I was supposed to draft a review about Dalampasigan Beach Resort in Sariaya, Quezon for this week’s Travel Tuesday post, but lack of sleep and fatigue got the better of me (There’s a hyperactive 7-month old in the house who refuses to nap during the day, then wakes up every hour in the night to nurse. Go figure.). So lemme show you instead a photo essay of last weekend’s Manila trip.
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| Sister and the little one |
While brief, my (re)visit to the city offered a rejuvenating break from the monotony of provincial life. The air smelled of ambivalence: that of crude oil and murky bay water, and that of greens in the morning. At 8am, vendors and takatak boys were busy selling a flurry of merchandise: newspapers, candies, native trinkets, bottled water, even oil paintings on unframed canvasses.
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| Paintings for sale |
Over 200 adolescents were being confirmed that day,- an affirmatory rite of faith for many Catholics – my niece included . For me and my sister though, confirmation meant lesser kinks to iron out if her girl marries a Catholic someday since this is a requirement for all Catholic weddings, regardless if the bride or groom isn’t. I know, I know, we’re thinking waaaay too fast forward on this, but hey, we’re both moms now. We know daughters would have to physically leave home someday so they can grow their own.
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| Beautiful and quaint Malate Church |
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| The niece gets her first slap from a priest. |
Silent as the streets were from a view, there was organized chaos. I was once again, home. Drunken memories of the 25 years I spent in the city rampaged through as the salty scent of Manila Bay wafted through the air from across the church.
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| Sosyal! Piano sheets on IPad |
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| I initially thought this was carved wood. Turns out it is only wood naturally shaped like Christ. Amazing, huh? |
One may leave the city, but it doesn’t quite leave you.
Manila is ♥.
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| True blue Manilena! |
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| Have you been to Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao in one day? Cool posters with native decors for photo ops at Robinson’s Place Ermita. |
I haven't been to Malate church, it looks really lovely in the inside. The photos you took are awesome. I would love to do a photo walk around Manila as well given the chance.
The natural wood Christ-like shape is amazing. What a work of nature.
I've been to Manila many many times but never really took notice of its beauty. That's why it's nice to have advocates like you who remind filipinos of how attractive our culture is =)
the wood is amazing and I have to agree Manila is love indeed!
I love photos of churches, so historical! Why is the child slapped? sa amin tapped on the head or pinagmamano lang.
@Henry's Mom – You should drop by some time, it's a charming church inside and out 🙂 Credits go to the husband. Most of these photos were taken by him.
@Nova – Thanks, dear. Manila maybe too chaotic for some, but it is the mix of chaos and beauty that makes it unique. I was amazed by the wooden crucifix myself. Galing no?
@Mommy Pehpot – Yep yep!
@Mys – Churches are one of my favorite things to take pictures of, too. I was kidding about the slapping, haha! She was tapped lightly on the face.