Ironwulf.net: En Route – The Philippines, Travel, Photography Blog

Ongpin was filled to the brim. People were flooding in all corners, drumbeats pounding in different directions, dragons dancing on top of the crowd and fireworks call their attention. I could really feel the festive atmosphere here. It was 2 years ago when I last visited Binondo on a Chinese New Year and it certainly wasn’t like this before. Perhaps because from now on, the first day of the Chinese New Year would be a holiday to the delight of everyone, Chinese or not. We met with some of our fellow photographer friends who attended our previous Backpack Photography Photo Tours to enjoy and capture the revelry in China Town.

Captivating. Dazzling. It’s really an experience watching the Ayala Triangle Symphony of Lights. I brought some of my relatives there and I was amused seeing the awe-filled look on their faces. This is another thing I like about Christmas, a lot of free entertainment for everyone like this light and music show and it’s becoming a new tradition in the likes of the COD Christmas display decades ago. And technology indeed has caught up in capturing the light spectacle. While I enjoyed shooting the lights, I also enjoyed looking at the people watching them.

First let me greet you all a blessed Christmas. It’s been a crazy year with a lot of highs and lows. But Christmas is here to remind us to count our blessings instead and see the world in a different perspective. I can’t say that things have all been good seeing the tragedy that happened to our brothers in Mindanao. But it shows that there is hope for humanity seeing the great outpour of support from people giving what little they can offer. This season, I revisit Simbang Gabi on some of the popular churches in Manila to capture a Filipino tradition.

I hear the heavy clacking sound of the engines as it starts and the loud honk of the train signalling any living beings to move away from its path. There’s a low grumbling noise under my feet as if something just woke up from a long time slumber. Yes, the Philippine National Railways has revived the Bicol Express and just last night, it started its first commercial run in years. Like a dragon that just woke up, the train howled as it cuts through urban Manila as it heads to Naga City in Bicol.

Christmas is changing. Honestly, I wish I would be in a place where Christmas is celebrated stripped off the commercialism and senseless countdowns and save some people some stress during this season. I asked a cousin of mine who has been around the world what he thinks about Christmas. I remember him telling me one of the best places he spent Christmas was in Papua New Guinea. People there don’t have much. They don’t have to worry about buying gifts to people and their only concern is coming together as a family, celebrating with what they have. Isn’t that ideal?

I must admit, I find Manila lacking on budget or backpacker accommodations. One reason why most backpacking or budget travellers skip Manila or Philippines is the lack of facilities to accommodate these kind of tourist. In the age of cheap airline travel, I won’t be surprised if budget accommodations would follow. Taking on the Tune Hotels model of Malaysia, GoHotels recently opened their first branch along EDSA Boni Avenue, Mandaluyong City. I was able to try them out during their soft opening period and here’s what I think about the place.