Manila Was Clean

I woke up today and was pleasantly surprised to see what a beautiful morning it was outside my window. It was drizzling a bit, leaves were covered with tiny droplets of water, and there was a delicate fine mist hanging over the trees. I felt calm instantly. Oh, what a zen type of morning, perfect for a hot cup of joe and some quiet time on the internet before my daughter wakes up.

It made me feel some sort of nostalgia for a past I never experienced personally but only through the words and photos of my late grandfather. He used to rave about how beautiful Manila was back in his day. How you could just walk around in the cool breeze without worrying about getting your belongings snatched. Everything was so clean, safe and peaceful then.

If my memory serves me right, I recall him mentioning that back then Quiapo and Espana was the place to be for young people. All the good restaurants and theaters were located there. Nowadays, on the way to Divisoria, you will still see remnants of that past but their luster has long gone and instead been replaced with lustful posters and images of starlets advertising their movies with titles that lack imagination and good taste.

I would love to bring Old Manila back for my daughter and future generations to enjoy. Here are some photographs of that past and maybe you will be inspired the same way I am, to clean up Manila a little at a time and bring it back to its old glory days. Enjoy the pictures and have a good morning! =)

Roxas Boulevard Aerial View

Avenida (I think)

Popular Theatres: Odean, Lyric, State and Ideal

Pasig River (Papahoney said you could fish here before)

Fort Santiago

Makati

Quiapo Church

Port Area

Manila Cathedral