I reached Manila around 9 o'clock in the morning from Palawan. As I had less than 24 hours in Manila, I choose to stay with local host so that I could broaden my perspective. I was glad Addy accepted my request to host me. However, she would only be available after her office hour.
I decided to kill my time at Intramuros. On my way to Intramuros, I dropped by SM Mall of Asia to store my luggage and had a quick brunch. It was noon when I reached the oldest district of Manila. I kept walking towards Fort Santiago. I passed by the San Agustin Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Manila Cathedral, which is facing the main square of Intramuros. One could see Calesa being parked in every corner of the district. They were roaming freely within the Intramuros. This is a nice, old-fashioned way to get around Intramuros. However, since I had ample time, I choose to walk from one attraction to another. There are also tricycle that the tourist can hire to get around to see all the sights. They charge by the hour and it is recommended to settle the rate before using their service.
Fort Santiago was the highlight of my trip to Intramuros. It was not only a fortress but it was also a dungeon. A good number of Filipinos were imprisoned, tortured and killed in an underground dungeon. The tourist may only take a peek from above. Jose Rizal was the most popular prisoner that also became the national hero of the Philippines. He wrote books, poems and articles that roused the hearts of the Filipino people to fight for independence.
Before it was getting dark, I made my way to SM Mall of Asia to get my luggage. I had dinner before leaving the mall. By the time I left the mall, I still did not receive any text from Addy. I had no idea where to meet my local host. I only received the text from her at 6:36 in the evening. Our meet up point was at 7-11 Tambo. Poor me. I could not find Tambo on my Google Maps. It was terrifying to be lost in the big city but Addy was helpful. She guided me on which jeepney to take and where I should be heading to get myself in Tambo.
It was peak hour and traffic was real bad. I got myself on two jeepneys, one tricycle and God knows how much I had been walking that night with my backpack on my shoulders. I ended up walking to Tambo. I met Addy after two hours on the road. I was relieved to see her that night and we rode jeepney to her house area. We had a light conversation before we called it a night.
As I needed to catch flight at 5:50 in the morning, I left Addy's house around 3:30 in the morning. Yes, you read it correctly. It was super early but Addy was nice enough to accompany me to the airport. I was touched by her kindness.
Manila became my transit city during my one-month trip in Philippines. All my flights were departing from and to Manila Airport. I wish to stay longer during my next visit in the capital of Luzon to explore the world's oldest Chinatown called Binondo. Til then, Manila!
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