I have been to Manila countless times and I kinda lived there when I was in college. So every time I look for something different to do each time I go back for work or vacation. When I made my November 2011 Manila Checklist, a Binondo Tour was one of my priorities. Binondo is Manila's Chinatown, the oldest Chinatown in the world. It is where most Filipino-Chinese families settled during the Spanish era. It is located along Pasig River across the Manila's Walled City of Intramuros. The enterprising Chinese settlers made it into a bustling center for trade and commerce. Until now, a lot of Fil-Chinese families reside in Binondo and a lot of their businesses are still located in the vicinity. And of course, it is teeming with food establishments that specialize in various Chinese cuisines. I have been to Binondo only a couple of times. Both times, I enjoyed the tour despite the scorching heat of the sun. The combination of food and history was irresistible to me. I was happy that my friend, a Binondo resident (100% born and raised in Binondo) offered to be my tour guide. As a Chinese food lover with Chinese roots, I…
Tag: binondo
Checklist for My November 2011 Manila Trip
I'm going to Manila this November to attend some functions, have a few meetings, and for a little bit of vacation. I want this trip to be a bit different. Instead of coffee shops, malls, and the usual places I go to, I want to go to unique places. Binondo The first time I went to Binondo was sometime 2005 or 2006 with my cousin. We had joined a walking tour. I was fascinated by the temples, old houses, and old buildings. I also enjoyed the food and the other sights that I saw. Kuya Andrew, several friends and I went to Binondo for another walking tour in 2008. Aside from the yummy food we ate, I found walking through Binondo to be an interesting experience. I'm not really Chinese but I found the culture, the sights, and sounds to be very homey. And I do want to go back for another walking tour. Philippine National Museum People suggested that I visit museums. Silly me. I have never been to the Philippine National Museum. Not even when our History professor asked us to go there. But I do want to go. It's embarrassing to be almost 30 and never having…
Manila Day 3
I woke up at around 9:30 am, took a bath, ate breakfast, and prepared for a day of gallivanting around. At around 11 am, Kuya, Winston, and I met up with Juned. After a while, Ate Aileen also arrived. We went to Binondo. YEY! We ate at Estero where we had Yang Chow Fried Rice, Scallops with Mushrooms, Sweet and Sour Pork, and Oyster Cake. YUM YUM YUM! After lunch, we met up with Benj. We went on a search for Quickly. LOL! But failed miserably... we spent more time walking around more than anything else. Well, there were also lotsa camwhoring. After Binondo, they went to Intramuros while I hailed a cab to go to Taft. I visited Mineski Grounds. I was able to meet a lot of the DotA players I chat with or play with over G Arena. My ex was there and he was like... uhmmm.... hmmm.... ah, eh... he ignored me. LOL! I also met up with Davao player Yukz who is trying to move to Manila and needed professional and personal advice. Awww... bonding kami! The friendliest people there were Vini, Tony, Roro, Khen, and Papa Bong. :P By 6 pm, I left to…