el hogar filipino

El Hogar Filipino - Escolta, Manila

This beautiful beaux-arts building, designed by architect Irrureta Goyena and set by the Pasig River on Mulle dela Industria in Binondo, was built as a wedding gift for the union of a Zobel daughter and a Preuvian count back in 1914.  It housed the offices of the lending company El Hogar Filipino... Read more here.

The El Hogar Filipino, almost a century-old, stands forlorn on the seedy southern end of Juan Luna Street (Anloague Stree, where Kapitan Tiago's house in Jose Rizal's novel Noli me Tangere, once stood.

only in the philippines

pasig river ferry

The Pasig River is a river in the Philippines and connects Laguna de Bay (via the Napindan Channel) into Manila Bay. The river is called Ilog Pasig in Filipino. It stretches for 25 kilometres. Eight (8) major bridge connects the north and south banks of the Pasig River in Metro Manila. The Pasig River Ferry was launched by GMA on February 2007.

Experience the ride along Pasig River aboard the Pasig River Ferry. To see more photos of my Pasig River tour click here.

I highly recommend this tour to everyone, try it and experience the ride. The Pasig River ferry runs from Intramuros - Plaza Mexico, Manila to Kalawaan Pasig. There are 12 ferry stations along the pasig river stretch. It is open daily, first boat leaves at 6AM. You get to travel in safety and it is comfortable, the best thing about it is that there’s no traffic – you can be at Guadalupe from Escolta in just 55 minutes. The ferry departs every 30minutes. Regular fare: minimum of P20.00 to maximum of P45.00

“Dusk, is just an illusion, because the sun is either above the horizon or below it. And that means that day and night are linked in a way that few things are; there cannot be one without the other, yet they cannot exist at the same time."

escolta

During it's golden days, Escolta was described as "a street with many fashionable shops and department stores that display every item of imported and Philippine origin."

See my previous posts: ordinary day at Escolta.


N.B. Sorry bout the photos... am trying to learn the photostitching technique

by calesa or by foot?

When i took this photo i didnt realized that there was a man in front of me because i was so intent in capturing the calesa passing by, but the man made my photo more beautiful i think... it looked like the calesa and the man were on a race.

I have always been fascinated with calesas, and i really love riding them. Maybe its because they are so scarce now a days that you only get to see them at escolta, binondo, divisoria, and at intramuros. Let me share with you this beautiful calesa song that we used to sing during elementary days.

Kalesa'y may pang-akit na taglay
Maginhawa't di maalinsangan
Nakahahalina kung pagmasdan
Kalesa ay pambayang sasakyan

Kabayo ay di natin problema
Pulot at damo lang ay tama na
Matulin din sa kalsada
Tumatakbong maginhawa
Wala pang gasolina

Kalesa ay panghatid tuwina
Nung panahon nina maria clara
Mga bayani nitong bayan
Sa kalesa'y dinuduyan

Kalesa'y nakaaaliw
Lalo na pag gumagabi
At kung kasama ko ang aking giliw
Mangangalesa na rin kami

Matulin din sa kalsada
Tumatakbong maginhawa
Wala pang gasolina

regina building

This is one of the old buildings at Escolta, a history still standing at the corner of Burke and Escolta streets. I intentionally shot the building at this angle because i cant find a way to capture the whole lot without the power cable lines hanging.

Escolta was once the place to be, the center of commerce (plush shopping) during the pre-WWII period, as what my mother used to tell me... but today, the glory of this place is gone. I'm not sure if the proposed plan of Mayor Atienza to transform Escolta into an IT center pushed through.

an ordinary day

An ordinary day in the life of an ordinary person in a not so ordinary place.