Dodong is going old school again. I went to Hidalgo last Saturday to buy several rolls of film. In case you are not yet familiar with the place, Hidalgo is a street in Quiapo, Manila where you can buy cameras, photo supplies and other camera accessories very cheap. If there is “Banawe” for car parts, there is a “Hidalgo” for photo supplies. Hidalgo is a photographer’s heaven. Ako feeling photographer lang but I also regard this as a heaven because I get to buy films cheap. How cheap? For films that are being sold for at least Php 100.00 in malls, I can get it for half the price here. Similarly, I was able to buy a camera for my sister that costs around Php 32K in the mall less than half the price (I just bought it for her, it was her money). To give you an idea how it looks like, Hidalgo looks like a public market. It is a small street near the Quiapo Church and Plaza Miranda (I hope you are familiar with your Philippine History) where stores selling photo supplies and camera repairs are to be found side by side. Then, in the middle of the street and right in front of these stores are vendors selling clothes, fruits, kakanin, carinderias, etc. As I said, it is a market.
It has been more than a year since I last visited Hidalgo, the last time I think was when I bought my sister’s camera. I had two objectives last Saturday, first was to buy fresh stock of films and the other was to buy a spare battery for my old school lolo cam. First objective was successful, bought 20 rolls of films. The second objective on the other hand was not because it turns out that the battery I was using for my old school cam is already phased out. I went into most of the stores along that street but all said they had none. However there was one shop that I suspect to be selling that particular battery but the owner refused to sell one for me because I did not buy films from him. Before I purchased my films, I first went inside his shop to canvass. When I came back to ask if he is selling the battery I was looking for I saw him stare at my left hand (the hand that was holding the 20 rolls of films that I bought) then looked back at me and answered it was out of stock; he then mumbled something in Chinese after. If I was only Chinese then I may have understood what he mumbled.
Quiapo. I took this photo two weeks ago when my camera was still working, I happened to pass by the area on my way home. On the right is the Quiapo Church, the church where the famous Black Nazarene is kept. Then in front of the church or the middle part of the photo is Plaza Miranda. Hidalgo st. is also almost in front of the Quiapo Church.
I spent the rest of the weekend in Lake Caliraya in Laguna. Lake Caliraya is a man-made lake built in 1939 by US Army Engineers with the approval of late President Manuel L. Quezon intended to generate hydroelectric power for Southern Luzon. The photos below were taken a few years back when I went to Caliraya with my cousins. Our family from my father side was already staying in Pansol, Laguna during that time. I got bored and asked my cousins if they were interested to go on a road trip. I borrowed my uncle’s FX so that the seven of us would fit in. Take note that we were seven, three were seated in front (I was the driver), two in the middle then another two at the back. They were all couples and I looked like a tour guide during that trip.
Caliraya Lake
Ang mga turistang couples (My cousins in blue and yellow are ADDU graduates)
We went to several towns in Laguna during that road trip and our joy ride included a visit to the Japanese Garden near the Caliraya Lake. Via Cavinti, Laguna, one would be able to pass by the entrance of the Japanese Garden on his way up to the lake.
Japanese Garden
A small cemetery inside the Japanese Garden
Shrine honoring Japanese war veterans
There are other interesting places I was able to visit in Laguna. I will try to compile the photos and would share them to you on another entry. For the mean time, I will now get some sleep.
Ayo! Ayo!
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