Our Flowerhorn And The Manila Ocean Park
March 3, 2008 · Filed Under All Entries, iRonnie
Mom had her 58th birthday without any celebration. Since it fell on a Thursday, I told her that we’ll just eat out by the weekend. When she saw the Manila Ocean Park on the late night news, we then had an additional itinerary.
So yesterday, we head on behind the Quirino Grandstand to see the Philippines’ first world-class oceanarium only to be greeted by a looong line of people waiting to get in. Since the weather wasn’t hot and knowing that mom really wanted to see it, we waited. However, I was a bit turned off seeing how unfinished the facility was.
Tiling the flooring of the steps isn’t even completely done and the pile of dirt were just covered by a large Coca-Cola billboard.

How I wished that they tidied up more before opening it to the public. They are probably in dire need of funds. Anyway, the last straw before I decided to back out is seeing the looks of people exiting the oceanarium. I didn’t saw anyone looking thrilled, happy, or mesmerized the way I was expecting them to be. Also, they were going out in groups. I had this impression that people were not allowed to stay in for very long because of the sheer number of viewers. They were probably given a round of guided tour and they’re out of there.

The people lined in front of us.

People waiting in line behind us.
So I decided to postpone our visit for a latter month. Ferdz was so lucky to have an invites on the Partners Pre-Opening Night. See the Manila Ocean Park from Ironwulf’s eyes without the large crowd. It indeed looks fun to visit.
By the way, a Happy 1st Bought Day to our flowerhorn, Tolits. Boy have you grown big, though I wish you could become more big headed like the other kids of your species.




Thess on Mon, 3rd Mar 2008 7:56 PM
I think your decision to postpone the visit was smart. Enjoy it during weekedays and when it’s completely done….fish aint going nowhere
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jeprocks on Mon, 3rd Mar 2008 10:20 PM
Baka kulang sa himas si tolits ehehehe
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iRonnie on Tue, 4th Mar 2008 1:07 AM
THESS,
korek! gustong kong masulit yung entrance fee. i wanted it to be a memorable experience for my parents.
JEPROCKS,
hindi ata himas kailangan ni tolits kundi pukpok para magka bukol ng malaki sa noo. ahahaha!
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K on Tue, 4th Mar 2008 12:11 PM
That’s a hot spot.
We were talking about this new park in I couldn’t believe we have them na rin, that’s a good news para not everybody go tambay in the malls all the time, diba?
HK Ocean Park is going under big construction, they are building an Empire or something, hotels and more rides. For me it’s still the best to go than the HK Disneyland except that I don’t ride on a rollercoster.
Fully functional na ba? Maybe just wait a while muna.
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iRonnie on Tue, 4th Mar 2008 12:17 PM
K,
i think the people will still prefer the mall kasi walang entrance dun. hehe. gusto ko nga din mapuntahan yang sa HK. sabi ng kaibigan ko nasa kabilang isla pa daw yan e.
sa bi nila MOP is around 70% complete pa lang. di pa yata tapos yung mall and hotel na nasa kabilang wing.
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Sidney on Tue, 4th Mar 2008 8:05 PM
That is an impressive waiting line…
well, lets wait till it is completely finished and not so crowded anymore.
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Ely on Wed, 5th Mar 2008 1:21 AM
My seatmate and I were just talking about going there when i saw your post. Sana hindi na ganyan kahaba pila pagpunta namin, hindi ko kaya pagtyagaan pumila ng ganyan…
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misspinkbiik on Wed, 5th Mar 2008 5:15 AM
makiki epal lang… i did went to HK Ocean Park.. pero panahon pa ni kopong kopong.. kagagaling palang ng bulutong ko when I went there … ganda ganda nya hindi ko makakalimutan ung first roller coaster ride ko… kasi malapit sa bangin… sa susunod na uwi ko pupuntahan ko yan… send some more pecture. thenk you.
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iRonnie on Wed, 5th Mar 2008 11:00 AM
ELY,
try going there on a weekday tapos alanganing oras. open sila from 10am to 9pm. pumunta kasi kami sunday so madami talagang tao.
SIDNEY,
i heard the it will be completed early 2009. they still have the hotel and mall to work on.
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iRonnie on Wed, 5th Mar 2008 11:04 AM
MISS PINK BIIK,
ang cute naman ng name mo. hehehe. naalala ko si babe.
anyway, sabi nila this is the largest oceanarium in asia daw. probably, pero i think kakaiba pa din yung sa ibang bansa. size is not all that matter in being impressive.
thank you for dropping by my site. feel free to visit back. have a great day.
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Jaypee on Wed, 5th Mar 2008 11:54 AM
Tolits reminds me of my flowerhorn that I had back in the Philippines. I named it Mushu after the character in Mulan. I had to leave him when I went to the US and my mom told me that he died a few months back.
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iRonnie on Thu, 6th Mar 2008 12:27 AM
JAYPEE,
he’s currently undergoing treatment. sana gumaling pa sya.
nalungkot ka siguro. im having problem with tolits ngayon. may sakit sya ngaun.
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Kotsengkuba on Thu, 6th Mar 2008 12:55 AM
That’s the problem with the premiere shows and openings. Everyone is rushing in to see it first.
And by the way, I used to have cichlids when I’m in college. I think the flower horn is a mixed breed of frontosa (the horns) and red jewel (the side marks). Mahal na nga ang frontosa mas pinamahal pa nung magkaron ng chinese character-like inscriptions. hahaha!
ilang taon na yan?
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iRonnie on Thu, 6th Mar 2008 12:59 AM
NAC,
one year na since nabili ko sya. 3 inches lang sya non. may sakit sya just today. may swim bladder problem. sana makaligtas sya.
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Kotsengkuba on Thu, 6th Mar 2008 1:00 AM
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iRonnie on Thu, 6th Mar 2008 1:03 AM
NAC,
originally nasa 15gal tank sya pero nasa 35gal na sya ngaun kasi nga lumalaki na sya. buti na lang naka delihensya kami. hehe.
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Kotsengkuba on Thu, 6th Mar 2008 1:12 AM
dahil na nga siguro naliliitan na sya sa tank nya.. sakto lang sa kanya yung 15gal tank mo nung nabili mo sya kaya naghahanap na nang mas malaki.
balak ko ulit magsetup nyan pero saka na pag may bahay na kong sarili. hahaha
i hope your horny pet fish get well soon!
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iRonnie on Thu, 6th Mar 2008 1:15 AM
NAC,
ahaha! sana nga gumaling si horny fish ko. kakatawa pero im emotionally attached na sa kanya. isang taon ko din itong inalagaan.
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Kotsengkuba on Thu, 6th Mar 2008 1:21 AM
oy, ako nga dati todo-bantay nung nag-spawn yung pair ko ng convicts e. hahaha! pipitsuging cichlids palang yun pero parang ako na ang nanganak sa pag-aalaga.
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iRonnie on Thu, 6th Mar 2008 1:41 AM
NAC,
ganon nga ata talaga kasi nag invest ka ng time sa pag-aalaga. kanina pumunta ako sa pet shop para bumili meds. sabi nung store keeper baka daw may sinanggang malas kaya nagakasakit. nakaka bigla kasi. okay pa sya kaninang umaga.
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Kotsengkuba on Thu, 6th Mar 2008 1:47 AM
yes, yun nga rin ang sinasabi ng mga chinese jan satin. sinasalo daw ng pet fish yung malas na dapat e sa atin.
pwede ring nagulat sa kung saan. may red pacu ang kuya ko dati. nagulat, ayun lumangoy ng mabilis then bumangga ata sa tank kaya biglang nanghina.
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iRonnie on Thu, 6th Mar 2008 1:51 AM
NAC,
dapat ata lagyan ng sponge yung interior ng aquarium e. ahaha! kapag kasi bumangga minsan nababalian daw yung isda.
btw, tinanggal mo ba ppp code mo sa blog mo? bumabagsak kasi real rank mo.
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Kotsengkuba on Thu, 6th Mar 2008 1:58 AM
tinanggal ko.. zero na nga real rank ko e. pahinga muna sya kay pepeng agimat at sa lahat-lahat. paparanggo muna ko. hahaha
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iRonnie on Thu, 6th Mar 2008 2:00 AM
NAC, bili ka na lang bagong domain. though i heard na yung ibang na zero daw e nagka pr uli.
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Thess on Fri, 7th Mar 2008 3:38 PM
kumusta na si tolits-liit-bukol?
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bluep on Fri, 7th Mar 2008 4:08 PM
Pero sa overall ba bro medyo tapos na? I don’t want to go there kasi ng hindi pa tapos. I can’t believe na we already have our own ocean park here. I think it will bring such awareness to our ocean treasures here in the Philippines. What time nagbubukas ronnie? kasi if tanghali na palapupunta dun eh sobra na haba ng pila ano?
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iRonnie on Fri, 7th Mar 2008 9:36 PM
THESS,
im sorry to hear about wim.
haay still not doing well. i do hope maging okay pa sya.
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iRonnie on Fri, 7th Mar 2008 9:39 PM
BLUE,
i heard na okay na yung oceanarium. ang kulang na lang daw is the mall and the hotel. though di pa din pulido yung exteriors. 9am sya nagbubukas. im not sure if daily ganon kahaba ang pila. baka nataon lang kasi na sunday kami pumunta.
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tutubi philippines on Fri, 7th Mar 2008 10:30 PM
ang galing. kaya di rin ako pumunta agad. si oggie naman kasama ni ferdz may nagnakaw ng pics nya
marami naghahanap ng pics ng MOP dami ko visitors looking for them kasama na siguro yung site owner nun kung sino man sya
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iRonnie on Sat, 8th Mar 2008 7:32 PM
TITOBI,
they should have invited bloggers in a special viewing day. that should have boost their promotion for free. ahaha! i wanted to be one of the early ones to see it sana but i guess it’s not worth it. i wont enjoying it with such big crowd.
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snoop on Fri, 29th Aug 2008 5:31 PM
lets w8 nlang for the completion of manila ocean park….
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