You are probably annoyed with the series of same story posts but I am not yet done and this is my blog anyway, so you could just click on the close button if you like. hahahaha. However, if you are bored enough to actually like to read the preceding posts you may do that, too, I’ve made it easier for you:
>> The Final Set: The Second Eraserheads Reunion Concert
>> The Final Set: The Second Eraserheads Reunion Concert (To The Airport)
>> The Final Set: The Second Eraserheads Reunion Concert (At the Diamond Hotel)
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So anyway, after we finally settled ourselves into our hotel suite, took a shower, changed clothes and had a full stomach, my brother and I decided to take a tour around the city, while the concert was still around 6 to 7 hours away. You won’t be seeing much here, I guess, just some places around Manila (with my face apparently) but I hope you get to enjoy it the way I did (and the way I do now while reminiscing our adventure). 
Pedro Gil Street, just right outside the hotel. The start of our walking expedition around Manila. It was here that a carromata driver offered us a ride (not free, unfortunately) — if I had money that time I would have took it even if it was dollar priced (translate: TOO EXPENSIVE), I wanted it for the experience. However, we did not have that resource at that time.
Baywalk (or is it Baywalk? I think so, since it’s next to Manila Bay)
Right across the Luneta Park with the national *animal* (it sounds weird in English. hahahahha) – the Kalabaw/Carabao/”Water Buffalo”.
Here with the Y101 banner the station gave us – so that they could say the station got to Manila. Hooray!
My brother and the big clock. Still at the same place, just in front of the Kalabaw.
The Kalabaw under the blistering heat. The picture look kinda nice for a moment there.
The Luneta Park (then Bagumbayan), where the Philippine national hero (and renaissance man) Jose Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda, was shot on December 30, 1986. [hey, thanks Google! :p]
The Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) or the University of the City of Manila, in English, in Intramuros.
Taken inside the Intramuros. The greens are part of the golf course. Yonder are the hotel buildings, probably one of them is the Diamond Hotel.
You could see the famous clock tower where the Manila City Hall is located.
The National Museum, taken from inside the Intramuros.
It’s a clash of then and now. Remains of the Spanish era against the Manila skyrise.
Posing proudly with the Y101 logo. Am I wearing shorts? Hahahah. Kidding! :p
A statue of the Gomburza priests – Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora.
A lady at a busy SM branch, SM Manila. I did not like the mall as much as I would have liked it. The place was too crowded. It was small, located in a corner and the MRT (or LRT?) railway was right outside. It felt like was in Gaisano Colon (Cebu).
An underpass when we went to and from SM Manila. A first timer in Manila would probably like this place (or is it just me?) since you would not be able to find one anywhere else in the country. (Maybe there is, I don’t know, but there’s not one here in Cebu. )
Headlines the next morning. We had a copy back in our suite and I tore off the page with Ely Buendia in it. I think I still have it in my room somwehere.
We had a better breakfast that time. Better because we understood what they were serving (mostly American food) and there was such a wide variety it became a major decision whether to have rice (which we have a lot at home) or to get milk and oats and cereals instead (which I do not get to experience as much anymore).
Sleepy and hungry — a VERILY unflattering shot of me.
My brother and his breakfast.
After breakfast, my brother and I went back to our suite. We invited a guest to come over, so I could have someone to accompany me for a swim. I felt like such a VIP here since most of those who took a dip were foreigners. :p
Our guest — my brother’s wife’s sister.
And her baby.
We went back up after around 15 minutes of wading in the pool since it got boring with only the three of us. We went through the elevator (and I was still soaking wet hahahaha) and to our suite which made me feel like a VIP guest once again. Anyway, here is a shot of the Manila Bay from our room that morning.
And then it was already time to leave. Our suite key card.
I think we had to swipe the key card first before we could go into any of the upper levels in the hotel.
Ready to check out, or were we?
It all came with a shock – the station never told us that we had to prepare some amount of money for our accommodation. The hotel front desk staff asked us to deposit 4000php before we could could check-in the other day. Fortunately, my brother had some spare money and my mother allowed us to bring her ATM card (remember that post on our way to the airport?). Fortunately, too, the amount was refundable or we would just have stayed somewhere else instead.
GOODBYE, Diamond Hotel. I won’t be seeing you for a very long time.
