Escolta Trippings and Ramblings

note: this and the next five entries were previously posted in my other blog.

Escolta is the second leg of my Self-Get-To-Know-Manila tour.

Ever since I joined Ivan's Binondo tour, I have been interested in Manila's history all the more. Escolta was an optional part of the Binondo tour but as it would take us another hour and it was already late, most of the people (including me) in the tour opted not to go there anymore.

Now, I am not all that well-versed in Escolta's history; what I actually wanted to see there were the pre-war structures. But from what I've heard from Ivan and Carlos, Escolta was once the main business hub of Manila, the Ayala Avenue during the Spanish and American colonizations until it was destroyed in World War II. If I remember correctly, the exodus of the businesses from the Escolta to Makati began in the early 60's.

Two Fridays ago (September 15) I had the opportunity to go there as my boss was kind enough to give me and my coworkers a day off. And as I had no plans of staying in the house on that day, I decided to pull my mum along with me to that oh-so-enchanting/alluring stretch of ancient cement. So, alighting from the LRT2 in Recto on that hot, summer-ish day, we went on to the bridge and down to Avenida Rizal. The baby-boomer in my mum lamented that this wasn't the Avenida Rizal she went to in the 60's, when everything was still clean and not so crowded. I didn't notice much of Avenida Rizal as I was looking forward to getting to Escolta, but I do remember seeing some interesting old buildings as well as theatres that have obviously seen better days. I was enjoying myself, though. At one point I wanted to enter an abandoned building that's now occupied by some vagrants but was restrained by the baby-boomer. Anyhow, my mum told me some stories that in the olden times, she used to pass along Avenida Rizal with some friends and watch a movie in one of the theatres there or buy a pair of shoes in Carriedo and whatnot.

No sooner than when we got to Plaza Lacson did I restrain myself from screaming out loud. Just on the other side of the plaza lay the Escolta, and from the plaza I first saw the Prudential Bank Building. It was oh, so, impressive. It was all I could do to keep myself from running towards Escolta and absorbing everything in sight. I really wanted to scream like I did when my bro and I drove under Binondo's friendship arch, but then I was not in a car going to Escolta; I was walking with my mum, holding a cup of iced tea whose ice has already melted, on a street that's full of people.

Except for a few cars and trucks passing by, Escolta was pretty quiet at the time. My mum took me first to Calvo Building where there is a small museum. I don't remember seeing that, but in the hallway, there are framed old newspaper clippings, pictures and blueprints of the building dating back from when it was erected in 1933. At the end of the hallway there is a gateway leading to the promenade of Pasig River. That's a picture-perfect scene as it is directly across from the Post Office. Of course, that won't be complete without us going to the top floor by the elevator. The elevator was certainly old, with both doors operated manually. The doors of every floor leading to the elevator are operated with a lever, while the door of the elevator itself is this kind of sliding gate. The hallways of Calvo building are dimly lit, with high ceilings that only a person on a really high ladder could touch it. My mum and I went down the stairs, thinking of all the people from before the war who walked on these very same steps. We checked out each floor even though we know that each floor looks the same. The doorways to each office are really wide and the walls are made out of wood.

After the Calvo Building, we went on to the promenade. It was such a sight to behold, especially with the Post Office just across the Pasig River. Standing smack across it, the Jones Bridge was to my right while the Sta. Cruz Bridge was on the left. I could also see the FEATI with the words "Look up, young man, look up!" painted on it. The walk along the promenade was nice though it was hot and there were some vagrants lying around. Fortunately no one bothered us. We made a turn back to Escolta and this time, we went to the Perez-Samanillo Building.

In contrast to Calvo Building's dim and low lobby/hallway, the lobby of Perez-Samanillo Building is bright and airy. There are two heavy looking bowl-type chandeliers as well. I noticed that I was standing directy under one while waiting for the elevator and immediately thought about how would it feel if it broke off from the ceiling and landed on me. The elevator is also the same as in Calvo's, but with the exception of the floor indicators (i'm not exactly sure of the exact term). In Calvo Building, each floor the elevator is on is indicated in lighted numbers, whereas in Samanillo Building each floor is indicated with this clock-type hand which moves every time the elevator goes to another floor. I remember that there are some elevators in Grand Central Station in New York City like this one. My older brother and I even got stuck for a bit in one of them.

The last building that we entered is the Regina Building. This one is more modern-looking than the other two, but the difference is that the hallways are wide and bright with, of course, the high ceilings. As usual, we went up to the top floor by the elevator and went down by stairs, but this time only down to the fourth floor as our legs were already killing us.

All in all, this trip to Escolta is very enjoyable; I did not even feel the ache in my legs even when we rode the LRT. It's just unfortunate that I didn't have a camera along with me for this trip; otherwise I would have posted some pictures here. But when another opportunity comes along, I'll make sure to bring a camera even if it's not digital hehehe.

Also, this made me more aware of the sad plight old buildings in Manila are in; it's either they are just abandoned and left to rot or worse, torn down to make one more shopping mall that we don't really need anymore (look at Paco Train Station! what in the world did they do there?!). Those buildings that have survived the war should be taken care of by those in office; they are the only reminders that we have left of our heritage and if they're gone, how are the next generation going to learn about Manila's history, right? Pictures are nice, yes, but there's nothing like the real thing.