Philippines Day 15 Manila : Cubao – Transit to Ermita – Rizal Park – Cubao

1100 – After bathed and checked out from the room, we couldn’t deposit our luggage in that hotel. Hence we tried to deposit in the bus company terminal. Only Partas bus company provide frequent journey towards Vigan or Laoag. After booked the ticket for overnight bus, we finally can leave our backpack at the storage area. After that, we walked to Gateway mall to find the money changer. After having lunch in the mall, we found the money changer don’t have good rate. Then we decided to go to the Ermita area to find the good rate money changer.

Cubao Area

Like Economic Rice style stall

Lunch

Christmas Books

To go to the Ermita, we took the LRT since we don’t know which jeepney to take and taxi can be expensive too. Taking LRT here is quite different. To go to Ermita from Cubao, we had to take two LRT line. However, the transit area is not connected that we had to buy ticket twice. First ticket cost PHP20 to the Recto station, then walked few distance in the walkway pedestrian bridge to the Doroteo Jose station and bought another ticket cost PHP15 to U.N Ave Station. The LRT cabin are not that new too, the cabin felt like not cold and most fasilities are broken like the handgrip. The most inconvenience to use the LRT is security checking before entering the LRT station. Hence, we had to be checked twice for two stations. In the LRT, we saw a commercial video that give information what is the security guard checking. The thing that cannot bring into the LRT station are animals, weapons, balloons, paints, wrapped gifts! And backpack more than 2 feet!. Hence, backpacker backpack absolutely cannot get in and use the LRT in Manila.

After reached U.N Ave station which is near to the Rizal Park, we walked to the Mabini St to find the money changer that suggested from the website. First, is the

Moonlight Money Changer:
TWD to PHP : 1.53 (Lower than the Czarina in Cubao Farmer’s Plaza)
MYR to PHP : 11.8 (Better then the Czarina in Cubao Farmer’s Plaza)

Next is the Money changer beside the moonlight but I don’t what is the name.
TWD to PHP : 1.72 (this sound impossible as the current rate was 1.69 on XE!)
MYR to PHP : 11.8 (Same)
Hence we changed the money at this unknown name money changer.

After that, we walked in the Robinsons Mall in the Ermita area. We found this mall National Book Store postcard is newer than that of the Gateway Plaza. Then we walked to the Rizal Park. The park was very crowded as it is Sunday. There are so many food stalls and vendors selling any thing that you need in the parks. We didn’t spend long in this park.

Rizal Park

Tofu Hua, PHP20

My dinner, Lomi with Siomai PHP79

1730 – Took the LRT at this time was crazy as it was the peak hour. The fare is still the same but the crowd for line 1 was like that you need to squeeze in and squeeze out! It was a horrible experience.

1900 – After having the dinner at the mall food court again, we walked back to the bus terminal to get our tickets and backpack. While waiting for the 10pm bus, we were just sitting and waiting inside the air-cond room watching the Youtube video that was downloaded.

2110 – Get on the bus and continue to sleep. My girlfriend slept quite well but I couldn’t sleep well as there was TV playing the movie and the sound was quite loud as we were sitting quite near to the TV.