Hello everyone!
Today, I will be featuring one of the many places that you should visit when you're in Manila. We had a spare day before heading back to Leyte, so we decided to utilize the time to explore tourist destinations nearby, instead of just sleeping and bumming inside our hotel room. I'm guilty of changing itinerary schedules because I'm too lazy to go out. Sometimes, I'd nag myself for paying airfares and enduring long travels just to stay inside the hotel whole day. Hahaha.
I conquered laziness and went out and ticked off one of the destinations that has been on my list for a very long time.
Fort Santiago or Fuerte de Santiago in Spanish, is a historical spot located in the famous walled city - Intramuros. It was built during the Spanish era, and has endured different battles in the past. I'm not gonna give you facts about this place because Wikipedia and other blog sites has it. Let me just give you a tour by showing you some photos I took.
Tickets for adults is at ₱75.00, that's about $1.44, while discounted rate is at ₱50.00.
Nope. These photos were not taken in Europe. This was outside Fort Santiago.
There were actually a lot of foreigners of different races who are visiting the place. We even saw a foreigner tour guide. Imagine, a foreigner talking about the Philippines. That's amazing. One of my friend actually recognized him. She told me he was famous. I forgot his name already, but I admire him for what he's doing for our country.
You'd probably see these guys in those Guardia Civil costumes, and it significantly adds to the Spanish era feels of Fort Santiago.
That's me and my signature pose. Haha. Taken by my friend Pebbles. (#thelikodchronicles #likodserye #talikodgenic😂)
View of the entrance from the main gate of Fort Santiago. Now, let's take a look at the iconic and grandiose gate of this famous fortress.
Look at that massive design. Its jaw dropping when you see it upclose.
According to Wikipedia, the fort was named after Spain's patron saint - St. James (or Santiago in Spanish), hence the design of the gate. And of course, I wouldn't pass up this chance to have my signature pose taken. There were actually a lot of tourists passing by, so timing is really everything. Thank you Z (@imje) for your patience. 😂
I love the brick walls so much. They were so beautiful that I wanted to capture every detail.
After passing the main gate, these are the photos I took:
Our national hero, Jose Rizal, spent his last days here in Fort Santiago before he was shot in Bagumbayan (Luneta Park). Guess what? I didn't know about it. Hahaha. All this time, I thought he was imprisoned in Dapitan and he was shot there. HAHAHAHA. (I have to retake my history subject.) Thanks for educating me @imje! 😂
(#talikodserye Episode 3. 😂)
That's it! Haha. I hope you enjoyed the photos. Most of them were taken from my iPhone 8 Plus, and some was from my Canon 1100D. Enhancements was done using Adobe Lightroom and iPhone's default photo editor.
I did enjoyed going around Fort Santiago. It was like time travelling. I touched the walls, and it felt like touching history. Those walls were witnesses. It felt like they were full of life. They have so much stories to tell. I love their texture, it was old, solid and dramatic. I love taking photos of them. They're very photogenic.
May it withstand all storms and calamities, that the future generations will still get to see this. It is such one of the most precious historical destinations here in the country, and I hope the preservation of this place will be sustained.
While I was walking around the fort, I can't help but take deep breaths as I imagine how much struggles the Filipinos have went through to fight for the freedom that we are enjoying right now.
I tend to become emotional when I talk about these things but I want to keep this blog on a light and happy mood, so I'll pour all these emotions some other time. Hehe.
To end this blog, here's a rare photo of me facing the camera. Haha. I'm really really shy , and I'm probably one of the most awkward person you'll ever meet. Can you imagine how difficult it is for me to pose in front of cameras? I'm pretty much comfortable working behind the scenes. Haha
Its 2:20AM here in the Philippines. I'm already too sleepy, but I promised to finish this blog before I go to sleep. Uploading of photos took too long, but glad its done. Mission accomplished.
Having the opportunity to see different places and capturing them is one of the many many things I am grateful for. I had my first airplane ride in 2015, and I became unstoppable since then. Though time and money are one of the biggest hurdles I need to overcome just to see these beautiful places. But then again, I believe, and I bet you guys would agree with me if I say that - "If there's a will, there's a way."
If you really really want something, you go get it. Life is too short, so fight for the things that makes your heart flutter. Make no excuses.
May you find that something that makes you happy, whatever it is. Something that makes you feel alive, something that makes you take deep breaths and smile, the kind that thrills and mesmerize you, something that makes you feel invincible, and when you find it, have the courage to fight for it. 💚
