Road Trip: Baclaran, Chinatown and Quiapo!
Excuse me for the lack of pictures for this entry since you would understand going to Manila is quite dangerous when you have all the flashy things; and that includes your bling-blings and gadgets: mp3 player and digicam.
Anyway, I have this forever fascination of seeing stars. Not the ones you see at night, but the people you see in your tvs. I know 'baduy' is an understatement, less saying I'm an insecure individual but yes, I want to meet them. And so, I have a dream that one day I would go visit Baclaran church where they say stars go every Wednesday to pray. A while ago, I made it happen!
By 9:30 in the morning, we rode to GMA MRT going to Taft and took a 20 minute trip. From there, we rode on an aircon bus and had an instant field trip going to SM Mall of Asia just to be dropped five minutes away from a walk bridge. As we walk along Sucat, beside the almost up to the brim creek and a graphic display of pirated porn (from straight to m2m!) we finally landed on the other side.
My yaya, Ate Yolly, went with me and gave me a funny description of Baclaran: behind those trees! Well, she was right, not to add the display of pirated but cheap goods beside the church. Finally we went inside! It was 11 am then and there was a mass going on.
To my surprise, Baclaran was a visual church! There were TVs for every pillar inside, unfortunately I wasn't able to count them. What we went for was to light a candle and pray, just to feel the so-called 'panata.' We went inside and found no candles. We tried going in front, still no sign of candles; beside the church, no candles, only manangs. We went at the back and finally saw a separate place for all those who would light a candle and say their prayers. We got two for each of us and lit our candles and prayed silently. As I look from afar, I could see another church and then I remembered, that's the church you could see when you went out the North wing of SM Mall of Asia.
Anyway, after feeling blessed, we got out of the church to walk going to LRT. And just right now, I remembered, we haven't seen any stars there. Anyway, off we go to Chinatown!
Another place that I fancy, imagining exotic foods and charms from the Taoist temple, is the famous Chinatown! We went down Carriedo to walk the street of Ongpin. It was true when they would say, just walk the street of Ongpin and you'll just be excited of the place, the people, the gold, the charms, the food and the medicines!
It was lunchtime then and so we went to Maxim's Teahouse. I know it's a commercial restaurant but we enjoyed our feast of Braised Beef Wanton Mami and Chicken Wanton Mami for Ate Yol, siopao asado and ice tea. We were the only customers until the restaurant was filled. We always believe that we are lucky, our family, for businesses or maybe it's just lunch time.
After that, we continued our enjoyment at Ongpin and looked at the gold jewelries and the herbal medicines. We never thought how long the street of Ongpin was until we finally made it at Binondo Church. We prayed and lit our candles there, this time it's red! In Baclaran we were given white candles. From there, I got a sight of the HSBC Binondo Branch there. Back when I was connected with HSBC, I also have a thing of seeing the branches of HSBC and to think I've seen Enterprise, Fort, Libis, Makati Ave, Cebu, Quezon Avenue and this time, Binondo. I was happy even I'm no longer part of them.
We went back and we saw Sta. Cruz Church. It was a nice church with a lamb at the altar instead of the crucified or resurrected Christ. Ate Yol this time lit her candle, it was orange.
We went back to Carriedo and Ate Yol asked if we could go to Quiapo to get an FX ride going back to Philcoa. I said yes and we walked along JP Rizal Avenue. I forgot where we turned left but after a long way and an order of Zagu we saw Quiapo church! Back when I was high school, I have a memorable experience with a classmate when we have to stay there to wait for our ordered bookbound reports, which by the way ended by midnight. We had our prayers and thanked for a safe trip.
We went underpass to see the new one. I know it was already long ago when it was rennovated but of course I just got there today I got to see the expansion and improvement of the underpass. I remembered when it was half its size then with a bank, I don't know if it was PhilTrust Bank.
From there we took an FX ride going to Philcoa. With the feeling of satisfaction and quite passed out, we went home safe and curiosity solved.
Anyway, I have this forever fascination of seeing stars. Not the ones you see at night, but the people you see in your tvs. I know 'baduy' is an understatement, less saying I'm an insecure individual but yes, I want to meet them. And so, I have a dream that one day I would go visit Baclaran church where they say stars go every Wednesday to pray. A while ago, I made it happen!
By 9:30 in the morning, we rode to GMA MRT going to Taft and took a 20 minute trip. From there, we rode on an aircon bus and had an instant field trip going to SM Mall of Asia just to be dropped five minutes away from a walk bridge. As we walk along Sucat, beside the almost up to the brim creek and a graphic display of pirated porn (from straight to m2m!) we finally landed on the other side.
My yaya, Ate Yolly, went with me and gave me a funny description of Baclaran: behind those trees! Well, she was right, not to add the display of pirated but cheap goods beside the church. Finally we went inside! It was 11 am then and there was a mass going on.
To my surprise, Baclaran was a visual church! There were TVs for every pillar inside, unfortunately I wasn't able to count them. What we went for was to light a candle and pray, just to feel the so-called 'panata.' We went inside and found no candles. We tried going in front, still no sign of candles; beside the church, no candles, only manangs. We went at the back and finally saw a separate place for all those who would light a candle and say their prayers. We got two for each of us and lit our candles and prayed silently. As I look from afar, I could see another church and then I remembered, that's the church you could see when you went out the North wing of SM Mall of Asia.
Anyway, after feeling blessed, we got out of the church to walk going to LRT. And just right now, I remembered, we haven't seen any stars there. Anyway, off we go to Chinatown!
Another place that I fancy, imagining exotic foods and charms from the Taoist temple, is the famous Chinatown! We went down Carriedo to walk the street of Ongpin. It was true when they would say, just walk the street of Ongpin and you'll just be excited of the place, the people, the gold, the charms, the food and the medicines!
It was lunchtime then and so we went to Maxim's Teahouse. I know it's a commercial restaurant but we enjoyed our feast of Braised Beef Wanton Mami and Chicken Wanton Mami for Ate Yol, siopao asado and ice tea. We were the only customers until the restaurant was filled. We always believe that we are lucky, our family, for businesses or maybe it's just lunch time.
After that, we continued our enjoyment at Ongpin and looked at the gold jewelries and the herbal medicines. We never thought how long the street of Ongpin was until we finally made it at Binondo Church. We prayed and lit our candles there, this time it's red! In Baclaran we were given white candles. From there, I got a sight of the HSBC Binondo Branch there. Back when I was connected with HSBC, I also have a thing of seeing the branches of HSBC and to think I've seen Enterprise, Fort, Libis, Makati Ave, Cebu, Quezon Avenue and this time, Binondo. I was happy even I'm no longer part of them.
We went back and we saw Sta. Cruz Church. It was a nice church with a lamb at the altar instead of the crucified or resurrected Christ. Ate Yol this time lit her candle, it was orange.
We went back to Carriedo and Ate Yol asked if we could go to Quiapo to get an FX ride going back to Philcoa. I said yes and we walked along JP Rizal Avenue. I forgot where we turned left but after a long way and an order of Zagu we saw Quiapo church! Back when I was high school, I have a memorable experience with a classmate when we have to stay there to wait for our ordered bookbound reports, which by the way ended by midnight. We had our prayers and thanked for a safe trip.
We went underpass to see the new one. I know it was already long ago when it was rennovated but of course I just got there today I got to see the expansion and improvement of the underpass. I remembered when it was half its size then with a bank, I don't know if it was PhilTrust Bank.
From there we took an FX ride going to Philcoa. With the feeling of satisfaction and quite passed out, we went home safe and curiosity solved.
posted by Allan Ray Enriquez at
7:36 PM
1 Comments:
hey allan.. hehehe napadaan lang
By
Anonymous, at 5:58 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home