Manila City Golf Club

Intramuros

The oldest part of Manila City is Intramuros. It was here that Miguel Lopez de Legaspi defeated Rajah Sulayman and started the construction of Fort Santiago on the ruins of the destroyed city of Maynila. During World War II Intramuros was almost completely destroyed. Most of the damage has now been repaired.

Fort Santiago became the cornerstone of Intramuros. Parts of the fort are still in a reasonable condition and can be visited. It opens daily between 8 am and 10 pm. There is an open-air theatre, the Rizal Shrine and a display of antique cars.

San Augustin Church., Claimed to be the oldest church in the country, but Cebuanos contest this. The cornerstone was laid in 1599 and the church was completed in 1606. The church survived a great number of catastrophes such as fires, earthquakes and typhoons, but was always restored to its old grandeur. Adjoining the church is the monastery-museum with collections of art and religious artifacts. Three important Spanish Conquistadors are buried in this church: Legaspi, Salcedo and Lavezares.

Manila Cathedral. The cathedral is the Philippines' main Catholic church. The first cathedral was built in 1581. Also this church was destroyed many times by natural catastrophes, but always rebuilt.

Other places of interest are Plaza Roma, fronting the Manila cathedral, Casa Manila, a grand 19th century style home, the Ayuntamiento the former Spanish City Hall, the Intendencia Buildings, and the San Ignacio Church, the church of the Jesuits. Golf. Just outside Intramuros is Club Intramuros, an 18-hole golf course operated and maintained by the Philippine Tourist Authority. The course is open to the public. Green fees for tourists are P 1,500 per day.

Chinatown

The Chinese have been in Manila from the very beginning. They were loved for their trade and productivity, but hated for not really assimilating. After being pushed around for centuries finally the district of Parian became their place. Gradually Parian expanded into Binondo, which became Manila's Chinatown.

The streets are narrow and filled with calesas and carretelas, horse drawn carriages that are banned in all other parts of the city. Chinese restaurants mix with western sport shops, acupuncture clinics and kung-fu schools, the traditional Chinese apothecary selling dried sea horses, ginseng tea' and snake meat huddles closely to a traditional bakery or modern bank with ATM machines. It is a picturesque area, certainly during day-time and worthwhile to visit, but at night-time it might be a different story.

Although it looks as if time has stood still in Binondo, over the last five years one high rise building after the other has appeared. Even here progressive forces seem to be at work. Taxi drivers do not like to go there, traffic is terrible, so take a jeepney.

Tondo

Once the spawning ground of Filipino revolutionaries during the end of the Spanish era, over the last century Tondo has developed into a place of misery. Endless squatters from all over the country end up in Tondo as a place of last resort. Its closeness to the piers of the harbour has, no doubt, contributed to its reputation.

Separating Tondo from the district of San Nicolas is Divisoria, the great trading center of Manila. Everything is for sale here, vegetables, meat, fish, and spare-parts and, above all, shoes and textiles.

Quiapo

Quiapo is especially known for its church, the church of the Black Nazarena, a large crucifix carved in black Mexican wood and brought into the country in the 17th century from Mexico.

Plaza Miranda, in front of Quiapo church, became infamous when a bomb exploded during a political meeting in 1971, killing ten people and wounding scores of others. President Marcos used this incident to declare martial law.

Chinese Cemetery. Quiapo is also the place of the city's largest Chinese cemetery. It is a place with tombs that often look like houses, complete with air-conditioning and other facilities.

Malacañang Palace

In barangay San Miguel, along-the Pasig River, is the presidential palace: Malacanang. Initially it ..as the official residence of the Spanish governor-generals, then the Americans and finally of the Philippine presidents. It can be visited and there is a small.museum.

Rizal Park

Originally named Luneta Park, but later renamed after the country's greatest hero Jose Rizal, who was executed here on December 30, 1892. Three national martyrs, the fathers Mariano Gomez Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora were also executed here in 1872.

Ermita and Malate

After Intramuros became too small, the expanded into nearby Ermita and Malate. It beard suburb with beautiful Spanish residential houses.

During the Vietnam War in the early 1970s, developed into a huge Rest and Recuperation Are6 thousands of American GF's. Bars, massage parlous everywhere. The name M.H. del Pilar Street, everything was for sale, became world famous.

In 1991 the American Bases Agreement expire of thousands of GI's to the US or other places. The of the sleaze market, this was followed by a decre Lim to close all bars and associated businesses. became ghost towns.

Today the nightlife in Ermita and Malate is not a place with lots of good hotels and restaurants and of visitors roam around the old places.