While it is true that Intramuros is known as the “Little Vatican” because of the presence before of 7 churches in the Walled City and the fact that it is until now the seat of Roman Catholicism in Manila, and perhaps the country as well, this entry would not be about any of these churches. The “Roma” here would refer to the plaza, Plaza Roma, considered to be the “plaza mayor” or the main plaza of the city in the olden times.
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The SkyDeck at Bayleaf Hotel
Despite being a popular tourist destination, it’s interesting to note that there are only a few hotels, well 2 to be precise, operating in Intramuros itself. Make no mistake though, these hotels have their own unique charms that make them stand out. I wrote about one of them in a previous entry which operate an electric chariot tour. And there’s the “new kid in town,” so to speak, called The Bayleaf. Opened in November 2011, The Bayleaf was named after the other name for the laurel, which is a nameplay as well to the Laurel family who own and operate this hotel along with the nearby Lyceum of the Philippines…
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Roamer’s Roundup: 3rd issue
It’s been a while but with some interesting developments going around the metropolis during the past few months, this merits a new edition of our Roamer’s Roundup! ======================= Here’s some good news first to start things off. Heeding the petition of thousands spearheaded by the conductor of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra Olivier Ochanine, the Philamlife Auditorium is headed to get a new lease of life under new ownership which is that of the SM group’s SMDC which has plans of building another one of those residential projects there. In a statement released by SMDC, they said, “Although the development plan is still in its initial stage, SMDC stressed that the…
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Of eggs and nuns: the Real Monasterio de Santa Clara
The rainy season is upon us and it would be inevitable to see some pious Catholics make their way to this particular corner near the intersection of Aurora Boulevard and Katipunan Avenue (part of the C-5 road network) Considering the area’s proximity to the commercial districts of Eastwood City and Cubao, not to mention the educational-commercial “district” of Katipunan Avenue, it is surprising that the place itself is a quiet neighborhood…quiet enough for a monastery like the Real Monasterio de Sta. Clara de Manila to be there. But this one is not just any monastery where devout Catholics go to pray for good weather or some other intercession, It is a…