With the baggage still in the custody of Air Asia the routine of drying the underclothes, socks and t-shirt continued this morning too. Intent on trying a motorized tricycle to Binondo I stepped out of the residence and went to a tricycle stand. I struck a deal with a kind man for 150 PHP for the 3 km ride. Initially I sat inside the low seated tricycle. Not only was it incredibly uncomfortable I could see nothing on the outside. I requested the driver to take me pillion for the rest of the ride to which he readily agreed. However, the contraption was such that I could not sit astride.
Perched with my face parallel to the pavement and holding on for dear life in the morning hour, which got worse as we neared Binondo, the 15 minute ride seemed an eternity. The arch at the entrance of Binondo, past the Pasig River, welcomed visitors to Chinatown.
Binondo is reportedly the oldest Chinatown in the world. It was established in 1594 by the Spanish for the Catholic Chinese, within close proximity of Intramuros, but across the Pasig River. The Chinese had been in Manila before the Spaniards as traders and Binondo was already a thriving centre for commerce. Even today a walk through Binondo reveals how critical it is to trade and commerce in Manila. The trades established by Filipino-Chinese are in full swing with the area bustling. One of the things I was told is to be careful of my belongings while moving through Binondo. Petty thefts and snatchings are not uncommon here. There are warnings in busy stores asking one to beware of pickpocketing. When I went to a police kiosk to ask for directions the two policemen there told me to hold on to my backpack securely.
I got dropped at the Binondo Church. Established in 1596 for Chinese Christian converts, the church has gone through many rebuildings and renovation. The original church was completely destroyed in 1762 due to British bombardment. A granite structure came up in 1852, which also suffered extensive damage during WWII.
The church which was then known as Our Lady of the Most Holy Parish now goes by the name of Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Lorenzo Ruiz, who was the first Filipino to be canonised by the Church in 1987.
Saint Ruiz was born to Filipino-Chinese parents and was trained in the Binondo Church before he left for Japan as a missionary. He and his three companions were arrested, tortured and asked to renounce their faith in return for freedom. Saint Ruiz stuck to his faith in Christ and gave up his life after incredible torture and hardships. The square opposite the Church, Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz, has a large statue of Lorenzo Ruiz and a memorial to the Filipino-Chinese martyrs of WWII.
Next on my list was the President Grand Palace. I had picked up this from the internet as a must visit place. It even showed up on Google Map. Thinking that it would be a palace related to the President of Philippines I walked hither and thither through the super crowded Ongpin Street taking extra care of my backpack. The map sometimes showed me a few places short of the location and at other times ahead of it. Finally, a kind gentleman pointed to a building three doors away and I went there only for my jaw to drop. It was a fine dining restaurant that was reportedly popular for the foods they served. I was not ready for a meal at 10 am and walked briskly away admiring at the industry and hard work of people there. Jewellery shops and butchers seems to be doing brisk business apart from stores that vended cheap clothes.
The Our Lady of the Pillar Parish Church, commonly known as the Santa Cruz Church, is a baroque Roman Catholic parish church. It was built when the suburb of Santa Cruz was established by the Jesuits in early 17th century. As you enter the church, on the right side, is an apse with a seated Christ and many vaults beside it. It is reportedly a very active parish and is unique in that it has a mosaic altar wall depicting The Sacrificial Lamb above the tabernacle instead of a statue of Our Lady. There is also a beautiful fountain in front of the church.
Through incredible, milling crowds I reached the Plaza Miranda, which was a centre point for political discourses during the rule of Ferdinand Marcos. The huge gatherings and even a violent bombing made this a historical landmark of the city. After years of neglect the square was renovated in 2000 and deemed as Freedom Park. Thousands pass through this Square daily and is seems to be the Manila equivalent of the New York Times Square.
Despite fronting the Quiapo Church, Plaza Miranda and the streets surrounding it are known as a center for fortune telling. The practitioners claim that they have gained the gift from their devotion to the patron saint of Quiapo Church, the Black Nazarene. The Church, however, condemns this practice. The devotion to the Black Nazarene has grown manifold over the years. The statue of the black Christ was brought in by the Spanish in the 17th century and is considered to be miraculous with people kissing the feet of the statue.
On the walk to the San Sebastian church I came across the Shrine of the Holy Face and walked in to find none there except a nun manning the store and a caretaker. The Holy Face of Jesus is said to have miraculously appeared on the shroud after Jesus' resurrection. Many contradictions and controversies surround the Holy Face of Jesus.
From the outside the San Sebastian church looks run down and in urgent need of repair. It is the only steel church in the Philippines and was completed in 1891. The earlier structures made in 1621 and 1651 of wood and bricks were either burned down or destroyed by earthquakes. The prefab steel was brought in from Belgium to establish the Gothic revival baroque church. The church is under renovation since 2011. The altar is a makeshift wooden cut out with massive scaffoldings behind it.
The National Shrine of Saint Jude Thaddeus is located within the Malacanang Palace complex with security restrictions. A popular school is situated close to it. Attendance at the Thursday novena at the shrine is very high as the Saint is the patron for hopeless cases.
The Malacanang Palace complex is where the President works from, and in the past they used to live there too. Security is very high and visits have to be pre-scheduled. My entreaties to visit the museum and library, or even to take a few pictures, met with stoic, but polite, refusals. Photography was a big no-no, too. I came away with a few photos of abandoned mansion gates in the vicinity!
Gael and Alex picked me up from the Malacanang Palace complex area to go to the airport and retrieve the baggage. Instructions contained in the email I had received the previous evening were not so accurate as I discovered when I took the visitors pass as the arrival lounge. Despite the confusion and some moments of anxiety I finally was in possession of my suitcase. I asked the staff about the compensation for the inconveniences and he offered a paltry 1000 PHP. As I refused to accept that he directed me to file a complaint online.
It was already past 4 pm and Alex took me to the United Club for an Indian meal. He ordered paneer tikka and chilly bombs for starters with a couple of chilled pints of Stella Artois. The main course was delectable chole with massive baturas. That was a heavy meal for an aging belly. Over the delayed lunch cum early dinner it was decided to forgo the Corrigedor island tour as the regular tour was suspended and a customised tour would be too time consuming and expensive. Instead, Alex offered to send me his car for mall hopping the following day.
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