Posts Tagged ‘Manila Philippines’

The Sunset City of Manila Philippines

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

People who have traveled to Manila Philippines will fondly remember the wonders of the capital. Located in the eastern coast of Luzon island, Manila catches such a lovely bay which serves as the viewpoint for beautiful sunsets. Truly, the different cultural influences of Manila from the Spanish Era till today mark a diverse yet colorful urban identity of the Philippines.

Manila is the home of over ten million Filipinos. As a foremost hub of South East Asia, it is considered as part of the list of global cities of the world. Yet one can see the humble beginnings of the city that Filipinos adore.

History of Manila, Philippines

Manila is termed after may nilad which is a Tagalog word for “there is nilad” which pertains to the number of different mangroves found near the bay. This local name tells us that Manila was once a deep swampy area that looked over a beautiful bay. Such beauty made a once Islamic settlement into the seat of the Spanish colonizers till today. Situated in along the Pasig River, the Malacanang Palace in Manila houses the greatest Philippine leaders from Spanish masters, to American governors and Philippine presidents. Malacanang is a symbol of a rich state tradition of Manila.

Philippine Architecture in Manila

Manila is also the center of Philippine culture. Tourists are amazed at the walled city found in Intramuros. During the Spanish Era, Intramuros protects the Spanish from the Indios in the Extramuros, or the place outside the wall. The Spanish persuade that is accordingly influenced by the Moorish and Catholic traditions is still active in Manila nowadays.

The American period brought in an era of city planning in Manila. Daniel Burnham, the famous city architect of Chicago, Cleveland, San Francisco, and Washington D.C., brought his designs and applied it to Manila. The outcome from these efforts is a stunning city that came from the Pasig River.

Today, buildings such as the Post Office, the University of the Philippines, and the Supreme Court were influenced by American architecture. This set a stage for a structural fusion of the Spanish and America in an Oriental country.

Different Places in Manila

Aside from Intramuros and Malacañang, Manila boasts the most numerous cultural and historical landmarks in the Philippines. With these landmarks, Manila mirrored a rich Philippine history.

• Fort Santiago – Known is Spanish as Fuerza de Santiago, which can be interpreted as the force, Fort Santiago is the symbol of military power of Spain over the Philippines. Part of the walled city of Intramuros is Fort Santiago. This place lied in the heart of Filipinos as this was the last prison of Jose Rizal, the Philippine national hero.

• Luneta – The Rizal Park, locally known as Luneta, is known to be the heart of Manila and of the Philippines. It is the relative point of origin of the kilometer zero to all cities of the Philippines. Previously named Bagumbayan (New Town), Luneta is the place of Jose Rizal’s execution. Luneta is adjacent to Quirino Grandstand, which is a popular site for mass gathering during the celebration of Philippine Independence.

• Manila Baywalk – The Baywalk is a strip of road that views the famous Manila Bay. A walk in the bay will take you to diverse Filipinos playing chess, or lovers taking a leisurely walk while viewing the sunset. When one talks of Manila, the magnificence and brilliance of the Manila sunset is never forgotten.

Manila, Philippines is a city that reflects the Filipino identity. It is a result of a fusion of cultures to form a rainbow that can only be appreciated by going to the heart of the city. After the experience, people will keep coming back to Manila.

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Enchanting Nightlife in Manila Through Bars

Monday, December 28th, 2009

Manila nightlife comes in a bash that makes the capital city of the Philippines alive from dusk till dawn. Manila is the commercial hub of the country and beyond the commercialized façade of Manila during the day it also exudes with unrelenting joys and energy of nightlife in the city.

Manila is teeming with night parties at different bars and restaurants. There are different places to go at Manila with innumerable choices where to spend a fun night with friends to hang out partying with good drinks, good foods and festive atmosphere. Bars in Manila are basic places to go for those who want to enjoy a night partying with friends or just hang out to pass the time.

Popular Manila Bars Coming Alive at Night

Every bar in Manila has something unique and different to offer to the party goers. One prominent bar that brings a sporty atmosphere to their place is the Heckle and Jeckle Bar. The bar concept is one bringing party animals closer to football games. The bar often shows a live stream or slightly delayed feeds on football game. It is the only bar in Manila that offers this kind of service to their patrons. Heckle and Jeckle is located along Jupiter Street at the end of P. Burgos.

Hard Rock Café is at all times a frequent place bustling with Manila nightlife. It is patronized as one of the most reliable places to go to enjoy quality entertainment, good food and night life activities. Its site is in Makati, which is the heart of the business center of Manila. The second floor is open only on Fridays and Saturdays where the crowd almost double on these days. Frequent sights are a large stage for live band, pool tables, and large dining area with non-smoking and smoking bars. They also offer different pricing where there is a 50% price off from drinks during happy hours between 12 noon and 7 p.m. and a bar cost which starts at 10:30 p.m. onwards. Between these times the foods and drinks are at their regular prices.

The TGIs is another bar that is brewing with action and fun with Manila nightlife. They offer a very good price for beers and many party goers like to hang out from this popular bar which is located at the same building as Hard Rock Café in Makati. This Makati bar is usually crowded every night at 7 p.m. onwards. The lively ambience of the bar attracts both the expats and locals alike.

The ambience of the bar is more of a restaurant with large dining area overlooking the small parking area below. One can see constant flow of various drinks served with a good music in the background. It is a nice place to hang around at night with a good cost offer on their drinks.

Manila Nightlife Hot Spots

Aside from the mentioned popular restobars in Manila there are also some hot spot locations in Manila where you can find the best and hippest night parties. Number one is Makati City where most hot parties are going on. It is also where major malls are nestled such as Greenbelt and Ayala Mall aside from the prestigious first class hotels with disco bars and restaurants. Makati is where most of the influential personalities spend a night out.

Malate in Manila is also crowded with street side bars, videoke lounges and all the goodies of a night life bars and restaurants. The costs of a nightlife spent in the area of Malate are quite cheaper than the ones in Makati but just as fun and compelling.

Libis Eastwood City is also a popular place for a Manila night life. There are different kinds of posh and elegant restaurants serving good food and night party bash. The place is always packed with party goers with cool ambience and music to dance along all night.

Manila nightlife is always one that is filled with up beat excitement of music, drinks, and dance parties from dusk till dawn.

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