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  Binondo, Manila(The Chinatown of Manila)

                                 

                No visit to Manila is complete without a visit to Binondo or what we usually call China Town. Because of it's historical background and beauty that it's possessing, lots of tourists are visiting Binondo yearly. Binondo is an enclave in Manila primarily by ethnic Chinese living in the Philippines. Binondo is the oldest Chinatown in the world. Binondo is located across the Pasig River from Intramuros. "Binondo" is a toponym derived from the archaic  spelling of Tagalog term "binondoc"(modern ortography: "binundok"), or mountainous, referring to the district's originally hilly terain.

                Binondo was founded in 1594, Binondo was created by Spanish Governor Luis Perez Dismariñas as a permanent settlement for Chinese immigrants(the spanish called the Chinese "sangleys") who converted to Catholicism. During the brief British occupation of Manila, Binondo was bombarded on several occasions and some of it's structures destroyed. Binondo became the main center for business and finance in Manila for the ethnic Chinese, Chinese mestizos and Spanish Filipinos. Among the many who married in the historic Binondo Church was Andres Bonifacio and Gregoria Silang who became a hero of Philippine Revolution.

                 There are many Chinese restaurants, groceries,noodle houses and herbal that can be found in Binondo especially along the Ongpin Street. Along the Carvajal Street, vendors sell fruits and Chinese delis such as sea cucumber and black chicken. In Arraque Market, fresh seafood can be found on sale along with exotic foods like pigeons, snakes, frogs, rabbit. Yearly, Chinatown is active during Chinese New Year, when locals perform Dragon dances, light up firecrackers and rush to Buddhist Temples.