As I’m sure many people do, I usually treat bookstores as libraries; a fresh-book wonderland where stocks are new and packages are clean. The other day, I was browsing through the Art section of National Bookstore and came across a book entitled “Ode to the Pasig River“. You see, rivers have always given me a sense of wonder as these veins of life start and transform civilizations. I’m sure my friends who went to Shanghai were in awe when they saw the wonders done by Whampoa (黄浦江). There are of course the classics — the Nile and the Amazon. Traversing Boston is the Charles River. Even Singapore, albeit a little red dot, showcases the Singapore River in its tourism efforts. It is then not a surprise that our very own River Pasig in Manila tells great stories as it flows from Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay.

It dawned on me that perhaps it would be possible for people around the world to enjoy an "overview" of the River Pasig as well. Google, in the middle of this year, launched a new site called Map Maker. Last October, it was launched in the Philippines by Google SEA and APAC. Much to my surprise, Google Map Maker does justice to Manila and some parts of the Philippines. The comprehensive and detailed map of roads offers users a very good view of the metropolis and enables easy navigation around the region. I truly hope that Google Maps would quickly adopt the map over at Map Maker as it’s more accurate, precise and informative. The following is a web clip of Manila in Google Map Maker. You might need to hide the left panel to experience a better view.

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Looking around, it seems that Google, or some Google user, made use of data from OpenStreetMap and integrated it to Map Maker.

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With all these, I can’t wait to be able to have a virtual cruise of the River Pasig using Google’s Street View feature in the near future.

"Permanecieron silenciosos hasta llegar a Malapad-na-bató. Los que de noche han surcado alguna vez el Pasig, en una de esas noches mágicas que Filipinas ofrece, cuando la luna derrama desde el límpido azul melancólica poesía; cuando las sombras ocultan la miseria de los hombres y el silencio apaga los mezquinos acentos de su voz: cuando sólo habla la Naturaleza, ésos comprenderán lo que meditaban ambos jóvenes.

Nanatili silá sa hindi pag-imíc hanggáng sa dumating sa Malapad-na-bató. Ang nacapamangcâ cung gabi sa Pasig, minsan man lamang, sa isá riyán sa mg̃a caayaayang gabíng handóg ng̃ Filipinas, pagca nagsasabog ang buwan, mulâ sa dalisay na bugháw, ng̃ malungcót na pagpapaalaala; pagca itinatagò ng̃ dilím ang caimbihán ng̃ mg̃a tao at kinúcublihan ng̃ catahimican ang abáng aling̃awng̃aw ng̃ caniláng tinig; pagca ang Naturaleza ang tang̃ing nagsasalità, ang mg̃a gayón ang macauunawà ng̃ pinagdidilidili ng̃ dalawáng binatà.

They remained silent until they reached Malapad-na-bato. Those who have ever made their way by night up the Pasig, on one of those magical nights that the Philippines offers, when the moon pours out from the limpid blue her melancholy light, when the shadows hide the miseries of man and the silence is unbroken by the sordid accents of his voice, when only Nature speaks–they will understand the thoughts of both these youths."

– from Noli Me Tangere by José Rizal.