I don't think the video above was really for tourism purposes. I think it wasn't meant to be taken too seriously. Which fits Ramon to a T, because he never takes anything, including himself, too seriously.
I also assume that the remark "I am not a digital artist" is meant as an inside joke. I found it funny, but only because I know him well.
nmeet ko sya thru other forum...and because of strangebrew..
actually hindi sya yung tipong pang guide around manila thing, i like Mr. Cow's idea of seeing manila as it is and what it could offer for the people (filipino and foreigners). yung "one sip at a time" is more focused on visuals, and digital editing i think...
I've been reading all your suggestions, and weirdly enough I agree and disagree with all your answers. Ultimately, you're still selling yourselves too short. I think everything about Manila is sellable. It's just a matter of telling them what to expect.
if you ask me, Manila is like a suit of clothes bought from a Vintage Clothing store (read: Ukay Ukay) in Tutuban or Tondo
The clothes would seem dated and faded. Put it on and pose in a mirror and you will buy it and not want to take it off.
Just wander around the area of Quaipo and Carriedo. The place seems dirty. There are mendicants on Plaza Miranda and there is a big chance that your wallet and cellphone will be snatched. However, there is this charm to place draws you to there
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The brilliance of many is obscured by the stupidity of a few
^ i dunno about the charm. but i guess for me being near them, that might be it.. but if i can avoid those places, i do. especially quiapo... if not for raon, i wouldnt be there..
you see, my route is always quiapo before reaching school, and every week im a witness to various crimes there.. its so sad to see others being mugged, robbed and harrassed... made me think that even if the church is there, god might have abandoned it...i know im not suppose to talk this way, but seing it upclose and personal. its really frightening.. even if we have a poor government(in terms of performamce) must we push to live in other's expense and in such a way? sabagay, some politicians are also doing crime in an elegant fashion.yet weighs the same.
I stayed in Hong Kong for around three months back in 2006. Now, I've always found that place fascinating, and I still do. On my third day there, I hooked up with some Honkys for dinner. They asked me why I decided to take up some courses there. I told them that I loved HK. They then retorted that what's there to like? Like, for them, HK was a mess.
A mess? Hong Kong?
It just goes to show you, people always take their residences for granted.
Now, Manila is nowhere near HK in terms of development, cleanliness, among others, but there's a lot of charm to the city that's sadly lacking in HK. For one thing, Honkys are no fun whatsoever. I only realized how cool Manila was when I wasn't there. I missed it terribly.
And Polskie, as long as there are people who care, God will NEVER abandon Quiapo. Remember that. (Seriously, where do you kids come up with your lines?!?)
Ever met the infamous tour guide Carlos Celdran in Intramuros?For a well-verse English speaker to tourists, he's got loads of info about Philippine history and trivia that not every Filipino knows and not to mention his sense of wittyness.
-- Edited by Happycat at 23:28, 2008-06-30
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Ferita non colpisce piu profondo di amore che e girato odiare.
The guy's presentation skills are first class though I will also have to give credit to one historian whose writings I am led to believe are among Celdran's sources-
Ambeth Ocampo
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The brilliance of many is obscured by the stupidity of a few
FACT: Air Pollution in HK is really bad. HK is downwind from China's special economic zones (Shenzen and Zhuhai). Meaning, all that factory smoke is finding its way into HK.
And as for that smell... I dunno, blame it on incense, dumplings, and poor hygiene. But Manila not being mabantot? Oh come on...
If I can remember it correctly, kahit san naman yata sa mundo, pwede kang ma-mug, manakawan, ma-isnatchan, etc. etc.
And regarding sa Pinas, i've been to Quiapo and Pasay pero hindi ko sya tinitingnan as dangerous place. Iniiwasan ko lang sya kasi may mild-claustrophobia tayo. I've even been to Divi and you'll like the place for cheap things.
I think optimism lang ang kulang sa tin.
Mind you, may kakilala ako sa Canada na they kept on asking stuff from the Philippines kasi ang mahal ng prices ng mga goods dun unlike sa Pinas. So, they'd rather do balikbayan boxes than do garage sales there.
Oh well...
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Adversity reveals genius, prosperity conceals it. - horace
I agree with Frag, Polskie. I can give you ten places that have a worse crime rate than Quiapo. It's all about perspective. Quiapo for me will always be about the church, Hidalgo and Carriedo streets, the manghuhulas, and the crazy **** they sell there. I'd bring a foreigner there in a heartbeat.
But then, you always take your home for granted. That's what we have to change.
i've never been mugged in pasay and quiapo and other "dangerous" places (siguro pati carriedo and such kasi pumupunta din ako ng alexan).
nadukutan ako sa mga least-expected places. like mrt in quezon ave station, intersection in libis and ortigas ext and even here in cainta.
parang same reason din yan ng bombing sa mga areas sa pinas. were you expecting bombing sa may lrt or sa may guadalupe? of course not. lalo na ang world trade center. nobody's expecting that despite u.s.a.'s great aerial firepower. nakalusot pa din yung passenger plane na yun.
i always believe in one thing. if it will happen, IT will happen. Just pray na hindi ikaw yung next victim.
oops... nawala na tayo sa patriotism natin.
at least patriotic ang mga taga-san juan. they are keeping the 'basaan' alive.
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Adversity reveals genius, prosperity conceals it. - horace
okay, point taken. no excuse =) yeah perspective. that i agree.
when im in such places, i just practice this state of preparedness that if i would be mugged(again) i wont get traumatized. so far it works
mr B: sorry but blame me if you want. but Trauma is there. its not that i hate the place, its the thugs, and strictly to the thugs. cguro nadamay ung "quiapo" sa vendetta ko against them. take it for granted? yeah. maybe im not that positive as i think i am.
Actually, no. I'm not in the business of getting people for that docu because they love Manila. I'm getting people based on if they care enough to have an opinion, positive OR negative.
Manila is Manila because of the people. I believe that the charm of Manila comes from the people inhabiting it. They add their own flavor, their respective marks to prove their existence. Yun ay sa akin lang naman.
Pollution comes with highly industrialized countries.. and i think HK is more advanced than the philippines on that but maybe they have more measures in countering it? i mean, my nose knows what it smells.. pero baka sanay lang din ako masyado dito sa amoy ng pinas.. which is why, i take it for granted. (tama ka on that note, people everywhere take for granted anyone/anything they have or anywhere they are). so if 'mabaho' ang pollution ng pinas, i dont consider it as mabaho.. pero ang amoy ng hk.. very.. uh.. kakaiba.. and it's not just the incense or the spices.. i think the people there smell (a bit).. sometimes i wonder baka ako na yung mabaho na naamoy ko pero deadma lang naman mga tao kasi lahat pare-pareho amoy LOL..
on a side note, people say na mababaho ang indian/middle eastern people.. hindi naman lahat pero there are some (because of hygiene, what they eat, etc).. pero naalala ko lang yung isang officemate ko who adamantly said that sri lankans ang pinakamabaho sa lahat.. or rather pinakamalakas ang amoy.. wala lang.. ang sama.. buti na lang ang mga pinoy naliligo araw araw (those who can).. :p
on dangerous places.. nasabi na ni frag.. i agree.. ako naman, ang 'phobia' zone ko e buses.. na holdap kasi ako minsan .. good thing meron na yung mga (relatively) new(er) buses na bumibiyahe.. nakita nyo ba yun? yung 'bunny ears' ang side mirrors nila? kaka - aliw.. :D sana tanggalin na yung mga lumang bus at puro ganun na lang ang matira.. i dont care na (baka) 2nd hand bus sya ng 1st world country.. maayos pa rin naman and mas ok kaysa sa older buses dito sa atin..
Re pollution in HK... my sister's friend claims the air in Manila is clearer than in HK. I cannot prove or disprove that, but I must say I rarely saw clear blue sky when I was there. Actually, I only saw it once.
bwahaha.. first it was Cher.. Then came ManRose... Then King (?) Kellen.. :D
I think napaglumaan na nga yung Cher e.. madami na mas bago.. if ever i need to ride a bus.. etong mga ito tska bunny ear buses ang lagi ko inaabangan..
I guess it depends on what part of Manila or Metro Manila and what time you are inhaling.
If you are standing within Intramuros, it's only horse excrement and microdroplets of Carlos Celdran's saliva both are perefectly non-toxicyou worry about.
If you are walking along EDSA at rush hour, better put on a gasmask and bring extra filters
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The brilliance of many is obscured by the stupidity of a few
If you are standing within Intramuros, it's only horse excrement and microdroplets of Carlos Celdran's saliva both are perefectly non-toxic you worry about.
Wow, were you trying to be witty and smart with this remark? Well you failed miserably. TRY HARDER.
heeyyy... akala nyo kayong edsa riders lang ang may new bus/es.
meron din kaming mga taga east-side. yung green something (har har har... nakalimutan ang pangalan). may rrcg, may g-liner... at yun nga the green bus. ok yung loob.
walang ipis.
on a side note: lei: we can't blame the bus operators for retaining their ancient vehicles. kumbaga, malaking loss para sa kanila if they buy a new one. and don't forget the soaring (accelerating, exponential increase) prices of fuel, malamang magdalawang isip ang mga bus operators na yan. probably, they'll just make it the usual degrade the aircon to non-aircon style.
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Adversity reveals genius, prosperity conceals it. - horace
Getting new buses is not very practical for plying only the streets of Metro especially along EDSA where the MRT has dominated the market of those who study/work in QC but live in far-off Pasay and Vice-Versa
The most toxic airs in Intramuros in recent years came from the soundbytes of then COMELEC chair Ben Abalos and Virgilio Garcillano.
Oh well... I'll just sign up for the extended Carlos Celdran Intramuros tour. I only took the shorter one because I had a stacked schedule that Saturday.
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The brilliance of many is obscured by the stupidity of a few