

NEW ATTRACTIONS

The Cebu Government is said to have big plans for Colon, envisioning a heritage walk for the area. In fact, they've erected a couple of new attractions: Colon Monument is a needle-inspired monument; a dour four-sided phallic symbol rising at the northeastern tip of Colon. A block away from here is the must-see Heritage of Cebu Monument along Mabini Street (the street at the northern tip of Colon). In the same street, you will find the Yap-San Diego Ancestral House which is a fascinating, albeit well-preserved residential ground, the oldest of such in the country. Further away is Casa Gorordo, a well preserved residence of an influential religious family.

The old city's version of Leicester Square adorned with huge billboards that are well lit at night.








New Eden Theatre opened in the late 50's. It has since been showing mostly adult local movies and even pirated Tagalog films. They even adopted the Philippine slogan "It's More fun in Eden" last year which only invited further scrutiny. As of this update (May 2014), Eden has been closed.


Cinema Theatre. This theater opened after World War II. It has since closed shop. In 2013, the whole structure has been turned into a department store/supermarket.


Oriente Theatre was originally Teatro Junquera (named after its adjacent side street) which opened in 1986. It was meant for stage plays but has since become a cinema. It has 3 screens. In the 90's, it was the first Cebu cinema to have employed Dolby Digital Surround. Such information taken from the Flickr's text of fiscaplyder. Location: Colon corner Pelaez Street. As of this update (May 2014), it has re-painted its pediment to a more sedate color.


Vistarama Theater - Also called Ultra Vistarama, it is listed as a gay cruising site, located at Pelaez Street of Colon, just across Oriente. It opened in the 60's and to date has been showing sexy films at just P80 admission price. With the closure of New Eden, Vistarama has become the only place for cruising. Female prostitutes used to roam the halls, but now it's mostly gay males. As of this update (May 2014), it's still operational.


University of the Visayas





Another old building along Colon Street. This one houses a Lhuillier Pawnshop. Someone wrote to us about this. He says that this, and I quote, "...is actually the Vision Theatre that dates back to the 1930's. It was built by Agustin Jereza and the sculptures were done by Dante Guidetti."


Rabbits and puppies, as well as aquarium fishes, are sold along Magallanes Street just before turning to Colon.








The street is decongested as you head towards the northeastern tip of Colon.





Cebu Business Hotel


Colon Monument