Flight chronicles of the backpacker Tutubi, with travelogues, pictures/photos/videos, travel guides, independent and honest reviews, affordable, recommended resorts and hotels (including inns, guesthouses, pension houses, lodges, hostels, condotels, bed and breakfast and other cheap accommodations), commuting guides, routes (sometimes street maps and GPS coordinates/waypoints) and driving directions to answer "how to get there" questions, information and tips on tourism, budget travel and living in Philippines, Exotic Asia and beyond!
Backpacking, independent travel, and flashpacking are cheaper than the "cheapest package tours" and promotional offers around but you can also use travel information for family vacations, even romantic honeymoon destinations.
More than the usual tourist spots and "places to see," this blog advocates heritage conservation, environmental protection, and history awareness for Filipinos, foreigners, and ex-pats wishing to explore Paradise Philippines and Exotic Asia!
All it took was a text message to Ferdz (of Ironwulf.net fame) and the idea of touring Manila-- the city (almost) everyone loves to hate -- and walk its historic streets once again turned out to be another exciting day for the tutubi proclivity towards unplanned travels.
We planned to meet up at 10Q at 6am for I wanted to take pictures with the good if not excellent lighting much like pro photographers would do. But, that last night I met some friends who I missed so much fun with we decided to go out and enjoy, and lounge in Metrowalk over a bottle of San Mig Light and few orders of bar chips until aroun 12 midnight when we thought of heading to Libis and take advantage of Something Fishy's unbelievable P84 buffet breakfast offered from 12mn til 10am. Gluttony is not a sin when the food's so good at uber cheapo prices. We went home at 2am fully satiated, tired and sleepy.
Going home at 2:30 made me think twice of the 6am rendezvous. Good thing Ferdz texted me earlier to eventually meet at 8am giving me 2 hours more to snooze :)
Since both of us are "anak ng Pasig," (did I tell you I no longer am a citizen of THE Republic of Makati?) meeting up at 10Q at the corner of Pioneer St and Shaw Blvd was easy. From there we commuted to Quiapo where we planned to visit Hidalgo and Moud's halal chicken I've been wanting to visit for the longest time.
In a nutshell, the tour went like this:
Quiapo: Hidalgo
Sta Cruz: Carriedo, Sta Cruz Church
Binondo: Escolta, northbanks, Binondo Church, Ongpin, lunch in the famed Estero, sampled siphon brewed coffee at Panciteria Lido up til 2pm, took a jeep to Taft Avenue, hailed a cab that took us to the historic Paco park, walked to Luneta to take pictures of Lapu-lapu and Rizal then cab again to Baywalk Remedios circle where we caught sight of a group of budding photographers and the cacophonic, eardrum-piercing sound of a QTV event.
I look forward to see your pictures! An 11 hours tour of Manila is a serious competition for Carlos & Ivan (the famous tour guides/streetwalkers of Manila.)
wow! mas matagal pa pala ang impromptu tour niyo. i also went on a trip like that a couple of months ago with my mum, it lasted for about 5 hours. you can check my blog for the entries. =)
Know what? I was at Baywalk around 6pm or so after my workshop and practiced concert shoots with the QVC TV stage show. But I only stayed for about 15 mins since there were people in the house waiting for me.
Hey Sidney! How about we do a similar tour like that, eh? Hehehe! We should drag along Jeff with us!
ei Sidney, hmm i'm looking for another "raket" but competing isn't what i'm looking at. instead I can complement their tours since I'll be offering different areas. Oops, someone might take me seriously :)
Carlotta, I did check out your blog just last yesterday :)
Eric, if you were there at 6pm, Ferdz and I were there too from around 5 to 7pm I guess. I took pictures of those photographers. Ferdz and I also were looking for a D80-toting guy...too bad we really don't know you :(
btw, i'm researching touring Makati tour. Will post details here one of these days once I finalized them :)
I don't blog much about these days due to hectic work schedule but may be able to spare some time for another "not-so-typical Manila" tour if you do this again in the future. Just let me know...
By the way, 10Q is just a few meters away from where I momentarily work ;)
Sidney said...
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