Manila

A surprising coincidence. Two posts ago I told you about meeting Imre for lunch to hear about his recent stay in Manila. Guess what arrived the day after? Yes, a postcard from him. Guess how long it took to arrive? No, try longer-------- yes, nearly one month! Was it sent via horse and cart and a rowing boat? 

Even so it was nice to get it and read his comments. That made me think about what I know about Manila and The Philippines. I did some reading via the internet and decided to share some information with you.

Manila was founded in 1571, by Spanish conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi, and was the seat of power for most of the country's colonial rulers It is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay. The Pasig River flows through the middle of the city, dividing it into the north and south

Manila is known for its eclectic mix of architecture that shows a wide range of styles spanning different historical and cultural periods reflecting  American, Spanish, Chinese, and Malay influences It is the most densely populated city in the world, with 263 inhabitants per km² in 2015.  Manila welcomes over 1 million tourists each year.

As a result of Spanish cultural influence, Manila is a predominantly Christian city. As of 2010, Roman Catholics were 83.5% of the population,  Manila is a major center for commerce, banking and finance, retailing, transportation, tourism, real estate, new media as well as traditional media, advertising, legal services, accounting, insurance, theater, fashion, and the arts in the Philippines

One of the more famous modes of transportation in Manila is the jeepney. Patterned after U.S. Army jeeps, these have been in use since World War II. You can see one at the top-right on the postcard.