Artworks have been a popular means of narrative since time immemorial, as exemplified by the art of Ancient Egypt. One such excellent illustration of storytelling through art can be found inside Pampanga's Saint James the Apostle Parish Church.
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| A sure inclusion in every Pampanga Visita Iglesia |
Years after its 1991 eruption, the wrath of Mount Pinatubo continued to be felt. Case in point is the San Guillermo Parish Church in Bacolor, Pampanga. On September 3, 1995, after days of torrential rains, a raging lahar flow from the slopes of the previously thought dormant volcano buried the town about half a dozen meters deep.
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| Only half of the church remains unburied by the lahar flow |
There have been a few points in our history where it may be said that the Philippines can’t seem to catch a break. One such event occurred on March 17, 1957, when a plane carrying President Ramon Magsaysay crashed on Mount Manunggal in Cebu, ending a promising term in which Magsaysay became popular because of his accessibility to the common people. Magsaysay, who was known as "My Guy" because he was everyone's buddy, is widely regarded as the best head of state the Philippines has ever seen. However, as luck would have it, he passed away in office and in life far too soon, leaving behind a legacy of greatness we could only hope could be replicated by current and future leaders.
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| Mambo, mambo, Magsaysay. Remember that classic tune? |
Many decades after the painstaking filming of "Apocalypse Now" gave rise to the country's perhaps first surfing destination when the film crew left their surf boards behind, the name Baler has become associated with surfing. While Colonel Kilgore in the film referred to the Viet Congs as "Charlie(s) (who) don't surf," in real-life Baler, everybody surfs.
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| Sunny skies greeted us upon arrival in Baler's long beach |
The Spaniards had hoped that Jose Rizal's banishment to Dapitan, a sleepy town in Zamboanga del Norte that faces the Sulu Sea, would finally break his spirit, since it was so far removed from the cities where he had lived and thrived with fellow La Liga Filipina members. Our national hero, on the other hand, has other plans. Rather than accepting defeat, Rizal made his presence in Dapitan felt deeply by members of the local community.
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| These young men and women channeling 1890s fashion |
Stepping out of my accommodation, Zostel Hostel, into a 16°C Delhi morning, I was eager to witness some bustling street activity. Little did I know, "bustling" would be a major understatement for what I was about to experience. I should have braced myself, because my destination—Chandni Chowk Market—is not just one of the oldest but also the busiest market in a city known as one of the most crowded in the world.
Chandni Chowk, located near the Old Delhi Railway Station and the Red Fort, whose massive walls stand at its eastern end, was built in the 17th century by Shah Jahan, the Mughal Emperor of India and the builder of the Taj Mahal.
Originally designed as a half-moon-shaped plaza with a man-made channel sourcing water from the Yamuna River by Shah Jahan's daughter Jahanara, Chandni Chowk already houses over 1,500 shops where traders have set up bazaars selling silver — thus earning the market a moniker of "Silver Street." Aside from the hundreds, if not thousands, of shops and restaurants, Chandni Chowk Market is surrounded by a slew of historic buildings. The most popular, the 1650-built Jama Masjid, is said to be one of India's largest mosques.
Even though the heart of the market is at least 2 kilometers away from Zostel, a few hundred meters had me already counting small pockets of marketplaces. The crowd thickens as I walk further. I soldiered on, and after half an hour, I began to feel the pulse of Chandni Chowk as the yells of traders bargaining with shoppers grew louder.
Walking through the labyrinth of this 17th-century Chandni Chowk market can overwhelm you at first. However, once the shock of the crowd and the noise wears off, you'll find yourself enjoying the variety of items for sale here. You can find everything from silver and antique trinkets, jewelry, hanging lights, festive textiles, to electronic gadgets, custom tailored suits, and up to 1,000 different kinds of sarees just to list a few.
That is, if you can easily get from point A to point B, which in Chandni Chowk looks like crossing an ocean — except it's a sea of human bodies gyrating in every direction, along with the occasional wandering cows, tuk-tuks, delivery trucks, and private automobiles whose drivers are crazy enough to pass through the market's busy thoroughfare.
My favorite part is the Khari Baoili Market, which has a vibrant fusion of colors from spices, nuts, tea leaves, dried plums, and mulberries, as well as emitting an aroma of everything combined. I resisted myself from buying some spices as I still have to spend several days in Pushkar after my Delhi side trip.
As I made my way back to the hostel, I remember the Spanish backpacker I met in Jaisalmer with my friend Aileen during my first trip to India in 2014. He was telling another European traveler and us about Mumbai. "You can't find a place to stand,” he said. "Everywhere you go is crowded,"
On that same trip, we went to Mumbai, and I found the city to be exactly what I expected it to be: teeming with people. While I truly think his description borders on exaggeration, I finally get the gist of the image he was describing as I slowly make my way through the market's sea of humanity. That morning at Chandni Chowk Market, I literally had to find enough space to wiggle my legs and gain some distance. This is India in its purest and most authentic form, I told myself.
