I’m On BluPrint

About three months ago, Ms. Carren Jao left a comment on my About page asking permission to use one of the photos in my Sto. Domingo Church post for a small section on BluPrint magazine. She informed me that although she was unsure if my photo will indeed be used, it was scheduled to come out in the October 2009 issue of the magazine.

She would confirm to me two months later that it’s a go.

And, sure enough… here it is.

Front cover of BluPrint magazine (Volume 7 - 2009)

My tiny spot on page 38 of BluPrint magazine (Volume 7 - 2009)

It’s just a tiny spot but I can’t smile any wider because I’m afraid the upper two-thirds of my head might fall off if I do.

Thanks Carren.

The Manila City Hall

The Manila City Hall as seen from atop the walls of Intramuros (Photo taken on September 27, 2008)

I used to frequent the Manila City Hall (particularly in various engineering/planning/public works offices) when I was still in college in search of materials for our projects, rummaging through piles of dusty blue prints usually.

With proper identification (i.e., school ID), access to those materials was fairly easy. I would usually be pointed to a certain corner of the office where bundles of blueprints are “stored” (by “stored” I mean unsystematically stacked in several columns on the floor to about the height of my waist, such that the heap looked like it would soon be sold to the junkshop or the “mambobote”) and be allowed to dig through the pile on my own to my heart’s content.

How I miss those days…

It’s really nice that the structure is regularly maintained and repainted… However, it’s quite obvious that the structure is filled beyond the maximum capacity it was designed for, such that several makeshift offices can be found along the hallways and other spaces. And those makeshift offices are placed/built in such a way that the interior of the building has practically turned into what seems like a three dimensional maze.

More information on the Manila City Hall can be found on Señor Enrique’s blog.

Plaza Lorenzo Ruiz, the Other End

Plaza Lorenzo Ruiz (a.k.a. Plaza Calderon de la Barca) - Photo taken on September 27, 2008

This is Plaza Lorenzo Ruiz (a.k.a. Plaza de Binondo, a.k.a. Plaza Calderon de la Barca) as seen from the bell tower of Binondo Church. The bridge in the photo (upper left) is commonly known as the Binondo Bridge which spans the Estero de Binondo, connecting the Plaza to Calle San Fernando. The other end is posted here.