A Day in the Bay Area
by Patricia Quema
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Click. I stand on a concrete wall, looking down at the waters slapping into the jagged rocks below, turning into gray foam. The light breeze blows the hair away from my face. I notice a white, calachuchi flower floating in the water, following the slow lull of the waves. I hold the camera close to my eyes as I take a peek into the viewfinder, looking for the best angle to take a shot from. Realizing the clutter of rocks in the background, I play around with the different zoom levels of my lens in an attempt to make my subject more dominant in the picture. Keeping my finger half-pressed on the shutter button, I refocus on this flower - its smooth outline a lucid contrast to its rough surroundings. And finally, click.

Looking up, I squint at the sun, its glorious ball still high above the clouds. I glance at my watch, 4:15 pm. This meant that it was still a little early for the main attraction so I sat down and surveyed my surroundings. I notice several families in the distance, one with all three kids eating ice cream, I spot an old man taking a nap on the benches, a few foreigners taking pictures, and half a dozen couples holding hands. It was slowly transforming into a melting pot of different personalities, all gathering here, along the Manila Baywalk, to witness the famous Manila Bay sunset.

Ask anyone where in Manila would be the best place to view the sunset, and they would say, Manila Bay, as the sight of the setting sun over the sea never fails to put on a good show. The two-kilometer baywalk along Roxas Boulevard stretches from the US Embassy all the way past the Manila Yacht Club, to the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) – plenty of room to enjoy the view. There is a seawall that you can sit on, and a paved footpath lined with coconut trees where you can take a stroll while enjoying the view.

Seeing that I still had time to spare before the sun sets, I flicked on my camera to browse through the pictures that I had taken earlier in the day.

The first set of pictures was from Ocean Park, the first oceanarium in the country. Located behind the Quirino grandstand (at the Rizal Park) near Roxas Boulevard in Manila, it has been open since March 2008. There was a light rain when I went to check it out earlier, but that didn't hinder the hundreds of visitors going to the park. Looking through my camera's screen, I was reminded of the crowded waiting area, as the digital ticket monitor seemed to remain stuck at number 280 (my ticket number was 450). To kill time, I grabbed a cold drink from one of the many food and beverage stalls located within the perimeter of the park lobby. The park was still in its soft-opening phase, and that several developments were still ongoing, with plans to put up a hotel and marine-themed mall, outdoor pools, and an open marine habitat by mid-2009.

There are different exhibits located within the park which one can admire at your own pace. There is no tour guide as each part of the journey is pretty easy to follow. The first part was called Agos (flow), set in an open-air and rainforest atmosphere where the aquariums were housed among the rocks and plants. I particularly liked the waterfall that cascades into one of the aquariums. My next set of pictures showed close-ups of tropical fish and other marine life such as seahorses, gigantic king crab, live clams, and even shark eggs. They were all housed in several separate tanks housed in a dark room called Bahura (Reef). Seeing the huge lapu-lapu on my camera’s screen made me laugh as I had spent quite some time in front of their display, ogling at their size. The next photo marked the beginning of walking through the 25-meter underwater acrylic tunnel called Buhay na Karagatan (Live Ocean), a feature that the Manila Ocean Park proudly boasts of. It may be shorter than the one found at Singapore’s Sentosa Oceanarium, but the Manila version still gives you that feeling of being underwater and experiencing marine life up close. It was obvious I was more than a little trigger-happy with the manta rays that seemed to fly above me, over the tunnel arch, gliding through the water, all of which I found very hypnotic. Schools of fish with different colors and several types of coral and starfish can also be seen in the tunnel.

The next exhibits showed barracudas, various sharks, and an overhung tank in the ceiling. Going past these signals the end of the aquarium exhibits, as the second floor features activities that you can try for a fee. There’s a fish spa to soak your feet in while little doctor fish feed on the dead skin cells. They also offer a short, glass bottom boat ride that goes above the Buhay na Karagatan section.

It can take you an hour and a half to go through all the displays. While it was a good tour, it will surely be more satisfying when the entire facility is completed. Definitely an educational and fun activity that kids and families would enjoy.

Aside from the Manila Ocean Park, there is also another place that has a lot of activities comfortably fashioned under one roof. The SM Mall of Asia, one of the largest malls in the world, sits on a vast 19.5 hectares of reclaimed land by the bay. It is located west of Roxas Boulevard, with a part of the mall facing Manila bay. Here you can enjoy ice skating (they have an Olympic sized skating rink), visit the Science center, go shopping, play billiards or bowling, and even watch a movie in an Imax theater.

My most favorite thing to do at the Mall of Asia is not the shopping and entertainment, although there is little to complain about in that respect. For me, a visit to Taste Asia is a day’s highlight. A glorified dampa, it is here where you can have fresh seafood cooked just the way you like it. If you don't fancy availing of the cooking service, Taste Asia is also a one-stop haven for all the different types of cuisines, be it Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Indian, Korean, or Filipino. Each country’s unique cuisine is available from the many food stalls located side by side. This unique concept can only be found in two SM branches, the Mall of Asia and the SM Pasig mall.

Malls are already plentiful in Manila, and it can be stressful to go to one especially on a crowded weekend. So for those who prefer to get a dose of culture instead of a slice of commercial heaven, A drive further down the bay area will not disappoint.

Rizal Park is found at the northern end of Roxas Boulevard, overlooking Manila bay. The historical park is named after Dr. Jose Rizal, our national hero, who was executed there. The landmark to the park would be the famous Rizal monument, guarded by a 24-hour guard, and which can be easily spotted while driving along Roxas boulevard. Considered a haven for relaxation and family picnics, this park has become a popular local and tourist attraction. With parks a scarcity in Metro manila, a visit to the Chinese and Japanese gardens, the Orchidarium and Butterfly pavilion are a refreshing alternative to mall hopping. Visiting the museums, flying kites around a man-made lake with the Philippine archipelago in the middle, or playing chess with the old men at the chess plaza is a cheaper alternative for families looking for something other to do than mall-hopping. On weekends, free concerts can be enjoyed at the Quirino grandstand. Currently, ‘Ballet at the Park’ is being offered at the open-air auditorium.

Close to the park is another historical attraction – the walled city of Intramuros. Built by the Spaniards in the 1600s, this was used as a fortress and served as the center of religious, political, and military activities. Most of its structures and the high walls remain preserved, and several attractions are also worth visiting.

Both the Rizal Park and Intramuros are very photogenic places. Personally, if I just wasn’t craving for a bite of Taste Asia earlier today, I would have opted to take my camera around these two attractions instead, for not only do they provide inexpensive recreation, but also because they serve as reminders of the Philippines’ rich history.

I am slowly brought back to reality by the growing noise from the crowd, which causes me to shut off my camera and direct my attention to the scene behind me. I slowly look around to check what everyone was looking at, and to my awe, the entire sky had transformed into a colorful backdrop of golden and bluish hues. The minutes tick by. The sun sinks lower and lower and it sets the sky in another canvas of colors, now a golden orange with tints of deep purple. At the center of it all - the orange red ball slowly slipping into the horizon. Its color moves something in me, and my mind tells me one thing - remember. So I flick open my camera one last time, and seeing such beauty from the lens of my camera, I boldly try to capture this moment, freezing this frame for all its glory. A little adjustment of the lens, and, click. A quick preview of my shot elicits a smile.

Finally, I thought, my own piece of Manila sunset, one that can be called proudly, and uniquely mine.

Travel Notes
Manila Ocean Park is located behind the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
(63 2) 567 7777
www.manilaoceanpark.com 





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