fire!

Not a real fire though but a fire drill exercise… it is a fire simulation and the man nearest the fire is demonstrating how to use the fire extinguisher properly. Photo taken this morning at my work place. Annually, buildings in the Philippines are required to have a fire drill exercise in compliance with PD1185 otherwise known as the Fire Code of the Philippines. During the fire drill, the special rescue unit and emergency responding team demonstrates various techniques, which include extraction of trapped victims, unfortunately there is no rappelling this year, cause according to the main man, there is an ongoing fire somewhere in manila and well of course real firemen are more needed there. I've also learned that a burning LPG tank does not explode like we see in the movies. Yes this isn’t in Manila but in Makati, it is one of the cities that comprise Metro Manila.

tilted

old house

This is in Real St. inside the Intramuros and what you're seeing is a typical house built during the spanish colonization... the bahay na bato... or house of stone. the foundation or the first floor is made of stone but the second level is made of wood with big windows and of course with veranda or balcony... i guess it was designed that way because of the hot weather here in the philippines. Sadly these type of structures are fading away...

manila city hall

The Manila City Hall at night.... I'd been meaning to post a picture of the city hall at night because it is a spectacular sight but i can only give you a blurry image, my hands are shaking as usual and i really need to get a tripod and a decent camera. Anyways what you see in front is the famous Philippine jeepney. Not sure what is the problem though why the driver is checking out its engine.

just another night

Just another night in the city, taken when the sun is almost out of the horizon... with just enough light to give the city the pink glow before darkness. You're looking in at Gen. Luna St., still inside the walled city of Intramuros, on the left is my alma mater... and on the other side of the road is the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) building. I still remember back in college where we witness an almost daily scene of rallies and protests just in front of DOLE. Looking further down the road you can see the distinct 2 towers of the Manila Cathedral.

intramuros at night

This is how the walled city looks like at night, i'd guess it looked the same way hundreds of years before, with the calesa's standing by waiting for its passengers. The area on the right err left, the area where the horses are, is the Puerta Real Garden, a beautiful place usually rented for wedding receptions… giving the old romance atmosphere. The area opposite is the garden or the backdoor of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, my alma mater.

manila cathedral

Manila Cathedral is also known as the basilica of the Immaculate Conception. The original structure was built in 1581, made from nipa and bamboo, the typical structure of houses and buildings in Manila during that time. From its construction, the church has been damaged by typhoon, razed to the grounds by fire, toppled by numerous earthquakes, and destroyed into ruins during the world war ii… but always it gets rebuilt from the ashes and is still standing today from its original foundation ... resilient like the Filipino people. The church has been photograph many times before and its facade is known all over that's why my photo just shows its tower to check if a true manileño can guess.

From the official website: The story of the Manila Cathedral is not only a story of the Church, it is also a story of Intramuros, a story of Manila, a story of the Philippines. Manila Cathedral is a time narrative; it is about ruins and ravages, rising and restorations.

the enchanted gate

here's the gate of yesterday's photo... isnt it enchanting? the way the sunlight plays with the statues inside captivated me and for a while i thought i was going to see an aparition or a spirit of a dead friar.

that place looks so mysterious, as if time stood still and nothing has changed... from the dust that covers the tables and whatnots inside, i wonder what was the place for... is it a lounge of the priests or was it a place they say their prayers.

i have a confession to make, yesterday i said that i didnt want to break a law inside the church, but the truth i would have... except that there was an old lady praying in the front pew who keeps an eye on me. i was afraid if i dared go inside the "lola" would scold me with her umbrella :)

UPDATE: sorry for confusing you Zsolt, lola means grandmother in tagalog, our native tongue. an old lady is considered a lola :)

looking through

we're still inside the san agustin church, and right now you're looking through on one of its "forbidden" chambers. this chamber is on the right side facing the altar, it drawn me because of its beautiful gate and the way the sun shine reflect what's inside. i was very tempted to go inside but the warning on the gate strictly prohibits a "tourist" to go inside. i dont consider myself a tourist, i'm one of their locals, but when you go around the place taking photorgaphs... i guess they can say that you're tourist enough. the gate was slightly ajar and the church was empty but i didnt dare break a law inside the house of god... so i just contented myself peeking through centuries ago... years before the devastating war... i'm just so glad that the war didnt destroyed this church.

tomorrow i'll show the enchanting gate of this "forbidden" chamber.

pulpit

actually this is the bottom of a pulpit inside the san agustin church. i just love the details and doesnt it remind you of pineapple? the cute painting on the wall serves as bonus. to see the whole pulpit click here. have a nice sunday everyone.