Category Archives: Parks and Plazas

Mines View Park (Baguio City, Benguet)

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

After our visit to Wright Park and The Mansion, Melissa, Almira, Albert, Jandy and I all took a taxi for Mines View Park,  an overlook park located on a land promontory  on the extreme northeastern outskirts of Baguio City, about 4 kms from downtown.  The park overlooks the mining town of Itogon.  One of the most popular and most visited parks in the city, it should not be missed when visiting Baguio.

Mines View Park

Mines View Park

In decades past, I have visited this park every time I was in the city with my parents and siblings during Christmas and, when I got married, with my own family.

Mines View Park, January 10, 1995. 9 year old Jandy and 5 year old Cheska with my wife Grace (standing at right)

Mines View Park, January 10, 1995. 9 year old Jandy and 5 year old Cheska with my wife Grace (right)

During the early 1960s and 1970s, the main attraction here was throwing coins from the uniquely shaped and still much photographed observation gazebo structure, down the mountain ridge, to little boys wearing g-strings who would run like crazy catching them or search for them, even through the rocks and small cracks of the ground below.

The park entrance

The park entrance

Later on, as residential communities started sprouting below the ridge, the children had to be more deft and creative in catching the coins, using homemade cups attached to long poles. This practice has been stopped due to the risk of accidents. Instead, a wishing well was built in memory of the Igorot kids who started this unique attraction in Baguio City.  Also back then, horses from the Wright Park Riding Circle and the Baguio Country Club were allowed to pass the area, allowing riders to actually get off there, have some snacks or do some quick souvenir shopping, get back on their horse and then head back downhill.

The much photographed gazebo

The much photographed gazebo

Jandy and Almira at the observation deck

Jandy and Almira at the observation deck

It being a long Chinese New Year holiday, there were many visitors when we arrived at the park. At the entrance to the park and at the open parking area at the vicinity of the park are souvenir stalls plus a number of canteens, snack stores and ambulant vendors selling food and beverages such as grilled dried squid, jumbo hotdogs on a stick, fried squidball and corn on a cob (or shredded in a cup).  Across it is Ibay Zion Plaza which sells silver jewelry made by the popular silver shop, Ibay.

The panoramic view of the Central Cordillera mountains

The panoramic view of the Central Cordillera mountains

One of the charming denizens in this really gigantic tourist trap is a popular, cute, cuddly and friendly but huge St. Bernard dog wearing sunglasses named “Doglas” who is available for picture-taking with tourists (PhP20.00). Other photo op gimmicks include having your picture taken riding a small, lazy, pink-maned (and tail) pony wearing a cowboy hat (PhP10 per shot), pose with or take pictures of (both for a fee) natives in Igorot attire (g-strings, vest and headdress for men, plus spear and shield, and tapis for women), or also rent the aforementioned native costumes and have your photo taken (with your own camera) for PhP10 per shot.

The somewhat disappointing view of creeping development

The somewhat disappointing view of creeping development

We all walked down the winding stone-covered stairway to the observation deck situated below. From the observation deck, we had a spectacular and breathtaking panoramic view of the abandoned gold and copper mines of the Benguet Corporation, the surrounding Central Cordillera mountains, a glimpse of the Amburayan Valley and the quite disappointing view of homes below. Here, you can rent a binocular (PhP10 for 5 mins.) for a better view. At the promontory, we sat down at benches to rest and enjoy the view.

Some pine-clad mountain slopes remain

Some pine-clad mountain slopes remain

Later on, we did some souvenir shopping.  The souvenirs stalls here have multiplied over the years.  They now extend to the sides of Gilbraltar Road and Outlook Drive and many are located closer to the ridge itself.  There were some good bargains at the stores and, before deciding to buy a particular item, we checked and compared prices. Stalls here sell native handicrafts such as wood carvings (including the iconic but obscene “barrel” man), locally-made silver products and jewelry (rings, pendants, bracelets, etc.), baskets, scarves, wallets, T-shirts, sweet preserves, tiger grass brooms, sweaters, peanut brittle, native bags, blankets, knitted bonnets and a variety of other items all similar to those found in the dry goods section of the Baguio City Market but only at a much smaller scale.The selections, though, are said to be better here.

Souvenir stalls

Souvenir stalls

For those who love gardening, a variety of plants and flowers such as bromeliads, mums, busy daisy, everlasting, money tree, cactus, and other succulents are also sold along the walkway.

Plants and flowers for sale along the walkway

Plants and flowers for sale along the walkway

On certain months of the year, plan your visits to the park d earlier during the day as the view may not be visible when the fog starts to move in during the afternoon.

Jandy, Almira, Melissa and Albert at Mines View Park

Jandy, Almira, Melissa and Albert at Mines View Park

How to Get There By private transportation: From MacDonald’s, Sesion Road, climb up and turn at Leonard Wood Road, passing iconic Baguio attractions such as Teachers Camp and Botanical Garden and the Pacdal Rotunda, then go straight up C. P. Romulo Drive, passing Wright Park Riding Circle and The Mansion. Climbing up, the road curves to the left to Outlook Drive.  Once you see Baguio Townhouse on the right, Mines View Park will be at the top.  Do not take the road going straight down to Itogon (Benguet).  A more direct route is to pass Gibraltar Road, to the left of Wright Park Riding Circle. Once you see the Good Shepherd Convent on your left, Mines View Park is just a few meters away. The winding stone-covered stairway leading to the observation deck By Public Transportation: Public utility jeepneys (PUJ), using the Plaza-Mines View line, are available along Mabini Street (10 to 20-min. ride). You can also hire a metered taxi to take you there.  Tou can also contract the taxi driver by the hour or for the day. For larger groups, it may be better to hire a jeepney instead.

Wright Park (Baguio City, Benguet)

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

After breakfast at EGI Albergo de Ferroca Hotel and Sunday mass at nearby St. Joseph Church, I decided to tour my guests Melissa Tinonas and her children Almira and Albert, all first timers in Baguio, around the city.  As our hotel was right across the Wright Park Riding Circle, it was only fitting that this would be the first place we visit and explore.

Wright Park Riding Circle

Wright Park Riding Circle

The Wright Park Riding Circle is located within the flat and wide triangle below Wright Park. Here, 200 horses are available for hire. Wright Park, one of the many scenic parks in Baguio City, is located at the eastern part of the city and fronts the main gate of The Mansion.

4 year old Jandy at Wright Park, July 15, 1900. The next day, a destructive earthquake struck the city.

4 year old Jandy at Wright Park, July 15, 1990. The next day, a destructive earthquake struck the city.

Named after American Gov.-Gen. Luke E. Wright (1906-1909), the park’s horseback riding area is often referred to, by children, as “Ride Park” because of the horses.  After all, children have no idea who Luke E. Wright is. Although there are now other riding areas in the City of Pines, the Wright Park Riding Circle is still the most popular venue for horseback riding for visitors and locals alike.

Dressing up in Igorot attire

Dressing up in Igorot attire

It being a long and sunny Chinese New Year weekend, the place was crowded with residents and tourists.  I am no stranger to the park, having visited it during Christmas vacations with my parents and siblings and, when I got married, with my family.  In the 1970s, the hourly rates for horse rides back then was just Php5.  Four decades later, it was now PhP300 (PhP200 for half an  hour) an hour and another PhP300 for a guide to tour you around.

Princess for a day

Princess for a day

However, before the horseback riding, Melissa, Almira, Albert and my son Jandy decided to have their photos taken while dress up in full Cordillera regalia (PhP20 per pax) – vests and headdresses for the gents and ladies, shield and spear for the men (without the g-string or bahag) and tapis for the ladies.  We also tried our first taste of strawberry flavored taho.

Trying out strawberry-flavored taho

Trying out strawberry-flavored taho

Then, it was off to the horse riding field. The riding field has an inner circle (best for first-timers) for walking horses and an outer circle for the running horses for more experienced riders who want to make the horse trot or canter. Only the riders and the pony boys (usually the horse owner himself, or his assistant) are allowed within the Riding Circle. So the Riding Circle is NOT a park as only horses, pony boys and riders are allowed in the ring.  All experienced handlers, pony boys lead the horse, walk alongside it or ride behind the child for the latter’s protection and enjoyment of a faster ride. Parents and nannies (yayas) can only observe their kids from viewing decks and benches, documenting their kid’s ride with photos, using their camera’s zoom lens, and videos.

A horse of Wright Park

A horse of Wright Park

There were lots of horses to choose from. There were horses of different sizes and colors. Some horses wore their natural colors (brown, black, and white or mixed) while others wore artificial colors (pink, blue, yellow, etc). Most of the time, children choose the ones which are in pink or blue. I was surprised to see white ponies with a shock of pink hair (Melissa and Jandy chose to ride on this kind) or, sometimes, a brown one with a bright orange mane.

Jandy riding a pink-maned horse

Jandy riding a pink-maned horse

Pony Boys have noticed, in recent years, that children prefer white horses, thinking they’re nicer” or “gentler” (mas mabait) than the brown ones.  To make the white ones even more attractive to customers, the pony boys have taken to dying the horse’s mane (but  hardly ever their tails to match the manes), putting a little pink paper flower on their hair, giving them “bangs by cutting off a piece of the tail and attaching the extra hair to the bridle.

The stone stairway leading up to the Pool of Pines

The stone stairway leading up to the Pool of Pines

After the pony ride, we walked towards and climbed a wide stone stairway leading to the pine-forest preserve of Wright Park itself.  On the way up, we had wonderful views of the place, the horses and the people riding on them. At its end is a pergola-like stone structure or gazebo.

The concrete, pergola-like gazebo at the top

The concrete, pergola-like gazebo at the top

Igorots, dressed in their native attire and regalia, can be found here, willing to pose for a photograph … of course, for a fee of PhP10.  At stalls on the far side of the stairs, you can buy souvenirs such as woven products, key chains, T-shirts, peanut brittle, strawberry jams and a lot more. Beautiful and colorful plants are also displayed and sold here in affordable prices.

The Pool of Pines

The Pool of Pines

The park’s main feature is the beautiful and much photographed Pool of Pines, a 100-m. (328-ft.) long and narrow 5-m. (16.4-ft.) wide, shallow and elongated rectangular reflecting pool filled with lotus. Postcard-type photographs are usually taken here.

Melissa buying strawberries from a vendor

Melissa buying strawberries from a vendor

On the way to the pool, we noticed on the left, a photo booth with the sign “Forevermore” and “La Presa.” The fictional La Presa, in reality Sitio Pungayan of Tuba town, some 40 mins. away from Baguio City, is the location where most of the scenes from the popular ABS-CBN hit teleserye “Forevermore” (starring Enrique Gil and Liza Soberano) were shot. There you have it.  

The La Presa photo booth area

The La Presa photo booth area

It just so happened that Wright Park, together with Burnham Park and The Manor (which, in the series, is a hotel called Hotel Grande owned by the family of Gil’s character) were also featured in the series.

Frolicking among the tall pine trees

Frolicking among the tall pine trees

Here, fans get to dress up in native attire and pose for PhP5.At the Pool of Pines, we walked along a walkway lined, on both sides, with tall pine trees, weeping willow trees and decorative street lights.  Native handicrafts are also sold at the Mansion end of the park by a few Igorot peddlers.

Pool of Pines (20)

Wright Park: Leonard Wood Rd, Baguio, Benguet.

When going horseback riding, choose a horse that is proportionate in size to your child. It would be better if you asked around first or observed other riders before choosing one. For those who intend to take a pony farther out along South Drive, the Mines View Park area or to Outlook Drive, it is advisable to first agree on the hourly cost to be charged.

Borjomi Mineral Water Park (Borjomi, Georgia)

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓

The next day (my second day in Georgia), after breakfast at our hostel, Filipina expat Ruby and I dropped by the nearby hostel where Buddy, Pancho, Melissa and Riva were staying, hoping to invite any of them to join us in going to Borjomi.  Riva, who just arrived early that morning, was game and all three of us walked to the nearby Avlabari Metro Station where we all took the Metro to Didube Metro Station.

The mountain spa town of Borjomi

The mountain spa town of Borjomi

Upon arrival, we all boarded a Borjomi-bound marshrutka (minibus). The fare was 8 GEL and the 156.4-km. journey, via the Tbilisi-Senaki-Leselidze Highway/E60, took us about two hours. Along the way, we passed by Tserovani, a village of about 2,000 identical houses built to house Georgians who fled South Ossetia during the war.

The author with Ruby

The author with Ruby

The attractive resort town of Borjomi, in south-central Georgia, is one of the districts of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region and is situated in the northwestern part of the region, in the picturesque Borjomi Gorge on the eastern edge of the Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park, between the Vakhani and Trialeti Ridges.  Clinging to the hills on either side of the Mtkvari River, 850 m. above sea level, it is the largest mountain spa in Georgia, with an estimated population of 14,445.

The author and Ruby walking the sidewalks of Borjomi

The author and Riva walking along the sidewalks of Borjomi

The town is famous for its love-it-or-hate-it but curative mineral water, the number one export of Georgia.  As early as in the 15th century, the mineral waters of Borjomi were already mentioned but it only gained wide notoriety when a daughter of Evgeny Golovin, viceroy of the Russian Tsar in the Caucasus, was cured of her gynecological problems there. Yekaterinsky Spring, one of the mineral water sources, was named after this girl while the second one, Yevgeniyevsky Spring, was named after the viceroy himself.

The Tourist Center

The Tourist Center

The Romanov House got interested in these mineral sources and the first bottling plant producing bottled Borjomi mineral water was opened by the tsar’s order. The first bottles, made with transparent crystal glass, were later replaced by dark bottles, and every bottle was packed in a reed “case” and sealed with the factory stamps. Drinking it is said to benefit the digestive system and body metabolism. Borjomi mineral water can now be bought in shops in over 30 countries throughout the world and I’ve already tried it during dinner the night before.

Bridge of Beauty

Bridge of Beauty

We dropped off at Rustaveli Street, the main commercial street of Borjomi which runs along the northern bank of the Mtkvari River.  Walking along this street, we dropped by the tourist office housed in a glass pavilion between Rustaveli Street and the river. Here, we left our backpacks and luggage in a bookshop owned by the sister of the landlady of Likani Guesthouse where we will all be staying overnight. Thus unburdened, we crossed over the Bridge of Peace, a white painted suspension bridge over the Mtkvari River, leading to the southern half of the town where Borjomi Mineral Water Park is located.

Borjomi Mineral Water Park

Borjomi Mineral Water Park

Stretched along the small Borjomula River, this city park contains the source of Borjomi mineral water. A lovely place for us to do a brisk hike in the chilly mountain air, the park occupies a lovely stretch of forest following the narrow, wooded valley along the Borjomula River. There are several dozen health institutions, recreation complexes, sanatoriums and rest houses in Borjomi and all of them are located in the vicinity of the park. About 300 m. west of the bridge, Rustaveli Street changes its name to Meskheti Street.

Borjomula River

Borjomula River

The author and Riva at a viewpoint by the river

The author and Riva at a viewpoint by the river

Dating from 1850, the park has recently been renovated and reopened in 2005, its opening attended by the presidents of Georgia and Ukraine. Today, it is the most extensive ecologically-themed amusement park in the Caucasus, with a number of attractive themed playgrounds, a few amusement-park style attractions, a swimming pool and a cinema theater. The first part of the park contains the amusement park and cafes.

The Soviet-era railway station

The Soviet-era railway station

However, most of the park’s facilities – cafes, funfair attractions, the cinema, the cable car and the hilltop Ferris wheel – only operate from about late June to early September. During the summer, a park admission fee of 0.50 GEL is charged but, as it was the onset of winter, admission was free.  Near the entrance to the park, local vendors here sell homemade jam made from pine tree cones. It is claimed that the jam is good for improving immunity and useful for curing upper respiratory tract infections.

_MG_7987

IMG_0753

IMG_0789

On the south bank of the river, just east of the bridge is the renovated, Stalin-era Borjomi Park Train Station. The railway here opened in 1894. East of the station, we turned right along 9 Aprili and walked another 600m. Along the way, we passed by a new pedestrian bridge, a quite stunning example of the wave of new Georgian architecture that perfectly symbolizes the restorative water that has made Borjomi famous.

The new pedestrian bridge

The new pedestrian bridge

Fairy Land

Entrance gate of Fairy Land

Children's playground

Children’s playground

Beside the roller-coasters and the pools are the mineral water springs where locals go to get their drinking water, filling bottles with it. Warm mineral water flows from taps in a green pavilion straight in front of the entrance where, nearby, plenty of stalls sell souvenirs and empty plastic bottles of various volumes.

Souvenir shops

Souvenir shops

Ruby and I drank the water in the main spring’s two battered taps.  Though slightly warm, sour and a bit salty, with a tang of sulfur, very different from the slender glass bottled water I tried the night before, we still managed to ingest this stronger tasting water.  As it is flavored with sodium carbonate, it was said to taste like Vichy water.

The drinking pavilion

The drinking pavilion

Riva trying out Borjomi's mineral water

Riva trying out Borjomi’s mineral water

It was a different story with Riva who couldn’t find the courage to swallow it. There are said to be other springs with fresh water that have no strong taste. We continued on to the rear part of the park where, near the entrance, is the cable car (1 GEL each way) that brings visitors up to plateau where the view over Borjomi was said to be fantastic.

The closed cable car station

The closed cable car station

If we continued past the asphalted part for another 2.5 kms., we would have reached a lovely clearing in the forest where there’s small, a concrete, Soviet-era, hot spring-fed swimming pool with a constant temperature of about 27°C.

Qatar Airways has daily flights from Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (Clark, Pampanga) to Tbilisi (Republic of Georgia) with stopovers at Hamad International Airport (Doha, Qatar, 15 hrs.) and Heydar Aliyev International Airport (Baku, Azerbaijan, 1 hr.). Website: www.qatarairways.com.

Japanese Garden of Peace Park (Corregidor Island)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

The 2.2-hectare Japanese Garden of Peace Park is a Shinto shrine and garden built as a memorial to the Japanese soldiers who served and died on Corregidor during World War II.  The garden was the site of the only cemetery, built by the Americans, in Asia where Japanese soldiers, who perished during World War II, were accorded proper burial rites as a sign of respect for the dead.

Caballo Island - the view that led to the discovery of the cemetery

Caballo Island – the view that led to the discovery of the cemetery

Its location was lost among the rubble of war until a photo of the cemetery was found, possibly by a GI, and bought in a garage sale in the U.S.. The clue that led them to the exact spot, in spite of the overgrown forest, was the view of Caballo Island in the distance.

Japanese Garden of Peace

Japanese Garden of Peace

Their remains were later unearthed, cremated and sent back to Japan for their own burial rites.  As such, this garden is on the Japanese tourist route but is rarely visited by Americans.  In fact, the Americans and Japanese have different sets of tours and are never joined together in large groups.

Pavilion and souvenir shops

Pavilion and souvenir shops

The park includes a praying area for Japanese war veterans and the families and relatives of Japanese soldiers who served or were killed in Corregidor during World War II.  A small pavilion houses mounted photographs (including the discovered cemetery photo) and memorabilia.dedicated to the crew of the Japanese super battleship Musashi which sank on October 24, 1944 during the Battle of Leyte Gulf.

Jibo-Kannon stone Buddha and its reflecting pool

The Jibo-Kannon stone Buddha and its reflecting pool

This garden also features a towering, 10-ft. high Jibo-Kannon stone Buddha, showing a Japanese woman holding her baby while two toddlers tug at her skirt.  Beside it is a reflecting pool.  The stone Buddha is said to be a fertility idol and quite a few couples visit the island just to touch the statue in hopes of bearing a child.

The Jibo-Kannon stone Buddha

The Jibo-Kannon stone Buddha

Tribute to the Brave Heroes

Tribute to the Brave Heroes

On the edge of the hill are a battery of Japanese anti-aircraft guns facing out to sea. Nearby is a cliff where Japanese defenders committed suicide.  Around are other Japanese soldier memorial shrines and various markers with Japanese inscriptions, including one dedicated to Vice-Adm. Tetuo Akiyama.

Japanese Anti-Aircraft Guns

Japanese Anti-Aircraft Guns

Japanese suicide cliff

Japanese suicide cliff

Also within the garden is a souvenir shop with items such as old Japanese and American currencies, some old photographs, printed t-shirts, key chains, beverages and snacks. The construction of this garden was made possible through funds generated by a Japan-based private group.

Tetuo Akiyama Marker

Tetuo Akiyama Marker

Various markers with Japanese inscriptions

Various markers with Japanese inscriptions

Sun Cruises, Inc. (SCI) – Reservation Office: CCP Terminal A, CCP Complex, Roxas Blvd., Manila.  Tel: (632) 831-8140 and (632) 834-6857 to 58.  Fax: (632) 834-1523.  E-mail: suncruises@magsaysay.com.ph.

Sun Cruises, Inc. (SCI) – Sales Office: 21/F,  Times Plaza Bldg., Ermita, Manila.  Tel: (632) 527-5555 local 4511 and 4512.  Fax: (632) 527-5555 local 4513.  E-mail: sales@suncruises.com.ph.

Arroceros Forest Park: Manila’s “Last Lung”

Posted on by — Leave a reply

I was slated to join a group being assembled  by Mr. Lawrence “Rence” Chan (who hosts the Royal Postal Heritage Tour) as part of a special documentary tour with the GMA 7 I-Witness team tasked to feature the sorry plight of the now-abandoned and unused Metropolitan Theater.  However, as I arrived very early, I decided to explore the nearby Arroceros Forest Park.

Arroceros Forest Park

Arroceros Forest Park

Located in the  middle of Manila, on the western bank of the Pasig River, beside the LRT Central Terminal Station and right beside the point where one end of the Quezon Bridge (formerly Puente Colgante) is situated, this small but valuable pocket of green is the only secondary forest left in the entirety of this noisy and polluted metropolis.

Quezon Bridge over the Pasig River

Quezon Bridge over the Pasig River

Upon entering its gate, I was literally transported to a different world as this 2.1428-hectare mini forest park was intended, by former Mayor Alfredo Lim, as a refuge of Manileños from the chaos and pollution of this rapidly urbanizing city.  In 1992, the city government purchased this abandoned riverside lot, for PhP60 million, from the Land Bank of the Philippines.

The park entrance

The park entrance

The park has a rich history, though, it being the site of a 16th and 17th century trading post where Filipino rice dealers in Pasig River engaged in barter with visiting Malay and Chinese traders.  The name arroceros was derived from the Spanish words meaning “rice dealer.”  Later, it became the site of the historic Fabrica de Tabacos. during the 19th century and, site of a military barrack (Estado Mayor) during the American era.

A man-made home for the birds

A man-made home for the birds

Though almost a half of its original area (and 70% of the trees) has been irretrievably lost to the concrete structure of the Manila Education Center of the Division of City Schools (another ill-conceived project, built in 2002, of former city mayor Lito Atienza), it still plays host to a diverse array of 8,000 ornamental plants (pink frangipani, palm fronds, etc.) as well as 10 kinds of city-dwelling avian wildlife (sparrows, bulbuls, etc.). Currently, the park is being maintained by Winners’ Foundation Inc. with the help of the Catholic Women’s Club.

The ill-conceived Manila Education Center

The ill-conceived Manila Education Center

To enhance the park’s visual appeal, some minimal landscaping was done, mostly in the form of walking paths, thus enabling visitors to walk within the park. The 61 varieties of trees in the park (labeled accordingly), which insulate the visitor from the noise, heat and pollution, include talisay trees (Terminalia catappa), acacia trees (Acacia confusa), narra trees (Pterocarpus indicus), mango trees, ficus rubber trees (Ficus elastica), mahogany trees (Swietenia mahogani) and Indian neem trees (Azadiratsa indica). Despite its diminished size, this accessible and calm oasis, the “last lung of Manila,” was still worth a visit.

Bridge over a pond

Bridge over a pond

Chung Cheng Park (Keelung City, Taiwan)

Posted on by — 2 Comments ↓

I still had the whole morning for sightseeing on our fourth and last day in Taipei so I availed of the Northern Coast Tour (Keelung City) offered by Edison Travel Service (NT$1,000/pax).  After breakfast at the hotel, Jandy and I, as well as a 69 year old retired USAF serviceman named Gerald and his wife Leona, were picked up at the hotel lobby by our tour guide.  The sun was already up and shining (this after 3 days of rain) when we boarded our van for the 45-min. drive to Keelung City. Nicknamed the “Rainy Port” (due to its frequent rain and maritime role), Keelung City is Taiwan’s second largest seaport (after Kaohsiung).

Keelung City Proper

From the city proper, our van drove up a hill, east of the city, to Chung Cheng Park (derived from Chiang Chung-cheng, a given name of Chiang Kai-shek).  Situated on the side of Ta Sha Wan Shan, atop a hill off Hsieh Road, Chung Cheng Park (also spelled as Jhongjheng Park) was formerly called Kang Park in the past.  The first immigrants to Taiwan used to fight with each other for land. In order to stop these disputes, they set up a temple for yearly worship. During the Japanese occupation, the temple was in Kao Sha Park  and later moved to Chung Cheng Park.

Entrance to Chang Chung Park

There are three levels in the park. On the first level is a historic cannon fort. On the second level is a Buddhist library, Chung Lieh Temple and Chu Pu Tan Temple.  The temple attracts many worshipers on July 15, the Chung Yuan (Hungry Ghost) Festival, when families lights a lamp in front of their door in order to light the way for ghosts at night.

Chang Chung Park

Our destination was the Kuan Hai Pavilion, on the third level. Here, we  had a scenic view of Keelung City, its excellent 2,000 m. long and 400 m. wide harbor (embraced by mountains to its east, west and south); luxury passenger ships; smaller commercial craft; naval and coast guard vessels: and the azure Pacific Ocean.

Naval and commercial ships

Dock facilities

The city proper

Also here is the 22.5 m. (74-ft.) high, white smiling statue of Guan Yin (the Buddhist message of compassion and peace), the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy.  The landmark of Chung Cheng Park, it is the biggest goddess statue in Southeast Asia. Inside the statue, Jandy and I climbed a steep stairway leading to the top. From portholes on the sides, we could take in views of the harbor and the city.

Statue of Guan Yin (Buddhist Goddess of Mercy)

For me, Chung Cheng Park is a combination of a Buddhist holy site and amusement theme park. The grounds by the Guanyin statue are crowded with snack vendors and souvenir shops while toy vehicles for children to ride around on, some of them musical, are offered for rent.

The souvenir shop and children’s rides for rent

Behind the statue is a Buddhist temple. We noticed a  backwards swastika, a Buddhist symbol of peace (as opposed to the forward facing Nazi symbol), on top of a bell tower (you can ring the bell for a NT$50 donation). Further downhill are several 3-storey pagodas, a museum and a martyrs’ shrine. Since this park is near downtown, it is popular with city folk as well as tourists.

The backward swastika symbol

Chung Cheng Park: Keelung City, Taiwan.  Tel: (+886-2) 2428-7664.

How to Get There: take 206 bus and stop at provincial hospital.  The park entrance is on the other side.

Xinsheng Park (Taipei City, Taiwan)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

From Xintian Temple, Jandy and I again made our way along Song Jiang Road all the way to the 19.5-hectare Xinsheng Park, the second largest park in Taipei. Situated around Minquan East Rd., between Xinsheng North Rd. Section 3 and Binjiang St., Xinsheng Park was developed in 1978 and includes a warm-water swimming pool, tennis courts, children’s playgrounds, a maze garden, a baseball field and basketball courts.

A poignant scene of a father and daughter flying a kite at Xinsheng Park

Every now and then, we witnessed, up close, the periodic take-offs and landings of low-flying jet aircraft as the park is just under the flight path of the nearby Songshan International Airport.  In between flights, the park is still a great place for relaxing, flying a kite, exercising or just reading a book. The widened park avenue is now popular with young people who indulge in skateboarding on weekends and holidays.

Serenity Garden

The park’s colorful plants, bushes and flowers, planted and taken care of by the Yuanshan Park Administration, were brought in from the Minzu nursery where they were raised from seeds or bulbs. The nursery produces about 100,000 plants annually for placement in parks.  Flora in the park include African balsam; scarlet sage; chrysanthemums; maidenhair; crab apples; cherry trees; amaranths; jonquils; banyans (with complete and beautiful canopies), tall and upstanding araucarias; garcinias (scattered in the central axis); poicianas (with charming flowers); Taiwanese goldrain trees; bauhinia; coral bean trees; wax trees; kapoks; hazel sterculias (with the most distinctive flowers and fruits); Indian dillenias, among others. The luxuriant foliage changes with the 4 seasons of the year.

Also scattered around the lush greens are 9 sculptures  donated by the Taipei Lions Club and the Rotary Clubs:  “Leisure Years,”  “Auspicious Earth,”  “Flock of Cranes,” “Hope,” “Prosperity,”  “Friendship and Peace,”  “Father’s Words,”  “The Alignment of Spring” and “Unified.”

Park Sculpture

Park Sculpture

Xinsheng Park was 1 of the 4 exhibition regions during the 171-day (November 6, 2010-April 25, 2011) Taipei International Flower Expo (the others were Yuanshan Park, Taipei Artist Park and Dajia Riverside Park).  During the expo, it was home to 3 themed floral displaying sites (Floral Tunnel, Fujian Garden and Palace of Floral Tea) and 4 pavilions (Pavilion of Regimen, Pavilion of Dreams, Pavilion of Angel Life and the Pavilion of Future).  The green whale sculptures and sculpture of waves at the Flower Base under Trees Area have remained, while Serenity Garden, the European geometric garden with an oriental sensation, was also kept intact.

Flower Base under Trees Area (the green whale sculpture is on the right)

The last 3 pavilions, which received green building certification, were designed by local architect Chang Ching-hwa, ­the designer of Taipei’s Beitou Library, who is well known for incorporating reusable and eco-friendly materials into her works. Powered by solar panels (making them the city’s largest energy-saving facility), all 3 were built completely out of wood and recyclable materials. The roofs are layered with ETFE, the thermal insulating plastics used for the Beijing National Aquatics Center.

Pavilion of Future

Jandy and I first visited the Pavilion of Future.  Probably the greenest building in the Taipei International Flora Expo, it was designed to showcase gardening technology with an eco-friendly focus, energy conservation, waste reduction and health protection.  This intelligent greenhouse, Taiwan’s first energy-conserving greenhouse, uses a combination of ultraviolet ray insulation, floor cooling systems, solar panels and other facilities to help manage indoor temperature.

Interior of Pavilion of Future

Next, we dropped by the Pavilion of Regimen, also known as the “White Mansion.”  During the expo, it displayed Taiwan’s own unique bonsai aesthetics and techniques (“Healthy Living and Endless Life Bonsais”),  precious trees and plants that are over hundreds of years old, plus a large variety of plants and herbs used in Chinese medicine.

Pavilion of Regimen

Xinsheng Park: 105, Section 3, Xinsheng North Rd., Zhongshan District, Taipei, Taiwan. Tel: (+886-2) 2598-3024  (Administering Dept：Yuanshan Park Administration).

How To Get There: Take bus 5, 33, 72, 74, 222, 279, 286, 505, 642 bus and get off at Minzu East Rd and Song Jiang Rd.

A Stroll in Paco Park

Posted on by — 3 Comments ↓

After dropping off Cheska at ACTS (where  she was taking review classes for her Med Tech board exam), I decided, on my way home, to drop by historic Paco Park.  Getting there proved to be difficult for me as I had to make my way around a maze of one-way streets.  I decided to park my car just a few blocks away and walk the remaining distance.

Paco Park

Just about everybody, couch potato or not, is familiar, one way or the other, with the TV program “Paco Park Presents.” The concert was begun by Dr. Christoph Jessen (Press and Cultural Attache of the Federal Republic of Germany) with the late National Park Development Committee (NPDC) Vice-Chairman and journalist Teodoro “Doroy” Valencia on February 29, 1980 as a part of the celebration of Philippine-German Month and a gala tribute for then outgoing German ambassador Wolfgang Eger. The “Paco Park Presents” classical concert became a tradition and it now presents  chamber, traditional and pop music performed for free by the finest international and local solo artists, duets and small ensembles at an improvised outdoor stage. Truly a unique way of bringing classical music, via intimate, open-air concerts, to the masses.

Park entrance

I have been to the park a couple of times before as two of my siblings, my elder brother Frank (to the former Rosario “Cherry” Correa on December 17, 1978) and youngest sister Tellie (on December 27, 1982) as well as my good friend and fellow architect, Ed Yambao (to the former Gloria “Glo” Pagsanghan also on the same date as my sister) got married in the park’s St. Pancratius (named after a 14 year old martyr of the 4th century) Chapel. My late parents also renewed their marriage vows there during their silver wedding anniversary on the same day Frank got married.

Historical Research and Markers
Committee plaque
National Historical Shrine plaque

Why do people marry at a place that was once a home for the dead? Haven’t they heard of the often-mentioned warning that marriages made in such a place live but a short life? Couples don’t seem to mind at all even if the receptions are held besides rows of empty, gaping niches.  For me, it must be this recreational garden area’s atmosphere of peace and tranquility.  I featured this cemetery in my first book, “A Philippine Odyssey: A Collection of Featured Travel Articles” (New Day Publishers, 2005) under the heading “Presenting Paco Park.”
The Outer Cemetery

This 4,114.8 sq. m. circular park, one of the oldest landmarks of Manila, is located at Paco District, a nondescript commercial and residential area east of Taft Ave..  Formerly called San Fernando de Dilao, Paco was the Catalan nickname for Francisco and was presumably adapted by the natives to refer to the Franciscan friars who ran the parish.  The park was originally a cemetery built in 1807, through an administrative order, according to the plan of maestro de obras Nicolas Ruiz.  It was completed on April 22, 1822 under the supervision of Don Jose Coll.  The cemetery was, however, already in use two years before its completion to accommodate victims of the cholera epidemic which broke out 3 days after a strong October 1, 1820 typhoon ravaged the city.

Doves by the ticket booth

The epidemic was falsely rumored to have been caused by the poisoning of the Pasig River and the local wells by the foreign merchants, businessmen and scientists then residing in the city.  As a result, persons and property of said foreigners were attacked by violent Filipino mobs affected by this malady.  Casualties were 1 Chinese, 1 Spaniard, 12 French, 1 British captain, 1 American Marine guard, 2 Danes and 12 British and American sailors. Through energetic measures, the epidemic was under control in less than a month. Dominican friars excelled themselves in attending to the sick and, in grateful recognition of their services, 9 of the niches in the cemetery were donated to them by the city of Manila.

The Gomburza Memorial

In 1859, the cemetery was enlarged to 4,540 varas cuadradas (approximately  4,500 square yards) and enclosed with a circular stone wall by Gov.-Gen. Fernando de Norzagaray y Escudero (1856-59). A Chinese builder won the contract to build the circular stone wall of this cemetery for PhP19,700.  The cemetery used to have a chaplain (who lived across the site now occupied by the Paco Fire Station), a sacristan and 8 caretakers.

Gomburza Memorial plaque

At that time, the niches cost PhP20 for three years subject to renewal.  No one was allowed to own the niches in perpetuity.  Niches in the inner wall were reserved as exclusive burial places for prominent Spaniards.  Norzagaray’s successor, acting Gov.-Gen. Ramon Solano y Llanderal (1859-60), was buried in a now unknown site inside the mortuary chapel.

Jose Rizal Grave Site

The cemetery was the burial site of Frs. Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora, the triumvirate of Filipino priests unjustly implicated in the January 20-22, 1872 Cavite Mutiny.  They were executed by garrote (a strangulation machine) at sunrise of February 17 at the Luneta (now Rizal Park) in Bagumbayan.  All three were buried in an unmarked grave near the outer wall but the site has not been located up to now.  Instead, a memorial was installed on February 17, 1898.

Grave Site plaque

After the execution of our National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, also in the Luneta at dawn of December 30, 1896, the Spanish authorities, fearful of public unrest (and of his followers removing his remains and establishing a cult), secretly buried him also near the outer wall.  Rizal’s sisters fanned out in search of his remains and found them at the cemetery.  The mismarked tombstone, with the initials R.P.J., was said to have been the result of the sisters’ bribing a guardia civil veterana (who guarded the spot for 15 days) to mark the spot. Rizal’s remains were exhumed on August 17, 1898, placed in an urn made by Teodoro Romualdo de Jesus and deposited at the house of Rizal’s mother at Estraude St. in Binondo.

Elaborate niche of Margarita Miguel
de Cobarrubias (September 1, 1907)

The last burials here were in 1912 (the same year Rizal was finally laid to his rest at its present monument in Rizal Park) and the cemetery fell into disrepair, its empty, semicircular niches hollow reminders for the purpose they once served. During World War II, the park, with its thick adobe walls, was used by Japanese forces as a central supply and ammunition depot.  They dug several trenches and constructed pillboxes with 75 mm. guns. In 1948, proposals were made to convert the cemetery into a park.  Unclaimed remains were transferred to the Manila South Cemetery’s paupers’ lot. Through the guidance of Doroy Valencia, its beautification and restoration was done by renowned landscape architect Ildefonso “IP” Santos.  In 1966, it was made into a national park.

The more common semicircular niche
(Timoteo  de los Angeles, June 3, 1910, 53 years old)

The park has two concentric walls, along which are rows of niches hollowed out of aging adobe for the bones of the dead and separated by a 14.5 m. wide walkway.   The wall niches used to be 5 tiers high but only 3 tiers are visible today as its floor was raised due to flooding in some parts.  Before, Paco district was a reclaimed swampland with non-existent drainage (sewers were only installed during the early 20th century).  The cemetery then was a muddy catch basin for rainwater.  I.P Santos elevated the middle portion of the park so that the water flowed outwards.   He was sharply criticized for this.

Gate leading to the ossuary

Strolling around the outer wall, you will espy the original Rizal grave (with its white cross with the initials R.P.J.) as well as the Gomburza memorial.  At the back of the St. Pancratius Chapel is an arch with a wrought iron gate leading to the Ossorio (ossuary), an enclosed burial site for infants and babies. Flights of steps on either side of the gate lead to an interconnecting upper promenade.  There are 2 other ossorios beside it, all with walls decorated with intricate stone carvings of festoons and angels.  In spite of their otherworldly air, these places seem to be favorite tambayans (hangouts) of students.

Flight of stairs leading to upper promenade

The inner cemetery can be entered via an elaborate main stone-columned archway whose triangular pediment has a sign with the Latin inscription “Beatimortui qui in Domino Moriuntur – John in 14:13 Apoc.” (“Blessed are those who die in the Lord”).  Inside the inner courtyard, one is greeted by a romantic setting of a 3-tiered circular fountain, the small oval, domed St. Pancratius Chapel, 8 century-old, widespreading acacia trees (Samarea saman), wondrously gnarled white kalachuchi trees and pocket gardens with park benches.

Entrance to Inner Cemetery

The inner courtyard’s focal point is the St. Pancratius Chapel, now under the care of the Vincentian Fathers (who manage the nearby Adamson University). Formerly a mausoleum for Spanish elite during the first half of the 19th century, this chapel, done in the Classical style, has a stone dome, stone walls dressed in velvety growths of lichen, moss and creepers, triangular pediment from which hangs a bell and a cross.

Inner Cemetery

On each side of the main entrance, I counted 31 bays with 9 niches per bay.   My estimate is there were once 2,790 niches within the inner courtyard alone of which only 1,674 are exposed.  Fourteen of these still have their burial plaques dating from 1898 to 1913 (?).   On both flanks of chapel are two side entrances leading to the outer wall and two beautiful stairs leading to an interconnected 2-m. wide (the width is dictated by the length of the burial niche underneath) upper open terrace with stone balustrades.

St. Pancratius Chapel

Filipino eskrima (stick martial arts called arnis in the West) practitioners also hone their traditional fighting skills within the park and the Arnis Combat Kiathson System Philippines (they offer eskrima lessons) is based here.

The 3-tiered circular fountain

Paco Park: Gen. Luna St. (at the east end of Padre Faura St.), Paco District, Manila.  Open daily (except Wednesdays), 8 AM-5 PM.  Admission: PhP5. The “Concert at the Park” is held every Friday, at sunset. Schedule of masses at St. Pancratius Chapel (Sundays & holidays): 10 AM, 11 AM, 5 PM & 6 PM, also 9 AM every 12th day of the month).  Wedding arrangements at St. Vincent de Paul Parish Office, 959 San Marcelino St., Ermita, Manila.  Tel: 527-7853 7 524-2022 local 101.

How to Get There:  Take a jeepney along Taft Ave. and alight at Escoda St..  From there, you can walk towards the park.

Luis de Camoes Garden (Macau)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

From the Barrier Gate, Jandy, Cheska and I took the public bus and dropped off at the hilly, heavily wooded Camoes Garden (also known as Dove’s Nest), one of Macau’s oldest parks and its largest (at nearly 20,000 sq. m.). Upon entry into the park, we were welcomed by a fountain, built in 1990, that contains a bronze sculpture entitled Embrace, specially made to symbolize the centuries’ old friendship between Portugal and China.

The Park’s Fountain and its Bronze Scuplture “Embrace”

The land where the park stands was donated by a Portuguese merchant, after his death, to the government. It was later opened to public as a memorial garden dedicated to Luis Vaz de Camoes (1524-June 10, 1580), Portugal’s greatest poet, who was exiled to Macau for 2 years, after riling the court officials.

Camoes Grotto

We visited the Cameos Grotto, the most famous scenic spot in this garden. Here, Luis de Camoes lived in a cave where he later finished Os Lusiadas (Soul of Portugal), the national epic that chronicles the great Portuguese explorations that created the world’s first globe-girdling empire. His bronze bust was installed in natural rocky alcove in the wooded garden in 1886 when the grotto became state property.

The Park’s Pleasant Gardens and Walkways

In front of the grotto is a spacious and pleasant garden, with benches shaded by banyan trees, where people meet with friends or bring their caged birds (a Chinese custom) for an outing.  At the far end of the park is a statue dedicated to martyred St. Andrew Kim Taegon (August 21, 1822-September 15, 1846), the first Korean Catholic priest. Camoes Garden also comes alive in the morning when groups perform slow, silent t’ai chi or lively aerobics.

A Small Park Pond

Walking along the winding path, we reached the Gazebo, a Chinese pavilion at the highest point in the park.  Here, stone tables and stools were installed for local people to rest, read newspapers, play Chinese checkers or chess, or enjoy the panoramic view of the city’s Inner Harbor.

Panoramic View of the Inner Harbor

Luis de Camoes Gardens: Praca Luis de Camoes, Macau. Open daily, 6 AM-10 PM.

Jurong Bird Park (Singapore)

Posted on by — 2 Comments ↓

We decided to spend our second day at Singapore all day at the fresh and interesting Jurong Bird Park, a first for all of us.  At first glance, I did not think that a park with just birds would interest me (that’s why I didn’t go there during previous visits to Singapore), but I was to be proven wrong. Again, the park being very far from the city, we all went there (and returned) via 2 taxis, arriving there by noon after a 20-min. trip.

Main Entrance of Jurong Bird Park

Managed by Wildlife Reserves Singapore, this world-famous S$3.5 million, 202,000 sq. m. (50 acre) bird zoo and landscaped park, built on the western slope of Jurong Hill, within the Boon Lay Planning Area of the Jurong District, was opened on January 3, 1971. In 2006, it  completed its S$10-million makeover.

Souvenir Shop at Main Entrance

The well-maintained Jurong Bird Park, currently the world’s largest bird park in terms of number of birds and second largest in terms of land area, after Germany’s Vogelpark Walsrode, is home to an impressive collection of 4,600 exotic birds of 380 species, (29 of which are endangered) from South East Asia, Africa, South America and Australia. Some exhibits are fully open (Flamingo Lake, Swan Lake and Pelican Cove), some are cage-based (Parrot Paradise) and 4 are large walk-in aviaries.

Birds and Buddies Show (1 PM, Pools Amphitheatre)

Upon arrival, we opted to first watch the 1 PM Birds and Buddies Show (formerly called the “All Star Birdshow”) at the Pools Amphitheater. This lively and entertaining, 25-min. bird show, professionally presented with an environmental message, showcases a large number of species of performing birds, trained to such amazing levels, interacting with humans in a single act.

Birds and Buddies Show (3 PM, Pools Amphitheater)

During the show, we were enthralled by the antics of talented birds like the mimicking cockatoos, parrots and macaws singing , playing basketball, doing stunts etc..   We liked it so much, we attended the second show at 3 PM, also at the same venue.

In between these 2 Birds and Buddies Shows,Jandy, Cheska and I climbed up a couple of flights of stairs and hopped aboard the relaxing, airconditioned Panorail (S$5), the world’s only monorail that runs through an aviary.

The Panorail

We dropped off at the Lory Station were we visited the 3,000 sq. m. (32,000 sq. ft.), 9 storey high Lory Loft, the world’s largest walk-in flight aviary for stunningly colorful lories and lorikeets.

Lory Loft

Here, we walked on suspended bridges at tree top level, surrounded by over 1,000 free-flying lories. The ambiance here is said to be similar to that of a rainforest vale in tropical Northern Australia. Cheska, wanting an up close encounter, tried to offer the lories a specially concocted nectar mix in a little cup (S$3) so that the birds would flock to her.

Up Close and Personal With a Lory

We also visited, on foot, the 32 aviaries (housing 92 species of parrots) and the interpretative pavilion at the 1-hectare Parrot Paradise; the impressive colony of 1,001 roosting, flamboyant flamingos at the beautifully-landscaped Flamingo Lake; and Pelican Cove.

Flamingo Lake

At Pelican Cove, we observed a cosmopolitan colony of all 7 species of pelicans, including the endangered, 11-15 kg. Dalmatian pelican (the largest of the 7), while strolling along a boardwalk. However, we failed to catch them at the world’s first underwater viewing gallery for pelicans, where the birds scoop for fish at feeding time.

Pelican Cove

Next to Pelican Cove is Swan Lake where, from an observation deck close to the water edge, we observed, at close quarters, graceful Black-necked Swan, Black Swan and the Mute Swans roosting, fishing, bathing and swimming amidst the tranquil ambiance.

Swan Lake

Jandy and I again hopped aboard the Panorail and dropped off at the Waterfall Station where we visited the African Waterfall Aviary, the world’s largest walk-in aviary with more than 1,500 free-flying birds from over 50 species from Africa. Species here include the golden-breasted starling, turacos, bee-eaters and the hoopoe.

African Waterfall Aviary

Here, the birds tend to stay further away and we needed to move slowly round the jungle landscaped paths to avoid spooking them. Later, we met up with Mom, Dad, Grace and Cheska at the 30 m. high Jurong Falls, the world’s tallest man-made waterfall in an aviary and a popular photo-ops.

The 30 Meter High Waterfall

At 4 PM, we watched the Birds of Prey Show at the Fuji Hawk Walk. Here, we watched majestic birds of prey such as eagles, hawks, vultures and falcons fly in aerial loops and soar above, moving from one treetop to another. We also learned about falconry as these birds were put through their actions in a simulated hunt.  The birds sometimes swoop just 6 inches from our head.

Birds of Prey Show (4 PM, Fuji Hawk Walk)

After the show, Cheska and Jandy had a cool time having their pictures taken with a live owl, first putting on gloves so that the owl can be transferred to their hands.

Up Close and Personal…. This Time With an Owl

After the show, we next visited the 1,600 sq. m. (17,000 sq. ft.) Penguin Coast which houses 6 species of penguins. Featuring a 21-metre (69 ft) tall Portuguese galleon facade designed to resemble a ship, the interior of Penguin Coast, a great place to escape to during a hot day and one of the few places where you can see live king penguins outside of Antarctica.

Penguin Coast

Constructed with wooden beams and flooring,  Penguin Coast has 2 displays, one indoor and the other outdoor.  The Humboldt, Rockhopper, Macaroni, Fairy and King Penguins live indoors in a captivating, climate-controlled den while Jackass penguins, one of the few species that are adapted to the tropics, can be viewed, with Cape Shelducks and gulls, at an outdoor penguin enclosure.

World of Darkness

At 5 PM, we dropped by the 400 sq. m. World of Darkness, Asia’s first nocturnal bird house, opened in April 1982. It features a system of reverse lighting, converting day to night and vice versa, thereby inducing night-active creatures to come alive during the daylight hours. It is akin to a quiet nocturnal walk along a starlit jungle path, watching birds in a simulated “moonlit” night and hearing them beckon. On display are 31 birds (mostly owls) from 9 species: Black-crowned Herons, Stone Curlews, Lesser Whistling Ducks (Javan Tree Ducks), Snowy Owls, Malay Fish Owls, Eurasian Eagle Owls, Barn Owls, Great Grey Owls and the Bobook Owls.

Royal Ramble

Next, we dropped by the 800 sq. m. Royal Ramble where we had an unobtrusive view of the world’s largest pigeons.  It has a 40 m. long walkway and 3 separate aviaries housing the 3 species of Crowned Pigeons found in the world (Common Crowned Pigeon, the Victoria Crowned Pigeon and the Scheepmaker’s Crowned Pigeon).

Dinosaur Descendants

Finally, at the 4,579 sq. ft. Dinosaurs Descendants we were greeted by a huge rock with a relief of feathers and ostrich eggs. Here, we learned the similarities and intriguing facts which link ratites (flightless birds such as ostriches and cassowaries) to dinosaurs, amidst the simulated grassland habitats of these birds.

Dinner at Bongo Burgers

Come evening, we dined at Bongo Burgers’ delectable but quite pricey choice of pure and lean patties in generous, American-sized servings.

Jurong Bird Park: 2 Jurong Hill, Singapore 628925. Admission: S$18.00 (adults) and S$12.00 (children, 3 – 12 years). Tel: (65) 6265 0022. Fax: (65) 6261 1869. E-mail:info.jbp@wrs.com.sg. Website: www.birdpark.com.sg. Open daily, 8.30 AM-6 PM.