BLUE !DEAS

Haha! No offense meant to my Chinese friends and other “naligaw” na readers who are of Chinese descent. Last Saturday, we went for a Binondo tour… with Dario, Lea and Michelle.. nag trip lang.. we planned this after watching Harry Potter and yeah.. kahit abrupt we still pushed through with the tour.

Meet “Ivan”… our tourist guide for the day. He really does know the history of Manila including the Chinese occupation hundreds of years back… he was bubbly and so enthusiastic about the tour… he is in fact the tourist guide, well… he should be.. he actually prefers being called as “street walker” rather than a mere tourist guide only.

We were a bit late.. as we had a meeting before our speedy lunch at the Salcedo “market.” Then we rushed to Binondo for the Tour… the meeting place was in Binondo Church.. ‘twas my first time in Binondo.. more so Binondo Church… and yeah.. the whole Binondo Area… pag ako naiwan sa Tour.. I would look like a stupid ass looking my way out of this area.

Of course the tour wouldn’t progress without introducing us the History of the Area… Binondo… and its neighboring areas like San Miguel, Intramuros and Ermita… I learned that Intramuros.. the wall behind everything is the “Elite” area of the Spaniards Era.. where Politics is located.. yadah yadah! Quite interesting.. how Chinese people got here in the country.. how they became slaves… how they tried to belong and how they were out casted. Sad story for them.. but what the heck. It’s history… now most Chinese people are so freakin’ rich… Lucio Tan? Henry Sy? Hehe

During the tour.. we had to stop by to some restaurants and have some taste of some Chinese food… like the YAM-PENG! Some kind of fried rice with peanuts whatsoever.. but I like it.. never mind the diet… chibog lang ng chibog! Haha. We also had some authentic Chinese Dimsum and the likes.. The owner of the place was a BS! (bagong salta from china, so every food in the restaurant is authentic.. everything is hand made… that’s what makes the taste so different.. pati noodles.. handmade.) Ivan also gave us a taste of some Chinese street foods.. like the Adobo Egg.. was it really Adobo? Haha.. forgot what it’s called… pero mukhang adobo… some Siopao.. not Asado.. not Special.. not Bola-bola.. it’s tsa-neys.. haha. A bitso-bitso… sabi ni Dario eh… some sort of a Chinese Doughnut… and a preserved food.. sorry.. but I can’t remember them all… basta lamon-ng lamon.. wahaha.

We also got a chance to understand some Chinese custom when it comes to marriage… quite tedious as its so complicated.. sa mga Pinoy kasi.. kelangan mabuntis muna bago magpakasal.. haha.. sa Chinese.. dami daming mga rituals etc.

It’s a wok in tour.. so expect a WALK IN tour.. as in we had to walk ourselves through alleys and streets in Binondo, Ongpin etc. It’s kinda exciting as I love walking and hell yeah.. so many sights to see… so many Chinese people passing by.. it’s like you are in a Chinese country.. as people there talk Chinese.. eat Chinese.. pati Jollibee may Chinese translation… pati seattle’s best… amazingly.. I saw an HSBC bank in Binondo.. sa Makati ko lang kasi nakita ang Bank.. and that was it.. akala ko nag-iisang HSBC bank ito sa Pinas.. haha.

This tour is definitely a treat… especially for people who haven’t been to Binondo… everything is new to the naked eye.. pati sa dila.. bagong lasa…. and the tour payment is so inexpensive… sobrang sulit… inclusive na dun ung mga nibbles and snacks that we had. We were 17 all in all… and based from the faces of the other “turistas”.. I can say that they are pretty much happy about it.

We finished the tour in a restaurant with an authentic Hokkien Style Lumpia… tasty it is!

What a great Saturday.. an off from a weeklong works pressure.. Damn.. sana next time sa Intramuros naman.. so I can strut my photographic skills ulit.. haha.. yun pala yun!

Anyway.. thanks to Michelle for discovering such tour… and here are the pictures I’ve taken from the tour, click here to see everything… ayan ala password.. so ok lang na public sya.

For people who are interested in these kinds of tours… you can visit their website at www.oldmanilawalks.com.