Nostalgia Manila

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My friends and I will go on a walking tour around Intramuros later. For our western friends, Intramuros is the walled city here in Manila that was the like main or capital of the Philippines during Spanish colonial times. Unlike many historical sites within Metro Manila, Intramuros has managed to survive the ravages of commercialism and change that has destroyed so much of our art-deco buildings. It has been ten years since I last walked through the streets of the walled city. I remember that I used to walk the parapet on the walls that used to be guarded by the guardia civil. I don't know if it's still the same, but I recall that there are some streets that are still cobbled, like in Vigan. I am a little excited and apprehensive of what I will find later. I was able to see old (pre-WWII) pictures of Manila that showed how beautiful it really was. It includes the Pasig river and Binondo estero that is now black, smelly and dirty. Back then, these two river ways were blue and had small bancas or sampans that were a means of getting to a fro in Manila that time. My father who was born in 1935 was lucky to have experienced Binondo estero as blue, also the Pasig river. He says that as a child he used to swim in Binondo estero. Now, I cringe even at the thought of dipping my finger in that black water. P.S. I don't own the pictures, but if you are interested in our culture and history, search Nostalgia Manila on FB. He has a great collection of old photographs of old Manila. It will make you sad to think why Manila is in such a state as it is right now.