Monday, September 14, 2009

"AVENIDA Circa 1960"



Rummaging some items in second-hand stalls recently, I stumble this old photo that brings back golden memories of my youth and want to share it with you. It’s a shot taken at Avenida (now Rizal Avenue, Manila) in 1960. The place was so calm and peaceful… no pollution, no MRT. Ideal theater was then showing “All the Fine Young Cannibals” starring Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner.




8 comments:

  1. I like the Avenida of yesterday coz it's not too crowded and the road is wide unlike today...

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  2. Simon,

    Avenida has gone to seed. Ang layo noong 60s pa. I attribute it to population growth. Ang daming tao ngayon, number one polluters.
    Saka walang URBAN RENEWAL PROGRAM si Mayor para ma refurbish ang Avenida at Escolta.

    Auggie

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  3. Simon,
    I love Natalie Wood, I have a collection of her movies in DVD and VHS, but that one I don't have. NOSTALGIC talaga. How many movies I've seen at Ideal, Butterfield 8, Some Came Running, Somebody Up There Likes Me, etc, etc. Sabado de Gloria was a day I'd spend all day from morning to night watching movies on that very street, from Ideal to Odeon (from Carriedo to Recto). Thanks for sharing, Simon.
    Rod

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  4. Rod,

    Saka hindi butas ang bulsa mo noon dahil 1 peso and twenty centavos (1.20)lang ang bayad sa Orchestra, di ba? Mi beinte pesos ka lang noon meron ka ng pang date.

    Auggie

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  5. Auggie,
    Talaga. 20pesos lang may lunch pa yan, at buong araw sa mga sinehan sa Avenida. From Ideal, State, Ever, Avenue to Odeon and Galaxy. Sa gabi if you have a date Pearl which is further down on Avenida also has the darkest balcony, hehehe.
    Sa gilid ng Ideal at Carriedo there's a Chinese resto I used to go all the time on the second floor, where I'd usually take a lunch break from the movies. I forgot the name though.
    BTW, your expertise is needed on Gerry's blog under the posting Arlan Esmena the one with 40 comments already. Napunta sa ibang subject na sabi ni JM ikaw daw ang expert.
    Rod

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  6. I wonder if that small crossing boat still exists..25 cents I think or 50 centavos crossing from Juan Luna area to San Nicolas side...I think..

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  7. No huge malls then..clean air, wide roads, safe to walk..would've good to have a time machine invention..appreciating how life was then eons ago :)....

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  8. Wowww, 2009 pa comment ko about The FineYoung Cannibals, na wala ako. Well, I now have the DVD.

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