Cathedral, Manila
Manila consists of several distinct districts, each with its own peculiarities. That part of the city within the walls is the oldest part, and is called “Intramuros” (In-trä-mu′-rōs), or the walled city. Here the streets are narrow and the houses are of the old Spanish style, closely walled, with barred windows below, the second floor extending a short distance out over the sidewalk. The oldest churches are to be found within the walled city, and here also are the great cathedral and the government offices.
The wall, built about 1590 for defense against invaders, is very suggestive of the time of knights in armor; the moat that formerly surrounded the wall has been drained for sanitary reasons, but the old bridges and gates are still used, and a few Spanish cannon can be seen still mounted on the battlements. Of course masonry built in the sixteenth century would offer small resistance to the guns of the present day, but the fortifications are allowed to remain as interesting reminders of the times that are gone.
Just outside of the walled city is the Luneta (Lu-nĕ′-tȧ), a beautiful driveway and park at the bay’s edge, where the people of Manila walk or drive in the evening. Here they may enjoy the cool breezes from the sea and listen to the band concerts, which are given several times each week. The electric cars pass the Luneta, and excellent drives leading to it from various directions make it easy for all to enjoy this public park.
The Luneta
The districts of Ermita (Ẽr-mï′-tä) and Malate (Mȧ-lä′-te) are occupied chiefly by residences, while Binondo (Bĭ-nŏn′-dō) is the business section of Manila. Here may be found business houses of all sorts,—American soda fountains, Spanish clothiers, English bankers, French restaurants, and Japanese curio dealers, with a miscellaneous collection of Filipinos, Chinese, and other races who make a living by trade.
Francisco found much to occupy his time during the month he had for sightseeing. He visited not only the points of interest in Manila, but made excursions to near-by places,—to Fort McKinley, where the United States troops are quartered, for a railroad trip on the Manila and Dagupan (Dȧ-gu′-pȧn) railroad (Francisco’s first railroad experience), and up the Pasig River by motor boat,—all of them delightful and interesting to him.
