Balara Filters Park

November 24, 2012

I had to make up for  the 5 days I was away, so Saturday right after my SG trip was spent with Jeff

we went to UP Diliman, early in the morning to jog. I've not had the chance to run outdoors for weeks na, so it was good kahit na papano I endured a 5k run.

normally when we're in the UP area we'd go the UP Shopping Center to have breakfast at Rodic's. however I was craving for a different taste and suggested we try Mang Jimmy's

I've only eaten there once but the last time was a good 3 years ago pa ata so we weren't sure if it was still open

buti na lang it was

when we got there we were the first customers

the placed look a bit more dingy than the last time we were here but we didn't mind that much since we knew they served really good food and maayos naman yung service

syempre for Jeff this was a walk down memory lane moment having spent loads of times eating here when he was still in college

see...

we ordered really sinful food for breakfast

tapa mix

inihaw na liempo

3 cups of rice

parang nabawi rin ang calories lost from my 5k run

loook at that greeeassee

happy tummies haha

on the way to Mang Jimmy's I chanced upon this sign on Balara Parks and since we didn't have anything planned out for the rest of the day, we decided to check it out.

Balara Parks directory

the place was actually not new to Jeff since he and his dad spends some of their Sundays here biking. though they've never really stopped to go around the park itself

we drove downhill muna to the farthest end of the park and decided to just work our way up to see the rest of the site


Balara Parks

this was where the pool was located as well as a couple of halls. there was a sort of fellowship event however kaya we were limited to exploring just some parts of the site

Orosa Hall (I think)

and the pool area. reading more about the park--the structure on the left is a bathhouse pala and was called Widow's Walk by the Americans kasi it reminded them of that building by the pier where wives of sea captains waited for their loved ones who never returned

the park also contained the Lakbayan Center and based on the illustrations outside it (it wasn't open that time) it would provide visitors a view of how water gets transported from the facilities to their homes. this would be a good field trip site for kids

directly in front of the park were some MWSS facilities such as

filtration plant

filters

these filters actually gave the place a Subic feel for me

another interesting site was this fountain, with a statue of 'Bernardine' a nude water bearer and her cherubs

Bernardine

where to now?

since the park was the farthest point, and there was not much to do we decided to drive up na to see the rest of the place

most prominent in the area was this old water tank "Cerro de Carriedo"

Jeff and I have a thing for visiting lighthouses. but I guess an old water tank was good too haha

surrounding the tank were some smaller parks

Windmill Park

inside the gates was also an old fountain which was the statue of a woman on a carabao-pulled chariot. I would have wanted to go inside kaso the gates were locked. 

really loved this gate fronting the windmill park

it's barely visible from the photo but this was a site marker in memory of Abraham Gideon, and to whom the children's playground right beside the windmill park was named after

Children's Park

here are some photos inside the park:

gazebo

a really unique bench made from water fountains

i want one too!

Jeff protecting his castle

playing around

and finally a view of the tank from the playground

it was good to know that we can manage to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city without having to travel outside of Manila and without having to shell out money for it.

sana lang the city government would be able to maintain the place, since I understand it was restored very recently

credit goes to Paulo Alcazaren's City Sense article in PhilStar entitled Balik-Balara for info on the windmill park and the QC government for their article on Gardens and Parks for general Balara Filters Park info