DIAMONDS ON THE SOLES OF HER SHOES

(a-wa) o kodwa u zo-nge li-sa namhlange

(a-wa a-wa) si-bona kwenze ka kanjani

(a-wa a-wa) amanto mbazane ayeza

She’s a rich girl

She don’t try to hide it

Diamonds on the soles of her shoes

He's a poor boy
Empty as a pocket
Empty as a pocket with nothing to lose
Sing ta na na
Ta na na
She got diamonds on the soles of her shoes
She got diamonds on the soles of her shoes
Diamonds on the soles of her shoes
Diamonds on the soles of her shoes

People say she’s crazy

She got diamonds on the soles of her shoes

Well that’s one way to lose these

Walking blues

Diamonds on the soles of her shoes

She was physically forgotten

Then she slipped into my pocket

With my car keys

She said you’ve taken me for granted

Because I please you

Wearing these diamonds

And I could say oo oo oo

As if everybody knows

What I’m talking about

As if everybody would know

Exactly what I was talking about

Talking about diamonds on the soles of her shoes

She makes the sign of a teaspoon

He makes the sign of a wave

The poor boy changes clothes

And puts on after-shave

To compensate for his ordinary shoes

And she said honey take me dancing

But they ended up by sleeping

In a doorway

By the bodegas and the lights on

Upper broadway

Wearing diamonds on the soles of their shoes

And I could say oo oo oo

As if everybody here would know

What I was talking about

I mean everybody here would know exactly

What I was talking about

Talking about diamonds

People say I’m crazy

I got diamonds on the soles of my shoes

Well that’s one way to lose

These walking blues

Diamonds on the soles of your shoes
--- (Paul Simon)

Dedication

The memory of that wonderful dinner will linger long. The precious gift of old Manila pen-and-ink illustrations by Felipe V. Adriano, Jr. will be cherished. It was the time of my life with a Diamond Class flikrista with whom I claim affinity for the common subjects we try to capture with our lenses. I am honored and grateful. May I reciprocate by dedicating to her several of my photos of existing old Manila churches. It’s not much of a diamond but it comes from the heart.

PACO CHURCH, MANILA. The Franciscans built the first parochial buildings of light materials in 1580 that was probably rebuilt with stronger materials in 1599 by Fr. Juan de Garrovillas (OFM). This was burned down during the Chinese uprising of 1603, rebuilt, burned down again by the invading British in 1762, and replaced with a temporary structure in 1791. Fr. Joaquin Segui (OFM) who built a stone convent in 1793 probably built another church. A new stone church was started to be built by Fr. Bernardo dela Concepcion (OFM) in 1809 while Fr. Miguel Richar (OFM) added a bell tower in 1839. The church was probably damaged during the 1852 earthquake, repaired, then destroyed during another earthquake in 1880. Fr. Gilberto Martin started rebuilding the church in 1881 that was partly destroyed by a typhoon in 1892 before being completed 1896. This was razed during the Filipino-American War and, in 1909, a temporary church was built beside the ruins of the old one by the Belgian missionary Fr. Raymundo Esquinet of the Congregatio Immaculatie Cordis Mariae (CICM). The present church was started to be built by Fr. Godofredo Aldenhuijsen (CICM) in 1931 based on the proposal of Fr. Jose Billie (CICM). It was damaged during World War II and repaired in 1948.

SAN MIGUEL, MANILA. The Jesuits probably built the first parochial structures during their administration of the San Miguel ecclesiastical district in 1603 until 1768. The Franciscans took over the mission in 1777 and in 1835, Fr. Esteban Mena (OFM) was reported to have started building a church. Fr. Francisco Febres (OFM) made repairs and improvements after the 1852 earthquake. The church was destroyed during the 1880 earthquake and rebuilt by Fr. Emilio Gago (OFM) in 1886. It was rebuilt IN 1913 through the patronage of the Roxas clan and was sedignated by Msgr. Michael O’Doherty as a Pro-cathedral of the Archdiocese of Manila after it was inaugurated in 1913.



SAN JUAN DEL MONTE, SAN JUAN. The Dominicans built the first parochial buildings in 1602 that were razed during the 1639 Chinese revolt. These were rebuilt in 1641, razed during the British invasion of 1763, and rebuilt again in 1774. The city of San Juan is unofficially the "Town of Philippine Presidents" having had 5 Filipino presidents as residents namely Diosdado Macapagal and his unpopular daughter Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Ferdinand Marcos, Joseph Estrada, and Elpidio Quirino.