Saturday, December 07, 2013

Intramuros Tour

Feel that I need to extend Filipino hospitality, decided to guide a vendor of the system we are installing in our company on a tour of Intramuros (learned it is his first time to travel outside his country).  Borrowed my brother's driver in the process.

Picked him up at St. Giles Hotel along Makati Avenue around 9AM and proceeded to Intramuros.   First stop is Fort Santiago.  Met a friendly tour guide who explained to us the items in the museum, also showing us where Dr. Jose Rizal was incarcerated before he was shot at Bagumbayan.  It is also in this cell where he and Josephine Bracken got married two days before the execution.  The museum also houses the vertebrae of Rizal that shows where the bullet hit the bone.

And just when we are on way out, if you can't say were lucky, saw a short play about the life and death of Rizal being reenacted.



Then showed him the Manila Cathedral. Walked our way to San Agustin Church and checked-out the San Agustin Museum.  Also saw the Bahay Tsinoy and the ruins of Customs.

Our next stop is the Luneta (or Rizal Park).  Because of a wrong turn, stuck in traffic.  But, we were able to witness the "Speed Drift Muscle" event at the Quirino Grandstand.

 
Given the traffic and possibility of finding a parking space, decided to proceed to The Aristocrat instead, one of the oldest restaurants in the Philippines, for lunch.  After lunch, checked out the Malate Church, crossed Roxas Boulevard to view the Manila Bay.

Then, a drive tour of the CCP Complex (Cultural Center of the Philippines, Star City, Folk Arts Theater, Philippine International Convention Center, Coconut Palace) and SM Mall of Asia.  Finally, dropped him off to his hotel.

I, on the other hand, was dropped off at Glorietta to attend the anticipated Mass.  Then, had dinner at Dekada.

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