On this particular trip, my partner, Marc, and I toured many of Manila's attractions with family, close family friends, and on our own.  When we were by ourselves, we used public buses, the MRT, a few taxis, and even a jeepney.

I must say the week went so quickly.  Our first full day was spent just walking around the Makati area particularly around the Greenbelt and Glorietta malls.  We also visited some hotels to view their impressive lobbies and Christmas decorations.  On this trip, we walked through the small but lovely Ayala Triangle almost every day during the day and even at night for the Christmas lights show which was truly impressive.

Our second day was made truly memorable after Marc and I met with Deb, a Filipina New Yorker, Stanford University graduate, and former classmate from Ateneo de Manila, whom I had not seen since graduation from college.  We were both in Manila for the holidays and we decided to meet up for lunch over fantastic Filipino food at Via Mare.

With Deb, classmate from Ateneo de Manila and now a resident of New York City

AYALA TRIANGLE PARK

A view of Ayala Triangle in Makati

The greenery in the park was well tended to.  Impressive!

The trees with the strings of LED lights.  These trees looked spectacular at night all lit up.  Crowds gathered to watch them with happy Christmas music in the background.

AYALA AVENUE, MANILA'S WALL STREET

The office buildings along Manila's Wall Street, Ayala Avenue.

I remember going to Ayala back in the seventies to visit my dad in his office right on this avenue.  After retiring from the Philippine Armed Forces, he joined San Miguel Corporation and he worked for this company until the day he retired.

More of Ayala Avenue

A FILIPINO ICON, THE JEEPNEY

I used to ride the jeepney on a daily basis when I lived in Manila

The passenger jeepney.  I used to ride this Manila icon to school and back from grade school to college.  I remember "Mang Oca" and "Tita Noli" picking me up at home in the morning and taking me to school in this quaint mode of transportation.

The Glorietta Mall 5

Five Glorietta Malls dot Makati's shopping area besides the very upscale Greenbelt Malls.  These were not built yet when I lived in Manila decades ago.  I like what the City of Makati has done to its Central Business District.   This area certainly is lively all day long.  I love the restaurants and shops here.

This hotel is definitely one of Manila's oldest.  Despite its age though, I am glad the Intercontinental Chain of Hotels has kept this hotel up to date.  I know a number of Filipino residents in the San Francisco Bay Area who call this hotel home whenever they return to Manila for a visit.  The hotel's Jeepney Restaurant is highly recommended for its breakfast buffet.

The mini park in front of the Glorietta 5 Mall and the Intercontinental Hotel.  Taken from atop another Glorietta Mall just outside the movie theaters.

It is truly ironic.  I lived the first half of my life in Manila, however, it was only two years ago when I came home for a visit during the Christmas holidays with my partner, Marc, that I truly got a good lay of the land.  It was also only then that I got to visit Manila's Chinatown, Roxas Boulevard, Corregidor, and even the Makati area, also known as the financial hub of the Philippines.   These were places I heard of as a child and as a teenager but my life back then revolved around school and home and not much else.  I would be lying if I said that I never saw any of these places.  Of course I did.  I just didn't visit them nor stayed long enough to enjoy them as attractions.  On this particular visit, I actually got to visit three new places.  Paco Park, Malate Church, and the American Cemetery.

Years ago, we bought an oil painting with a Philippine theme from a consignment store in San Mateo, California.  The moment I saw it I knew it was Filipino given that there was a church, lots of people, and horse drawn carriages or KALESAS in the background.  Ever since we purchased it, Marc had the yearning to see the church in person.  After conferring with family members and friends, we agreed that the church on the painting was Quiapo Church and not the Sta. Cruz Church in Ongpin.

Well, Marc did get to see it live and in person last Christmas 2011.  It was a Friday when our close family friend, Ate Charito, and her son, Dondi, took us there.  Just as expected, the place was packed with devotees of the Black Nazarene and other church goers.

QUIAPO CHURCH

Quiapo Church on a Friday

I would love to visit this church once again but not on a Friday anymore.  The place was simply full of people that morning we went there.  I mean, it was packed.  Walking around the area was difficult with the crowds.  Luckily, the statue of the Black Nazarene was placed outside the church and I had the good luck to get close to it and even touch it for the very first time in my life.  I was no doubt moved by the whole experience.  I just had to say thank you for all the blessings in my life.

THE BLACK NAZARENE

The centuries old statue of the Black Nazarene.  Every January, this statue is paraded in the streets of old Manila and thousands of people crowd to touch it and get close to it.  It has been said to cure the sick and answer many people's prayers.

Lunch with a Manila lawyer and former classmate from Ateneo de Manila

I had a wonderful time having lunch with Ver, a former classmate from Ateneo now a lawyer in Manila.  It had been years since we last saw each other.  Actually, we had not seen each other since graduation from college.  It sure was nice to see him again and reminisce about our college days.  Gee, they all seemed just like yesterday.   Although he majored in business just like me, he is one of a number of college graduates I know from Ateneo who actually took a different career path.  I was truly impressed when I saw his name emblazoned in huge big brass at the entrance to his law office.

Ver, I'll see you in San Francisco when you return to the US for a visit

We first visited this huge mall in December 2010.  We found the mall to be truly huge and spacious.  We decided to return, visit it more leisurely this time around, and eat at the Aristocrat where we had some of the best meals in Manila.

The ice skating rink inside the mall

An indoor Ferris Wheel inside the Mall of Asia

Swensen's Ice Cream store, a San Francisco treat.  There is a Swensen's close to where we live in San Francisco.  This was quite a pleasant surprise.

The famous Aristocrat Restaurant

We couldn't leave the Mall of Asia without eating at Aristocrat.  We ordered the same food we ordered the previous year.  Marc had the barbecued chicken with Java rice and calamari while I had my favorite, palabok.  I must say, everytime I see the picture of my favorite Filipino dish, I just want to hop on a plane and return to Manila and eat it every single day of the week.  Actually, I did that two years ago.  I ate it for dinner at SM's food court daily during the seven days we were in Manila.  Yum, yum!

Our favorite dish anywhere in the world.  The calamari.

I am getting hungry just looking at these pictures.  I need to tell Marc to take me to the nearest Filipino restaurant.  Ongpin here we come!