WALK THIS BAY

It was once describe as "the most beautiful harbor in Asia, " way back pre-way day when Manila Bay was a proud centerpiece of the Philippine's burstling capital city. These are seafront area behind the old Dewey(now Roxas) Boulevard was, in fact, the place to be that time, its long,picturesque walk providing a perfect lazy afternoon hangout for generations of Manileños. But as the saying goes, times have change.Recent decades have seen the decline of this once-popular recreation spot, prompting Manila Mayor Lito Atienza to call for a revival of sorts.Under the "Buhayin ang Maynila" (Revive Manila) program, the city government has initiated a massive cleanup and the beautification project of the seafront area, starting from the Cultural Center of the Philippines complex all the way the U.S. Embassy compound and the adjacent Rizal Park.

Gone are the ugly trash bins and rusty benches, they are now replace by a spanking new promenade-complete with marble-and-tile walkways and two open-air cafes. Check out the best part of multi-million dollar facelift: the newly inaugurated Rajah Sulayman Park with its colorful dancing fountain (yes, it literally dances!).There's also the six-foot-tall bronze statue of the late Arsenio Lacson, arguably the city's most revered Mayor.

The time to visit the Maynila Bay promenade is undoubtedly on weekends- that's when Manileños from all walks of life arrive here for their weekly dose of outdoor leisure activities. Typical saturday mornings start after sunrise with fitness buffs doing their regular routines. Down at the Southern end there's more than a half-dozen workout groups, their specialties ranging from Tae-bo to Yoga and even tai-chi.

The bustle continues well into the day. Vendors selling taho, beancurd snacks with sweet syrup, make their appearance early in the afternoon, followed by squads of men-driven, horse-drawn calesas ( they'll tour you around the city for a few hundred pesos). Amidst all of this are two open-air coffeeshops where one can relax and watch everyone go by. Speeding bikers, hugging lovers, strolling families and sauntering old men reading yesterday's paper- nowadays, a few easy hours spent at the promenade offers an interesting peek into Manila's everyday life. Indeed it is just like the old times- proof of the success that Buhayin ang Maynila is experiencing.

Despite these improvements, however, some things remain.Remem that classic Manila Bay scene with the coconut trees and a fiery orange sunset?. It's still there- and it's the best sunset in Asia.

DID YOU KNOW ?

Consider one of the finest natural harbors in Eastern Asia, Manila Bay is also famous the world over for the high humidity in the Philippines. This high amount of water vapor in the air causes superb light show over the bay as the sun lowers in the horizon.It has been an important economic zone since the arrival of the Spanish in the 1600s, being the major sea part in the country it Lin's the rest of the archipelago of the nation's capital.