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| Bridge over tranquil water. |
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| The water in Ardent Hot Spring is warmed by the volcanic activities occurring at the foot of Mt. Hibok-Hibok. |
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| It's a favorite hangout place of local Camiguinlons, tourists as well as expats who chose to retire in the island. |
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| For me, Ardent Hot Spring is nature's very own spa resort. It's my second favorite place in the world, second to Sonya's Garden in Tagaytay. To see our detailed blog post about Camiguin and Ardent Hot spring, please click here. |
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| Enter the paradise. |
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| Shades. |
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| Wildfruit. |
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| Discus. To get more details about Camiguin and Mantigue Island, please check out this blog post. |
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| It's going to be a sunset tour for all us last February 26, 2012 with Mr. Walk This Way, Carlos Celdran. At 4:00pm, we assembled in front of the Fort Santiago ticket booth. Minutes after, the event was started with the singing of the Philippine National Anthem. |
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| And then Carlos started to talk. Armed with a lapel mic and visual materials, he gave us the most insightful and most amusing history class we ever have attended. In this picture, Carlos showed everyone the symbol of Manila during the Spanish Era. A Chimera, a mythological symbol for illusion, is at the center of that symbol. |
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| More than 200 people attended the Manila Transitio 1945 event last February 26, 2012. They're from all walks of life. Most are Filipinos, some are from the US. There's even a Buddhist monk who attended the event. It's a good crowd that day! |
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| When the Spanish came to the Philippines, they built a fortress called the Fort Santiago. An image of Santiago Matamoros or St. James of the Moors was etched at the facade of the fortress. According to the legend, St. James appeared as a warrior on his white horse to help the Christian army of King Ramiro I of Spain against the Moors. Until today, St. James is the patron saint of Spain. Before the Spanish Era, the Pre-Hispanic Filipinos were Moslems. |
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| Contrary to what the Spanish did to the Filipinos, the Americans taught the Filipinos their language. They were taught English. Now this was part of a bigger strategy. Carlos said, "Because we were supposed to be made to the image of the United States. We were supposed to be the 50th state." Carlos also said, "Thanks to the United States! We now have a national hero!" Now this is insightful. Jose Rizal was an artist, a doctor, a poet, a scientist, a writer and etc. In short, he was westernized. For an ordinary Filipino during that time, his image was boring. Remember that the Filipinos were clamoring for a revolution, for a real change. Why would the Filipinos choose him as the national hero? But we didn't! It was the United States. But the question is why? Why the diplomatic, the educated and the peace-loving Jose Rizal? Why not the revolutionary Andres Bonifacio? Was this part of a bigger picture again? Was the United States "softening" our warring tendencies during that time? This got me thinking. |
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| We offered a short prayer for the souls of the more than a hundred thousand Filipinos who were killed in Manila during the World War II. Across us actually stood a white cross which was dedicated to the many Filipinos who were buried there, nameless. |
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| Carlos enlarged this picture of an American bomb landing somewhere in Manila. Apparently, it wasn't just the Japs doing all the killings of the Filipinos during the Battle of Manila. This American bomb, along with the other armaments which devastated the former "Pearl of the Orient", has its own share of murder. |
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| Carlos was mimicking Gen. Douglas McArthur complete with a hat, a pipe and the infamous photo which was even made a life-sized replica in Leyte. The photo showed Gen. Douglas McArthur along with his troops dramatically stepping unto the Philippine shores to fulfill the promise he made more than two years before the photo was taken. "I shall return." Apparently, this photo had to be taken thrice. It's part of the drama. |
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| We walked upon the walls of Intramuros. I wonder how the Walled City looked like before the Battle of Manila. The Philippines was the "Pearl of the Orient". It must be THAT beautiful and prosperous during that time. I yearned for Manila of the past which I haven't even seen. This was the prison cell where Jose Rizal was jailed before the day of his execution. |
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| On the other side of the river is Binondo, home of the Filipino-Chinese in Manila. During the Spanish Era, Binondo was called Parian. As said, the Parian is one canon ball away from Intramuros. It was a place where non-Christian Chinese settled. The Spanish had to keep them in one place due to the alarming growth of their population during the 16th century. They were allowed residency in Manila as long as they convert to being Christians. Those who refused conversion had to settle at Parian. |
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| Carlos stood at the tranvia with an enlarged image of the San Agustin Church. During the World War II, this was the only structure in Intramuros that was spared. All the rest had to be flattened. It was said that someone placed a red cross on top of the church- symbolizing that the structure had to be spared. It'll be a great war crime to destroy it. San Agustin Church is now regarded as the oldest church in the Philippines. |
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| To cap off the whole walking tour, we were treated with halo-halo! The Philippines was compared by Carlos to this all-time favorite Filipino dessert. Like a melting pot of many culture and ethnicity, the Philippines can be compared to the halo-halo which is composed of many ingredients and flavorings. Yum! |
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| That night, the beautiful music of the Mabuhay Singers filled the air in the heart of Manila again. They sang a lot of Kundiman songs that the younger ones like me may not be familiar with, but truly enjoyed listening to. It was so much fun to see them perform! |
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| After a short while, Carlos showed us how to light the flying paper lamps or the spirit balloons to be released in a short while. This is one of the highlights we all awaited for. |
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| We held our spirit balloons in front of Fort Santiago. |
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| And then one by one, the spirit balloons all rose to the air and into the night sky! |
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| Like stars at night, they shone. It was truly an amazing experience! |
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| While the spirit balloons all rose above the ground, a beautiful rendition of the patriotic song, "Ang Bayan Ko" was given by the awesome Mabuhay Singers. They were the real stars that night! |
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| My spirit balloon took a couple of minutes more before it took off. And when it finally did, the feeling was inexplicable. It was actually the last lamp to rise. I think I might join Manila Transitio 1945 again next year. Special thanks to Carlos and his team for organizing this wonderful event. God bless Manila! Long live the Philippines! |
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| Good morning! Morning starts right when I have a glimpse of the beautiful Wudong Lu. Across our dormitory in Fudan University is another university called Shanghai University of Finance and Economics. |
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| Our first stop is Pudong. And behind us is the infamous Oriental Pearl TV Tower which is quite the top of the mind iconic structure when Shanghai is the topic. Oriental Pearl TV Tower is third tallest TV and radio tower in the world. |
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| Some of my co-scholars- Diana, Eds, Lani, Renee and Kuya Ritchie. |
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| A photo with my co-fur loving friend, Sol. |
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| February is quite rainy in Shanghai. I always wake up freezing. Thank God water heater was already invented. This is my usual view in the morning taken from where we stayed, the Fudan Foreign Student Dormitory. FFSD is like the United Nations in one building. A lot of foreign students stay there while they take classes in Fudan. |
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| I heard one Korean said during a seminar for volunteering students that most foreign students go to China not to study. They read the Lonely Planet instead of their textbooks. I couldn't blame them. China was very beautiful. This photo was taken inside the convenience store at the ground floor of the dormitory building. That's my Gege (Chinese for big brother) in front of a gondola with some of the most delicious instant noodles in the world. |
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| This is the storekeeper. She became our friend. She takes care of the store in the mornings. All the foreign students get everything that they need from the store- breads, tissues, drinks, milk, beer, nicotine, notebooks, pens and many more. This is where I get my internet card. |
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| After breakfast, we boarded the same vehicles that took us from Pudong International Airport to the dormitory. It was a chance to look at the beauty of Shanghai again. Only this time, I'm already taking pictures. Even the ordinary roads were beautiful in my eyes. Manila is still my first love. But undeniably, roads looked better in Shanghai. |
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| Sample photo courtesy of AS Photography |
<---- Travel Write-up mandatory element below. Don't forget the links. ---->This is a Travel Write-up entry to the Intramuros Bloggers Challenge 2012 organized by IntramurosManila.Asia.
<---- Travel Write-up mandatory element above. Don't forget the links. ---->This post was updated last February 6, 2012.
<---- Food Write-up mandatory element below. Don't forget the links. ---->BARBARA'S RESTAURANT
<---- Food Write-up mandatory element above. Don't forget the links. ---->This post was updated last February 6, 2012.
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| Lapu-Lapu is regarded as the first Filipino hero. |
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| A diorama of one of the battles fought between the Filipinos and the Spaniards. |
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| Statues of the different Filipino heroes were placed inside the Lights and Sounds Museum. |
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| We were brought to Europe inside the Lights and Sounds Museum and experienced the life of Jose Rizal and his fellow Filipinos when they were there. |
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| The publishing of La Solidaridad. |
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| The different characters from Noli Me Tangere. |
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| The friars warned the Filipinos about reading Rizal's novels. |
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| The building of Intramuros. |
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| The Filipinos weren't allowed to enter inside Intramuros- except the slaves. |
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| A diorama of Jose Rizal when he was imprisoned in Fort Santiago. |
