When joining a walking tour, be as comfortable as possible. From my
experience on the the tour of Quiapo, here are some tips which could
be useful:
Wear the most comfortable pair of shoes you own. Try sneakers or any
kind of rubber-soled shoes. Wear socks to avoid blistered feet.
Remember this is a walking tour and that's exactly what you are going
to do.
Dress casual, the more rugged the better. A pair of jeans and a T-shirt
are standard. It isn't advisable to wear bright colors or else you'll attract
too much attention and risk being followed around. After all, you are
tourists in this area.
Pack light. A backpack or small tote bag with a face towel will do. A
backpack, though, will free both your hands to hold on to something
else. You can bring an automatic camera, but avoid one that needs to
be focused for each frame. Besides, those are heavy.
Bring a bottle of mineral water. All that walking can get you pretty
thirsty.
Food is not a problem. If you're feeling a little adventurous, you can go
on a "food trip" and sample anything from streetfood such as isaw,
baked goods at Bakerite, Islamic food at the foodstalls around the
mosque, freshly-cooked ube or mongo hopia, some ham from
Excelente (which Nick and Butch claim to be the best there is), fruits,
and more. There are also fastfood chains around the area if you'ld
rather trust a burger. Besides, the tour fee includes dinner at a
panciteria.
With a little request from your guides, they can show you nifty little
shops were you can buy precious stones and jewelry, among other
interesting must-haves.
Most importantly, be prepared. Some of what you may see are a little
dreary-looking, some places stink, especially those near Pasig river
and the air around there is a bit stifling. The best way to go at it is to
keep an open mind and maintain a certain level of enthusiasm.
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