National Museum of the Philippines and National Museum of the Filipino People

It was Daryl's first time in the Philippines and I wanted to introduce to him the history and culture of my country of origin. So I brought him first to Luneta or Rizal Park in Manila where the National Museum and National Museum of the Filipino People are located.

We started our tour at the eastern part of Luneta Park. We went to the park after lunch time so we'll have enough energy to stroll at the park and the two museums. By the time we're done touring the whole park, it will be sunset. The best place to watch the sunset is in Manila Bay, behind the Quirino Grand Stand. It's at the west end of the park.

The National Museum of the Philippines is right at the middle part of the park. It's in Agrifina Circle. The building was the old congress building. Next to it is the former Finance building that houses the National Museum of the Filipino People.

We dedicated more time in the museum because we want to appreciate all that's in it. The National Museum is the repository of the country's cultural, historical and natural heritage. You'll see original paintings of F. R. Hidalgo, Juan Luna and other Filipino artists. You'll also find sculptures, antiques and artifacts from hundreds of years ago dating back to 1250 A.D.

We're standing by the replica of a house of native Filipinos who live in the mountains.

The National Museum of the Filipino People is somewhat unexpected. This is one place that you don't want to miss. It's the grandest museum I've ever been in the Philippines. It houses a very rich cultural and historical artifacts and exhibits. The contents of this place indeed reflect the history of the Philippines and the Filipino culture.

We started at the top floor. There are elevators and stairs that you can use. The place is big and we literally got lost. There are actually signs that will guide you. It was just underconstruction that time. We saw some students on an excursion. We went in a big room that's supposed to be a theatre and we watched a film about the Philippines past, present and future.

We didn't finish the film because I was so excited to see all the displays in the museum. It was like eye candy for me. We saw "a lot" of treasures, artifacts and even the wreck of a 15th century Spanish galleon, Santiago. There were different environments that showcase the different lifestyle of Filipinos throughout the history. There is also one place there that's futuristic.

The last part that we visited was the Museum store. We bought some souvenirs for Daryl to bring home. We thought it would be a good Christmas gift to his family of origin.

The souvenirs we bought from the Museum store.

We bought these souvenirs from Landmark in Makati.

Truthfully, it's the best place to reconnect to your country of birth and instill the sense of Filipino pride and nationalism to your children.

Enchanted Kingdom Manila, Philippines

Enchanted Kingdom is one of the biggest amusement park in the Philippines. It's in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Just south of Manila.

The theme park is very accessible via South Luzon Expressway. You can drive there or you can ride a shuttle bus exclusively provided by Enchanted Kingdom. The shuttle service pick up and drop off point is at Ayala Center in Makati City.

I've been to Enchanted Kingdom three times. The first time I went there was in a company outing. We had kids with us. I brought my little brother with me. We had a private vehicle. We ate lunch in the van. Food and drinks are not allowed to be brought in the park. It was also the first time I had beef stroganoff.

The second time was with Daryl. We chose to use the shuttle service. Daryl's just not used to driving in Manila considering the driving habits of the locals. We had a great time. The theme park isn't just for kids. There are plenty of activities for children and adults.

Daryl and I had lunch first in Glorieta Mall before we boarded the shuttle. The shuttle bus is very convenient and safe. The ride was about 35 to 45 minutes.

I bought the ticket in advance at Enchanted Kingdom's Makati Sales Office. You can purchase tickets at the Park Ticket Booth. Tickets are also available in other venues like Ticketworld outlets in Ayala Center, Robinsons Department Store, National Bookstore or online at ticketworld.com.ph . Park maps are available at the entrance. You can go out and come back in the park if you have your arm stamped.

The park has different zones or themes. It has the Victoria Park, Portabello, Booklyn Place, Spaceport, Jungle Outpost, Midway Boradwalk and Boulderville. We've been to all of them.

We started at Victoria Park. We rode the Grand Carousel. We had fun! And we met Wizard, the park's mascot somewhere else. Then we went to Portabello. We rode the Flying Fiesta. It's the giant swing. After that we went to Rio Grande. It's a wet and wild ride. The line was long but it was worth it. We we're lucky enough to be seated in the part of the ride where we didn't got totally wet. But, we had to change our shirt because it was soaked. So it's up to you if you want to bring an extra shirt or get one at the souvenir shop, which we did.



This was taken later after our tour. The lights that silhouette the entrance of Rio Grande added attraction so we had to take another picture.

After drying up, we headed to Brooklyn Place. We went in the theatre called Rialto. Then outside, we watched the dancers in cobblestone street. The next stop was the Spaceport. We didn't take any rides. We just took a break and had snacks. Then we went on to the Jungle Outpost where we had a relaxing ride at the Swan Lake. We didn't leave the zone without going to the Jungle Log Jam. That's our other favorite aside from Rio Grande. You have the option to purchase your photo taken during a big splash at the Jungle Shop.


Taken with the tribal dancers roaming at the Jungle Outpost.

Next stop was the Midway Boardwalk. As you can see Daryl was having fun at the Bump N Splash. We also rode the ferris wheel called the Wheel of Fate and the balloon ride called Up, Up & Away. The last zone was the Boulderville. It was already dark and most of the rides are for kids so we just took some pictures.

In between our tours, we visited different stores and different attractions. We started after lunch and finished around 8 pm. We also had time to watch the concert and other performances but we didn't stay for the fireworks.

With the dancers at Victoria Park.

When we got to the starting point at Victoria Park, the dancers in Victorian era costumes were performing. It was elegant. We stayed for a bit. We sat to relax and waited for the bus. We got another chance to take a picture of the facade of Enchanted Kingdom. Then we went back to the hotel.

The third time was when I went with my two girlfriends. We had a blast. They made me ride the Anchor's Away and the 11-storey high roller coaster at Spaceport. They were both brave and I'm glad I got to try those rides.

Next time, we're coming back to Enchanted Kingdom with our own kids!

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Need Souvenirs or more information? Visit our Philippines Store. Buy Philippine Products.

For more information, visit Enchanted Kingdom's website.

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Harbor View Restaurant in Manila Philippines

Harbor View Restaurant in Manila is one of the floating restaurants in Manila Bay. It's actually attached to the jetty. It's located at the South Gate of Rizal Park, close to the Grand Stand and between US Embassy and Manila Hotel.

I love this place especially at night where it gets really romantic with music and lights. At daytime, the view of Manila Bay is breathtaking. Aside from good food, the breeze and the ambiance made it more relaxing and enjoyable to eat.

After Daryl and I tour the whole Luneta Park, we decided to have dinner at Harbor View. I actually wanted him to taste a Filipino delicacy that they serve. It's called kare-kare. It's like a meat stew with vegetables cooked in peanut sauce. It's not spicy like Thailand's peanut sauce. It's actually a little bland and best eaten with shrimp paste and hot rice. Shrimp paste or bagoong is salty.

The restaurant serves fresh seafood. You can choose them from the aquarium and have it cooked. They also serve fruit juices.

One interesting attraction in the restaurant is the Hall of Fame. It's where you'll find the pictures of local and foreign celebrities and politicians who have visited the restaurant.

Too bad they don't have a copy of mine!

Luneta Park also known as Rizal Park in Manila, Philippines

If you are new to the Philippines and you want to know more about the history and the culture, the best place to start is at Luneta Park also known as Rizal Park. It is located in Manila.

Luneta Park is surrounded by interesting places like museums, restaurants, hotels, Manila Bay (part of the Pacific Ocean), national library, universities, government offices, golf course and the United States Embassy.

Luneta Park is one of the most famous landmarks in the Philippines. It is the location of the statue and mausoleum of the National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal.

The park covers a larger area that's shaped like a half moon called "lunette" thus the name Luneta. You can start on either end. If you'll start at the eastern end (through Taft Avenue), you will see the man-made lake with the replica of the Philippine archipelago. On the western end (through Roxas Boulevard, by the US embassy), you'll see the statue of Rizal on the right and Quirino Stadium on the left. It is where the parking spaces are available. Either way, you can take your time to tour the park by foot and or by horse ride.

In this picture, behind Daryl is the statue of Rizal. It is located at the center of the park. It's being guarded by honor guards 24/7. The guards don't move.

We started at the man-made lake. We walked through the skating rink, the fountain with lights, the Japanese and Chinese Garden, the Orchidarium, the Statue of Rizal, the Qurino Grand Stand upto the Boardwalk.

The best time to go to Luneta Park is in the afternoon so you can catch the beautiful Manila sunset. But if you want to see the Museum of the Philippine People, you can start in the morning. That's what we did.

We had ample time before sunset so we took a ride in a horse-drawn caleza and tour part of Intramuros (the Walled City). The fee for the ride should be at least Php 250.00 or about $5.

We almost missed the sunset because of the tour so it's important to have enough time. You can also inform the caleza driver.




This picture was taken almost close to sunset when I haven't thought of blogging it. Next time we visit Manila, I'll get a real beautiful picture. The sunset is usually around 6PM. To view the weather forecast in the Philippines, you can visit PAGASA website.


We ended the day with a delicious dinner at a floating restaurant that I'll blog about next time.


You can also view the whole park through the wiki-map. Zoom it up and pan the map North East and South West.

About

I've created this blog to feature all our trips all over the Philippines in different occasions. This is a documentation that I dedicate for tourists like you and for all Filipinos who are now living abroad.

This is a legacy that will remind my kids of their heritage. Also, this is a way for them to appreciate how beautiful the Philippines really is!

Hope this will give everyone helpful information from our firsthand experience.

There are two things that you should always remember when you're on a trip:

1. Think safety first.
2. Don't rush to cover everything. Enjoy the moment. After all, it's called a vacation!

Have a safe trip!


* Please note that the pictures posted are our own and therefore copyright law applies. But if you wish to purchase a copy, just send me a message.

Thank you!


Jane