[COUCHSURFING] MANILA : Eid'l Fitr and Quiapo Heritage Photo/Food Walk

Posted by Tere Bernardino March 17, 2014

[COUCHSURFING] MANILA : Eid'l Fitr and Quiapo Heritage Photo/Food Walk

Eid Mubarak and Quiapo Muslim Community visit 2013
credits: Christine de la Cruz

I have been a Couchsurfing member for few years but haven't been active then. Last year, I tried join some meet ups and hangout with some Couchsurfers, who visited the Philippines for the first time. The concept of Couchsurfing is culture-exchange. You get to meet complete strangers and share your take on your culture. Most of the member are backpackers, who would like to extend their budget and take advantage of know a place by means of locals and not with travel agencies. Then, that stranger would share his/her experience with his/her country's culture. Most of the time, a member hosts a Couchsurfer at home, allowing the Couchsurfer have a free lodging on an agreed span of time. If the host is free, he/she can tour the Couchsurfer also. If not, the Couchsurfer can just leave his/her things while he/she is travelling. In return, when the host travels either abroad or locally, the Couchsurfer can be able to do the same in return.

On my perspective, it's really a matter of trust. At first, you will just join an event from the website created by a complete stranger or receive a Couchsurf request. It is best to check/verify the Couchsurfer's profile before approving anything, or better yet, exchange few private messages to clear out the arrangement before the Couchsurfer arrives.

I visit the Couchsurfing website for interesting events to join. This time, I am visiting the Eid Mubarak celebration and visit the hidden gems of Quiapo area in Manila.

It was a Friday, Quiapo day! The area is very busy with people attending the mass and that day is the end of the Ramadan ritual for our Muslim brothere and sisters so we expected that it would be double the people visiting Quiapo that day.

Meet Archie, organizer of the event
Telling us some of the precautions during the event

I just knew Archie from the other Travel Meet Couchsurfing event. We exchanged mobile numbers to be in contact for this event. At 9AM, we met at Chowking near the LRT- Carriedo Station. We approximately 30 participants for the event.

QUIAPO, Manila's melting pot of beliefs and traditions

Old Manila have the oldest Chinatown in Southeast Asia... Black Nazarene is the most famous for its answered prayers in Filipino Christianity... The Golden Mosque is the biggest place of worship for the Muslim community in greater Manila.
Quiapo indeed have a very colorful past strengthen by the religions situated in the area.

Quiapo Church and its Friday worship

Quiapo church circa 2013

It was drizzling but Couchsurfers' enthusiam of exploring this beautiful Manila continue to start the journey. Having a buddy system for the participants is important for our safety as for the down side, Quiapo is famous for petty crimes such as pick-pockets, snatching, and robberies. Better be careful and be cautious about your personal belongings especially your gadgets.

With no time to spare, our friend Clems, who is a photographer, took a group shot of us in front of Quiapo Church but a little guy is playing tag with him, :D

Golden Mosque, cradle of Islam in Luzon

Our main goal for today is to visit the Golden Mosque and check out the activities they had for this special celebration. The end of Eid'l Fitr is similar with Catholic's Holy week. The difference was it lasts for one month and including in the sacrifice is, a Muslim will fast after dawn until sunset daily.

Entrance to Muslim community

herbs and spices for Halal food

smoked Mackerel

top of the Golden Mosque dome

The Mosque administrator welcomed us and answered our questions to know more about and understand Islam. He was generous enough for us to take a peek on what is inside the Quran.

The Administrator allowed us to stay before the 12 noon worship starts
credits: Joseph Jocosol

After the visit to the Golden mosque, we took a bite into a Halal lunch at the nearby Muslim eatery.

Halal meal ranges from P50.00 - P60.00 depending on
how many serving of rice you get

Like other religions, Islam is aims to mold one's faith into goodness. Muslims have their practices that other religions may not understand but needs to be respected. It was very interesting of having this experience.

Next stop, the heritage route of Quiapo...

Bahay Nakpil-Bautista

This heritage house situated at the heart of Manila was once a home to Katipunan during the Spanish era. The structure has been preserved to be shared to the young Filipinos the history and the beauty of Filipino architecture.
The house shows the life of Gregoria de Jesus with Andres Bonifacio and with Julio Nakpil thereafter. The second floor has a museum for some memorabilia and artworks about the revolution.

entrance ticket, resembled the cedula

Next stop, a Chinese temple turned into dormitory which needs to be rehabilitated and restored. It has a huge potential of being a tourist attraction in old Manila...

Ocampo Garden House, a beautiful but forgotten structure in old Manila

After World War II, this beautiful house became shelter to Japanese soldiers who mistakenly identify the house as a temple. Hence, the structure stood upright until this era.

The Pagoda-like building now houses seaman aspirants

San Sebastian church, the only All-steel church

The pre-fabricated steel parts of this church were made from Belgium and was delivered to Manila. I can't imagine how they put this church up; knowing that during the time this was built, there is still no machinery capable of lifting metal works of such weight.