One of the most photographed sunsets in Asia is over Manila Bay, a
blazing sphere sinking peacefully into the ocean, the gentle slopes
of Corregidor Island and Bataan Peninsula in the foreground - a scene
that can only be otherwise conjurred in the movies. But from the
breezy balcony of this cozy 12th-floor condominium, it is the nightly
treat. Sunsets are not the only treasure this location offers. One of
Manila's most architecturally unique structures, Legaspi Towers on
the Boulevard is the embodiment of the cliche "they don't build them
like this any more." Constructed in the 1970's with a heavy art deco
influence, the building itself can be a museum piece, with a
cavernous lobby showcasing original works by Filipino artists, marble
staircase, intricately laid brick floors and glass elevators looking
out to the bay, the Towers are destined to be an historical landmark.
Monitored 24 hours by friendly and helpful security staff always
greeting you with a smile at every entrance, the bottom four floors
house businesses including a hair salon, dental clinic, convenience
store, money changer, one-day laundry service, travel agent,
coffeeshop offering traditional breakfast and lunch with internet
access, a swimming pool on the fourth floor terrace overlooking Roxas
Boulevard and a chapel where Mass is offered every Wednesday at noon.

A 5-minute walk away, immediately across Roxas Boulevard, is one of
the other architectural showpieces of Manila - the Cultural Center of
the Philippines, where one can take in a diverse variety of
productions, from touring Broadway musicals to independent film
festivals featuring cutting-edge Philippine cinema to exhibits of
ancient artifacts. A block away in the opposite direction is Harrison
Plaza, Manila's first shopping mall hosting a conglomeration of shops
and eateries offering traditional Filipino to western fast-food, and
the full range of the Philippine shopping experience where you can do
the groceries, barter for your local cell phone, sing some karaoke
and get a massage from the famous blind masseurs/masseuses all in one
short trip. Also within walking distance: the Metropolitan Museum of
Manila, oceanfront restaurants at Harbor Square, and the Rizal
Memorial Sports Complex where the professional Philippine baseball
league plays and national martial arts competitions are held. Just on
the opposite side of that is the Vito Cruz station of the Light Rail
Transit (LRT), the city's commuter train system, which takes you
clear across the entire megalopolis of Metro Manila, all of it above
ground so that it offers the full panorama of one of the world's most
vibrant capitals.

A 5-minute jeepney ride away, just past the Manila Zoo, is quaint
Malate Church, the oldest church in Manila, surrounded by the Malate
nightlife district, where you can sample local delicacies like
barbecued chicken on a stick and crispy-fried pig ears at sidewalk
carinderias over a six-pack of Red Horse beer in a bucket of ice
served right on your table. Then hop over to Ka Freddie's, owned by
legendary Pinoy rocker Freddie Aguilar, and check out his band
Watawat, one of the baddest rock and roll outfits in the continent,
among the many stellar acts jamming there regularly. If you're lucky,
you may even get to hang out with Freddie himself. Just a bit further
down the boulevard is the colonial-era walled city of Intramuros,
historic Rizal Park, and the U.S. Embassy, just to name a few of the
nearby attractions.

For those who are in search of the more modern shopping fare, a short
taxi-ride to the south brings you to the bustling Mall of Asia, where
every chain store in the world seems to occupy a spot and the best
restaurants in the city face the bay, complete with Imax theatre and
ice-skating rink. Take a romantic walk along the seawall after dinner
before heading over to an oceanside discotheque and dance until dawn.
Every Friday after sunset, you can view a fireworks display over the
water. The most adventurous shoppers will relish the experience of
two of Manila's biggest outdoor markets - Baclaran, just a five-
minute F/X ride away, and Quiapo a few stops down on the LRT.

Welcome to Legaspi Towers on the Boulevard - perfect for the
adventurous travellers who want to be in the middle of things, and
yet need a cozy, comfortable, safe, relatively quiet, romantic urban
oasis.

- Kokoy