Manila Zoo: 52 Years After

Every Manileño in their 40s have probably visited the Manila Zoo at one time or another during their growing up years. Even out-of-towners (aka probinsyanos) probably made it one of the first places they visit when they were in the big city back in its glory days.

Manila Zoo may be 52 years old now, but it still has a lot of potential. It is one of the few parks that people from all walks of life can appreciate. Entrance fee is only at Php 40 for adults and Php 20 for children 4 feet below (50% off for Manila Residents with a valid ID indicating address of residence).

Meet the Animals

(hover over the photos to get to know them)

Inside the Zoo 

Food is not a problem. Although SM Hypermarket and Harrison Plaza are just a stone's throw away, if your little one cannot wait for until after the zoo visit, there are food concessionaires inside.

There are activities for the kiddos as well as the young at heart too. Have your photos taken together with friendly and colorful feathered-creatures. Prices range from Php 100 to Php 150. This is your chance to catch those cute dimples!

Or you can go boating for Php 60/30-45 mins (capacity: 5 pax). The kids will definitely have a blast. Also a great strategy to have them settle down - for once.

Understandably, public recreation is not on the priority list of the local government. They would rather allocate funds to feed the hungry. But you can help the zoo and ultimately the animals, by visiting (more people, more revenue, hence, more fund to maintain its facilities) or by volunteering. Give it a chance, visit!

Getting There:

Jeepneys with the signboard "Vito Cruz/Mabini/Harrison Plaza" pass by the zoo. Catch them in Quiapo/Quezon Avenue or Baclaran.

Nearest Train Stations:
LRT 1 Quirino Avenue Station (walking distance)
MRT Edsa Avenue Station (transfer to LRT 1 Taft Avenue Station, get off at Quirino Avenue Station, then walk)
LRT 2 Recto Station (transer to LRT 1 Doroteo Jose Station, get off at Quirino Avenue Station, then walk)

Manila Zoo
Quirino Avenue corner M. Adriatico Street, Manila
http://www.manilazoo.org/
(632)4001884; (632)3836862

Hours of Operation:
7am to 6pm daily

Kansas' Subtle Beauty

 

Kansas is not in every tourists usual trail. It's topography is not attractive enough to the mainstream tourists. But when you look close enough, Kansas, has subtle and unexpected natural beauty too.

If you're into open, spacious and flat, sweeping prairie that stretches farther than your eyes can see, it could be for you. Drive across Kansas and you'll understand why Dorothy of The Wizard of Oz wanted to return home to Kansas. Let its abundant blue sky and wide open space take your breath away or as a cowboy would describe, "instead of taking your breath away, give you a chance to catch your breath."

 

[slideshow]

 

 

 

[CLICK on any picture to see a larger image and details.]

[gallery]

 

 

 

Photographs on the Road from Banaue to Sagada and Back

Sitting on a public utility vehicle for long periods of time is never fun. But when the scenery is as beautiful as the ones from Banaue to Sagada, time flies by fast. You will never notice that 3 hours has already passed.

Get a chance to see the sun shining over the Chico River or slowly rising over the Bay-yo Rice Terraces.

Observe how the clouds slowly kiss the mountains in the afternoon on your way back to Banaue.

There are three ways to get to Sagada. These are 1. the Banaue route (9 hours from Manila to Banaue, 2.45 hours from Banaue to Sagada), 2. the Baguio route (5-6 hours from Manila to Baguio, 6-7 hours from Baguio to Sagada), and 3. the Bontoc route (12 hours from Manila to Bontoc, 45 minutes to Sagada).

Apart from being the least strenous, the Banaue route,  will not only grace you with beautiful roadside scenery, it will also allow you to see the world-renowned Rice Terraces, more particularly the Hungduan and Batad Rice Terraces.

Florida Bus Line has regular trips from Manila direct to Banaue. It leaves Sampaloc, Manila (Lacson St. cor. S. H. Loyola St.) at 9 p.m. From Baguio, KMS Bus Lines and Ohayami Trans leave for Banaue at least twice daily. You can get transportation from Banaue to Bontoc (Emmanuel Bus and Bonbon Bus) then onward to Sagada (jeepney) via public transportation or hire a private vehicle from Banaue direct to Sagada.

Sagada - where time stood still

It's like time stood still in Sagada. Perhaps the distance (about 400 km north of Manila) and lack of transportation during the Spanish Era has allowed this small town in the northern part of the Philippines to preserve its culture. And perhaps it is for this reason that some Igorots, a minority group, still practice the ancient funeral custom of burying their dead by either hanging them by the cliffs or by placing them outside cave openings, a practice that is not typical Filipino.

Hanging Coffins

Apart from practical reasons of preventing animals from desecrating their dead, Igorots believe that spirits could easilly travel to their destination when they are hung by the cliffs rather than being buried six feet under.

Lumiang Burial Cave

They also believe that the dead should leave this world the same way they entered in fetal position, hence, the size of the caskets. There are a lot of stories about the cave. One story relayed to tourists is that the cave is considered a sacred place and only the privileged can be buried there.

Although the traditional practice of burying the dead in the Lumiang Cave is waning - the last burial was in 1986, the ritual of hanging the coffins by the cliffs still continue to this day. A national treasure, it is a place everyone should visit and help preserve.

Getting there:

There are no direct bus trips to Sagada. There are three routes that visitors can choose from: the Banaue route (9 hours from Manila to Banaue, 2.45 hours from Banaue to Sagada), the Baguio route (6-8 hours from Manila to Baguio, 6-7 hours from Baguio to Sagada), and the Bontoc route (12 hours from Manila to Bontoc, 45 minutes to Sagada).

Florida Bus Line has regular trips from Manila direct to Banaue. It leaves Sampaloc, Manila (Lacson St. cor. S. H. Loyola St.) at 9 p.m. From Baguio, KMS Bus Lines and Ohayami Trans leave for Banaue at least twice daily. Visitors can get transportation from Banaue to Bontoc then onward to Sagada via public transportation or hire a private vehicle from Banaue direct to Sagada.