Intramuros

One final date with Janelle as I was leaving the Philippines the next day. We have been talking about Intramuros for sometime, and I can't believe we managed to tick off all the activities on our bucket list. After lunch, Rod dropped us off near Fort Santiago where we were starting our day. It was a hot and sunny day so we brought out the umbrella and started walking around the area. I had been here before as a child during one of our school trips and it seemed so much bigger back then. We walked from one end to the next, going up and taking a peak at what's above the walls. There were these wooden swings the resembled a nest. Turns out they were an art exhibit and there were several swings all around the fort. We found an air-conditioned room with some lego exhibits where we ended up resting for a long time, not wanting to leave. Our route was pretty well planned, it was just one direction and we visited each the famous Manila Cathedral and San Augustin Church. In the Manila Cathedral, there was a wedding happening inside. San Augustin Church was more peaceful, dark, and very old. At the end of Intramuros was Baluarte de San Diego, a pretty unique remnant of the past. It was a circular shaped ruin with an amazing backdrop of the Manila Metropolis. The stark contrast made for a pretty nice juxtaposition photo. It had this nice open grass field above the walls with some fresh breeze gushing in while the hot sun was covered by blue clouds. It was my favorite part of the day. The gardens were also very well maintained. It even had a bonsai section. To end the day, we backtracked to the Cathedral Cafe. After climbing some steps, we were greeted with an amazing view of the Manila Cathedral. It was a nice spot to have afternoon tea. We ordered some stuff for ourselves as well as for Rod. We went home for one last dinner together and I dropped her back at her place. I went home to do my final packing and said good bye to my family. It was always hard to do so. In the morning the next day, my mom woke up super early to say good bye to me. I was very touched and thankful for my time here in the Philippines. It was very healing as it was able to melt away some of the fears and doubts I had about my family and reinforced with a lot of love instead.Read more