2009 RANDOM PHILIPPINE PICCIES

 

Given the popularity of the last 'random shot' posting, plus finding I have another heap of same, you now find another collection here for your viewing pleasure (or displeasure even).

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Markets are one part of the Philippines that I greatly enjoy photographing, the night ones especially so.

The first lot of photos show a small(ish) market at Litex (Commonwealth, Quezon City). We would pass through here most nights, while transferring from a Jeepney, or bus, to a trike for our ongoing journey home to Payatas.

Not much that you couldn't buy here.

Another vendor, though now it is daytime and in Luneta Park. 
My years of running a Filipino shop helps me to identify much of what she is selling. Tempura and Lobster Crackers, V-Cut BBQ flavoured chips, and the ever popular cheese Piattos, form the bulk of the chips.

This photo has been badly captioned.
It is obviously not Luneta Park, which was half a Ermita block behind me. However, it is Mabini Street, taken from the 9th floor of Mabini Mansion, our place of choice for many early visits.

You didn't think I was possibly going to do a Manila post without including one of my beloved jeepneys did you?

What better way to travel between Baclaran and Divisoria.

The father-in-law's prize cock seemed a bit concerned by all the camera attention.

Divisoria I have covered in the past. It was a regular haunt on my earlier Philippine trips.

Some of the Asawa's family forest while on a Tagaytay day out.

Classic Philippines - A Kalesa at Ermita.

A Jolly Hotdog and two pieces of Chickenjoy thanks.

I don't make a habit of photographing taxi cabs, but when this one rolled up out front of Robinsons Ermita, I noticed it had the name of a godson.

The taxi driver was quite concerned about the sudden photographic interest.

Time to slip in another jeepney shot.

Because I can ;-)

Love that highly photographable Divisoria. 

Oh lookie, now we are on a jeepney.

These will be greatly missed should ever they go.

Grocery Shopping - More Fun In The Philippines.

During one very wet trip from Tutuban to Fairview, one's generous asawa suggested this spot as a good place to fulfill one's need for more jeepney and bus shots.

That it most certainly was.

Took quite a long time to identify where it was.

This was a much drier day, and we found ourselves on the rear of a jeepney from Ermita to Tutuban.
Here we are on Quintin Paredes Road, having just crossed the well known Jones Bridge (visible in background).

Ship 'Ho Mao' at Manila Port.
A bulk carrier, built in 1985, it was originally named the 'Clipper Maestro'. Later it carried the names Sungreen, hen Patria, before finally becoming the Ho Mao in March 2004.
However, that this name was only to be carried for a little more than a year after I got this shot, with it renamed 'Vimaru Ac' in November 2010.

The mammoth Asian King was in Manila port with a delivery of new, South Korean built, railcars for the Philippine National Railways.

The truck hauled each carriage to Tutuban for unloading.

After some fifteen minutes of rain, really torrential rain, the type Manila does so well, a small friend popped out to say hello.

Actually, the railway yard was quite flooded and there were quite a few coaxed from their hiding spot.

Information on the Philippine Toad.

A random back street situated behind the old Calamba station. While the houses/stores, at left, remain the same, all on the right has been completely changed as that ghastly modernization passed through.

Some fascinating houses, one including a barber shop business, in Magsaysay in San Pedro Laguna.
Probably far less busy nowadays, compared to the heyday of the railway that terminated right behind me. When the Carmona branch opened in the 70s, it had 13 return services a day. This had reduced to just one by the time of closure.
Not because it wasn't used, but mostly due to disinterest in providing a service back then. Oh, and a greedy landowner who started demanding money that nobody was willing to pay him.

Today, the street is just a quite, and largely unknown, backwater.

Of other interest, to me at least, is the small red car. We had them in Australia, where they were called the 'Ford Laser'. They are a rarity around here nowadays.

The Carriedo Fountain in Plaza Santa Cruz.

While it was built in honour of the 18th-century Captain General of Manila, Don Francisco Carriedo y Peredo, it is believed to be a replica of the original (which had already been in two different locations around Manila).

The original appears to still exist at the Balara Filters Park in Quezon City.
It is truly amazing what I am able to learn while doing these blog posts :-)

 The MRT3 Guadalupe Bridge, in beautiful downtown Mandaluyong, is something I often joke about. I like to kid people that it was designed by the same person who designed the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The road we are on is the incredibly busy EDSA, while underneath this road, next to the Pasig River, many people do not realise there was once a railway line.

The EDSA road bridge was built in 1979 and has a length of 114.44 metres between it's two abutments.

The MRT3 arch bridge came later, being part of the MRT3 system that opened in December 1999.

A report done in 2013 found that 220,000 vehicles crossed the bridge each day. One can only imagine what that would be in 2021 given the massive increase in vehicle ownership there.

Well there you go, the end of another random selection of Philippine shots of nearly no relating theme.
Have learnt a lot putting this all together, hope you have learnt something while reading it.
If not, better luck next time.