November 14, 2008

Of car parks and malls

I don't have figures to back me up, but I honestly believe that Metro Manila has more malls and shopping centers per square kilometer than any other city in the world. The stretch of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) between Ortigas Avenue and Shaw Boulevard in the cities of Pasig and Mandaluyong has five malls, and there are two more within walking distance. You're seeing two in this photo. I'm standing on the 7th level of the car park building at the east side of Shangri-La Plaza mall looking northwest. The area with lots of trees is the mall's open car park, and the yellowish building to the left is its other car park building. I don't know what the low white building after the trees is—I suspect it's a power generator—but it belongs to SM Megamall, which is the long white and blue building on the right receding to the distance. The wavy roof in its open car park is the pedestrian walk which leads from EDSA to the mall. You can also see the elevated track of the Metro Rail Transit System, better known as the MRT, on EDSA. And notice the tall tower on the right? That's the Galleria Corporate Center and at its base is the Robinson's Galleria, the third of the five malls in this stretch.

Shangri-la and Megamall car parks

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18 comments:

Unknown said...

Holy Cow! That's a lot going on there.

Anonymous said...

I know what things cost here in America. In spite of poor economic times, a Lenovo laptop computer still costs a lot of money. Do they cost the same or equivalent amount there where you live?

When I was last in Japan in 1955, we could go to Hong Kong and buy tailor made suits for about 1/4th the regular price and that was before computers so I don't know how it is there now.

I would think to support so many malls that the people would have to make a lot of money just to shop there if the prices are the same as they are here in my country.

angela said...

You certainly like shopping over there...

Webradio said...

Nice sky ! lots of shops...

Have a good day !

Janet said...

Lots of different colors and kinds of buildings. Great view of the city.

Lisa Wilson said...

Nice view of the city!

Cipro said...

Is a marvelous feeling of chaos. It is really a beautiful city!!!

Maria Verivaki said...

shopping is great, but a little too costly for our times...

Anonymous said...

That is a very busy view! I like though that even in a very urbanised environment you have lots of green trees too.

hadv said...

Abe, I think laptop computers here cost double yours in the US because of the taxes. Otherwise everything is cheap.

Hilda, maybe someday, they will just build bridges connecting all those malls in QC and Mandaluyong, like they have done in Makati. Then further into the future, we will be living in one big mall, hehehe. (My sister would love that.)

Jill said...

I do not like to shop and haven't been in a mall for years!

Hilda said...

Abe:
It depends on what the item is. As Agnes said, computers and other tech gadgets can be expensive, but I'd like to qualify that — it depends on the brand. Same goes for clothes, jewelry, leather goods. If you choose designer and luxury brands, then they're more expensive than in the U.S. But there are lots more that are cheaper here. My sister went crazy buying clothes for the girls and jewelry with semi-precious stones for her friends.

Agnes:
Hahaha, my sister would love that too!

Jane Hards Photography said...

More building there than all of my island. Excellent over view.

Grammy said...

Your photo is wonderful!
Have a wonderful weekend!.

PJ said...

Your little camera obeys your sharp photographer's eye, Hilda. this photograph says so much about your city that words could never convey.

turtle said...

good observation. great shot.

dodong flores 도동 플로오리스 said...

Excellent vantage point...

Anonymous said...

I think its ok to have that much malls that close, I mean with all of the people in that area. I personally like to go to malls during weekends to be able to save up on airconditioning, lol.