Malabon and nearby Navotas

 As I commute from the bustling streets of EDSA and head to the fishing villages of Malabon and Navotas, I'm struck by the striking contrast - a world apart but only a few kilometers from the center of Metro Manila. These cities, situated in the city's northeastern boundaries, have long been formed by their distinct histories and strong ties to the sea and the river.

My adventure begins with a search for the noodles and delicious kakanin that have sustained this community for decades. While navigating the roads in a public jeep and walking, I come across a central dry and wet market typical of Philippine markets that seem nearly stuck in time. Weathered vendors sell their items, their voices mixing with hawkers' screams and passersby's laughing.

However, as I wander, I am faced by the unpleasant sight of the Navotas river. Its dark and stagnant waters are a reminder of the environmental issues that have long plagued this once-pristine waterway. I am divided between admiring the quaintness and originality of this quaint semi-urban place and being repulsed by the harsh realities of its polluted river.

Seeking solace, I look to the churches that dot the landscape, from the grandiose San Bartolome to the smaller San Idelfonso parish church at Navotas east, more modest monuments that line the streets. Each one is a tribute to the resilience and faith of the people who have lived here, their pinnacles reaching for the sky like beacons of hope amidst the grime and grit.

Dwelling on San Bartolome church, throughout its history, the San Bartolome Parish Church has been a center of community life, not only for religious services but also for social and cultural gatherings. It has witnessed the pleasures and tragedies of generations of Malabon people, including baptisms, weddings, burials, and processions, typical of the services big churches in the Philippines offer to their laity.

San Bartolome Parish Church serves as a living witness to the Malabon community's enduring spirit, as well as the resilience and faith that have supported this fishing village over time. When tourists walk through its majestic wooden doors, they are transported to a bygone era, when the echoes of history murmur stories of a community

I'll return to this location, anxious to learn more about the area's history and traditions, and to search out the old houses and structures that have stood the test of time. However, I will be careful to avoid the industrial districts, instead focusing my attention on the lovely, unusual, and alluring aspects that make this fishing village such a mesmerizing escape from the craziness of the metropolis.