July 22, 2009

Spanish Dramatist or Filipino Saint

This ornate white fountain stands in Plaza Calderón de la Barca in front of the Binondo Church in Manila's Chinatown. The plaza is named after Pedro Calderón de la Barca, a Spanish dramatist of the 17th century whose play La vida es sueño (Life is a Dream) continues to be reinterpreted and staged until today. This tiny space is also known as Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz, after the first Filipino saint who happens to be from Binondo.

white fountain in Plaza Calderon in Binondo

Natural or man-made, take a refreshing dip in Watery Wednesday.
Watery Wednesday

38 comments:

  1. VPJuly 22, 2009 at 2:23 AM

    I know Calderón de la Barca but it's the first time I hear of San Lorenzo Ruiz. How does locals really call this square?

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  2. Cezar and LéiaJuly 22, 2009 at 2:54 AM

    Hello my dear friend Hilda!
    How are you sweetie?
    wowwwwwwww In fact this fountain is amazng!I loved the white colour and I guess there are little mermaids on the top!
    I would like to thank you for so kind comments and visits in our blogs!
    God bless you!
    Greetings from Luxembourg
    Cezar, Léia and Luna

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  3. LoisJuly 22, 2009 at 3:37 AM

    Lovely capture of the falling water Hilda!

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  4. KateJuly 22, 2009 at 3:41 AM

    Thanks for visiting my blog today. I know the image is shocking, but the commentary explains its legitimacy on the post.

    Your fountain photo is excellent!

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  5. DinaJuly 22, 2009 at 4:09 AM

    Beautiful picture with color showing through the frozen water drops.

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  6. marleyJuly 22, 2009 at 5:30 AM

    Very grand fountain :)

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  7. AnonymousJuly 22, 2009 at 7:47 AM

    Gorgeous as always - I like the way people peak as silhouettes and bursts of color through the water! Beautiful fountain!

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  8. JimJuly 22, 2009 at 8:23 AM

    An amazing fountain.
    Sydney - City and Suburbs

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  9. betty-NZJuly 22, 2009 at 8:25 AM

    Such a delightful photo! It's stunning the way the water is frozen in space!

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  10. Ken MacJuly 22, 2009 at 9:15 AM

    beautiful shot

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  11. AnonymousJuly 22, 2009 at 9:45 AM

    Oh the falling water looks like a curtain of crystals. Very nice.

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  12. RedzlanJuly 22, 2009 at 10:05 AM

    Beautiful!
    High shutter speed freezes this water and made it look like crystals.

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  13. LowellJuly 22, 2009 at 11:19 AM

    'Tis a beautiful fountain...and I can imagine a nice place to sit and relax on a hot day!

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  14. pennyJuly 22, 2009 at 11:33 AM

    Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink... Fabulous fountain, Hilda.

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  15. AnonymousJuly 22, 2009 at 12:07 PM

    Fantastic & beautiful fountain!

    Happy WW!

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  16. TashJuly 22, 2009 at 1:08 PM

    Your watery Wednesdays are always a treat! Fascinating combination of cultures all in one small square.

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  17. UnknownJuly 22, 2009 at 1:09 PM

    it's been ages since i've been to Chinatown in Binondo. great shot..i could almost hear the sounds of water.

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  18. Frankie / NickJuly 22, 2009 at 1:10 PM

    How refreshing, we could sure use a ton of these around here. It hot, tinder dry and the fires are ablaze.

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  19. Maria VerivakiJuly 22, 2009 at 1:23 PM

    absolutely beautiful - this shot captures perfectly the way the water cascades over the fountain!

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  20. OlivierJuly 22, 2009 at 1:47 PM

    très belle photo de cette fontaine

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  21. MurciaDailyPhotoJuly 22, 2009 at 3:56 PM

    Hi Hilda,
    and now, How Filipinos prefer to call this plaza?

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  22. JaneJuly 22, 2009 at 4:46 PM

    A very beautiful fountain, thanks for sharing:)

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  23. AnonymousJuly 22, 2009 at 7:57 PM

    I've not been to this place yet and great to see such places I've not been to through your blog Hilda. Thanks and this is nicely captured, I can almost hear the water falls.

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  24. airplane5312July 22, 2009 at 8:07 PM

    Looks like a great place to cool of those feet on a hot summer day.

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  25. GreensboroDailyPhotoJuly 22, 2009 at 8:39 PM

    Love, love, love the photo and AS MUCH the fact that "La vida es sueno" is still acted out today! When I come to Manila, it will be during the time of that play!

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  26. B SQUAREDJuly 22, 2009 at 8:55 PM

    A beautiful fountain. I'm not familiar with the dramatist, however.

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  27. Tammie LeeJuly 22, 2009 at 10:43 PM

    beautiful water fountain! we just love the sounds of water falling, eh?!

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  28. AnonymousJuly 22, 2009 at 11:01 PM

    Very attractive fountain - can almost hear it.

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  29. HalcyonJuly 22, 2009 at 11:27 PM

    What a beautiful fountain. Are people allowed to splash around in it?

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  30. Don and KriseJuly 23, 2009 at 1:11 AM

    Beautiful Hilda, and it looks very refreshing.

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  31. HildaJuly 23, 2009 at 6:24 AM

    Vogon Poet & Murcia:
    Most people call it by the name it has had for a longer time: Plaza Calderón.

    Snapshutter & Halcyon:
    I don't think you'd want to splash around in this fountain. Notice the color of the water in the pool — yuck!

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  32. GeorgeJuly 23, 2009 at 8:09 AM

    What a beautiful fountain. Thanks for sharing it and the information about the dramatist and the saint.

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  33. CopenhagenJuly 23, 2009 at 9:14 AM

    :)Great fountain

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  34. b.c.July 23, 2009 at 12:25 PM

    great shot, i like it :)

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  35. Regina July 23, 2009 at 1:44 PM

    Great shot!
    Nice one.
    Regina

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  36. ArijaJuly 23, 2009 at 5:28 PM

    So beautifully photographed with the strands of silver water suspended in air.

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  37. escapeJuly 23, 2009 at 8:52 PM

    you get to make simple subjects so beautiful through your shots. like this one, taking it from a different perspective wont be that nice but you captured it so well here.

    im amazed how you avoided those wires. hehehe...

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  38. Mary Stebbins TaittJuly 25, 2009 at 3:10 AM

    Pretty fountain!!! :-D Very refreshing.

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Thanks for visiting and letting me know!