Between the Most Worshiful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines (established 1912) and the Scottish Rite Freemasonry Temple (established 1910) ) is 538 years of history condensed in a 950-meter stretch of sidewalk vendors, jeepney terminals and a horde of pedestrians that have no idea about what is immortalized in a marker for the Asociacion Feminista Filipina (established 1905), the story behind the National Cathedral of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (established 1902), the aspiration of the Philippine Women's University (established 1928), and that Pedro Gil aside from being an LRT Station is in fact a reknowned Filipino legislator while [Francisco] Carriedo, the gateway to Quiapo and Dong Camera Repair Shop, is a galleon ship captain.
Carriedo of course is also an entry point to the Binondo-Sta. Cruz area where 6 of Manila's 12 boldest restaurants are still operating including Los Ambos Mundos (established 1888) that I first heard from a waiter of the New Toho Food Center (established 1866) and where Kuya Edong actually took me to lunch once upon a time in Recto.
I was tempted to try its famous Ambos Paella from what I presume is their Comida Mestiza but it was too much for one person so I settled for a set meal of fried rice, lomien, lumpiang shanghai and chop suey which is the probable representation of its Comida China, a late lunch worthy of the long walk from the Dong Camera Repair Shop in Quiapo, and a fitting entree to a late dinner of steamed Kingfish and liquid rice at the more recent Mei Sum Tea House along Ongpin.
Binondo for me is a striptease that bares a bit of its soul in every visit and this time, it finally relented to see for myself the crumbling shell of a panciteria where rebellious students met in Chapter 25 of the El Filibusterismo:
Some 240 meters away is an old neglected house in Urbiztondo where a historical marker said Gen. Antonio Luna was born in 1866 while 350 meters farther in Elcano corner Lavezares is what might be the oldest extant house in Binondo (circa late 1700s or early 1800s) which is 230 meters to Elcano corner Recto where the Katipunan was founded in 1892.
And then a breakfast of pork asado lechon, kiampong fried rice and egg adobo at Chuan Kee (established 1940) which claims to Binondo's oldest turo-turo.
I could have chased all the ghosts of Binondo in one day if I had a bike but then, Ariel Guieb Tanguilig prefer the rugged biking trails of Nueva Ecija where we finally stepped down from our DD duties after a gluttonous carnivore lunch at Yakimix.
Carriedo of course is also an entry point to the Binondo-Sta. Cruz area where 6 of Manila's 12 boldest restaurants are still operating including Los Ambos Mundos (established 1888) that I first heard from a waiter of the New Toho Food Center (established 1866) and where Kuya Edong actually took me to lunch once upon a time in Recto.
I was tempted to try its famous Ambos Paella from what I presume is their Comida Mestiza but it was too much for one person so I settled for a set meal of fried rice, lomien, lumpiang shanghai and chop suey which is the probable representation of its Comida China, a late lunch worthy of the long walk from the Dong Camera Repair Shop in Quiapo, and a fitting entree to a late dinner of steamed Kingfish and liquid rice at the more recent Mei Sum Tea House along Ongpin.
Binondo for me is a striptease that bares a bit of its soul in every visit and this time, it finally relented to see for myself the crumbling shell of a panciteria where rebellious students met in Chapter 25 of the El Filibusterismo:
"Idinaos ang piging ng mga estudyante sa Panciteria Macanista de Buen Gusto. Labing–apat sila kasama si Basilio....
Iniaalay nila ang Pansit lanlang kay Don Custodio. Ang mga buto buto naman ng sopas ay para sa panukala ni Don Custodio sapagkat kahit mga buto lang ay kayang gumawa ni Don Custodio ng ibang bagay. Ang Lumpia naman ay para kay Padre Irene tinatawag din nila itong lumpiang intsik. Ang hipon at tortang alimasag ay para sa kura tinatawag nila itong tortang alimango. Ang pansit gisado ay para sa bayan at sa pamahalaan dahil ginigisa raw ang pamahalaan ng sariling bansa..."
Some 240 meters away is an old neglected house in Urbiztondo where a historical marker said Gen. Antonio Luna was born in 1866 while 350 meters farther in Elcano corner Lavezares is what might be the oldest extant house in Binondo (circa late 1700s or early 1800s) which is 230 meters to Elcano corner Recto where the Katipunan was founded in 1892.
And then a breakfast of pork asado lechon, kiampong fried rice and egg adobo at Chuan Kee (established 1940) which claims to Binondo's oldest turo-turo.
I could have chased all the ghosts of Binondo in one day if I had a bike but then, Ariel Guieb Tanguilig prefer the rugged biking trails of Nueva Ecija where we finally stepped down from our DD duties after a gluttonous carnivore lunch at Yakimix.
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