Travel Photography Blog by Nisa Maier and Ulli Maier. » Manila http://www.cookiesound.com We are a mother-daughter photography team, passionate about travelling to foreign countries around the world. Travel ⎮ Photography ⎮ Documentary. Sun, 05 Aug 2018 11:00:03 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Smokey Mountain: The Inglorious Landmark Of Manila. http://www.cookiesound.com/2011/12/smokey-mountain-the-inglorious-landmark-of-manila/ http://www.cookiesound.com/2011/12/smokey-mountain-the-inglorious-landmark-of-manila/#comments Thu, 08 Dec 2011 08:48:48 +0000 http://www.cookiesound.com/?p=5084 When thinking about city landmarks, most of us will imagine a castle, tower, church or monument but certainly not a 50 meter high rubbish dump. The Philippines capital Manila might just have the stinkiest and weirdest landmark in the world: Smokey Mountain.

As the name already implies, we’re talking about a smoking mountain. A smoking rubbish mountain to be exact. Back in 1980 around 20.000 people lived on and from this garbage dump until the government cleared the slum area in 1995. Families were banished, “houses” demolished and the removal of “Smokey Mountain” could begin. New buildings were built, yet it was unable to live there due to the gas.

We visited the Philippines in 2008 and wanted to see this gigantic garbage dump ourselves. Here are some impressions:

The area around "Smokey Mountain" in Manila.

The area around “Smokey Mountain” in Manila.

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In the most populous Manila slums, such as “Happyland” or “Aroma” – occupation runs at 75.000 – 80.000 people per km2. One of the densest on earth.

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“Smokey Mountain” is a slum area constructed atop a landfill in Manila, has joined the likes of poor urban districts in Rio de Janeiro, Johannesburg, and Mumbai as a tourist destination.

Collection the garbage around "Smokey Mountain".

Collection the garbage around “Smokey Mountain”.

Garbage piles up everywhere in Manila.

Garbage piles up everywhere around the “Smokey Mountain” area in Manila.

One of the few garbage trucks in Manila.

One of the many garbage trucks in Manila.

The train tracks go right through the slum area.

The train tracks go right through the slum area.

Slum area around "Smokey Mountain".

Slum area around “Smokey Mountain”.

]]> http://www.cookiesound.com/2011/12/smokey-mountain-the-inglorious-landmark-of-manila/feed/ 4 The Slums Of Manila, Philippines. http://www.cookiesound.com/2010/07/manila-slums-philippines/ http://www.cookiesound.com/2010/07/manila-slums-philippines/#comments Wed, 14 Jul 2010 01:57:14 +0000 http://www.cookiesound.com/?p=1185 Manila is one of the mega-cities in the world with really huge shanty-towns. It looks like a inaccurately pieced together puzzle and nobody knows exactly how many people live in these slums. Manila also has one of the biggest squatter areas, also known as Smokey Mountain.

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Religion is what keeps the poor from killing the rich…

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About one billion people live in slums and the highest concentration of them can be found in Asia.

Portrait of a boy living in the slums of Manila.

Portrait of a boy living in the slums of Manila.

Lenys junk shop.

Lenys junk shop – slums around Smokey Mountain in Manila.

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