Divisoria / Tutuban

 

Divisoria, and the Tutuban Mall, is another of those locations that don't rate high on the tourism lists, but carry a great appeal for me.

For women, the area is a shopping mecca, tonnes of cheap clothes, kitchenware, produce, electrical goods, toys and just about anything else you can imagine, probably a few things you can't.

All the photos appearing in this blog entry were taken in the area of the above map.
The green square marks Tutuban Mall, the original Tutuban railway station.

Divisoria, a Spanish term meaning divide or division, is the busy commercial centre between Tondo and Binondo.

A lot more historical information can be found here on Wikipedia. How much of it is correct.......well...

Love this shot of the old Jeepney. Gives a feeling of the image being taken earlier than it actually was.

So much happy.

I really have no idea what a lot of the items being sold actually were.
But for most things, the competition was quite fierce, with many seemingly waiting ages before a customer came along.

Tutuban Mall (former railway station).
We are lucky that, despite the heritage vandalism that went on converting the location to a mall, the magnificent front entrance has been retained.
It is a fine example of early railway architecture, and well worth a visit just to have a bit of a look.
 Security guards here can have a wide variety of attitudes. For most visits, they have just gone about their duties. Though on one occasion, one tried to stop me photographing from the public road outside, well outside his mall jurisdiction. 

Below: another look at the fine brickwork of the original Tutuban railway station. There is often talk of the mall being redeveloped into a railway hub, something we can only pray will happen.

People walking around the mall would likely notice all the dark green Iron Corinthian poles that abound.
More than just a nice decoration, these were all used on the platforms of the original station, further adding to the heritage value of the location.

These walls were built to last forever.

Below are some of the huge amount of vendors to be found in the Tutuban Mall.
The bottom shot being two I regularly went in to Tutuban to see. Alas, they had gone by the time of my more recent trips :-( 

Actual photographer of above photo was David Xuereb.

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Where Cabbies Fear To Tread Apparently.

 

The two former Sydney Lady-class ferries, HERRON and NORTHCOTT, have become one of Newcastle City's newest tourist attractions. Well, at least for those of us who have an interest in such things.

The two ferries, which have been in storage since their 'very unpopular' removal from service back in 2017, are sitting around Newcastle.

There has been a number of rumours about their future, but it is believed they are being prepared for sale, thus destroying the dream many have to see them return to use in Sydney, where they belong.

 They were the last double ended inner-harbour ferries in Sydney. The Manly run still utilises the double ended Freshwater class, but the government is trying to rid us of those magnificent vessels as well. I am sure they will, yet again, totally ignore the wishes of Sydney residents, and replace them with totally inadequate twin-hull vessels.

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Carrington Bridge

Sydney's much missed ladies.
LADY HERRON and LADY NORTHCOTT await what the future has in store for them.
If they can't return to Sydney, we can only hope that they go on to a long productive life with a new owner.

LADY HERRON - Built 1979 - Carrington Slipways

LADY NORTHCOTT - Built 1974 - State Dockyard

As you can see, both also have a very historic connection to the Newcastle area.

HMAS LARRAKIA

Commissioned in 2006 - Home port is Darwin.

HUNTER is one of the two local ferries that serve the short service from Newcastle City to Stockton.
Like the LADY HERRON, HUNTER was built at the Carrington Slipways (1986).

It is not easy getting photos of the Sydney and Newcastle ferries in the one shot, this angle from Carrington Bridge being about the best that can be easily achieved.

 OCEAN RECOVERY
Built in 1979 as an oil rig support vessel in the North Sea, she would later go on to serve in the 'New Zealand Navy' (HMNZS Manawanui).

Major Projects Foundation purchased her in 2018 for use as a research vessel. She was officially named OCEAN RECOVERY in 2019.

Tarana at Wickham.

SHORTLAND is the other local Newcastle ferry.

Also built at Carrington Slipways in 1986.

San Antone II
A fishing vessel, built in 1988, that was apparently based up on the Sunshine Coast (Queensland), but put up for sale at $1,500,000.
Not sure why she was in Newcastle, maybe a new owner.

The following is from heritage signage near the wharves.

The Submarine.
KOOLEEN was a unique member of the Sydney Harbour ferry fleet. Built by the State Dockyard in 1956, she operated until 1985 and was subsequently sold for use as a houseboat.
Regretfully, she would sink a number of times, before the final sinking saw her cut up on site in 2006.
Yet another bit of Sydney Harbour history lost.

Totally irrelevant to the Throsby Creek theme.
A couple of shots from ferry SHORTLAND and one of an old pub at Wickham.

Sticky Rice Thai in, what looked to be, a local pub.
I asked well known local historian Ed Tonks, who thinks it was likely the 'British Grenadiers Hotel', which last appeared in license records back in 1886.

Thanks to Jason Anthony, Brad Coulter, Ed Tonks 

and Tin Tin.

Visit my Semi-Retired Foamer Transportation Blog.

Ermita

Hello, and welcome to the latest thrilling installment in my travel blog.

This time we look at Ermita, a location that is quite special for me, as it is where my 20 year 

Philippine story begun.
A usual accommodation of choice is the Mabini Mansion, which is located on, not surprisingly really, Mabini Street. It is located quite close to transport, the lovely Luneta Park (often called Rizal Park) and many places to stuff your face with food.

Above: Luneta Park from Mabini Mansion.
Behind the park is the somewhat fancy Manila Hotel and, to the left of that, can be seen the funnel of the former MS PHILIPPINES floating hotel and restaurant (see below). Beyond that is the port of Manila. 

A closer view of the ship (not the asawa) MS PHILIPPINES.
Built in 1951 as a luxury ship for 'Italian Line' where she was used between Italy and the USA. She wwas later sold to Hong Kong, where it operated under a number of names before again being sold to the Manila Hotel in 1999.

Again being renamed, MS PHILIPPINES, she became a floating hotel and restaurant.
In 2011 she was sold for scrapping, this being carried out in India during 2012. Today nothing exists of her.

One of the hundreds of families that enjoy the lovely Luneta Park.

Rizal Monument, built to commemorate the executed Filipino nationalist, José Rizal.
Rizal's remains are interred in the stone base, the monument being located around 100 metres from where he was executed.

Many a vendor can be found around Luneta Park.

A jeepney can be seen driving down a strangely quiet Mabini Street.
Taken from level 9 of the Mabini Mansion.

A statue of someone whom the identity of 

escapes me right now.

Apolinario Mabini - First President of the Philippines.

Wikipedia has his fascinating story.

A curious local kid wanting to know what the big guy with the camera was doing :-)
One of those split second photograph decisions that become one of your favourites.

Another example :-)

People doing something. That's about the best I can do with this caption.

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Ermita is (well, was, should the government get their way and remove them) paradise for the jeepney fan like myself. 

Many hours were spent photographing the 

'King Of The Road'

Someone selling her wares to people awaiting their respective jeepneys.

Thats it for Ermita - Luneta Park.

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Was playing Monopoly yesterday on a U2 themed board.

It was really hard as ‘The Streets Have No Name’ 🙂