Every so often, my family would go and hang out at the Quezon Memorial Circle to walk around the park, rent some bikes and check out the latest bargains at their local bazaar area. Well last February 4, we did it again.
First thing in our agenda --- breakfast! When you’re inside the Memorial Circle, you wouldn’t find any better and reasonably priced breakfast meals than in Tropical Hut Hamburger. For quite some time now, I’ve been telling my kids how delicious the tapsilog (strips of beef called Tapa, fried egg and fried rice) meals of another venerable food institution, Tapa King were. Since no Tapa King was in sight, I strongly recommended Tropical Hut’s own version of the tapsilog breakfast meal which was also very good and at a cheaper price.
My mother-in-law, Mama Charing and her trusted aide-de-camp Monet joined us for today’s promenading
There is a play area for kids in this branch of Tropical Hut
Faith poses beside the Tropical Hut mascot
After our sumptuous breakfast meal, we walked through the park grounds. Here in this favorite park for the masses, you will find people from all walks of life - young teenagers dancing the latest craze, martial arts enthusiasts practicising their self-defense techniques, basketball and volleyball players, joggers, RC car racers, prayer rally participants and various entreprenuers. With a circumference of approximately two and a half kilometers, this park has something for everyone, young and old alike! You name it, it happens here in the Quezon Memorial Circle!
For the unfamiliar, the park was named after the city's name sake, the nationalistic President Manuel L. Quezon who died overseas due to a bout with tuberculosis during the Second World War. His remains lie inside the great citadel built in his memory in the middle of the park grounds which also houses a small museum.
By the way, for the unaware, please be careful and conscious of any suspicious or strange event or character that you may encounter in the park grounds especially near its entry or exit points. The Circle has been a favorite area for televised pranks by a local gag show. You might just see yourself on TV one of these days!
Sonny Boy and Joshua pose in the walk path leading to the World Peace Bell
The kids and I pose by the bell itself
Family picture by the dome-covered Peace Bell
Baby Faith tries out the baby bikes while Joshua tires out
Mother and daughter bonding
Sonny and Joshua also try out the swings
Joshua easily got tired riding this trike so Papa Ferddie comes to the rescue and gives him a ride around the park
By noon, we packed our gears and headed for the University of the Philippines - Diliman nearby to have lunch. Grandma Charing and Monet went ahead and went back to their home in Project 8.
Lunch at the UP Coop Canteen
My family had lunch at the State University's well known eatery, the UP Cooperative Canteen before going home. This place deserves to be the subject of a separate blog post all together! It will suffice for the moment to say that you must try out their food whenever one finds himself hungry in the grounds of UP Diliman.
As of "press time", the government is building an underground pass between the Circle and the area just in front of the Quezon City Hall building.
I suppose this should make it more convenient for pedestrians to cross the street and visit the memorial circle. I just hope that the expected greater influx of park visitors will not contribute to its deterioration and mismanagement.
The Memorial Circle is one of those landmarks that give the beautiful residential city of Quezon City its uniqueness, character and soul. Visitors would do well to preserve the park for future generations to cherish and enjoy.
