Manila Photowalk and Food Trip

August month end is officially over and so I am back in to writing again. :) Today, I will write about our mini photo walk and food trip in the city of Manila a few weeks ago. But this time, my friends, EA and Jenna and I went to a very special place just near our beloved high school alma mater - the Paco Park. 

For those who do not know yet, Paco Park is a cemetery in circular shape with an inner circular fort that was the original cemetery and with the niches that were placed or located within the hollow walls. A second outer wall was built with the thick adobe walls as niches and the top of the walls were made into pathways for promenades. A Roman Catholic chapel was built inside the walls of the Paco Park and it was dedicated to St. Pancratius.

Back in high school, Paco Park used to be our meeting place for Sabayang Pagbigkas practice and props making for school plays. 

When I went back there 3 weeks ago, I felt nothing but sudden rush of memories from high school where life was so simple and less stressful. Hahaha! The place from a decade ago was maintained. Only now, the place seems much quieter and cleaner. Or maybe because we went there on a holiday. 

The entrance fee increased from Php 5.00 to Php 10.00. But we were so lucky that day, there was a mini concert happening later in the evening. So I guess, our stay there for a few hours and the fee was "sulit" for the entertainment that we got. :)

Here are some of the photos taken during that holiday:

pathways for promenades

the chapel

On December 30, 1898, Philippine national hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal was interred at Paco Park after his execution at Bagumbayan.

and the mini concert pics: 

After watching the mini concert, we decided to eat Panizza at My Kitchen at the Oasis Park Hotel just beside Paco Park. 

We ordered just one panizza because it is quite pricey. But it was really really good! I am not a veggies type of person but this one is so good! I never thought pizza could be this so yummy! :)

and this is how you eat panizza

After we ate dinner, we went to Harbour Square to do some photoshoot! And here are some of the cool pics we have taken using my dSLR.

Just before leaving for SM Mall of Asia we had some tea first c/o Bernadette Reyes (haha!)

And because we only have panizza and tea for the night, we grab some food again at the food bazaar in SM MoA. I ordered this not so healthy pork bagnet sisig! #tamanggutomlang

 
So that's it for our holiday photowalk and food trip! Hope you enjoyed today's entry! :-)

Art Appreciation 101

Manila, the center of art and culture of the Philippines boasts of a lot of good places to visit among of which are Intramuros, Luneta Park, Philippine Post Office and the Cultural Center of the Philippines. You will know if you are in Manila once you see this landmark, the Manila City Hall.

Today I will share to all of you another nice place to visit in the city - National Museum of the Philippines.

National Museum of the Philippines is located at P. Burgos Street just across the Manila City Hall. It is the official repository established in 1901 as a natural history and ethnography museum of the Philippines. 

The National Art Gallery is housed in the old Congress Building. Most of the things that you will see here are paintings, sculptures, stone works of famous Filipino artists and some artifacts like bones of land and marine life like the sperm whale and other fossils. 

Once you enter the building, you will be greeted by the biggest and probably the coldest gallery in the second floor. The Hall of Masters holds the famous Spolarium painted by none other than Juan Luna. And here is the huge painting I am talking about. 

the Hall of Masters

the Spolarium

As I roamed around the three-storey building, I found some nice pieces of art. Among of which are these:

stoneworks

Here is the gallery of Juan Luna and Fernando Amorsolo. Here you can see the curator explaining to the young students about the famous "The Parisian" painting of Juan Luna. 

Here is the Php 250 Mn painting of Juan Luna entitled "The Parisian"

  Other sculptures

 

other paintings:

and here is the renovated Old Session Hall

 other galleries:

Just across the National Museum is the Museum of the Filipino People, formerly housing the Department of Finance. It houses the Anthropology and Archaelogy Division of the Museum. 

Among the things that you will see here are the artifacts gathered from various places here in the Philippines. 

different kinds of jars being traded during the old times

remnants of the early Filipino excavated from the caves of Palawan (this is a male specie btw..)

huge anchor of the Dutch (reminds me so much of Pirates of the Caribbean..)

one-third part of the Balangay

coffins of the early tribes

the early Alphabet of the Filipinos.. the Alibata (Mangyans still use this as they write their poems in barks of trees)

burial jar/coffin of the Manunggol.

My one day visit to the National Museum enriched my knowledge about our history and culture. I felt I was thrown back in the early years where life was so primitive and so simple. It was indeed a fulfilling and fun experience. 

For visiting information:

The National Museum is open Tuesdays to Sundays, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Free admission on Sundays.

Entrance Fees: Museum of the Filipino People and National Art Gallery
(also includes visit to exhibits of the National Planetarium.)

Individual	Fee (PHP)
Student	50.00
Senior Citizen	120.00
Adult	150.00
Groups of 51 or more
Students	40.00
Adult/Senior Citizen	120.00

WAIVED ENTRANCE FEES FOR THE FOLLOWING (with valid ID):

A. One faculty member for every group of 30 students
B. One tour coordinator per scheduled museum tour
C. Museum workers with I.D.s
D. National Museum staff and their immediate family

For inquiries call:
Museum Education Division
Telefax #: 527 0278
Email: education@nationalmuseum.gov.ph
Look for Lina/Tess