In the 1980s, under the direction of former Philippine First Lady Imelda Marcos, the Intramuros Administration restored the city and at present the walled city is the only district of Manila where old Spanish-era influences were retained. Much of the development of present-day Manila occurred outside the gates of Intramuros, leaving the old walls, streets and churches of Intramuros minimally touched by modernization, although outlets of Jollibee, McDonald's and Starbucks now sit alongside distinguished educational institutions within its walls.

Information Source : wikipedia.org

Taal Volcano in Tagaytay City

Taal Volcano is an active volcano on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. This is located in Talisay and San Nicolas in Batangas. It consists of an island in Lake Taal, which is situated within a caldera formed by an earlier very large eruption. It is about 50 km from the capital, Manila.

The volcano has erupted violently several times, causing loss of life in the populated areas surrounding the lake. Death toll was around 5,000 - 6,000 Due to its eruptive history and location close to population centres, the volcano has been designated a Decade Volcano worthy of close study to prevent future natural disasters.

Information source : wikipedia.org (free encyclopedia.

These pictures were taken on the way back from Tagaytay to Manila. There are many fruit vendors selling delicious fruits. Enjoy the riot of colours :)

About the city
The City of Tagaytay (Filipino: Lungsod ng Tagaytay) is a city in the province of Cavite, Philippines. Only 55 kilometers (34.18 miles) away from Manila via Emilio Aguinaldo Highway, it is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations. Tagaytay City provides a good view of the Taal Volcano. The city is a popular summer tourist destination because of its cool climate due to its high altitude.

Information source : wikipedia.org

ort Santiago (Fuerza de Santiago) is a defence fortress built for Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi. The fort is part of the structures of the walled city of Intramuros, in Manila, Philippines.

The location of Fort Santiago was also once the site of the palace and kingdom of Rajah Suliman, chieftain of Manila of pre-Spanish era. It was destroyed by the conquistadors upon arriving in 1570, encountering several bloody battles with the Muslims and native Tagalogs. The Spaniards destroyed the native settlements and erected Fuerza de Santiago in 1571.

The first fort was made out of log structures and earth. Most of it was destroyed in the Spanish-Chinese War of), by invaders of ethnic Chinese pirates who besieged the area. The Spaniards fought a bloody conflict and eventually drove the pirates out. In 1589 the fort was constructed by hard stone and finished in 1592. It became the main fort for travels and spice trade to the Americas and Europe for 333 years. The famous Manila Galleon trade to Acapulco, Mexico started sailing from Fuerza de Santiago.

The fort is shielded by 22 metre high walls, with a thickness of 8 metres and an entrance measuring 40 metres high. It is located at the mouth of the Pasig River and it was once the premier defence fortress of the Spanish Government in the Philippines. During World War II it was captured by the Japanese, and sustained heavy damage from American bombs during the Battle of Manila in February 1945. It was later restored by the Intramuros Administration during the 1980's. Today the fort serves as a museum which houses well-preserved legacies of the Spanish Government, Jose Rizal (which is called the Plaza de Armas), Rizal Shrine, and the prison dungeons for criminals used by the Spanish Officials.

José Rizal, the country's national hero, was imprisoned here before his execution in 1896.

Information source : wikipedia.org

Some colourful Carousels and Jeepney. Will try to take more pics of Jeepneys -

Although the original jeepneys were simply refurbished military jeeps (Willys), modern jeepneys are now produced by independently owned workshops and factories within the Philippines. In the central Philippine island of Cebu, the bulk of jeepneys are built from second-hand Japanese trucks, originally intended for hauling cargo rather than passengers. These are euphemistically known as "surplus" trucks.

Recently the jeepney industry has faced threats to its survival in its current form. Most of the larger builders have either gone bankrupt or have switched to manufacturing other products. Currently there are 2 classes of jeepney builders in the Philippines. The backyard builders produce 1-5 vehicles a month, source their die stamped pieces from one of the larger manufacturers, and work with used engines and chassis from salvage yards (usually the Isuzu 4BA series diesel engines or the Mitsubishi Fuso 4D30 diesel engines--a shift from the Isuzu C240 engine that powered early jeepneys). The second type of manufacturer is the large volume manufacturer. They have 2 sub groups: the PUJ (or Bus Jeepney builder) and the large volume metal-stamping companies that supply parts as well as complete vehicles.

Information source : wikipedia.org

Manila bay has one of the most beautiful sunsets. This weekend I tried to capture this beautiful phenomenon. Hope I did some justice to it :)

Before taking the sunset pictures, walked along the Roxas boulevard and took some street pictures. Also took pictures of people taking prime seats to watch the famous Manila Bay sunset. Actually - thats the reason I am here as well :)

Taken on various days in Feb'2007 :)

Pampanga is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is The City of San Fernando. Pampanga is bordered by the provinces of Bataan and Zambales to the west, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija to the north, and Bulacan to the southeast. Pampanga also lies on the northern shore of Manila Bay. The name "Pampanga" was given by the Spaniards who found the early natives living near the river banks. The word "Pangpang" means river bank. Its creation in 1571 makes it the oldest among the seven provinces of Central Luzon. The Province of Pampanga enjoys the distinction of being known as the Culinary Center of the Philippines.

A large number of people have been displaced and whole towns and villages have been submerged in lahar in the aftermath of the Mount Pinatubo eruptions.

Pictured San Guilllermo Church, Bacolor (one floor of which is below the lahar. The 2nd floor now serves as the main church hall.

Subic Bay is a bay on the west coast of the island of Luzon in the Philippines, about 100 kilometers northwest of Manila Bay. Formerly the site of a major United States Navy base, it is now the location of an industrial and commercial area known as the Subic Bay Freeport Zone under the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority.

Subic Bay is surrounded by the town of Subic and Olongapo City, both in the province of Zambales.

Subic Bay, the Philippines' first freeport, continues to be one of the country's major economic engines with more 700 investment projects, including the 4th largest shipbuilding facility in the world (Hanjin). Following its successful transformation from a military facility to a premier investment haven, Subic Bay Freeport has now reached its crossroads as it takes on the challenges of increasing global competitiveness.

Info-source : wikipedia.org

This time I focussed on conveying the museum ambience of the church and capture some close up of artifacts displayed. I have covered the corridors of the church in my previous trips. Pics of these are at the following url.

http://msvanjara.fotki.com/photo-gallery/travel--street/philippines/intramurous/

Featuring .

Will represent Philippines

Miss Universe 2007 - Anna Theresa Licaros
Miss World 2007 - Margaret Nales Wilson
Miss International 2007 - Nadia Lee Shami

Amazing grace. Good luck to them.

Avilon is one of the newest Zoos in the Philippines and is located in the province of Rodriguez, Rizal.

Around hour's drive from Quezon City, Avilon Zoological Park is an eight-hectare nature reserve, landscaped with generous enclosures for each creature. Avilon, so named for “Aves” or Birds and “Lon” for Land, encompasses a wide range of animals, however it is the presentation and ambience of the zoo which sets it apart from other urban zoos in the Manila area.

Info-source : wikipedia.org

Villa Escudero is a working coconut plantation founded in 1872. In 1980 the Escudero family opened the plantation to the general public. Since then Villa Escudero has developed a worldwide reputation as a focal point to experience Philippine culture and history in a beautiful rural setting.

An interesting two hour drive South from Metro Manila brings you to one of the Philippines most popular get aways, Villa Escudero, where Philippine culture and history comes to life.

Villa Escudero is a working coconut plantation founded in 1872. In 1980 the Escudero family opened the plantation to the general public. Since then Villa Escudero has developed a worldwide reputation as a focal point to experience Philippine culture and history in a beautiful rural setting.

An interesting two hour drive South from Metro Manila brings you to one of the Philippines most popular get aways, Villa Escudero, where Philippine culture and history comes to life.

Amazing Boracay. Fabulous beaches. Clear, colourful water. White sand. Is this paradise on earth?

Some facts from wikipedia.org
Boracay is a tropical island located approximately 315km (200 miles) south of Manila and 2km off the northwest tip of the island of Panay in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. It is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations.

The island was originally home to the Ati tribe.

Other than Filipino, English is widely spoken in Boracay. Aklanon is also spoken, as Boracay is part of Aklan Province. The Ati language was spoken by the original inhabitants of the island.

Sometimes called the "Eighth Wonder of the World", the Banaue Rice Terraces begin at the base of the mountain range and extend several thousand feet upwards. The terraces have been named a Unesco World Heritage Site. It is said that their length, if put end to end, would encircle half of the globe. Built 2,000 years ago, the rice terraces manifest the engineering skill and ingenuity of the sturdy Ifugaos. They are irrigated by means of mountain streams and springs that have been tapped and channeled into canals that run downhill through the rice terraces.

Went to Quipo market in Manila. What a dazzling array of fruits and veggies. Being a chilly lover, I focused on chillies. I was drooling most of the time looking at those bright coloured chillies. Hmmmm... what an experience.

With the powershot

Davao Region, designated as Region XI, is one of the regions of the Philippines, located on the southeastern portion of Mindanao. Davao Region consists of four provinces, namely: Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, and Davao Oriental. The region encloses the Davao Gulf and its regional center is Davao City.

Region XI was originally called Southern Mindanao, and in addition to the three Davao provinces also included Surigao del Sur and South Cotabato. At that time, Compostela Valley was still part of Davao del Norte. Republic Act No. 7225, ratified on March 16, 1992, created the province of Sarangani from South Cotabato. Then, Republic Act No. 7901, signed on February 3, 1995, by President Fidel V. Ramos transferred Surigao del Sur into the newly created region of Caraga (Region XIII). Finally, on September 19, 2001, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's Executive Order No. 36 reorganized the regions and provinces in Mindanao. This moved South Cotabato and Sarangani to SOCCSKSARGEN region and renamed Southern Mindanao as Davao Region.

Information source : wikipedia.org

American Memorial located in fort Bonifacio - Manila.

The La Mesa Ecopark is located in East Fairview Subdivision, in Quezon City.

The Ecopark spans 33 hectares, 10 of which is already operational. It lies within the La Mesa Watershed which measures 2,700 hectares and is straddled by Rizal Province, Caloocan, Marikina, and Quezon City. There’s even more greenery as one enters the park proper.

The University of the Philippines (or Unibersidad ng Pilipinas in Filipino and commonly abbreviated as U.P.) is the only national university of the Philippines.[2] Founded in 1908 through an act of Philippine Legislature, the University provides tertiary-level education in almost every field, from agriculture, medicine and public health, law, to the natural and social sciences, engineering, and the humanities.

U.P. is considered as the top Philippine university and is recognized as one of the leading universities in Asia and the world by international academic standards. It is the highest ranked Philippine university in THES-QS World University Rankings in 2006 and 2007 and the final edition of the Asiaweek's Best Universities in Asia in 2000

Info-source : wikepedia.org

Mount Pinatubo is an active stratovolcano located on the island of Luzon in the Philippines, at the intersection of the borders of the provinces of Zambales, Tarlac, and Pampanga. Ancestral Pinatubo was a stratovolcano made of andesite and dacite. Before 1991, the mountain was inconspicuous and heavily eroded. It was covered in dense forest which supported a population of several thousand indigenous people, the Aeta, who had fled to the mountains from the lowlands when the Spanish conquered the Philippines in 1565.

The volcano's eruption in June 1991 produced the second largest terrestrial eruption of the 20th century.[2] The 1991 eruption had a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 6, and came some 450-500 years after the volcano's last known eruptive activity (estimated as VEI 5, the level of the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens), and some 500-1000 years after previous VEI 6 eruptive activity.[3] Successful predictions of the onset of the climactic eruption led to the evacuation of tens of thousands of people from the surrounding areas, saving many lives, but as the surrounding areas were severely damaged by pyroclastic flows, ash deposits, and later, lahars caused by rainwater remobilizing earlier volcanic deposits, thousands of houses were destroyed.[2]

The effects of the eruption were felt worldwide. It ejected roughly 10 billion metric tons of magma, and 20 million tons of SO2, bringing vast quantities of minerals and metals to the surface environment. It injected large amounts of aerosols into the stratosphere—more than any eruption since that of Krakatoa in 1883. Over the following months, the aerosols formed a global layer of sulfuric acid haze. Global temperatures dropped by about 0.5 °C (0.9 °F), and ozone destruction increased substantially.

Ecotourism

As of 2007, Mt. Pinatubo is a popular tourist destination in Central Luzon. Tour operators offer a whole-day package which includes a 4x4 jeep ride that starts off at Capas, Tarlac, taking tourists across the barren plains. A 40 minutes trek then commences on a trail that leads to the crater lake. There, facilities include a viewdeck, cottages, and kayaks. Swimming in the lake is allowed although it is restricted to the proximal banks.

Info source : mostly wikipedia.org (changed the trek time to 40 minutes as we took the short cut)

The City of Puerto Princesa (Filipino: Lungsod ng Puerto Princesa), the capital of Palawan, is a first class city in the Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 161,912 people in 33,306 households. It is famous for its crocodile farms, underground rivers and dive spots. This city is the hometown of the former House Speaker Ramon Mitra, Jr..

The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, features a spectacular limestone karst landscape with its underground river. A distinguishing feature of the river is that it flows directly into the sea, and the lower portion of the river is subject to tidal influences. The area also represents a significant habitat for biodiversity conservation. The site contains a full mountain to the sea ecosystem and protects forests, which are among the most significant in Asia.

On June 30, 1992, Edward S. Hagedorn was elected Mayor of the city and completed his three term limit of three years for every term. In November 2002, Hagedorn was re-elected as mayor of the city.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Anilao is about three hours from Manila and is popular with divers and snorkelers. The waters surrounding the area are teeming with marine life, plenty of corals and amazing diversity of fishes.

Stayed at a resort called Punto Miguel.

Candaba Swamp is host to the yearly migration of some 40 species of birds that come from as far as China in the North and Australia in the South.

The Ateneo de Manila University began in 1859. It was then a state-subsidized school. It became a private school during the American occupation of the Philippines, and has moved from Manila to its current location. It received its university charter in 1959.

Its main campus in Loyola Heights, Quezon City, Metro Manila is home to the university's college and graduate school units, as well as its high school and grade school.

It is one of only two universities in the Philippines to receive Level IV accreditation--the highest possible level--from the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines and the PAASCU.

northern most island of Philippines. Purely from distance perspective, it is said to be closer to Taiwan than Manila.

Comprises of a few islands. Took the flight from Manila to Basco Airport. About an hour and fifteen minutes.

Mainly mountainous with beautiful farms and lovely views of the Pacific Ocean. It braves many typhoons.

Loved it.