Located at the heart of Quiapo is the St. John the Baptist Church or better known as Quiapo Church.
The church is the home of the Black Nazarene.
It’s a statue of a dark colored Jesus Christ and is presumed to create miracles. The feast of the Black Nazarene happens every January 9. There’s also a procession wherein thousands of people gather around the statue. Maybe next year I’ll go to Quiapo during the feast just to get a feel of the celebration. Should be quite an experience.
Last Saturday took me to the very busy streets of Quiapo in Manila (particularly Hidalgo St.).
Why did I go there you may ask? A friend needed to buy some camera supplies and Hidalgo St.
is one of the better places to buy them. Just be aware of your surroundings though. As the street is packed with people, there might be pickpockets around the area. And of course, beware of dishonest traders looking to earn for a quick buck.
Here’s a few tips in buying your camera and supplies in Hidalgo:
1. It’s best that you already know what you want to buy (the more specific the better) before you actually go there.
2. Canvas. Canvas. Canvas. Don’t just go into one shop and buy right away. Look around for the best offer. Don’t be afraid to haggle a bit on the price and ask for a discount.
3. Test the item before you buy it. Make sure it works!
4. Check the bundle. Make sure it’s complete.
5. Always remember that if a deal’s too good to be true then there must be a catch. Be careful.
Hidalgo’s not just a place to buy cameras. On the street there’s a lot of other stuffs as well:
Me? I bought a pair of sunglasses for 50 pesos (roughly $1.10) from a vendor stand. They’re not Oak’s so don’t expect a lot about the quality. I primarily bought one to use when I go to Cebu. I rarely use sunglasses so this is already perfect for me.
You can buy clothes as well:
Next up… a short entry on Quiapo Church.
Welcome and thank you for visiting this travelog.
First off, it’s not just a travel blog. Most of it is but I will also include events, people, food and so on.
Secondly, I plan to promote Philippine tourism in this blog as much as I can. Haven’t been to the Philippines? Maybe my blog can help convince you to visit our beautiful country (hey as much as we get bad publicity for whatever reason there still are plenty of reasons to visit).
Lastly, this blog contains my journey in life as well (the parts I’m willing to share anyway).
That’s about it for now. Check back here once in a while and please don’t forget to fasten your seatbelt and enjoy the ride.
