Weekend Walk along Ayala Avenue

I worked in Makati City for several years with different employers and on different intervals. The last time was until end of April 2018. This year, I had the chance to go back but to stroll, not to work, on a weekend. 😊

^{EDSA-Ayala-McKinley interchange}

Ayala Avenue is one of the busiest streets of the central business district in Makati. Busy as it is, the pedestrian lanes were causing more as those greatly affect traffic flow. It is the only street where loading area for passengers is different from unloading area. At first, it was inconvenient when you get off the unloading area and have to walk to your destination just fronting the loading area. In the long run, I guess people got used to the discipline and I thought yes, we should keep the discipline.

My errand is at GT Tower which is almost at the other end of Ayala Avenue so from EDSa-Ayala-McKinley exchange, I rode a jeepney and drop off the unloading area in front of The Columns. It is passed two buildings from where I was supposed to go but it is the nearest unloading area so I have to walk back by passing through RCBC Tower. I worked in this building sometime in 2008 to 2010 for HP supporting the Shell account. Level 6-8 is where the Embassy of Canada is. Except for the new establishments on the ground floor, I do not see much difference now.

Getting into GT Tower and at its middle level lobby, I kept noticing this painting above on the wall of what seems like a mezzanine. I do not know the title or story behind but I am sure it is of Filipino theme because of the costume. It looks like they are dancing a native dance.

After my transaction at GT Tower, I thought of walking back to EDSA instead of riding another jeepney. Right when I got out of GT Tower, I noticed this building which is right across RCBC Tower facing Ayala Avenue. It was not there last year and I did not notice it earlier. It is obviously very new so I stepped back and asked the security guard of GT Tower. He said it is indeed new and is the Ayala North Exchange Tower. "Cool building," I thought. I meant the all mirror walls.

GT Tower entrance is facing H.V. dela Costa Strreet. I turned left towards Ayala Avenue and moved on.

It is very cozy and convenient to see the sidewalk this clear and clean. At times we call this area as lung center because sometimes it is full of people from different call centers having smoking session as their break time even during night and weekends. I wish every facade and sidewalks be as "peaceful" as this every time.

Pedestrian lanes are for senior citizens or PWDs only. Otherwise, you have to take the underpasses. This system has also helped in reducing traffic volume along Ayala Avenue.

Traffic volume is significantly light on this weekend. During week days, people can spend hours waiting for available ride because most public vehicles get full by the second, including Grab service.

At the other side of the street is the Makati branch of Philippine National Bank which is one of the largest banks in the country. Years ago, I heard that it is a semi-private bank but their corporate profile mentions private bank only. It celebrated its centennial year three years ago but apparently, it is still taking pride with their centennial display.

At the intersection of Ayala Avenue and Paseo is this monument of Benigno Aquino Jr. who is more popular as Ninoy. He was the senator who publicly criticized former martial law President Ferdinand Marcos and coined that "The Filipino is worth dying for." He was assasinated at the run way of then Manila International Airport in 1983. The airport is now under his name as Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA - Terminal 1). Maybe it is also worth mentioning that he is the one on our 500-peso bill.

This is the famous Ayala Triangle at the corner of Ayala and Makati Avenue. It actually spans up to where we just passed by, Paseo. The triangle is where the Philippine Stock Exchange is. Behind this facility is a mini-park where the famous Ayala Lights are staged every late November to early January in celebration of Christmas and New Year. Many people, local and tourists alike, would usually visit the garden for the lights.

The next photo is one of those that I took in 2015 version of Ayala Lights.

Few more minutes of walk and we will be back at the EDSA-Ayala-McKinley exchange on the first photo above. So that's about it for the short walk along this not so busy street on a weekend. Next time, I will write about the arts underground Ayala Avenue because yes, there are beautiful arts beneath the avenue. I will take photos when I go back to Makati.

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